Cheat days?

[Aevintiri]

Does anyone here just completely go rogue on days and consume gluten like normal people? I have been gluten free for about 3 years now since my diagnoses. I have really been craving a Jets Deep Dish pizza which was my favorite meal prior to diagnoses. Who does cheat days and if so are the symptoms the same as before or are they worst since your body hasn’t had gluten in so long?

[twilatexas]

No. I have been glutened accidentally enough times in the past. There is nothing that could make me cheap. Not enough upside to warrant the days of illness that would make days of illness worth it.

[trents]

5 hours ago, Aevintiri said:

Does anyone here just completely go rogue on days and consume gluten like normal people? I have been gluten free for about 3 years now since my diagnoses. I have really been craving a Jets Deep Dish pizza which was my favorite meal prior to diagnoses. Who does cheat days and if so are the symptoms the same as before or are they worst since your body hasn’t had gluten in so long?

Most of us who have been gluten free for long periods of time find that when we get a significant amount of gluten (talking more than cross contamination, here) we react much more strongly than before gluten free when we were eating gluten regularly. We lose whatever tolerance to it we once had. Speaking personally, when I mistakenly eat something with a full load of gluten in it (like when I accidentally ate my wife's wheat biscuits instead of the gluten-free ones she made me) I get violently ill. Two or three hours of gut wrenching cramps with vomiting followed by a few hours of diarrhea. No way am I going to give into my craving with that kind of reaction.

[cristiana]

The last time I ate something loaded with gluten by mistake - a slice of cake - within two hours I had severe chills, was unable to stand, threw up two or three times (first time I'd been that sick since childhood), palpations, nearly blacked out, and then had days of gastritis like symptoms and a feeling of sea sickness.  So I'm not tempted to cheat.

I cannot believe how severe my reaction to gluten is these days, yet a friend's brother has gone back to eating gluten after years of not eating it and has had no reaction at all.  I can't understand how this can happen.  I do wonder if he was misdiagnosed as coeliac as a child?

[Aevintiri]

21 minutes ago, cristiana said:

The last time I ate something loaded with gluten by mistake - a slice of cake - within two hours I had severe chills, was unable to stand, threw up two or three times (first time I'd been that sick since childhood), palpations, nearly blacked out, and then had days of gastritis like symptoms and a feeling of sea sickness.  So I'm not tempted to cheat.

I cannot believe how severe my reaction to gluten is these days, yet a friend's brother has gone back to eating gluten after years of not eating it and has had no reaction at all.  I can't understand how this can happen.  I do wonder if he was misdiagnosed as coeliac as a child?

Did he start slow kind of like starting a new medication or eating meat after being vegan? I recently started eating steak again after being vegan for years and ate small portions with a zofran but aside from some light nausea, I had no stomach upset. I plan on keeping it going slowly. My gastro said the same thing can work with a lot of celiacs people. Your body is just shocked at a new thing and naturally want to reject it. 

41 minutes ago, trents said:

Most of us who have been gluten free for long periods of time find that when we get a significant amount of gluten (talking more than cross contamination, here) we react much more strongly than before gluten free when we were eating gluten regularly. We lose whatever tolerance to it we once had. Speaking personally, when I mistakenly eat something with a full load of gluten in it (like when I accidentally ate my wife's wheat biscuits instead of the gluten-free ones she made me) I get violently ill. Two or three hours of gut wrenching cramps with vomiting followed by a few hours of diarrhea. No way am I going to give into my craving with that kind of reaction.

Did you eat multiple biscuits or just one?

[trents]

Two biscuits, if I recall correctly. I'm fine for about two hours after getting glutened but as soon as the stomach starts to empty into the small bowel, the agony begins. I believe I have also experienced a similar reaction when getting glutened from cross contamination on occasion. Happened once after ingesting a shake with some chia seeds in it that came from India and were not advertised as gluten free. Made me sicker than a dog.

[cristiana]

15 minutes ago, Aevintiri said:

Did he start slow kind of like starting a new medication or eating meat after being vegan?

I have no idea.  

But returning to eating gluten for coeliacs can lead to serious health complications.  I can understand it must be more tempting to take risks if one doesn't have any obvious side effects from eating gluten, but it could still be making one ill.

I do sympathise though - cravings are awful.  I even fancy eating a McDonald's or a KFC meal when my family indulge - even though I never really liked them much before my diagnosis!

I've never been that fond of pizza but I really miss doughnuts and a certain chocolate biscuit we have here in the UK called a "Penguin". But I tell myself that soon these things too will be available in the gluten-free aisle and that helps.  And it is true -  time and time again since my diagnosis things I thought I would never eat again have now appeared in the gluten-free aisles: gluten-free cornflakes, Weetabix type biscuits, and more recently, iced currant buns! 

I don't know the brand of pizza you are speaking of - tell me, what is it that you like so much about it?  Is it possible you could try making something like it yourself?

[trents]

Your question to Cristiana about whether or not her friend started slow and built up to it suggests to me you are considering more than just an occasional impulse indulgence. Starting slow implies systematic cheating.

[Aevintiri]

1 minute ago, cristiana said:

I have no idea.  

But returning to eating gluten for coeliacs can lead to serious health complications.  I can understand it must be more tempting to take risks if one doesn't have any obvious side effects from eating gluten, but it could still be making one ill.

