Perianal abscess disappears with avoiding gluten, comes back when eating gluten

[goonman]

What kind of sorcery is this? It's all predictable too, I made a test to see if its related. I ate gluten free one week, the perianal abscess dried up and disappeared. I ate a pizza at the end of the week and the abscess came back swelling like a balloon. One day after it not eating gluten and it went back inside. Anyone have any explanations about this? Any theories? This just boggles my mind. Thanks!

[ravenwoodglass]

Do you have rashes anywhere?  I ask because I have DH and gluten gives me blisters on it's way out.  Although DH lesions tend to take a while to heal.

You may want to consider asking your GP for a Celiac panel. Keep eating gluten until you are done testing. It could be a coincidence that your abcess cleared up while not eating gluten and came back when you consumed gluten again.

[goonman]

Thanks for your reply I've tested it about 4 times if its coincidental, the abscess comes back and goes away predictably everytime i cut off / resume gluten. I had a staph infection where the abscess was 4 years ago, it refills everytime I eat gluten. I have no rashes.

 

Thanks

[Jmg]

On 8/26/2017 at 10:08 PM, goonman said:

Thanks for your reply I've tested it about 4 times if its coincidental, the abscess comes back and goes away predictably everytime i cut off / resume gluten. I had a staph infection where the abscess was 4 years ago, it refills everytime I eat gluten. I have no rashes.

 

Thanks

It looks like you have an issue with gluten. If you search the forum you'll see others with abcesses which resolved once gluten was removed. Testing for celiac is probably your next step as RWG says. You'll need to stay eating it for the duration of testing. 

Alternatively you could go gluten free as it does seem like it's a problem for you. The diet is quite a lifestyle change for most however and many find it easier with the diagnosis behind them.

More info available here. or via the forum faq stickied above. 

Best of luck!

 

 

[Victoria1234]

 

Thanks for your reply I've tested it about 4 times if its coincidental, the abscess comes back and goes away predictably everytime i cut off / resume gluten. I had a staph infection where the abscess was 4 years ago, it refills everytime I eat gluten. I have no rashes.

 

Thanks

That's really kind of amazing! Wow! I'd say get tested for celiac with the blood test asap. If it's a no go, just stay off gluten then. Glad your problem is so easily controlled!

[Sotonowl]

On 8/26/2017 at 6:22 PM, goonman said:

What kind of sorcery is this? It's all predictable too, I made a test to see if its related. I ate gluten free one week, the perianal abscess dried up and disappeared. I ate a pizza at the end of the week and the abscess came back swelling like a balloon. One day after it not eating gluten and it went back inside. Anyone have any explanations about this? Any theories? This just boggles my mind. Thanks!

I know its an old thread but if you're still about mate I had similar. I was plagued with them, abscesses that is. I'd have 4 a year and they were literally a pain in the (LOL). Suffered with them for years, fed up of being afraid of one starting over a weekend and not being able to get a prescription in time before it got too big.

Then at Christmas 2018 I gave up gluten as I suspected I was Coeliac. I then had an abscess about 3/4 days after going gluten-free, cleared that up with antibiotics and I've been free of them ever since. Has to be something in it.

[RVR]

My son is 5 and has been dealing with reoccurring perirenal abscess since he started eating solid foods. This summer it became the size of a golf ball and he had surgery to drain and clean out. Dr said I need to monitor his bowel movements because this is caused by constipation. I tried limiting gluten on my own because gluten bothers me/constipates me and maybe my son is like me. It seemed to work. Then I got lazy with it and 2 months later the abscess is back (but small). I have a gut feeling it’s the gluten and I’m so happy to have found this thread by searching on google for answers. I am going to try again and I’m hoping it will go away!!!! It’s so hard with little ones! 

[Scott Adams]

Welcome to the forum @RVR!

It would be a good idea to get a blood panel done for celiac disease before your son goes gluten-free, as it's definitely possible that he could have it, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, for which there currently are not tests available. 

It sounds like we may be too late for that, as he would need to be eating gluten daily for 6-8 weeks before the test.

In any case, let us know how things go.

[Sotonowl]

15 hours ago, RVR said:

My son is 5 and has been dealing with reoccurring perirenal abscess since he started eating solid foods. This summer it became the size of a golf ball and he had surgery to drain and clean out. Dr said I need to monitor his bowel movements because this is caused by constipation. I tried limiting gluten on my own because gluten bothers me/constipates me and maybe my son is like me. It seemed to work. Then I got lazy with it and 2 months later the abscess is back (but small). I have a gut feeling it’s the gluten and I’m so happy to have found this thread by searching on google for answers. I am going to try again and I’m hoping it will go away!!!! It’s so hard with little ones! 

