Symptoms Returning - Oats?

[mbledtke]

Hello!

 

I was diagnosed with Celiac about 1.5 years ago.  Within a few weeks of stopping gluten, I had relief of so many issues that I never even realized were Celiac related - aside from the gut issues, the big ones were the foggy headedness, anxiety, and hair loss (mostly in the shower).  Within about 2 weeks I felt like a few person!
 

My issue is that starting in the month of April, many of these symptoms have come back (hair loss, anxiety, mentally foggy).  Around that time, I had a back injury and was on several medications (pain killers, muscle relaxants, anti inflammatories - all of which were gluten-free), so I blamed my issues on the meds.  I've been off the meds for about 6 weeks now, and the symptoms still remain.  

 

These symptoms are exactly how I felt before going gluten-free.  I contacted my doc and asked for another celiac blood panel, to see if I was somehow getting "glutened" without realizing it.  My labs came back today and all of my levels are the lowest they have even been - all well within a normal range.  

 

My question is - I have always suspected that I may be sensitive to oats - even certified gluten-free oats.  Does anyone else have this issue?  In April, I started taking Juice Plus supplements and Vega shakes for breakfast - both of which are gluten-free, but both have Oat Bran as an ingredient, as I recently discovered.  Could this be the source of my issues?  Does anyone else have oat sensitives?   Could the symptoms mimic what gluten does to my body?

 

Thanks for any insights - I'm desperate to get back to feeling like "me".

 

Moni

Silver Lake, WI

 

 

 

 

[Gemini]

I do not have oat issues and can eat certified gluten-free oats without any problems but the oats most likely used in those supplements and shakes are not certified......unless they specifically state that is what they use. I have never seen certified oat bran in anything, just oat bran, and this is why we have to check the oat added foods/supplements carefully. Reactions to oats can mimic a wheat gluten reaction, as does dairy.

Hope you feel better soon and can figure this out!

[ravenwoodglass]

You could try dropping both those items and see if your symptoms resolve. You could always challenge them again when you are feeling well to see if the same thing happens.

[GF Lover]

Yup, cut the oat bran.

 

[squirmingitch]

I concur.

[cap6]

Absolutely cut out that oat bran!!

[mbledtke]

Thank you all.  I'm not as much thinking CC from uncertified gluten-free oats - I would think that my blood panel would have showed that after 4 months, right?  Do you think it could just be the oats themselves, not gluten at all?  I remember reading somewhere that in some Celiacs oats can mimic gluten, and the body can respond the same way?

[ravenwoodglass]

  Do you think it could just be the oats themselves, not gluten at all?  

Yes. 

[Gemini]

It could be a reaction to oats themselves but you would have to try certified gluten-free oats to test that.  Eating a supplement with oat bran in it is most likely not going to be certifed gluten-free or truly gluten-free.

 

I am not certain whether a small amount of cc would show up in your bloodwork.  Would it be enough to trip it over into a positive?  Not sure but if you routinely are tested where they give you an actual number on the DGP testing, it would be interesting to see if that number climbs towards a positive at all, if you believed you were being cc'd.

[squirmingitch]

It could be a reaction to oats themselves but you would have to try certified gluten-free oats to test that.  Eating a supplement with oat bran in it is most likely not going to be certifed gluten-free or truly gluten-free.

 

I am not certain whether a small amount of cc would show up in your bloodwork.  Would it be enough to trip it over into a positive?  Not sure but if you routinely are tested where they give you an actual number on the DGP testing, it would be interesting to see if that number climbs towards a positive at all, if you believed you were being cc'd.

I agree with this.