Corn Too?

[wystearya]

I've not been very active here in a while, and I am still a little new to handling my gluten sensitivity.   A few weeks ago I 'poisoned' myself with gluten.  Badly. (I ate some homemade rolls my Dad offered me... stupid I know!)  I'm actually now turned off eating it, which is a good thing for me!

 

Anyway, on to my current question.

 

I know that in some people corn is also an issue.  I'm wondering if I might also have this.  I've had raccoon eyes as long as I can remember, but apparently this can be a symptom of corn allergies.  I've also noticed sometimes in the past getting tiny fluid filled bumps on my fingers, and I think this is also something to do with corn..? 

 

I'm just concerned since several gluten free items still contain corn.  I love corn chips and salsa..  But if I have a problem with it I don't want to make myself sick anymore.

 

Is there a way I can test this?   I guess the only way is to eat some corn and see how I feel??  *ugh*

 

I do eat corn, but I am not sure if I react to it.  This is because I wasn't being as careful at avoiding gluten as I should be.   My recent glutening was a wake up call for me.  I cannot let myself eat any, especially on purpose!  I'm not celiac, and I thought 'a little won't hurt' but it does.  And I am now being much more careful.

 

Can anyone here tell me how common it is for those who are gluten sensitive to also react to corn?

Should I try a bit and see how I feel?  Or..?

 

Thank you very much!

~Wystearya

[shadowicewolf]

A good test would be to sit down and eat some corn on the cob.

 

Another good idea would be to keep a food diary.

[wystearya]

I had some corn on the cob a few months ago and don't remember having any negative affects. 

 

Maybe I'll just have to test myself and see if there are corn products and I can and some I cannot.

[bartfull]

The best way (and I say this from experience), is to avoid ALL corn for about three months, then eat some processed corn - something like your corn chips or some gluten-free cornbread.

 

Corn is in just about all processed foods so it's really hard to avoid. And it isn't labeled if it is "used in processing". That means you need to buy your salad fixings whole because those bagged salads are washed in a veggie wash that contains corn. Just about anything that has cirtic acid, they get that citric acid from corn. Most gluten-free breads have corn starch so if you want bread you will have to go with Against the Grain. The good news is, their stuff is really good. They even make a frozen pizza that is good.  

 

Almost all pills have corn starch as filler. If you take medications, you may have to have them made at a compounding pharmacy. If you take supplements you can buy SOME at a healthfood store without corn, but vitamin C is going to be hard to find. I eat lots of sweet potatoes instead. They are full of vitamins.

 

Those fluid filled bumps on your fingers - are they clear fluid or kind of whitish? My palmoplantar pustular psoriasis gives me the whitish kind. They look like whitehead pimples and they hurt like a pimple if you put any pressure on them. Then after a few days they become a non-raised red spot. Then the red spot turns into peeling skin. They don't really itch a lot, but they hurt. If I stay away from corn (and gluten of course), I don't get them, but if I get "corned", they flare BADLY. I also get them on my feet.

 

If yours are filled with clear liquid and if they itch, you might have DH. If that is the case, you most likely DO have celiac instead of NCGI.

 

So my advice is to go on a whole foods diet for three months. Nothing but meat, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, and rice. As I said, if you need baked goodies, get Against the Grain. And if you need ice cream, look for one sweetened with sugar instead of corn syrup. Hagen Daz vanilla and chocolate are good, and if you're lucky enough to live someplace that carries Blue Bunny ice cream, their ALL NATURAL vanilla has only milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, and it is SO GOOD!

 

If you need more advice, PM me. I'll be glad to help. Oh, and I'm glad to hear you have learned your lesson about gluten.

[wystearya]

The bumps I get (used to be every summer, now just rarely) are tiny and clear.  The first time I got them they did itch like crazy.  Once they break the surface the skin there gets dry. 

Is this DH?  What is DH? 

 

I was not tested for celiac, it was assumed I didn't have it.   I guess people with celiac react more and are more sensitive to the gluten and cross contamination?   I know when I finally went to the doctor I was very ill.  Digestive issues were every day.   It was awful.   I can say that since limiting gluten I also don't get migraines like I used to either.  More energy too.

 

I might request to be tested, even though I have been limiting gluten for a long time.  I am fairly certain my digestive tract was in bad shape.  It took me a long time before I could eat spicy foods again and not be ill.

 

Thank you so much for the replies!   I just recently have tried some gluten free bread.  I was reluctant to pay $5 per loaf, but it is worth it not to be sick!   I'll just go without for a while, though if I need a fix it is good to know a trusted brand.   Do they sell online?   I'm not sure I have any stores near me that carry Against the Grain, but I will check!

