Glutened Vs Stomach Bug?

[Brit1612]

First off, we don't even know for sure that my son has celiac disease, so we are currently in a trial period of being gluten free (a little over a month now).  The odd thing is that he was NOT having symptoms(diarrhea) for months while eating gluten daily (leading up to biopsy).  But since last Friday he has had numerous bouts of diarrhea every day.  It has only got worse the last couple days, not better.   It is affecting his appetite and early this morning he woke up in pain, just before he needed to go. He goes to his grandparent's house on Friday, they are being cautious but I think the chance of contamination is greater when he is there than at school.

 

So my question is....does this sound like contamination, or just a stomach bug.  Do "bugs" usually last a whole week with this sort of thing?  He seems fine other than the pooping issue and a little loss of appetite.  Does getting glutened typically last like this, even considering he was not having diahrrea eating daily gluten just a little over a month ago???  I know there is no way to know for sure, but we are trying to put the pieces together to try to figure out if gluten actually affects him or not.  Thanks for any help!

[LauraTX]

With his potential immune issues that are being looked into, it could be that he does have a stomach bug and is getting hit very hard.  Unfortunately in these circumstances there just isn't a good way to know.  But it never hurts to be more cautious about germs and more strict about gluten.

[Brit1612]

It is still continuing.  He is having small amounts of diarrhea every time he is put on the potty (which is often since he is only 2).  Then in the evening when I put him in a diaper leading up to bed he has a large very loose stool, and then repeats a few times.  Sometimes waking up during the night to do it.  But this morning, right after he had a big really loose stool in his diaper, he threw up.  He has never ever thrown up before so I am leaning toward thinking maybe it is something different going on.  Also when he used to have diarrhea he never lost his appetite, in fact he ate like crazy, like he was malnourished.  Now he is not really wanting to eat, but luckily is still drinking a lot.  Thanks for the input Laura....

 

I am trying to be extremely careful about cross contamination.  The hard part is that I don't get to be with him all the time.  Family members know and want to do their best, I guess I have a hard time trusting anyone dealing with his food other than myself.  It's just so hard to not really know.  It's like we have a ton of pieces to the puzzle and none of them fit together!

[nvsmom]

I find (and this is just my experiences) that when my autoimmune system flares up, whether it is from a glutening or some other AI problem, it often feels like an illness. Often I'll describe the feeling as "flu-ish" or like I'm coming down with something but never get the full brunt of the illness.

 

The difference for me is often how sick I get.  When it is AI caused, the sick symptoms I get are fatigue, mildly upset stomach (I don't get upset stomachs often), chills, achy, headache, and sometimes a sore throat and possibly slightly swollen glands. When I am truly sick with a virus or bacteria, I still get those same AI symptoms, although they get more extreme, but I also get other symptoms.  A flu of cold will give me stuffed up sinuses, a headache right behind the eyes (different from the AI related migraines), a fever, and it tends to bottom out my blood pressure. 

 

Really, the main difference is AI symptoms don't seem to evolve into all of my sick symptoms.  It comes back to that feeling of "coming down with something" but I don't actually get worse.  It almost feels like I fought it off, but if that was the case I would probably have a runny nose or mild fever to show for the battle.... plus I know that I don't get sick with the flu every few months.  LOL

 

I would guess it is AI (celiac) related if it lasts more than 48 hours (like food poisoning or a mild bug would) and especially if he does not get a snotty nose in a couple of days, or feverish.

 

I hope he's better soon.

[Brit1612]

I ended up taking him to the dr on Friday because he threw up that morning and he has never ever thrown up.  So I was figuring it was something else, not gluten related.  The dr said that there was a bug going around and that it was lasting about 5-7 days (he was already day 7 at that point).  The dr thought he had the bug because of the throwing up....  He said if he wasn't better within a couple days that it was not the stomach bug he was referring to.  I'm not sure if he is better or not to be honest.  He is eating a little better, and he is having less diahrea but he is still having ribbon like poop and crying in the evening saying "my poop".  It is so pathetic because he can't talk much at all, but I think that is his way of saying his stomach hurts.

 

I was wondering, since his immune system seems to not be full strength (low IGA, and lately slightly low iGg as well) could it be the basic bug and his body just have a harder time getting rid of it?  Thanks.

[cyclinglady]

Just keep giving him plenty of fluids. I am sorry he is sick. My daughter first vomited at age two and she was shocked and frightened! I can imagine your son feels the same. A comparable bug is going around our area too. I would imagine that any other illness could hit him a bit harder, but the IGA thing is out of my area of knowledge.

