Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com!
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gluten Fingers And Gluten Lips

HavaneseMom

Recommended Posts

HavaneseMom Explorer
HavaneseMom
Posted

Hi Everyone,

Please excuse the silly name of this topic, but this is how I refer to it at home:-).

Unfortunately, I do not have a gluten free household and would of course like to avoid cross contamination from my gluten eating husband. I am wondering how strict we have to be about this?

I have asked him to wash his "gluten fingers" after eating gluten, but it's not a habit yet and doesn't always happen. Do we have to worry about residual gluten being spread around the house through hand contact, even if we wash our hands before eating?

Also, I have asked him to wipe his "gluten lips" very well after eating, before giving me a kiss. Is this ok if it's just a peck or two on the lips? For example, he had a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch today, when he was finished I did see him wipe his mouth very well and about 5 minutes later he gave me a peck or two on the lips before he went on his way.

Do either of these things need to be a concern?

I am finally starting to see some excellent progress after giving up dairy and nightshades, and don't want any potential gluten cross contamination to get in the way of my improvement.

Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Sammykins Newbie
Sammykins
Posted

I don't know the answer to the hand contact thing, but you may want to get him to also brush his teeth after eating gluten?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

A quick peck on the cheek or lips if he has wiped his mouth very well would probably be fine, but if you are going to be doing any

"deep smooching", I believe the people who have gluten-eating spouses recommend they brush before indulging.  -_-

My guy is G F with me, but last week he had his yearly Guinness (or 3) with corned beef and I

teased him about the smooch

factor and he did an elaborate goofy tight lipped prim and proper peck that was pretty funny. (wise guy)

 

As for hands, I think about it this way. If my hands have anything on them after eating, I wash them. Gluten or no gluten.

 

So, if your husband has nothing on his hands, I am not sure how he could be "spreading anything around".  

 

Glad to hear you are feeling better, BTW! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HavaneseMom Explorer
HavaneseMom
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the advice!

It sounds like it will be ok, as long as it's a peck on the lips. If it is more than that, I will ask him to brush his teeth first :-). He comes home for lunch every day, so I just wanted to make sure a peck goodbye after lunch and after he has wiped his mouth won't be doing me any harm.

As far as what I was asking about him spreading gluten around the house - if he were to for example, eat a hot dog or a sandwich and then for instance touch the microwave handle, fridge door, cabinet door, the remote control, etc. after touching the bread, it should be no problem, right? I do wipe these things down frequently and wash my hands before eating, but I am admittedly a bit of a germaphobe, so I know my mind thinks a little bit differently about things.

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Again,    if there are no obvious crumbs or slimey stuff on these things, it should be no problem. I mean let's face it... we go out into the world where people eat gluteny foods all the time, touch handles, door knobs, shopping carts, etc. It's not like it is an invisible filmy germ that passes from person to person. 

Do not overthink this too much, hon. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gilligan Enthusiast
gilligan
Posted

Thanks for asking this question, because I have been wondering the same thing.  We have a gluten-free household, so my husband always stops in the mudroom to wash his hands when he comes in from work, lunch, etc.  I had friends over using my shower today (they are having big plumbing problems) while we were gone.  I got two frantic voice mails from them because one of them put a sandwich in the microwave and the other one freaked about it when she realized what her hubs had done.  They scoured my kitchen and wiped off all the doorknobs.  They were very afraid that I would get sick because of them.  It's wonderful to have friends that care so much, but I felt awful about them being so upset and not being able to get hold of me.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

I love the title of this thread : )

 

And peeps taking it too seriously is not a problem -- they did the right thing and as your time gluten-free increases you can dictate how careful your family and friends need to be around you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

  They scoured my kitchen and wiped off all the doorknobs.  They were very afraid that I would get sick because of them.  It's wonderful to have friends that care so much, but I felt awful about them being so upset and not being able to get hold of me.  

 

 

You have awesome friends --very considerate and caring.!

 

And you got a free kitchen-cleaning to boot! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HavaneseMom Explorer
HavaneseMom
  • Author
Posted

Again,    if there are no obvious crumbs or slimey stuff on these things, it should be no problem. I mean let's face it... we go out into the world where people eat gluteny foods all the time, touch handles, door knobs, shopping carts, etc. It's not like it is an invisible filmy germ that passes from person to person. 

Do not overthink this too much, hon. :)

I will try not to over think it!

