crunchmaster Searching for the source - anyone have problems with Crunchmaster crackers?

[Mettedkny]

Hi everyone,

I am on a mission to figure find the source of a hidden gluten in my diet, and I would greatly appreciate help. I have been diagnosed with celiac disease for 17+ years, NEVER had an issue, has always had "perfect" numbers and after healing, no damage to my intentional lining (had an endoscopy done a month ago which did not show any signs of damage). My son, who also has celiac disease has perfect numbers, and is my "blind study" on this mission.

Over the past year my IgG numbers have gone up from 3 to 93 (normal range under 15), my IgA is 1.5 (normal range below 15, and has not changed all this time).
At first I thought it might be my "new" (started a year ago) Progesterone pills, which I checked were gluten-free before starting. I spoke to Aurobindo (the manufacturer) and they assured me that there is no gluten in the pills, but cannot state they are gluten-free.  I have asked in this forum regarding the pills to see if anyone else is having an issue, which does not seem to be the case and it does not seem likely that they are the culprit.

I have stopped eating lunch at my job (which I have done previously without issue for 10+ years) to see if that would make a difference. After 3 months of bringing my own lunch, I can report that that was not the culprit either.

I do not eat out, eat home cooked meals, in a 100% gluten-free kitchen and have never in my first 16 years of diagnosis had any problems at all.

My latest idea is that perhaps it could be the Crunchmaster multigrain crackers, something that my son does not eat. The crackers are certified gluten free and have been my go-to food for a long time - but could they really be the problem? 

I am at my witts end but I am determined to find the source of the problem. The strange thing is I have NO signs of being glutened (I am very sensitive and get a reaction at the slightest crosscontamination = mouth ulcers and the worse), and as I said, have no damage to my intestine. 

Any suggestions??

Thank you all for your help.

[knitty kitty]

@Mettedkny,

Have you had your thyroid checked lately?  People with thyroid problems like Hashimoto's thyroiditis produce tTg IgG antibodies whether exposed to gluten or not.  Hashimoto's is another autoimmune disease frequently found with Celiac disease.  Do you eat iodized salt or sea salt?  

P. S. 

Progesterone stimulates the thyroid.  The thyroid stimulates the immune system which increases production of IgG antibodies.  

Progesterone Upregulates Gene Expression in Normal Human Thyroid Follicular Cells

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4454767/

Celiac Disease and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: The Two Peas in a Pod

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9312543/

Edited August 25 by knitty kitty
Added Post Script

[Mettedkny]

1 hour ago, knitty kitty said:

@Mettedkny,

Have you had your thyroid checked lately?  People with thyroid problems like Hashimoto's thyroiditis produce tTg IgG antibodies whether exposed to gluten or not.  Hashimoto's is another autoimmune disease frequently found with Celiac disease.  Do you eat iodized salt or sea salt?  

Thank you for your reply Knitty Kitty (from a fellow knitter)
My TSH and T4 is within normal range, and has been checked along with the rest of my bloodwork consistently over the past many years. I am very aware of Hashimoto's since my mom has it  (she does not have celiac disease, her other autoimmune disease is diabetes (which I am monitored for but don't have - I "only" have allergies). 
And yes - I eat iodized salt to protect my thyroid.

Good suggestions though and thank you for the links. 

[knitty kitty]

Oh, lovely, another knitter!  What are your favorite things to knit?  I love knitting lace.  Lace doileys and shawls.  And socks, not necessarily lacy though.

Low Vitamin D has an impact on the thyroid.

The Role of Vitamin D in Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases: A Narrative Review 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9966459/

Impact of Vitamin D on Immunopathology of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: From Theory to Practice

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37513592/

P.S. if you're low in one vitamin, you're probably low in others as well.  Have you had other vitamins checked for deficiencies?  

Edited August 25 by knitty kitty
Typo correction, added Post Script

[Scott Adams]

I understand your immense frustration after 17 years of excellent management; it's incredibly disorienting to have your numbers spike without a clear cause or physical symptoms. Given your thorough investigation, the Crunchmaster crackers are a very plausible culprit, despite their certification. Certification ensures gluten is below 20ppm, but if you are consuming them daily, even that tiny amount could theoretically accumulate over time to cause an immune response (elevated IgG) without triggering your acute symptomatic response (which is often IgA-mediated). Since your son, the perfect control subject, doesn't eat them, this is an excellent hypothesis to test. I would recommend a strict elimination trial: remove the crackers completely for 4-6 weeks and then re-test your IgG levels. If the numbers drop significantly, you have your answer. Other less obvious sources to consider if the crackers aren't to blame include any other new packaged goods (spices, nuts, chocolate, supplements), a change in the recipe of a trusted product, or even lipstick or toothpaste. Your methodical approach is exactly what will solve this mystery.