Well done you RVR. I've been hospitalised twice now, once in Rotherham and once in Southampton. The time in Southampton was New Years eve and as they were admitting me it burst so when the surgeon came for his pre-op chat I asked him if he could just clean it up and send me on my way. "Sorry pal" he says, "I need to clean up and pack it. But if it's any consolation, I have to be here all night."

"Well" I said, "It's no consolation at all as you're getting paid for it."

All joking aside, they became the bane of my life. And I was having usually 4 a year. Problem is they make you feel ill as well as the pain from the pressure they bring. Then as every week end approached I'd be fearful of one starting Friday evening as I knew by the time I got to see my GP on Monday it would probably be beyond rescue from the Amoxycillin. One Friday it did start but I managed to get some drugs through dialling 111 and a quick hospital visit on Saturday.

The cessation of my abscesses was a little strange though and I think of it at times as I stopped taking gluten at the end of November 2018. Just prior to Christmas the same year, so around 3 weeks later, I had a Perianal Abscess and then nothing since. I was new to the gluten free stuff though so I probably messed up.

As Scott says above, if you've had the little un off the gluten it's probably a waste of time testing, I know as I've been negative on the blood test twice now but wasn't eating gluten at either test so it does leave you without any answers.

It could be worth getting him eating the stuff again and then getting him tested, at least he'll then know what the score is, he has his whole life in front of him. I'm 66 so I've just accepted the fact I have the disease and the quacks have missed it, it's not like I've given them any clues over the years,LOL.

If you're going to keep him off the stuff though RVR, please be diligent, half or part of a job just doesn't work when going gluten free, there's no grey area. You're either gluten free or you aren't. And if he is a Coeliac (pardon spelling but I'm English, indeed you may be as well) and consuming the stuff he's getting damaged internally.

Honestly, if he was mine, i'd talk to the GP about getting him eating the stuff again and getting him tested. Good luck to the pair of you anyway.

 

 

[RVR]

1 hour ago, Scott Adams said:

Welcome to the forum @RVR!

It would be a good idea to get a blood panel done for celiac disease before your son goes gluten-free, as it's definitely possible that he could have it, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, for which there currently are not tests available. 

It sounds like we may be too late for that, as he would need to be eating gluten daily for 6-8 weeks before the test.

In any case, let us know how things go.

Thank you for the support! Since the abscess is painful and can get larger I think I will try no gluten first. I will consider getting him tested once the abscess is gone. Thanks again!

[RVR]

25 minutes ago, Sotonowl said:

Well done you RVR. I've been hospitalised twice now, once in Rotherham and once in Southampton. The time in Southampton was New Years eve and as they were admitting me it burst so when the surgeon came for his pre-op chat I asked him if he could just clean it up and send me on my way. "Sorry pal" he says, "I need to clean up and pack it. But if it's any consolation, I have to be here all night."

"Well" I said, "It's no consolation at all as you're getting paid for it."

All joking aside, they became the bane of my life. And I was having usually 4 a year. Problem is they make you feel ill as well as the pain from the pressure they bring. Then as every week end approached I'd be fearful of one starting Friday evening as I knew by the time I got to see my GP on Monday it would probably be beyond rescue from the Amoxycillin. One Friday it did start but I managed to get some drugs through dialling 111 and a quick hospital visit on Saturday.

The cessation of my abscesses was a little strange though and I think of it at times as I stopped taking gluten at the end of November 2018. Just prior to Christmas the same year, so around 3 weeks later, I had a Perianal Abscess and then nothing since. I was new to the gluten free stuff though so I probably messed up.

As Scott says above, if you've had the little un off the gluten it's probably a waste of time testing, I know as I've been negative on the blood test twice now but wasn't eating gluten at either test so it does leave you without any answers.

It could be worth getting him eating the stuff again and then getting him tested, at least he'll then know what the score is, he has his whole life in front of him. I'm 66 so I've just accepted the fact I have the disease and the quacks have missed it, it's not like I've given them any clues over the years,LOL.

If you're going to keep him off the stuff though RVR, please be diligent, half or part of a job just doesn't work when going gluten free, there's no grey area. You're either gluten free or you aren't. And if he is a Coeliac (pardon spelling but I'm English, indeed you may be as well) and consuming the stuff he's getting damaged internally.

Honestly, if he was mine, i'd talk to the GP about getting him eating the stuff again and getting him tested. Good luck to the pair of you anyway.

 

 

Wow so sorry this is happening to

you too. I cannot believe I found this thread to find others linking it to gluten. His last abscess grew very large and he had surgery. So I am going to cut the gluten now as his current abscess could grow bigger. If it goes away, it will confirm that gluten is the problem. I don’t feel a test is that important right now but maybe in the future after the abscess is gone. I eat gluten free so thank goodness I know how to guide him!!!!! It makes it a tiny bit easier!