Help!

[danikali]

Well, I have been sick on and off since last Thursday since I got glutened at a buffet. Well, I thought I was on my way to heatlh yesterday because I wasn't eating ANYTHING processed, only whole natural foods.

Well, I had a banana and apple in the morning, chicken (plain-cooked myself) for lunch with carrots and an orange and for dinner we went to my fiance's parent's house for our Christmas with them. His Mom knows all about my problems and is very careful. She also cooked for me for Thanksgiving and I had no problems. Well, I had ham, sliced potatos, a salad with vinager and oil for dressing and berries for dessert. Oh and tea with my dessert- herbal Peach and spice tea. Then when I got home, I had some celery with peanut butter (just peanuts and salt). But before I ate that, I noticed that my left arm was hurting. Like the skin was (actually still is) burning, underneath. And it's weak. It goes from my elbow to my hand but it's only on the inside of my arm. So that was before I had the celery.....(and I want to add that when I woke up and most of the day yesterday, I felt really really good. No symptoms at all!)

Then this morning I woke up with THE WORST STOMACH PAINS and they keep coming and going still. It also hurt really bad to pee this morning, but it went away after I drank some water. My back is also achy and my stomach is HUGE. And my arm still "burns."

So, has anyone had this before? Especially the arm thing. And none of these foods ever bothered me before, so why did I get so sick from my food yesterday? Every little second I think I'm better, IT COMES BACK! Any advice?

I had an apple, some rice cakes, a potato and veggies today so far. I'm hungry but I'm so scared to eat! Help! As the day goes on my pain keeps getting worse and worse and worse.................I don't know what to do anymore......I am at such a loss

[dlp252]

I'm so sorry you are feeling so bad. I'm afraid I'm so new to all this myself that I don't have any advice, just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I've had the burning on the arms before, but never knew what it was, and in fact was going to ask that question here myself. In my case, though, it's more like a bad sunburn except that there is no redness whatsoever, no marks, no bumps, not outward indication at all...sounds a bit different than yours. When my arms get like that, it actually hurts to have my clothing touch them. The only thing I can think of that might have been "off" is the ham. Sometimes they use "carmel coloring" or wheat in the glaze. I hope you feel better soon...you've had such a rough time.

[Kasey'sMom]

I know you must be scared. I have pain when I'm glutened as well. My pain usually starts a day or so after I've eaten gluten and can last a week or longer. Before I found out I had celiac disease I saw several specialist who did testing for all type of diseases that include similiar types of pain. They had no idea that it was gluten that was causing this debilitating pain. I remember going shopping last Christmas with my mom. I hurt so bad that I just had to wait in the middle of the store until she came and got me and helped me to the car. At times I wasn't sure if I would make it through another day. I'm only in my 20's...and so thankful that I found out that gluten was what was making me sick. I've only been gluten-free for a few months but I've seen a drastic improvement.

I find I'm eating less and less outside my house because I'm scared that I'll get glutened. This weekend I tried some cows cheese and had nausea and pain associated with it.

In addition to the ham you might want to double check the herbal tea.

Hope you get to feeling better soon!

[jerseyangel]

Hi Dani--Sorry you're not feeling well. Some hams and herbal teas contain gluten. Those are things you have to check out. I also get the burning. I tend to feel it on the bottom of my feet and on my face. Kind of like burning from the inside. No rash or anything on the skin--just the burning. The weakness hits me in the legs. I was accidently glutened a couple weeks ago and the weakness is still coming and going. Hope you're better soon

[Mary Rita]

When I go out to dinner I always take 4 enzyme capsules with me. This helps if I become contaminated with gluten. I get them from my nutrionist. Sometimes if I get glutened my left arm and leg hurt.

[traveljunkie]

When I go out to dinner I always take 4 enzyme capsules with me. This helps if I become contaminated with gluten. I get them from my nutrionist. Sometimes if I get glutened my left arm and leg hurt.

Hi Mary,

I was about to post a question about enzymes. What brand are you on? I notice when ever I take enzymes, I have less reactions. I'm intolerant to a lot of food and have been doing research on enzyme and low stomach acids. I have tried different brands of enzymes, some are to strong and hurt me.

Thanks,

Charlene

[Carriefaith]

I understand what you are going through I can also get severe stomach pain from gluten. I have a few suggestions as to why you aren't feeling better. One could be that the food you ate at the dinner was contaminated. The food may have looked fine, but you don't know for sure unless you were there while it was being prepared. Another reason could be that you are still having symptoms from your gluten accident last Thursday. During my worst gluten reaction last winter, I was experiencing mild to severe stomach pain for almost 2 weeks. Also, for some reason my stomach pain seems to come several days after I get glutened. My stomach pain also comes and goes throughout a reaction and the pain seems to get worse after I eat.

I hope that you are feeling better soon.

[danikali]

Thanks everyone......

This is just too horrible. I am always always always sick. I'm at work and for the past hour (I'm a legal assistant), I went into an attorney's office who is on maternity leave, and I layed down on my stomach and in the fetal position and now I am feeling a lot better. A LOT. Not normal, the burning is still on my arm and my stomach still feels a little weak but the back pain is gone and that is what was hurting the most. I felt like all of my insides were inflamed!!!

Anyway, I'm not eating anything from anyone anymore unless I make it with them, or I watch them make it and I read every label over and over again! This is really getting rediculous. I feel like I shouldn't eat for the rest of the day to give my stomach a break because even water is hurting me! But I'm so hungry!!!

Now someone mentioned the carmel coloring. Does all carmel coloring have gluten in it? And my fiances cousin read the ingrediants of the tea out loud, and there were a lot of things in there, but I didn't hear barley malt. I should have just checked it myself to make sure because now I have no idea.

[Carriefaith]

I am always always always sick.

How long have you been on the gluten free diet? I was almost constantly sick for about 6 months after I started the gluten-free diet. I slowly started getting better after that, but most of my symptoms didn't really start clearing up until after 1 year on the diet. Most people, however, start feeling better after 3-4 months on the diet.

I feel like I shouldn't eat for the rest of the day to give my stomach a break because even water is hurting me! But I'm so hungry!!!

I know that feeling all to well. I find that eating sometimes does make it worse. From my expereince, the best thing may be to give your stomach a break and just try liquids for a while, like soup or juice. If you really want solid food maybe try it at home, so if you do get pain, then at least you're not in public (I hate getting my pain in front of people, it's so embarrassing).

[julie5914]

Actually, that thing with your arm esp. sounds like nightshades. It doesn't sound like you've been glutened. Maybe the nitrates in the ham bothered you, but it was more likely the potatoes. Google nightshade intolerance and see if that sounds like you.

[Rachel--24]

Actually, that thing with your arm esp. sounds like nightshades. It doesn't sound like you've been glutened. Maybe the nitrates in the ham bothered you, but it was more likely the potatoes. Google nightshade intolerance and see if that sounds like you.

I'm in agreement about the potatos. Keep a food diary to try to figure out which foods bother you and yes, you can get more food intolerances after going gluten-free. The other food intolerances may have been there all along but you never noticed them because you were still eating gluten.