I think since my recovery has been slow going, I now tend to think about every little thing that could cause a problem or possible flare up. I guess I am a little paranoid about it, but I am going to try my best to reel those thoughts in and not think that way :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

I will try not to over think it!

I think since my recovery has been slow going, I now tend to think about every little thing that could cause a problem or possible flare up. I guess I am a little paranoid about it, but I am going to try my best to reel those thoughts in and not think that way :-)

 

A bit of paranoia happens to many (if not all) of us -- it is a really tough transition -- especially when it takes a long time for health to improve gluten-free.  Healing happens and one day you'll feel much better which will allow you to be more secure in how cautious you need to be.

 

Hang in there :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

A bit of paranoia happens to many (if not all) of us -- it is a really tough transition -- especially when it takes a long time for health to improve gluten-free.  Healing happens and one day you'll feel much better which will allow you to be more secure in how cautious you need to be.

 

Hang in there :)

 

 

What she said!  :)

 

At the beginning when I was so darn slow to recover, the hubs and  I kept thinking this or that was "getting me". (It wasn't.)

But that did not prevent us from doing stupid things like throwing out perfectly good rice flour from the Korean store or donating away

most of my pantry. (and I wish I had not been so paranoid as to donate my bread maker. It could have been cleaned with vinegar and water

and been fine, I have since learned)  But that's okay. The food pantry was happy to have it.

 

But when you are new at this and you worry that something will hinder progress, you can get carried away with the "over-thinking".

 

It gets easier and soon, this all becomes the "new normal" and you really do not think about any of it after a while.

Hang in there, hon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

What she said!  :)

 

At the beginning when I was so darn slow to recover, the hubs and  I kept thinking this or that was "getting me". (It wasn't.)

But that did not prevent us from doing stupid things like throwing out perfectly good rice flour from the Korean store or donating away

most of my pantry. (and I wish I had not been so paranoid as to donate my bread maker. It could have been cleaned with vinegar and water

and been fine, I have since learned)  But that's okay. The food pantry was happy to have it.

 

But when you are new at this and you worry that something will hinder progress, you can get carried away with the "over-thinking".

 

It gets easier and soon, this all becomes the "new normal" and you really do not think about any of it after a while.

Hang in there, hon.

 

 

Yep, what she said :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

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



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. plumbago
      - plumbago replied to Suzi374's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      Lots of tests

      I'm also a nurse, but one who has worked in chronic care, and to some extent, it is more satisfying to see patients through to a diagnosis (as opposed to working in the ED), but an accurate diagnosis does not occur not as often as it should! Your posting presents a lot of information. But a couple of things I can respond to. One, celiac disease is diagnosed...
    2. trents
      - trents replied to Suzi374's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      Lots of tests

      Was a biopsy done when you had your gastroscopy? Concerning your anemia, are you B12 deficient? It's nearly impossible to get sufficient B12 if you are a vegetarian unless you take supplements.
    3. Suzi374
      - Suzi374 replied to Suzi374's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      Lots of tests

      And I’m anaemic, however I’m also female and vegetarian. I had an iron trans a couple of years ago however it’s starting to dwindle and taking supplements doesn’t seem to work. I can’t seem to absorb it.
    4. Suzi374
      - Suzi374 posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      Lots of tests

      Hi, I attended a neurologist appt last Tuesday, which I nearly cancelled, due to ongoing numbness and tingling in toes to mid foot. One of the first things he asked was ‘are you celiac’. I’m not. He thought all reflexes were ok but at the last minute decided on nerve conduction tests which were low normal. He was a little confused as he felt they should be be...
    5. Peace lily
      - Peace lily posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Would like to gain weight

      Im still not gaining weight I’m on a gluten free diet . And still having issues with constapation started priobiocs figured it would help been over two weeks . I guess it’s going to be a long road for me .
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      121,224
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Suzi374
    Newest Member
    Suzi374
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • plumbago
      Lots of tests

      By plumbago · Posted

      I'm also a nurse, but one who has worked in chronic care, and to some extent, it is more satisfying to see patients through to a diagnosis (as opposed to working in the ED), but an accurate diagnosis does not occur not as often as it should! Your posting presents a lot of information. But a couple of things I can respond to. One, celiac disease is diagnosed by endoscopy and biopsy of the duodenum. So, pathology will need to weigh in. It's not diagnosed on gastroscopy. (At least, not as far as I know). Two, did you get blood tests for celiac disease? You will need to be eating gluten in order for those to be accurate. Three, where was the CT angiogram (of what)? I could go on and on, but thought I'd start there.
    • trents
      Lots of tests

