Cancer question

[Bookgirl32]

Of course with my severe anxiety and ocd I’m going to focus on the cancer issue. Everything says that following the diet allows you to heal and your risk goes down, which is reassuring. Is getting accidentally exposed the same as not following the diet? I’m not asking for permission to not worry about cross contamination, more asking for the ability to build confidence in this new lifestyle. Does that make any sense?

[lisas11lisa]

Ask a ton of questions when you eat out.(you can still get accidentally glutened)..read all labels..research everything..If you haven't already..get under the care of a GI..get your scopes..take a Probiotic daily and Digestive Enzymes..Goodluck.

[cyclinglady]

Cancer is rare.  It usually occurs in older patients who were not aware they had celiac disease for years.  If I recall, after a year in the gluten-free diet, your risk for cancer is the same as everyone else in the general population.  My PCP has two celiac patients who refuse to adhere to the diet.  Those two people have a high risk for cancer.  

A few accidental glutenings might be uncomfortable, but it is not going to give you cancer.  

[Ennis-TX]

Bigger concern from the occasional accidental glutenings for me....has been that I found with each one, my symptoms change, and I get new food intolerance issues....the intolerance issues sometimes resolve a month or so later but the further limited diet is a pain.
Cancer concerns ramp down considerably once your antibodies start dropping, they do not spike back up to high risk each time your get glutened just a touch then back down. You have a higher chance of secondary conditions developing then cancer.

[Bookgirl32]

Thank you for the replies! I know it’s a pain I’m asking all these questions. I think I have to tell myself it’s a learning curve and I won’t be perfect at it day one, which mentally is what I want. I feel like if I’m not, somehow I didn’t try hard enough.