[beth01]

Do you have pets?  Most pet foods are FULL of gluten and him being a two year old....  About his symptoms, sometimes being gluten free for a bit can make previous symptoms more pronounced after a glutening and some people do experience new symptoms that they hadn't had previously.

[LauraTX]

On the poor immune system side of things, before I was treated for immunodeficiency which includes my low IgG and low IgA, any time I would get a GI bug or food poisoning it would be BAD.  Like husband would have diarrhea for a day, I would have the most severe kind for 5 days.  So him having a weak immune system is going to make things take a little longer and be more intense some times.

[Brit1612]

Thanks everyone..... he is still suffering and this is a week and a half now.  My ped said to come back if it wasn't gone in a couple of days, but I am pretty sure that will just be a waste of another $35.  It has gotten somewhat better, but is not gone.  For example, instead of watery loose stools, it is now on to ribbon like explosions, but he is crying and screaming every-time he has to go.  He sits on the potty and cries and squirms in pain, and he never seems to know when he is done.  As soon as he gets up he starts crying and we have to get back on....  But instead of it being 5-10 times a day like it was for a bit, it is now maybe 3-5 times a day.  In between those times he seems normal.

 

I will say we all got a throw up bug, just after the morning he threw up.  But at that point the diarrhea had already been ongoing for a week.  It is so hard not knowing whether gluten is a problem, his immune system is a problem, both, neither???!  I never knew the world of medicine could be so inconclusive.  

 

Thanks for the insight Laura.  One question I have about the immune side of things.  If he really has a compromised immune system wouldn't he get sick fairly often?  My ped says he is sick no more often than the average daycare kid (now anyways - the poop issues were ongoing for months previously but have been fine for probably 6 months - on and off gluten).  Also, does a compromised immune system affect a person having fever (like more or less often).  It may seem like an odd question, but he never gets fever.  My oldest doesn't get sick often but everytime he has something more than just a little cold he gets fever.  That is pretty much how I know when to take him in.  But the little one has only gotten one fever (above 99) in all the times he has had stuff.  I was wondering if a compromised immune system can keep the body from getting fever?  Sorry if this seems like an ignorant question!

[LauraTX]

Not an ignorant question at all!  While there isn't much research on it, I have seen a lot of people on the online immune deficiency groups that say they never get a fever even if it is serious.  And I am the same way.  I always thought I was an oddball, but I only get a fever if I am very very sick.  But when I get something like a bug, it never spikes my temperature.  I do get low grade fevers when my temperature balance in my body kind of gets off which I have been told is from my lupus.  (like if the room is cold and I don't have a sweater) There has been some research done on why cancer patients who have had their immune system wiped out will get no fever with infection, but other than that it is just speculation.  I just assume whatever part of the immune system that causes fever is defective along with other defective parts in me.

 

As far as frequency of infection goes, that and severity of infection should be looked at equally.  All kids his age do not have fully developed immune systems yet and catch everything that is going around, so a lot of times the differences start to really show when they are older.  And it is very likely, but not provable, that he had the same stomach bug as the rest of the family.  I say that because I see the same pattern in my husband and I.  Usually when we both get sick at the same time, I will show symptoms before he does, and his will be much shorter overall while I have prolonged issues getting over it.  One time right before I started IG infusions, we got food poisoning at the same restaurant.  I was in the bathroom that night, and he was in there the next afternoon.  While he had a couple of uncomfortable bathroom moments, he was okay the next day.  I had four days of bloody diarrhea and was weak and ill for two weeks.  So do take note of that kind of thing occurring and let the immunologist know.   That can be helpful information to get documented in case they decide he does need any treatment.

 

I feel for the poor guy, and totally understand your frustrations with inconclusive medicine.  Things stop being cut and dry when they get into these specialty areas.  Also, a lot of medical professionals don't even know what a primary immunodeficiency is other than hearing about it in school and never seeing it again.  And if they know what it is, they really don't know much about the diagnostic process and such.  So you have to arm yourself by reading up on it and doing things like insisting on antibiotics if there may be a bacterial infection, and insisting on tamiflu if you think he is starting to show flu symptoms during flu season.  That can help to prevent some of the infections from getting as severe.  But for me, GI bugs are the worst, because there is nothing you really can do but ride it out.  

[GF Lover]

I see the same thing with my husband and I.  I will get sick first and most severe and the longest.  He gets it much less severely and only for a couple days.  I also have a compromised immune system.  I rarely get a fever over 99, but I do feel like it's worse and I'm always surprised it's not 104...lol.  I also feel like I am getting sick or getting over being sick all the time.  I seem to hover in the sick/not sick area.

 

Colleen