Gluten Sensitivity

[The Logician]

I do not have celiac disease however for 20 years-plus I have been sensitive to gluten. A slice of bread will give me diarrhea in less than an hour. This started with me around the time I believe GMO wheat was beginning to appear in products on the market.

Last week i went into the hospital to get antibiotic IV for three days. While there I was constipated so I figured eating gluten would fix that. I had gluten at every meal and it had no affect on me. I was still constipated until I got home and hen started having normal bowel movements even though I continued eating gluten products and I have never felt better! Not even a hint of diarrhea. I’ve eaten some gluten in bread, cream of wheat, pizza every day now for 7 days and still no reaction.

I have read that antibiotics may cause gluten sensitivity but not the opposite. 

I’m wondering if my gluten sensitivity was not to gluten but a sensitivity to how gluten reacted to a bacteria (good or bad) in my gut. A bacteria which has been removed by the antibiotics I am taking.

I stopped antibiotics today.

My doctor had no clue why this occurred and wasn’t interested in finding out so I’d like to know if this information could be helpful to anyone studying gluten sensitivity.

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @The Logician!

Many antibiotics have anti-inflammatory properties.

By the way, GMO wheat is not used in food products: https://www.chefsresource.com/faq/is-wheat-genetically-modified-in-the-united-states/ There is a common misconception that it is.

[The Logician]

Thank you for your response. I have had several different antibiotics over the years and none affected my sensitivity to wheat products which I assumed was due to the gluten in them. However I do believe this time it was an antibiotic I’ve never had before so if your explanation is correct it would seem this antibiotic

(cefuroxime 500 MG tablet Commonly known as: CEFTIN, 1 tablet by mouth 2 (Two) Times a Day for 10 days.) 

could be a cure for my sort of sensitivity. I assume the hospital IV was the same antibiotic. The IV was ordered because my blood culture showed bacteria in my blood.

I remember hearing years ago the gmo wheat was found in some products but I guess that was a misnomer. Believe me after over 20 years of putting up with this sensitivity, despite the fact that growing up eating subs, pizza and spaghetti regularly never affected me, I am so relieved to no longer have to avoid wheat.. I hope!

[trents]

People get genetic modification confused with hybridization. Wheat, as has most of our food crops, has been altered through hybridization to make it more disease resistant, more drought resistant and even to increase the gluten content. Hybridization uses selective breeding/cross pollination to enhance certain characteristics. Genetic modification, on the other hand, uses a "gene gun" to knock out certain genes and replace them with unnatural ones. In some cases, plant genes are replaced with animal genes to achieve certain properties. This is what GMO is about.

Have you actually been formerly tested for celiac disease, either by blood antibody testing, biopsy or both, to rule out celiac disease?

[The Logician]

Not that I can remember but my reaction has never been more than diarrhea and I probably ate a lot of wheat products for years not knowing I was sensitive to it. Dr. never tested me because he attributed it to IBS. 

[trents]

Diarrhea is a classic symptom of celiac disease and may be the only symptom many people experience until damage to the small bowel lining becomes severe enough to spinoff other health issues. There are many with what we call "silent" celiac disease whose symptoms are so minor or occasional like yours that they blow them off. The only way to distinguish between celiac disease and NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) is to get tested. I strongly recommend that you request your doctor to run these two blood antibody tests: total IGA and tTG-IGA.

The antibiotic seems to have put you into some kind of remission at the present time but that may not last.

[The Logician]

Thanks for the advice, if my sensitivity comes back i’ll do that but I am 74, in good health for my age and probably have been sensitive to gluten for over 30 years the beginning of which I didn’t even know or suspect It was gluten. I’m seen by my doctor every three months with fasting labs, he knows I avoid gluten and has never suggested I should be concerned. It is quite possible a doctor did those tests on me 30 years ago, I just don’t remember, if they did and they were negative that’s why I wouldn’t remember.

If you are interested I’ll keep you posted, but from what i’ve read there is no cure for genetic celiac disease and right now I’ve never felt worse than diarrhea eating wheat or better than I do now eating wheat. If there is no cure I doubt my episode with an antibiotic is the cure which means I don’t have celiac. This antibiotic may be a cure for sensitivity however….i hope.

[trents]

I would say two things and then I'm done. Many celiacs have been misdiagnosed for years with IBS.

Testing for celiac disease requires regular and significant consumption of gluten for weeks/months in order to be valid.

[The Logician]

I spent my first 50 years eating wheat products every single day with no ill affects. Being a 6’2” Italian you can imagine what my diet was like and believe me I had an appetite that wouldn’t quit. In the 90’s once I discovered the wheat was my problem I avoided it and no longer had IBS. 

I seriously doubt I have celiac but I appreciate your input and will let you know if I have a problem with wheat again. I’ve been eating things I’ve longed for for decades and have never felt better.

[trents]

So you you ate wheat products every single day for 50 years without a problem but then in the 90's you discovered that wheat was your problem. That's confusing to me. It seems contradictory. Did you have a problem or not?

[AnnaNZ]

Hello. Do you mind saying what symptoms led the doctors to test for bacteria in your blood?

[The Logician]

I had a UTI, blood cultures are standard to insure that the infection does not get in the bloodstream which can lead to sepsis and death. In my case there was bacteria in my blood which necessitated 48 hours of antibiotic IV

[The Logician]

To Trent’s, yes, from what i’ve read it is not uncommon for digestive systems to become less tolerant to gluten over time. Many types of sensitivity or allergies arise in older people who never had a problem.