I do sympathise though - cravings are awful.  I even fancy eating a McDonald's or a KFC meal when my family indulge - even though I never really liked them much before my diagnosis!

I've never been that fond of pizza but I really miss doughnuts and a certain chocolate biscuit we have here in the UK called a "Penguin". But I tell myself that soon these things too will be available in the gluten-free aisle and that helps.  And it is true -  time and time again since my diagnosis things I thought I would never eat again have now appeared in the gluten-free aisles: gluten-free cornflakes, Weetabix type biscuits, and more recently, iced currant buns! 

I don't know the brand of pizza you are speaking of - tell me, what is it that you like so much about it?  Is it possible you could try making something like it yourself?

Yeah I am aware that it does harm us but from what I understand is that, it doesn’t do significant damage unless consumed regularly. So I am curious how like once a month would actually effect our intestines. Unfortunately there is no replicating the pizza gluten free. It is kind of similar to like a Chicago deep dish. The slices are about 3-4 inches tall and the flavor can’t be rivaled for me. I don’t know how you could get anything gluten free to match up. 

[Aevintiri]

10 minutes ago, trents said:

Two biscuits, if I recall correctly. I'm fine for about two hours after getting glutened but as soon as the stomach starts to empty into the small bowel, the agony begins. I believe I have also experienced a similar reaction when getting glutened from cross contamination on occasion. Happened once after ingesting a shake with some chia seeds in it that came from India and were not advertised as gluten free. Made me sicker than a dog.

Hmmm very interesting. I wonder what would happen if you took Imodium and zofran prior to eating it. 

[Aevintiri]

4 minutes ago, trents said:

Your question to Cristiana about whether or not her friend started slow and built up to it suggests to me you are considering more than just an occasional impulse indulgence. Starting slow implies systematic cheating.

I guess I am just trying to find out if celiacs can naturally reintroduce gluten without causing harm or severe illness. I can’t find any documentation online about it so looking for answers from others who may have experienced it

[cristiana]

from Coeliac UK:

"Coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition and the gluten free diet is the only treatment for it. If gluten is introduced back into the diet at a later date, the immune system will react and the gut lining will become damaged again.

Once you develop coeliac disease, you must avoid gluten for the rest of your life."

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/coeliac-disease-faqs/

The problem is, as it is a lifelong autoimmune condition, the immune system will continue to react to gluten - even if it isn't obvious.

Out of interest, was your own coeliac disease asymptomatic and an incidental finding?  In my own case, I was very ill indeed at diagnosis and perhaps because of that I am keener than others on wanting to remain on the "straight and narrow".  I would hate to return to the poor health I had ten years ago.

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by cristiana

[trents]

39 minutes ago, Aevintiri said:

I guess I am just trying to find out if celiacs can naturally reintroduce gluten without causing harm or severe illness. I can’t find any documentation online about it so looking for answers from others who may have experienced it

It might be possible to reintroduce gluten gradually without causing severe illness but that would not avoid harm to the villi of your small bowel. Some celiacs are "silent" when it comes to symptoms but the damage done to the small bowel lining is universal. It's what defines celiac disease. Celiac disease does not "go away". It's not an allergy that you might outgrow. It's an autoimmune disorder that is baked into your genes. I get the impression you are in denial about the reality of your diagnosis.

And I would point out that you aren't the only celiac who struggles with cravings for real wheat bread products. We all struggle with that at times. Do we eat to live or do we live to eat? That is the question.

Edited July 31, 2022 by trents

[Scott Adams]

I don’t think anyone here would recommend that someone with celiac disease eat any gluten, but polling has shown that perhaps 25% of celiacs do cheat on their diets. I suspect that those who do this may be more in the asymptotic group, but this isn’t clear.

If you go this route I would recommend follow up blood panels and endoscopes to monitor possible damage. Let us know how it goes for you.

[LCAnacortes]

For me the price of poker is intestinal pain followed by explosive, uncontrolled diarrhea. Definitely not worth it.  

[MADMOM]

11 hours ago, Aevintiri said:

Does anyone here just completely go rogue on days and consume gluten like normal people? I have been gluten free for about 3 years now since my diagnoses. I have really been craving a Jets Deep Dish pizza which was my favorite meal prior to diagnoses. Who does cheat days and if so are the symptoms the same as before or are they worst since your body hasn’t had gluten in so long?

cheat days are just like going back to day 1 - you’re destroying your villi

and it can cause major things / there are great gluten-free options in the pizza world too 

[RMJ]

A vaccine booster challenges the immune system with a protein that the body hasn’t seen for a while, with the purpose of increasing antibodies. I envision eating gluten in the same way. Since I don’t want my autoimmune antibodies increased, I would never knowingly eat gluten-containing foods.

[captaincrab55]

One small slice of the wrong pizza will do me in for the rest of the day/night.   On top of that I have DH and the itch will follow for days.   IMO a cheat day is like playing a game of suicide with your health.   Good luck finding your real self, because I'm not playing a game with my health.

 

[TurtleSeaba]

I was diagnosed 5 years ago, and I went all in Gluten free immediately. About 6 months in I had a breakdown and devoured a variety of doughnuts. I regretted it immediately, and it strengthened my resolve to be completely gluten free.