Glutening-Round 2...

[powerofpositivethinking]

I've been gluten free since March, and got glutened by Rice Dream a bit ago which gave me headaches, made me really tired, nauseous and bloated.  My main symptoms before going gluten free were bloating and constipation.

 

Fast forward to this week, and I'm positive I got glutened again but really can't figure out what from.  Either it was from cross contamination while visiting at my parents house or something I ate that I cannot figure out.  It started on Wednesday, and the only thing I can think of is that I had a few cookies from two new companies, Zena's Cookies and Ginny Bakes, but both are supposed to be gluten free.  

 

I was visiting family out of town this week, and as I was making my 2.5 hour drive back Wednesday, I kept yawning over and over.  I thought I was a little tired from helping my brother move the previous day, but as my drive back home continued, not only did I keep yawning but I started feeling really nauseous.  I stopped along the side of the road and just sat for a few minutes, and was just hoping I could make it back home without getting really sick in the car.  Thankfully I made it back home, but when I got upstairs I went to the bathroom and had massive D.  It was completely liquefied, and that NEVER happens.  Thursday and Friday I continued to feel nauseous and my stool was still loose, but not completely liquid.  My stomach was also quite rumbly, and I'm still a bit bloated and my intestine area is really tender.

 

I didn't put two and two together until last night because I thought maybe I got food poisoning, but then I started getting bone pain last evening.  I had some times of intense bone pain before gluten-free.  

 

So I've determined I got glutened somehow, but I'm not quite sure how it happened.  I've read that symptoms can change after going gluten free.  I can't tell you the last time I had liquefied D because I always had C.  Maybe because Rice Dream was a liquid it didn't give me as intense a reaction, but I think feeling nauseous is an indicator that I've been glutened because I never get nauseous.  

 

It bothers me that I can't figure out what caused it, but I'll have to just let that go and hopefully the lingering effects will go away soon!

[Adalaide]

My first thought would be that you got glutened while home. My second thought is that if you don't do oats, you probably shouldn't be eating the Ginny Bakes cookies, even if they aren't the ones that have oats in them. The reaction would likely be the same in either case (if you react to oats), but only you know when you started eating the cookies.

[w8in4dave]

you say maby " cross contamination while visiting at my parents house or something" are you sure? Your parents may have accidentally cross contaminated something. Are they knowledgable at Gluten free cooking? If not I would be a lil worried about that. Hopefully you figure it out soon .. Good luck!! Hope you feel better!  

[AlwaysLearning]

Sorry that you're feeling lousy. 

Those poor bacteria, getting blamed for causing food poisoning when its those darned gluten brats doing the dirty work.

I'd put those cookies on the do-not-buy list for the future, but I suppose you'll have to keep the parents.

[fatjacksonthecat]

I hate it when I cant figure out the source of gluten and my mom and boyfriend ( who usually do alot of the cooking) are there with there arms crossed saying "well dont look at me, I dont know where you would have gotten it, it was all gluten free" hhe.And sometimes they might just be right because Im starting to realize Im getting gluten like symptoms from more than just gluten like dyes and fake sweeteners. Im also pretty certain that Ive been glutoned more than once from supposed gluten free packaged foods, I dont know how exactly but packaged anything just usually doesnt agree with me.One major thing Ive noticed and that Ive heard others say is that a straight glutening will last for days, for me its about 3-4 days but  another reaction to fake dyes sweeteners or food that just doesnt agree with me for whatever reason will only last about a day.Usually I can tell a little more by how long it lasts but yea Id def be careful with packaged anything. Hope you feel better soon!

[powerofpositivethinking]

thanks everyone!  I prepared everything at my parents house that I ate with one exception, cut up watermelon.  It's possible that it could have been that if the cutting board, it is a glass one, wasn't properly cleaned or if the countertop wasn't cleaned thoroughly, I got a hit from that, but honestly I think it might have been the cookies.  

 

When I had the Rice Dream, I know for sure I got a hit from that because it was the only thing I had eaten out of the ordinary that day and I felt nauseous within 1-2 hours.  I think I ate the watermelon Monday so that's what makes me skeptical about that, but I had the cookies before I made the 2.5 drive back to my house and then during the drive started to feel terrible, which makes me lean more toward the cookies.  However, Zena's cookies are made in a dedicated gluten free facility and Ginny's cookies are certified gluten free, so that's what makes me skeptical saying that it was those.  Adalaide, the oats are definitely another possibility.  

 

I'm thinking not purchasing those cookies and continuing to cut up my own fruit at my parents would be a better choice from now on...

[Adalaide]

I have no doubt that both cookie brands are truly gluten free. I looked at both websites and both look like they are baked in gluten free bakeries. My suspicion, especially after what you said about timing is the oats. Some of us are peachy with oats, some of us not so much. You may be a not so much kinda person. Do you know if you do oats ok or not?

[powerofpositivethinking]

hmmm i'm not sure I do oats ok or not.  I ate oatmeal at breakfast all the time before going gluten free, but after reading that oats, even certified gluten free oats weren't good to have at the beginning of the diet, I just stopped eating them.  

 

Adalaide, am I understanding correctly that even if they are certified gluten-free oats, and even if the particular type of cookie didn't have oats in them, but were made on the same lines as a type that did, that could create a problem?  

 

Here are the two specific types I ate:

Open Original Shared Link

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

honestly I really should just go back to eating whole foods again because that's when I felt best, and it would save me money...

 

I have no doubt that both cookie brands are truly gluten free. I looked at both websites and both look like they are baked in gluten free bakeries. My suspicion, especially after what you said about timing is the oats. Some of us are peachy with oats, some of us not so much. You may be a not so much kinda person. Do you know if you do oats ok or not?

[Adalaide]

In the same way that people can have a problem with shared equipment and CC with gluten, the same can be true of oats, even gluten free oats. The manufacturer isn't trying to prevent CC because why should they? Everything is gluten free anyway so who cares right? You can test the oats thing pretty easily to find out by just eating a little.

[powerofpositivethinking]

thanks, Adalaide.  that does make sense.  I'll give the certified gluten free oats a try in the future by themselves, but I'm in no rush to test that possibility right now.  my intestine area is still a little sore and bloated.  Everything else seems to be getting back to normal which is good because tomorrow is the first day of a new school year.  I've already got my outfit picked out that gives me some extra room in the stomach 

 

 

In the same way that people can have a problem with shared equipment and CC with gluten, the same can be true of oats, even gluten free oats. The manufacturer isn't trying to prevent CC because why should they? Everything is gluten free anyway so who cares right? You can test the oats thing pretty easily to find out by just eating a little.

[w8in4dave]

Yay!! Hope you figured it out!!