Jump to content

  • You are not alone. Join Celiac.com for trusted gluten-free answers and forum support.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

Alka Seltzer Fruit Chews

G-gone

Recommended Posts

G-gone Newbie
G-gone
Posted

Hi there. Brand new here, brand new to all of this. I have been gluten free (except for accidental glutening) for about 2 months. Last week I purchased Alka Seltzer fruit chews for my occasional heart burn. I've taken a couple just before bed for the last several nights. For the last several nights I've had horrible nausea, headache, body aches and sweating. I've woken myself up with the miserableness of it all and my moaning and groaning. Tonight after I took 2, within half an hour it started again and a little light bulb went off. So I read the ingredients again. No wheat or other gluten foods mentioned. However there are two different modified food starches. So I began to search the web. Only found one "entry" that said not gluten free. It was on a personal blog. I didn't find anything else. I did send an email and hope to get a response quickly. However, I am impatient and wondering if anyone here knows or if they've had a glutened like reaction from taking them.

If its not the fruit chews I need to dig deeper and figure out what is causing my nighttime sickness the last several days.

Thanks

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If it was wheat, it would say " modified food starch( wheat)"

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

If it was wheat, it would say " modified food starch( wheat)"

That only applies to food. Unfortunately meds don't have to follow the same rules that food does.

IMHO the best way to see if the chews are the problem is to stop using them for a bit, perhaps till you hear back from the company. Then if your symptoms have resolved try using them again and see if they return.

It is also quite possible that gluten is sneaking in somewhere else. This is especially the case when we are new to the diet.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

That only applies to food. Unfortunately meds don't have to follow the same rules that food does.

IMHO the best way to see if the chews are the problem is to stop using them for a bit, perhaps till you hear back from the company. Then if your symptoms have resolved try using them again and see if they return.

It is also quite possible that gluten is sneaking in somewhere else. This is especially the case when we are new to the diet.

 

 

Oh right!  People treat them like candy.  I forgot they were a medication.  :wacko:

 

Do they have artificial sweetener?  Some of those really bother me.

G-gone Newbie
G-gone
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for the replies.

I defiantly have to decided to not use them anymore. The ick feeling lasts about 14 hours or so and then I feel better, until after I take the fruit chews. So I can only relate it to them. It's not a "knock me out" for 3 days that I normally get when glutened, but enough to make me not want to take them anymore. I can't believe it took me about 5 days to relate it to the fruit chews.

Yes, there is both natural and artificial sweeteners in them. So far I haven't run into issues with either. However I know traveling down this road can cause changes in what seems like a blink of an eye.

Thanks again for the replies. When/if I hear back from the company I will share the reply.

I'm learning, it's a slow process, but I'm learning :)

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I know you said you sent an email to the company, but you could just call. The number listed on their site is 800-800-4793 and you can prevent sitting around waiting until Monday if they don't get back to you by the end of the day today. Sometimes it is better just to make the phone call because piece of mind is worth whatever time it takes up.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

For that occasional heartburn (or ingestion of a food you're intolerant to -- not including gluten)?  Try old-fashioned baking soda and drink plenty of water.  That's what my doctor recommends.   On the road, we travel with Alka Seltzer Gold which is just expensive baking soda and does not contain aspirin like the traditional Alka Seltzer (it's a little more difficult to find in some drug stores).    Yes, it's "yucky" but it's medicine -- not candy!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 1 year later...
GlutenFree4Lexi Newbie
GlutenFree4Lexi
Posted

My dad looked it up and it also said no. I would just stay away from them and see how u feel. I have celiac disease (very bad gluten allergy) and I had heart burn so my dad said not to take them. He is a dentist and has been to medical school so I would just not take them. Also try talking to a dietition or a gastro interoligest.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Welcome, Lexi!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked commented on Scott Adams's article in Diagnosis, Testing & Treatment
      5

      New Study Reveals Hidden Gut Damage in Celiac Disease—Even Without Gluten (+Video)

      After reading the study on Mucosal reactivity to cow's milk protein in coeliac disease I stopped eating processed foods that have milk as an ingredient. Though Gluten Free, "in a fraction of coeliac patients, Cows Milk protein challenge may induce an inflammatory reaction of the same magnitude, as did gluten challenge". After three months my lower belly...
    2. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Ginger38's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      6