      By trents · Posted

      Was a biopsy done when you had your gastroscopy? Concerning your anemia, are you B12 deficient? It's nearly impossible to get sufficient B12 if you are a vegetarian unless you take supplements.
    • Suzi374
      Lots of tests

      By Suzi374 · Posted

      And I’m anaemic, however I’m also female and vegetarian. I had an iron trans a couple of years ago however it’s starting to dwindle and taking supplements doesn’t seem to work. I can’t seem to absorb it. 
    • Suzi374
      Lots of tests

      By Suzi374 · Posted

      Hi, I attended a neurologist appt last Tuesday, which I nearly cancelled, due to ongoing numbness and tingling in toes to mid foot. One of the first things he asked was ‘are you celiac’. I’m not. He thought all reflexes were ok but at the last minute decided on nerve conduction tests which were low normal. He was a little confused as he felt they should be better and tried a new set of probs, all the time, giving me multiple shocks which were not enjoyable lol. Anyway, he’s now ordered tests for myeloma, and all the vitaminy things that so many of you mention on here, also tests looking for autoimmune responses. I already have Hashimotos. Interestingly, to me, but maybe someone out there can relate or knows more than i do, although I was a nurse, but ED not ‘weird symptoms’  nurse. Anyway back to the interesting thing, I took duramine in 2013 to lose weight which caused a massive panic attack when I stopped taking it and half my hair fell out. I only took it for a week but it was horrible and I regret it. It triggered ongoing panic attacks which are horrendous. So I feel like I’m a bit crazy. Then in 2020 I had this sudden onset of horrible pain when trying to eat a cinnamon roll. It continued and I lost around 20 kgs. I had two gastroscopes and a colonoscopy and they were all normal. I scored a barium swallow and CT angiogram. All normal. The pain subsided a little but I was left with reflux and an awful feeling that I couldn’t get air when I ate some foods. This was not anxiety.  The anxiety was separate and I still maintain this. This was something to do with eating. It was like the air was thick but I wasn’t short of breath. I just had the sensation I was, then it triggered anxiety. Anyway, I had other weird things- couldn’t bend knees to shave legs in shower lol. Knees felt stiff and swollen but they weren’t. Knee WOUld swell up randomly but mri showed minimal issues. A bit of a meniscus degeneration but insignificant. Then the buzzing sensations in my head, the feeling like someone was stabbing me with something sharp. So now, I pre empted his tests, although I don’t think I’m celiac because it should have come up on gastroscopy, I’ve gone off gluten. Since Tuesday last week so 9 days. Since then I don’t appear to be as constipated, I realised I got through today without a nap and I’m not tired, maybe it’s just today and not related but I get very tired normally and sleep straight after work often, I can bend my knees and shave my legs lol, the buzzing vibrating has gone from my head, I had to call and ambulance as my heart decided we were off on a run, but we weren’t running and I’ve been a bit twitchy at bed time when trying to sleep, reflux is improving, I did get the weird suffocating feeling a bit when eating today but not as bad normall. Tingling and numbness still present and I felt like it moved up my legs a bit today but I’m a bit jittery. So I don’t know if it’s celiac disease or a gluten intolerance but I think, and it may be wishful thinking because my symptoms do make life a bit challenging, but maybe I’m feeling better. I don’t feel as cloudy. My thinking feels crisper. Like there’s no buzzing and I’m not fighting to break through the cloudiness now. I hope so much that this may help me feel a bit better moving forward. It would be a miracle as I really have struggled to work and parent and keep the house clean and I’m always anxious and exhausted.  If you get this far, please tell me if you you can relate to any of the above. Oh and tonsils out 5 years ago but before that antibiotics multiple times a year, sometimes intramuscular because they were so bad.  Op was meant to take 30 mins, it took 1.5 hours due to size of them. 
    • Peace lily
      Would like to gain weight

      By Peace lily · Posted

      Im still not gaining weight I’m on a gluten free diet . And still having issues with constapation started priobiocs figured it would help been over two weeks . I guess it’s going to be a long road for me .
×
×
  • Create New...