Working Around Gluten

[maxxsundquist]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place; I've been reading for a while and this is my first post.

I've done a search here but if this has been addressed already, I've missed it. With Celiac, should I avoid working in, say, a bakery or a pizza kitchen? What about food delivery? How far do I need to take this?

A little history: I'm relatively new to dealing with my gluten problem. I'm doing my best to inform myself. I can't afford a specialist. My primary care physician agrees that this is likely Celiac, given my extremely high level of sensitivity, but due to a ) my lack of high quality health insurance and b ) my doctor telling me that I would have to eat gluten for several weeks then get tested - which I can't fathom doing, I fear I'd end up in the hospital or something - my doctor said that I should just keep avoiding gluten and skip the test.

So here's my issue: I'm in the middle of a job search and career change, and as I transition, am looking into restaurant work, which I've never done before. However this evening I remembered that when I was clearing all the gluten out of my kitchen, I got rid of a bag of flour and when it leaked out of the bag and got into the air and onto my skin, I got really itchy. (I don't think that was psychosomatic, but I recognize and am open to the possibility.) Bearing that incident in mind, what is the possibility that I need to avoid working in food service? What about food delivery? Pizza delivery? Dishwashing? I'm beginning to suspect that I need to keep gluten away from my skin. I have been getting glutened recently, I'm getting myriad symptoms, and the only source that I can think of is the soaps I've been using or some other type of external exposure. Sorting this out reminded me of that bag of flour incident and now I'm wondering if I have a whole other rabbithole of research to dive into related to external exposure to gluten. Any advice is appreciated, especially links to formal academic research or documentation. Thank you.

[Ennis-TX]

11 hours ago, maxxsundquist said:

I hope I'm posting this in the right place; I've been reading for a while and this is my first post.

I've done a search here but if this has been addressed already, I've missed it. With Celiac, should I avoid working in, say, a bakery or a pizza kitchen? What about food delivery? How far do I need to take this?

A little history: I'm relatively new to dealing with my gluten problem. I'm doing my best to inform myself. I can't afford a specialist. My primary care physician agrees that this is likely Celiac, given my extremely high level of sensitivity, but due to a ) my lack of high quality health insurance and b ) my doctor telling me that I would have to eat gluten for several weeks then get tested - which I can't fathom doing, I fear I'd end up in the hospital or something - my doctor said that I should just keep avoiding gluten and skip the test.

So here's my issue: I'm in the middle of a job search and career change, and as I transition, am looking into restaurant work, which I've never done before. However this evening I remembered that when I was clearing all the gluten out of my kitchen, I got rid of a bag of flour and when it leaked out of the bag and got into the air and onto my skin, I got really itchy. (I don't think that was psychosomatic, but I recognize and am open to the possibility.) Bearing that incident in mind, what is the possibility that I need to avoid working in food service? What about food delivery? Pizza delivery? Dishwashing? I'm beginning to suspect that I need to keep gluten away from my skin. I have been getting glutened recently, I'm getting myriad symptoms, and the only source that I can think of is the soaps I've been using or some other type of external exposure. Sorting this out reminded me of that bag of flour incident and now I'm wondering if I have a whole other rabbithole of research to dive into related to external exposure to gluten. Any advice is appreciated, especially links to formal academic research or documentation. Thank you.

Skin contact reactions like that are not celiac...perhaps you might have a wheat allergy?  I get skin contact reactions like that to corn as I am highly allergic, also get blood blisters in my mouth and fever if I eat any thing with it. I would avoid a food industry job unless you can get work in a gluten free dedicated restaurant, would be a great opportunity actually. I love food and this disease made me focus on becoming a gluten free baker and chef starting up a small cottage home bakery years ago. I still dream of opening a gluten and grain free food truck.

Main danger with flour is inhaling it, it getting stuck in the mucus in your nose/throat/mouth then swallowing it...yeah that tiny bit of dust will set off people with celiac disease. Some work safely in a environment wearing gloves and a dust mask, I might suggest you avoid it completely if you had a contact reaction.....I could joke about wearing a NBC suit but logically you should avoid putting yourself in danger and the stress alone will have a major negative impact on your life. SO opt into the above idea of a gluten free facility or non food related job.

It can take months for your antibodies reactions to go down after a exposure, the symptoms will flare and wane like waves when first going gluten free, your system is coming down after fighting a long war and is on high alert. It will also jump at things not gluten, and act crazy to certain foods. We commonly suggest removing oats, dairy, and sometimes soy from your diet and going whole foods only for awhile.
Soap...the whole thing is hot debate but I play it safe with gluten-free ones like EO shampoo, Hugo hand soap, molly suds laundry detergent, acure face washes, and sea weed co bath wash.
Got the newbie 101 thread here and a list of some foods you can look at for hope.
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/120402-gluten-free-food-alternative-list-2018-q1/