Stickers, stamps, envelopes you lick?

[LilyR]

Hi everyone.  I have been looking online to try and get an answer about this.  Is it possible that anything you lick such as stamps, stickers, or envelopes could possibly contain gluten or any other ingredient that might cause a bad reaction to you?  I saw some sites say no, there is no gluten in them. Then I saw one blog that said yes, there could be.  So I am not sure at all.  I have had a bad few weeks and today I was making out my Publisher ClearingHouse mail (lol, hey, it only costs a stamp and you never know), and as I licked a stamp that came in the envelope that I had to adhere to the entry form it suddenly hit me if there could be anything in it that could bother me?  Because I filled out another Publisher House thing a week ago, and they often have stamps that come in them that you need to rip off and lick and stick to the entry form, and also I licked the envelope to seal it. Plus I just mailed out Valentine cards last week and licked all those envelopes.  So, it could just be coincidence that I am not having a bad few weeks and just lost a few pounds this week (which tends to happen whenever I accidentally have gluten).  I have not had the bad stomach pain I tend to get with gluten, but I have had the bad bloat and stomach distention, and also the weight loss.  So, just trying to find out any culprits.  Has anyone here had bad reactions to licking envelopes, or little stickers, or stamps and such?  Maybe it's not even gluten in it, but some other ingredient that could bother people with allergies or gluten issues?  

[kareng]

5 minutes ago, LilyR said:

Hi everyone.  I have been looking online to try and get an answer about this.  Is it possible that anything you lick such as stamps, stickers, or envelopes could possibly contain gluten or any other ingredient that might cause a bad reaction to you?  I saw some sites say no, there is no gluten in them. Then I saw one blog that said yes, there could be.  So I am not sure at all.  I have had a bad few weeks and today I was making out my Publisher ClearingHouse mail (lol, hey, it only costs a stamp and you never know), and as I licked a stamp that came in the envelope that I had to adhere to the entry form it suddenly hit me if there could be anything in it that could bother me?  Because I filled out another Publisher House thing a week ago, and they often have stamps that come in them that you need to rip off and lick and stick to the entry form, and also I licked the envelope to seal it. Plus I just mailed out Valentine cards last week and licked all those envelopes.  So, it could just be coincidence that I am not having a bad few weeks and just lost a few pounds this week (which tends to happen whenever I accidentally have gluten).  I have not had the bad stomach pain I tend to get with gluten, but I have had the bad bloat and stomach distention, and also the weight loss.  So, just trying to find out any culprits.  Has anyone here had bad reactions to licking envelopes, or little stickers, or stamps and such?  Maybe it's not even gluten in it, but some other ingredient that could bother people with allergies or gluten issues?  

The science of glue in the last 40 years or more, , has made better and cheaper glues without using gluten.  

BUT  licking envelopes is just gross.  You put your germs on the envelope, and while most germs and viruses do not survive long once dry, some do.  Also, why put something unclean in your mouth?  Would you pick up anything else that has been handled by random people and put it in your mouth without washing?  I saw something years ago about roaches and other bugs that lick the glue on boxes and envelopes - yuck!  

I just wet a little crumpled piece of paper towel and wet the envelope.  Gets it wetter than licking.

[LilyR]

48 minutes ago, kareng said:

The science of glue in the last 40 years or more, , has made better and cheaper glues without using gluten.  

BUT  licking envelopes is just gross.  You put your germs on the envelope, and while most germs and viruses do not survive long once dry, some do.  Also, why put something unclean in your mouth?  Would you pick up anything else that has been handled by random people and put it in your mouth without washing?  I saw something years ago about roaches and other bugs that lick the glue on boxes and envelopes - yuck!  

I just wet a little crumpled piece of paper towel and wet the envelope.  Gets it wetter than licking.