      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      Hi @Ginger38, By now you know that these things improve without gluten. I once saw an interview with a corporation executive where he proudly declared that his wheat products are more addictive than potato chips. Dr Fuhrman (Eat to Live) said find foods that are friendly to you to be friends with.
    3. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to CC90's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Coeliac or not coeliac

      Hi @CC90 Ah... that is very interesting. Although it is very annoying for you to have to go through it all again, I would say that almost sounds like an admission that they didn't look far enough last time? I could be wrong, but I would not be at all surprised if they find something on the next attempt. Coeliac damage can be very patchy, as I understand...
    4. CC90
      - CC90 replied to CC90's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Coeliac or not coeliac

      Hi Cristiana Yes I've had the biopsy results showing normal villi and intestinal mucosa. The repeat endoscopy (requested by the gastro doc) would be to take samples from further into the intestine than the previous endoscopy reached.
    5. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to CC90's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Coeliac or not coeliac

      Transglutaminase IgA is the gold-standard blood test for celiac disease. Sensitivity of over 90% and specificity of 95–99%. It rarely produces false positives. An elevated level means your immune system is reacting to gluten. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) does not typically cause high levels of tTG-IgA. Unfortunately the protocols for a diagnosis o...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      134,195
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      10,442
    ahash
    Newest Member
    ahash
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.7k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      The Struggle Has Overtaken Me

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Hi @Ginger38, By now you know that these things improve without gluten. I once saw an interview with a corporation executive where he proudly declared that his wheat products are more addictive than potato chips. Dr Fuhrman (Eat to Live) said find foods that are friendly to you to be friends with.  
    • cristiana
      Coeliac or not coeliac

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @CC90 Ah... that is very interesting.  Although it is very annoying for you to have to go through it all again, I would say that almost sounds like an admission that they didn't look far enough last time?   I could be wrong, but I would not be at all surprised if they find something on the next attempt.  Coeliac damage can be very patchy, as I understand it, so that's why my own gastroenterologist always likes to point out that he's taken lots of samples!  In the kindest possible way (you don't want to upset the person doing the procedure!) I'd be inclined to tell them what happened last time and to ask them in person to take samples lower down, as  if your health system is anything like the one in my country, communication between GPs, consultants and hospitals isn't always very good.  You don't want the same mistake to be made again. You say that your first endoscopy was traumatic?  May I ask, looking at your spelling of coeliac, was this done at an NHS hospital in England?  The reason for the question is that one of my NHS diagnosed friends was not automatically offered a sedative and managed without one.  Inspired by her, I tried to have an endoscopy one time, in a private setting, without one, so that I could recover quicker, but I had to request sedative in the end it was so uncomfortable.    I am sorry that you will have to go through a gluten challenge again but to make things easier, ensure you eat things containing gluten that you will miss should you have to go gluten free one day. 😂 I was told to eat 2 slices of normal wholemeal bread or the equivalent every day in the weeks before , but I also opted for Weetabix and dozens of Penguin chocolate biscuits.  (I had a very tight headache across my temple for days before the procedure, which I thought was interesting as I had that frequently growing up. - must have been a coeliac symptom!)  Anyway, I do hope you soon get the answers you are looking for and do keep us posted. Cristiana  
    • CC90
      Coeliac or not coeliac

      By CC90 · Posted

      Hi Cristiana   Yes I've had the biopsy results showing normal villi and intestinal mucosa.  The repeat endoscopy (requested by the gastro doc) would be to take samples from further into the intestine than the previous endoscopy reached.      
    • Wheatwacked
      Coeliac or not coeliac

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Transglutaminase IgA is the gold-standard blood test for celiac disease. Sensitivity of over 90% and specificity of 95–99%. It rarely produces false positives.  An elevated level means your immune system is reacting to gluten.  Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) does not typically cause high levels of tTG-IgA. Unfortunately the protocols for a diagnosis of Celiac Disease are aimed at proving you don't have it, leaving you twisting in the wind. Genetic testing and improvement on a trial gluten free diet, also avoiding milk protein, will likely show improvement in short order if it is Celiac; but will that satisfy the medical system for a diagnosis? If you do end up scheduling a repeat endoscopy, be sure to eat up to 10 grams of gluten for 8 - 12 weeks.  You want  to create maximum damage. Not a medical opinion, but my vote is yes.
    • trents
      Coeliac or not coeliac

      By trents · Posted

      Cristiana asks a very relevant question. What looks normal to the naked eye may not look normal under the microscope.
×
×
  • Create New...