I don’t see why you are focusing on anything but the fact that after years of my sensitivity to gluten, for whatever reason , it has disappeared after a bout of antibiotics. What i’ve read is antibiotics can make gluten sensitivity worse. In any event, in my case, if I can still eat all the wheat products I want with no reaction after a month or more since my hospital stay this is something that should be investigated. Time will tell.

[rjane]

my husband who is 67 has just been diagnosed with CELIAC'S and I am finding it very difficult to make meals for him, I have a new bread maker and finding it hard to make something edible from it, I am 81 and find now I have to eat the same as him ,as making meals is hard work and making 2 different meals even harder, he has been on the gluten free food for over a month and today he had a bad bout of the runs I am wondering if its my fault, I thought I was being so careful , I am finding it like a minefield trying to sort out what to give him when he has a bad day , any idea's would be welcome thank you  

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @rjane!

Making gluten free bread from scratch that both tastes good and holds together is a real challenge. There are some pretty good commercially made choices in the stores these days. Once the big food companies figured out there were enough of us out there for them to generate a profit, they went to work developing some good recipes that are hard to emulate at home. However, the commercially made breads are expensive!

One thing to to realize is that gluten free flours often contain ingredients that are hard to digest (polysaccharides) and can cause gas, bloating and the runs. Things like xanthan gum and gar gum that are used as texturing agents.

The other thing to understand is that your hubby may have developed intolerance to foods in addition to those that contain gluten. This is common among celiacs and especially in the early stages of recovery. The most common offenders are dairy, oats (even gluten free oats), soy, corn and eggs with dairy and oats being the most prevalent offenders. So, you might experiment with eliminating some of these things. As healing of the villous lining of the small bowel progresses, secondary food intolerances can disappear but full healing can take two years or longer for older adults.

You might find this helpful:

https://www.celiac.com/forums/forum/27-gluten-free-recipes-cooking-tips/

and this:

https://www.celiac.com/forums/forum/51-food-intolerance-leaky-gut/

Edited June 25, 2025 by trents

[rjane]

thank you kind sir for replying to my post , it seems like a mine field at the moment, I gave him hard boiled eggs yesterday maybe that caused him to have a flair up today, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment, trying to keep him feeling better ,

[trents]

Has your hubbie been checked for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)? This is not uncommon in the celiac population.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21820-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth-sibo

Edited June 25, 2025 by trents

[rjane]

I am not sure if they have tested him for SIBO  should I ask the hospital if they have tested him for that, there is so much to learn in the beginning I am not sure what or who to ask I am thinking the good folks on this site will help me, thanking you for your help  

[trents]

@rjane, yes, it often feels overwhelming in the beginning. But let me encourage you by saying that it will get easier. You and your husband will develop, over time, a sixth sense of how gluten is typically hidden in the food supply and where it is found and you will develop an inventory of foods that you can trust and to stock your pantry with. The largest risk involves eating out at restaurants. Even if you order things that are naturally gluten free, you have no control over cross contamination happening back in the kitchen in how things are prepared and handled. Another trap is eating at other people's homes who are trying to accommodate your husband's need to eat gluten free but who lack knowledge about how gluten may be hidden in the food supply. I mean, who would expect to find wheat in soy sauce or Campbell's tomato soup?

I know you aren't going to want to hear this, but you may want to consider making your kitchen entirely gluten free to eliminate the possibility of accidents and cross contamination. It would also simplify your meal preparation. Yes, I'm talking about both of you eating gluten free in the home. Many couples find this is the easiest and most practical approach to being consistent and keeping their celiac loved one safe.

You might find this helpful:

 

[rjane]

thank you so much for all your help and information its very helpful, mind blowing but helpful 

[StuartJ]

16 hours ago, rjane said:

thank you kind sir for replying to my post , it seems like a mine field at the moment, I gave him hard boiled eggs yesterday maybe that caused him to have a flair up today, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment, trying to keep him feeling better ,

I don't think the eggs were to blame; yesterday was the first time she had made gluten-free bread using Xanthan gum as a thickener, and while this is generally assumed to be OK (and most gluten-free recipes call for it}, I read that Xanthan gum intolerance, or sensitivity, primarily manifests as gastrointestinal discomfort. The most common symptoms are related to digestion. Individuals may experience bloating and gas due to the fermentation of xanthan gum by gut bacteria. 

  Bingo. 

Since this was the only different ingredient she had used, I think we have found the trigger.   Now to look for an alternative.  

Maybe this will help?  https://theglutenlessmaximus.com/gluten-free-resources/how-to-gluten-free-baking-without-xanthan-gum/

[StuartJ]

Update: great news, she made a gluten-free loaf yesterday, switching the Xanthan for cornstarch, and adding a little more milk than the recipe called for, also used a regular quick bake setting instead of the gluten free.  The result was a superb and delicious bread that I could eat, enjoy and 24 hours later still no side effects!  😊

[trents]

So, @StuartJ, are you @rjane's celiac spouse?

[StuartJ]

2 minutes ago, trents said:

So, @StuartJ, are you @rjane's celiac spouse?

I am her husband, we have been married for 28 years

[trents]

Congrats! Can you share the recipe? We just picked up a bread maker from an estate sale and are experimenting. 

Edited June 28, 2025 by trents