I'm a week into my gluten free life and I feel like I'm allergic to my house as I'm cleaning it.

[Layla.I]

 

I've been such a pain whilst trying to diagnose myself and going gluten free that I feel like I'm going insane! Or I'm a hypochondriac. Its driving me nuts. 

I'm about to start my second week gluten free and my symptoms have improved for sure. However, I started a spring clean yesterday (new start and all that) and my house has set me off. I feel like I'm now allergic to dust. Has anyone else had anything like this happen to them?

I've had to take antihistamines again this morning. Maybe I'm so paranoid about getting unwell again. It scares me. Just want to be well now. However, maybe its the cleaning products? 

It's hard to get the hang of knowing what we react to. 

Thanks for giving me a place to vent!! 

Hugs to all.....

Layla. 

[cristiana]

Hi Layla

Easy to say (because I panic about every new symptom), but try not to panic.😊    I get a tickle deep in my throat when I've been doing a lot of dusting.   Is that the symptom you have?  Or something else?   Sneezing?  Itchy eyes? It would be normal to react to the dust if you haven't done a bit of deep cleaning in a while.   And I don't know how old you are but friends of mine have commented how they react to certain things that they never used to - seems to be part of the aging thing!

However, apart from when I dust, I get an itch deep in my throat when I have been glutened recently as it triggers gastritis and silent reflux.  That causes an irritated throat, I think it is the acid coming up into my throat irritating it.  I'm hardly ever aware of the acid itself, but I am very aware of the itchy throat symptoms it leaves in its wake.  When it is bad I occasionally have to use a blue inhaler.

The itch subsides when the gastrits/reflux is under control.  I take gaviscon at night, and sleep with a wedge pillow, and try not to eat three hours before going to bed.  I also give rich and spicy food a miss for a while.  This all helps tremendously.

Oddly enough I'm currently panic cleaning the house because we have a guest due to arrive who has household dust mite allergies, and I'm cleaning corners I haven't touched in looong time.   I've been waking up coughing, and my throat was really itchy when I had breakfast this morning.  Partly all the dust in the air, maybe, but I think more likely all chocolate I've been eating to stay awake and motivated, which also causes reflux when I over indulge!

 

Edited August 9, 2021 by cristiana

[Scott Adams]

Many people have dust allergies, but dust will cause nearly anyone to sneeze, so it could just be the dust particles that are irritating your nose and throat. Hopefully with your new gluten-free diet you will see your symptoms continue to improve. Before going gluten-free I had severe pollen allergies and my nose was constantly clogged. After about a year on the gluten-free diet my pollen allergies and nasal issues started to improve, and after two years these issues essentially diminished ~95%. 

[AlwaysLearning]

If you had to take antihistamines, I wonder if you are dealing with an underlying mold or mildew problem. Stirring up dust would make those tiny spores airborne. These should be more irritating than just the fiber from clothing or rugs. Have you had any leaks in your home recently? Has it been unusually rainy and humid? I really do hope this is not the issue because it is extremely difficult to get rid of these sorts of problems once they make their way into the core of your home. Some are dangerous, some less so. 

I would also wonder about the cleaning products you're using. To eliminate them as a potential source of the issues, you might want to try some different products that contain fewer chemicals. Even artificial scents can be an issue, and now that you're gluten free, you might be noticing reactions you would not have noticed before. Buying eco-friendly products or even making your own from things like vinegar and baking soda could eliminate these potential culprits.

But the best advice I can give you is to just focus on being gluten free for now. If there are other issues in your home, they can be tackled later after you've gotten the gluten-free thing under your belt.

It will all get easier. And as you make mistakes early on, keep in mind that they are part of your learning experience and the mistakes you make now will help you avoid making mistakes in the future.

 

[Onegiantcrunchie]

Hi OP. I've read that once you have one autoimmune disease (coeliac),  you're more likely to develop others, and I believe allergies are autoimmune. That's not to say you definitely have a dust mite allergy but I think it's possible to have developed one. You can get an allergy test for that from your doctor. Good luck!

[cristiana]

  On 8/19/2021 at 8:57 PM, Onegiantcrunchie said:

Hi OP. I've read that once you have one autoimmune disease (coeliac),  you're more likely to develop others, and I believe allergies are autoimmune. That's not to say you definitely have a dust mite allergy but I think it's possible to have developed one. You can get an allergy test for that from your doctor. Good luck!

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Thanks for posting this... I'm interested in this because I've recently been diagnosed with adult onset eczema and I've just googled it and it seems that there is a body of evidence to suggest it could be autoimmune too.   I had no idea.

 

 

[Onegiantcrunchie]

  On 8/19/2021 at 9:21 PM, cristiana said:

Thanks for posting this... I'm interested in this because I've recently been diagnosed with adult onset eczema and I've just googled it and it seems that there is a body of evidence to suggest it could be autoimmune too.   I had no idea.

 

 

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Hi Cristiana, you're welcome. I think eczema is autoimmune yes - I had it as a child. Just another piece in the 'why did I suddenly become coeliac???' autoimmune puzzle.. I think they're all interconnected.

[Khmw]

  On 8/9/2021 at 10:11 AM, Layla.I said:

 

I've been such a pain whilst trying to diagnose myself and going gluten free that I feel like I'm going insane! Or I'm a hypochondriac. Its driving me nuts. 

I'm about to start my second week gluten free and my symptoms have improved for sure. However, I started a spring clean yesterday (new start and all that) and my house has set me off. I feel like I'm now allergic to dust. Has anyone else had anything like this happen to them?

I've had to take antihistamines again this morning. Maybe I'm so paranoid about getting unwell again. It scares me. Just want to be well now. However, maybe its the cleaning products? 

It's hard to get the hang of knowing what we react to. 

Thanks for giving me a place to vent!! 

Hugs to all.....

Layla. 

Expand Quote  

Hi im Kathy, my daughter was recently diagnosed with celiacs, as well as other things. Yes we must be careful of literally everything. Hygiene products, cleaning products, food. I don't think your over reacting. I have to say it's been alot for my daughter and I to take in and research and fix. We have a great team of doctors thank God 😊 just be cautious of everything you use and touch, so many things have gluten. well wishes and best of luck with your journey 

[BrenLou]

I have had an extreme sensitivity to most chemical products, including hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, shampoos, lotions, candles, and more than I can mention.  I knew this about 15 years before finding out that I have celiac disease.  I am not saying there's a correlation but even after going totally gluten free now for nearly two years, I am discovering other allergies, such as chocolate!  And I have an auto-immune disorder (a skin disease) for which the primary treatment is a gluten free diet.  However, I must say that being gluten free is a God-send!   Whatever happens to me physically, I am absolutely committed to being gluten free. I love it even though it took some work getting used to it.  Don't be discouraged but meet all the challenges head-on and with determination!  Read and research everything.  I was stunned to find out that some make-up and lotion have gluten.  Who would have guessed!!?  You will learn and adjust and understand more as you go along.  This is a great place to find answers.   Best wishes to you!