It did dawn on me as I was licking, lol! Like, what am I putting in my mouth? So I sealed an envelope today just dabbing a little water on it.  It's funny the things you grow up doing as normal, everyday, no big deal, but when you really think about it, it's gross. Even if it was clean, it's glue.  Bleh.  And it always tastes awful too.  I was hoping it was a hidden source of gluten just to make sense of what has been going on the past two weeks, but oh well.  More investigating, I guess.  I am wondering about things like breathing in hair spray, etc. things like that.  Or maybe I just have another food sensitivity.  I am also seeing a dr in immunology, but they have such a weight list, I can't get in until April. 

[Elisabeth Gerritsen]

1 hour ago, LilyR said:

Hi everyone.  I have been looking online to try and get an answer about this.  Is it possible that anything you lick such as stamps, stickers, or envelopes could possibly contain gluten or any other ingredient that might cause a bad reaction to you?  I saw some sites say no, there is no gluten in them. Then I saw one blog that said yes, there could be.  So I am not sure at all.  I have had a bad few weeks and today I was making out my Publisher ClearingHouse mail (lol, hey, it only costs a stamp and you never know), and as I licked a stamp that came in the envelope that I had to adhere to the entry form it suddenly hit me if there could be anything in it that could bother me?  Because I filled out another Publisher House thing a week ago, and they often have stamps that come in them that you need to rip off and lick and stick to the entry form, and also I licked the envelope to seal it. Plus I just mailed out Valentine cards last week and licked all those envelopes.  So, it could just be coincidence that I am not having a bad few weeks and just lost a few pounds this week (which tends to happen whenever I accidentally have gluten).  I have not had the bad stomach pain I tend to get with gluten, but I have had the bad bloat and stomach distention, and also the weight loss.  So, just trying to find out any culprits.  Has anyone here had bad reactions to licking envelopes, or little stickers, or stamps and such?  Maybe it's not even gluten in it, but some other ingredient that could bother people with allergies or gluten issues?  

Hello, I think it depends to the factory that makes the envelopes and stamps. I get an itchy tongue the moment I lick an envelope or stamp, but I am really gluten sensitive.  So after the first lick I am reminded of my Celiac. Maybe that is also different for everyone else?

[cyclinglady]

3 minutes ago, Elisabeth Gerritsen said:

Hello, I think it depends to the factory that makes the envelopes and stamps. I get an itchy tongue the moment I lick an envelope or stamp, but I am really gluten sensitive.  So after the first lick I am reminded of my Celiac. Maybe that is also different for everyone else?

You must be outside the US because we have not had stamps that you need to lick for  years.  Welcome!  ?.

If you are getting a reaction, it is most likely an allergic reaction.  It takes a while for antibodies to ramp up for celiac disease.  It is not an fast IgE allergic reaction (type 1 hypersensitivity).  You can be allergic to wheat and have celiac disease at the same time.  I am not sure what they use on stamps in other countries, so it would be good to avoid licking stamps and envelopes.  You are reacting to something!  

I use a sponge to seal my envelopes.  

[LilyR]

I definitely am learning, little by little, about gluten issues and possibly other allergies.  From now on just in case I will no longer lick envelopes or stamps.  The stamps I licked were not from the post office.  You know how sometimes you find sticker type stamps?  Or also those stamps when you are filling out Publisher Clearing House entry forms (lol).  Those types of stamps.  But from now on I am using a little water on my finger or damp paper towel to seal all things.  It tastes gross anyway. 

Maybe it wasn't the stamps and envelopes though that bothered me.  I also realized I had started using Smart Balance again a week or so ago.  There is no gluten, but I think there is soy and who knows what other ingredients might be in there that are not agreeing with me.  I feel like since eating gluten-free, I am eating too much cholesterol, and then at the same time I am eating less fruits, veggies, and beans because too much fiber seems to bother me, and can't eat oatmeal anymore, so I have been worrying about cholesterol. But I think I might just go back to butter.  I try to use olive oil on most things, but do use butter sometimes and was trying to find a healthier replacement, but maybe more natural products like butter are better right now.  Who knows.  It all feels like a puzzle to figure out sometimes.