How long can symptoms take to appear?

[SamClaire]

Hi,

I’m brand new to this website but I was diagnosed 14 years ago. I am just now getting over a particularly bad flare up that lasted a full 7 days. I’ve been trying to figure out what caused it and all I can think of is I know I accidentally ate gluten (specifically wheat flour) 9 days before my symptoms started. Could it have taken 9 days for my symptoms to start? I can’t think of any other culprit it could’ve been. Thank you!

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @SamClaire!

I am reasonably sure that after 9 days any danger of a single gluten exposure reaction would have been long gone. If in fact the reaction you are speaking of is due to gluten, it is more likely a cumulative effect of small amounts of gluten having crept into your diet over time. Perhaps some food product you have been using that was once gluten free is no more. Companies can and do change their formulations over time so it may be wise to take inventory of what is in your cupboard and what your are purchasing and check closely the ingredient labels and the allergen statements.

It is also possible that the reaction you mention is caused by something else that resembles a gluten reaction. Are you still consuming oats and dairy?

Edited January 28, 2025 by trents

[SamClaire]

Hi! I try to steer clear of dairy and I cut out oats at the same time I did gluten products. It may be that something I had recently that was labeled as gluten-free contained oats. I am just so confused as to why I didn’t react when I know I ate wheat flour (breaded fries) but then reacted to something else 9 days later. Maybe you’re right and that it was the accumulation of things. 

[trents]

It's easy to forget that it's not only the concentration of gluten in a given food item that's significant but also the total amount of gluten we consume over a period of time. This thing and that thing may meet the gluten-free requirement of not exceeding 20 ppm but if we eat enough of those things in a reasonably short amount of time it can have a cumulative effect because our bodies aren't given enough time to clear the gluten we have already consumed.

Just curious. Did you know the fries were wheat breaded when you ate them?

Edited January 28, 2025 by trents

[Scott Adams]

Do you consume oats? Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure.

You may fall into this category, and eliminating them is the best way to figure this out. Some people substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes for oats if they want a hot cereal substitute.

If you are interested in summaries of scientific publications on the topic of oats and celiac disease, we have an entire category dedicated to it which is here:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/oats-and-celiac-disease-are-they-gluten-free/