Soap Question

[Serielda]

I have what may seem like a strange question to ask, but after the past few days and how badly I felt I need some advice.  I had been visiting a new site and  as of late had symptoms that mimicked being glutened. Stomach and head aches, unpleasant restroom trips, absolutely  exhausted ,to name a few.  I think I have maybe isolated things down to two of what it may have been.  I know the old hand soap we used was gluten free but where I have been recently working  is just generic hand soap in a shared bathroom. Has anyone ever been glutened by hand soap before? It sounds odd to me, but if your eating a wrap with your hands you made yourself and can attest it was gluten free(wrap came from a local allergen free/ gluten free  bakery). I have one other idea but it seems just as strange as in  where coffee cups are stored, I am careful to watch for CC concerns in the break room but this is  just odd that it looks like the  culprit could be soap.

[1desperateladysaved]

I make soap.  There can be wheat germ in it. I carry my own soap in a tin to avoid using public bathroom soaps.  One of my daughter's skin reacts when she uses public bath soap; so did mine the last time I did.  My hands get white and purple splotches.  I am not absolutely certain wheat causes the problem in every case as there can be many ingredients used in commercial soap. 

[nvsmom]

It is possible but usually if you rinse your hands very well, you should not have soap on you anymore.  It could be cc but I am guessing that the most likely culprit is just that you are still fairly new to the gluten-free diet and there are still autoantibodies causing you issues. It can take weeks to years for the body to stop producing autoantibodies, and then it can take months to heal.  I was still still taking two steps forward and one step back at 6 months gluten-free, and I was still improving at over 9 months gluten-free.  You may just need to give it more time.

 

In the meantime, keep an eye out for possible cc as I could be wrong in your case (it just sounds like you are being very careful already).

 

Best wishes.

[Serielda]

Thank you both for the insight, I myself am very  vigilant on watching things as I am very new.  I recently went out to buy my own soap to avoid that after reading these posts. 

It is possible but usually if you rinse your hands very well, you should not have soap on you anymore.  It could be cc but I am guessing that the most likely culprit is just that you are still fairly new to the gluten-free diet and there are still autoantibodies causing you issues. It can take weeks to years for the body to stop producing autoantibodies, and then it can take months to heal.  I was still still taking two steps forward and one step back at 6 months gluten-free, and I was still improving at over 9 months gluten-free.  You may just need to give it more time.

 

In the meantime, keep an eye out for possible cc as I could be wrong in your case (it just sounds like you are being very careful already).

 

Best wishes.

 

[ravenwoodglass]

Can you bring your own coffee in a thermos? That way you know for sure that you are not getting glutened from CC on the cups. If you aren't drinking the coffee they have available and are just worried about the cups you could bring your own from home. If they use those disposable cups that come in stacks find out where the sleeves are stored and get one from the middle of the sleeve rather than one of the ones by the coffee pot. 

[LauraTX]

As raven said, it is very likely people are putting their crummy gluten hands all over the coffee cups.  I would start there.

[Serielda]

Actually I bring my own drinks to work.

Can you bring your own coffee in a thermos? That way you know for sure that you are not getting glutened from CC on the cups. If you aren't drinking the coffee they have available and are just worried about the cups you could bring your own from home. If they use those disposable cups that come in stacks find out where the sleeves are stored and get one from the middle of the sleeve rather than one of the ones by the coffee pot. 

 

[IrishHeart]

I sincerely doubt it is the hand soap. Even if there were hydrolyzed wheat germ oil in it, the chance of it glutening you is practically nil.

 

"Most vitamin E is derived from soybean oil and 

most edible oil in the U.S. is highly refined. Even if unrefined wheat germ oil 

is the source of vitamin E, the amount of protein in an ingredient that is 

extracted from oil is likely very low. Furthermore, the amount of vitamin E 

added to a personal care product is likely low and the amount of a non-food 

item you are likely to ingest even lower." 

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

Have you been tested for vitamin deficiencies after your diagnosis? 

 

Have you picked up a virus of some kind?  So many things other than cc can cause continuing problems. 

 

You are still recovering, so do not despair. 

[nvsmom]

Thank you both for the insight, I myself am very  vigilant on watching things as I am very new.  I recently went out to buy my own soap to avoid that after reading these posts. 

 

 

I think  that could be the problem right there - you are very new.  It can take weeks to years for our bodies to stop making autoantibodies like tTG IgA. It could just be a blip on your road to recovery.

 

Do you keep a food and symptoms journal?  It can help uncover other food sensitivities like lactose intolerance, tomatoes, nightshades, soy, etc.  Raw apples and pears do it to me - the raw pain that is really similar to a glutening.

 

Good luck in the upcoming week. Hope you feel better.