 

~Wystearya

[bartfull]

Oh Hon, I'm sorry, but you DO need to be tested for celiac. It sure sounds to me like you have it. IF you can find a KNOWLEDGABLE dermatologist, you can be tested by biopsy of the possible DH. They have to test a CLEAR spot, right NEXT TO an active lesion. If you do have DH, that is your celiac diagnosis right there. Or you could get the several blood tests and biopsy of your small intestine. You do need to be eating gluten to get accurate testing.

 

Go to the Newbie 101 thread and read. Go to the DH (Dermatitis Herpetiformis) section of this forum and read up on that. There are lots of pictures too, so you can get an idea of what it looks like. Then, come back with any questions you might have. We'll help you all we can.

[wystearya]

Thank you again!

 

I looked up some pictures of DH on hands (as this is where I used to get it) and found this image:

http://www.made4ll.com/wp-content/uploads/dermatitis-herpetiformis-hands-dermatology-image-atlas-made4ll.webp

 

This looks just like it!  I have not had this happen in a very long time.  But I will say my cheeks are quite red a lot of the time.  Not itchy and no little bumps, just red.

 

Since I haven't had any DH in a long time, I think blood tests and biopsy is my best bet.  I'll talk to my doctor about it.  She is the one who recommended a gluten free diet to me.  At that time I thought I might have Irratable Bowel Syndrome as I was constantly sick.  Turns out some stress I was having at work seemed to cause my gluten issues to escalate!

 

I don't want to have to get sick (eat gluten) just to take a test that might come back negative (even if I am celiac), then again a firm diagnosis would be good to have.

[bartfull]

Why in the WORLD would a doctor NOT test for celiac, but tell a person to try gluten-free and ASSUME they are NOT celiac???!!! It ticks me off to no end!

 

The problem with going back on gluten in order to be tested is that you risk getting a MAJOR flare of DH that may not go away for TWO YEARS!!! Yet if you don't go back on gluten, your tests will come back negative even if you do have celiac.

 

If it were ME, I would just self-diagnose and go STRICTLY gluten-free for life. Some people feel they need a doctor's diagnosis in order to take it seriously enough to be able to stick to the diet. It's up to you, but if you decide to be tested, take a list of all the tests you want done. And you might want to mention to this doctor that if she recommended a gluten-free diet she must have SUSPECTED celiac, and she should have tested you THEN!!

[wystearya]

Yikes.  I definitely don't want to risk getting DH again.  I know it used to bug me so much when it would flare.  The little bumps got so sore once they burst!

 

I'll probably skip the tests then, as I really don't relish the thought of making myself ill anyway.  I really was very sick this last time.  I don't want to do it again. 

 

It has made me realize that 'just a little bit' is not OK for my body anymore.  Thankfully I do have some grocery and specialty stores here that carry gluten free items.  I also have discovered the joy of cooking.  When I have time, I do love to cook!  I enjoy watching the cooking shows on TV for tips and ideas.  I've been doing good at gluten-free cooking.  It's just hard during the week since I work full time. 

 

I do have to say I now wish my doctor had gone ahead and tested me.   She suspected gluten was my problem, so I don't know why she didn't test me at the time.  :/   I'm still thankful that I eventually heeded her advice and went off gluten.  It amazed me how quickly my digestive issues cleared up!  And I do feel better overall when I avoid gluten.   It's just a shame that without the official diagnosis some people will never fully accept my disease. 

 

I appreciate your help so much!   I am going to focus on getting myself 100% off gluten now.  Even the trace amounts.  *ugh*  I know this won't be easy, but my health is worth it.  I just have to remember how sick I was and how much better I can feel.

 

~Wystearya

[bartfull]

Start with the Newbie 101 thread. It'll help you ferret out any gluten you may still be contaminating yourself with. There are also a lot of GREAT gluten-free recipes to be had here. Check out the breakfast/lunch/dinner threads here.

 

And as for your friends or whoever else you fear won't accept your disease, too bad for them! You are the one living in your body, and you are the ONLY one whose "opinion" matters! I am self-diagnosed based on my reaction to the diet and my family history. (It's genetic, and my Mom had it.) Even my doctor accepts it. As for others, I just tell them something along the lines of, "I have been gluten-free since I was diagnosed with celiac disease." It's not a lie - I WAS diagnosed with celiac - by myself!

[wystearya]

Nice, and your right it's not a lie!

[foam]

Corn is hard of the gut. I avoided it for about a year and now I can tolerate it enough that a few corn chips wouldn't hurt me. I think it's important not to eat it initially though because it's pretty bad news. Second worst after Wheat/Rye/Barely imho.

[T.H.]

Re: testing

 

The one thing that's good/bad about the DH is that IF you get gluten contamination, which is almost certain to happen eventually, then you'll likely get a DH flare up, and THEN you can get tested.

 

I would think it might be useful to find a celiac knowledgeable dermatologist NOW. Go in to see them, talk to them about wanting to get tested eventually, and set up a protocol so that whenever the day comes where you get gluten contamination and have the rash, you can get in ASAP and get that biopsied before it goes away, you know?