Itchy Throat?

[angielackner]

Hi, i'm fairly new to this forum, and i have a question. I'm not a diagnosed celiac as i "passed" the blood test and the biopsies, but my GI doc thinks i'm either one of the 2% who has celiac and never tests positive, or i am just gluten intolerant.

now what i am wondering is, when i was first finding out about gluten intolerance, i had mostly D and cramping...then i went gluten free and felt somewhat better...then tried some gluten again just to see, and started getting an itchy throat instead of the D and cramping...it doesnt feel like anaphalaxis (sp?) or anything, but just really itchy...and it usually occurs about 30 mins after i eat gluten...(stuff goes through my body really fast)...does anyone else have this problem...could this be leading up to an anaphalactic (sp?) allergy? i am wondering if i will need an epi-pen down the road

thanks,

angie

[megsylvan2]

Wow, I had the same thing, and the same concerns about the possibility of my throat closing up at some future point and the need for an epi-pen. I had such an immediate reaction one time from eating 2 Triscuits. They burned my entire insides - from the time they touched my lips, down my throat, in my stomach, and all the way down! It was an itchy, burning feeling. Then I started to notice this with other foods too. My throat would get tight, and I'd get a lot of mucous and start coughing a lot.

It worried me so much that I went as soon as I could for allergy testing. I didn't know if I was a hypochondriac or not, but I wasn't going to fool around with those kinds of reactions. The result for me was - no food allergies at all. I don't know about you and others, but it was worth it to me to be tested, for the peace of mind.

The one thing I was surprised at was the way the allergist basically kicked me out the door when they discovered I did not have any igE allergies. I expected them to work with me to discover why I was having such severe GI reactions to certain foods, and do testing for igA and IgG allergies. But no, the attitude was that if you don't have IgE allergies, then you don't have allergies at all and get out of our office, goodbye!

Does anyone know if there are any allergists anywhere that do care about this?

Anyway, I'm glad you asked the question, cause it is nice to know I'm not the only one who had this fear.

I also just happened to notice that this is listed as one of the symptoms on Celiac.com - under Q&A - symptoms. That some people have reported burning sensations in the throat. Funny how it is comforting to know that others feel this way and that you are not alone!

[paulasimone]

Wow, I had the same thing, and the same concerns about the possibility of my throat closing up at some future point and the need for an epi-pen.

...

Does anyone know if there are any allergists anywhere that do care about this?

1. re: throat - i get an immediate reaction when i get glutened. my mouth and throat feel kind of swelly and tingly, and my nose gets stuffed up. like *immediately*. i'm also mildly freaked out ( is that an oxymoron?) about that. it's nice to be able to tell, though, when there's gluten - it's been an extremely reliable reaction. unfortunately, it's a little thrown off by spicy food, which is also tingly. and i love spicy food.

2. i know an allergist who cares about this. he dx'd me!!

he's an ENT / allergist in Durham, NC. if anyone lives around there and wants his name, pm me.

paula

[chronic]

I have not had the thrhoat closing problem but have seen several allergist with no help

from them. After doing the SAGE test and applying the results religiously my life has improved. This type of allergy testing tells you how foods react WITHIN the body not the skin. Give it some thought.

Chronic

[jerseyangel]

Angie--I know how you feel--I have an appt. to see an allergist on Friday. I am hoping he will be willing to help me find the causes of the additional food sensitivites I have "developed" since going gluten-free. In any case, I do want to be tested for true allergies because I react to almonds and walnuts now with itching on the roof of my mouth (never a problem until recently). I do not have a problem with peanuts, but I am kind of afraid to eat them because I fear a true allergic reaction. I think I may be a bit paranoid, but I feel the need to be sure. My husband is allergic to bee stings and I have seen firsthand how awful the anaphalactic reaction is. After the last sting ten years ago, it took them 3 hours to stablize him--one of the scariest night of my life. (he has since taken years of shots for it, and carries an Epi-Pen.)