[maryannlove]

I recently had same problem and posted on here.  My bloodwork also unexpectedly skyrocketed.  When doc sent online comment saying something like "you need to be eating gluten-free food" I was almost in tears because had been very careful.  Like you, went on a mission.  Narrowed mine down to Yasso yogurt mint chocolate chip bars (formerly had Certified Gluten Free label on package but learned now only on small boxes but not large boxes) or BJ's only mixed nuts without "may be processed on equipment that also processes ....wheat" allergy warning and said in big letters "A GLUTEN FREE FOOD."  I went off both and bloodwork drastically improved.  Still don't know if culprit one or both (will add one back in and test again).  Throwing out in case you're eating either of these.  I live in Pittsburgh and during appointment my gastro told me some U. of Pittsburgh students were having same problem.  They finally narrowed it down to liquid injected into chicken they were eating.  (Apparently to make it moist and/or plump.)  Understand how frustratitng it is when you're making all the sacrifices to be careful.  

[Mettedkny]

13 minutes ago, maryannlove said:

I recently had same problem and posted on here.  My bloodwork also unexpectedly skyrocketed.  When doc sent online comment saying something like "you need to be eating gluten-free food" I was almost in tears because had been very careful.  Like you, went on a mission.  Narrowed mine down to Yasso yogurt mint chocolate chip bars (formerly had Certified Gluten Free label on package but learned now only on small boxes but not large boxes) or BJ's only mixed nuts without "may be processed on equipment that also processes ....wheat" allergy warning and said in big letters "A GLUTEN FREE FOOD."  I went off both and bloodwork drastically improved.  Still don't know if culprit one or both (will add one back in and test again).  Throwing out in case you're eating either of these.  I live in Pittsburgh and during appointment my gastro told me some U. of Pittsburgh students were having same problem.  They finally narrowed it down to liquid injected into chicken they were eating.  (Apparently to make it moist and/or plump.)  Understand how frustratitng it is when you're making all the sacrifices to be careful.  

OMG thank you so much for validating me in my "craziness" of being on the hunt for the culprit in my case. "Unfortunately" I do not eat any of the foods you mention, but have stopped eating the crackers that are labeled certified gluten-free to see if they might be the problem.
I did NOT know about chicken being injected with gluten liquid - that is horrible! 
Hoping my doc will agree to retest after I have been off the crackers for a while. My biggest mystery is - why do I not have ANY symptoms of being cross contaminated or glutened? There is no damage (thank godness) to my villi, and normally I will get canker sores the moment something is even the slightest bit cross contaminated... the hunt continues and I will follow up once I find the answer.

Glad you found yours! 

[Mettedkny]

4 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

I understand your immense frustration after 17 years of excellent management; it's incredibly disorienting to have your numbers spike without a clear cause or physical symptoms. Given your thorough investigation, the Crunchmaster crackers are a very plausible culprit, despite their certification. Certification ensures gluten is below 20ppm, but if you are consuming them daily, even that tiny amount could theoretically accumulate over time to cause an immune response (elevated IgG) without triggering your acute symptomatic response (which is often IgA-mediated). Since your son, the perfect control subject, doesn't eat them, this is an excellent hypothesis to test. I would recommend a strict elimination trial: remove the crackers completely for 4-6 weeks and then re-test your IgG levels. If the numbers drop significantly, you have your answer. Other less obvious sources to consider if the crackers aren't to blame include any other new packaged goods (spices, nuts, chocolate, supplements), a change in the recipe of a trusted product, or even lipstick or toothpaste. Your methodical approach is exactly what will solve this mystery.

Thank you so much for your validation. I completely agree with you that the crackers COULD be the culprit even with very small trace amounts (less than 20ppm) and accumulating over time - I am at the point where I am about to request that my son gets retested to make sure that my "control subject" is still testing perfectly lol.
I have a meeting with my celiac disease doc tomorrow and will run the crackers by him to see if he is willing to retest in a few weeks. I have not had any of them for the past 3 weeks so far, so fingers crossed, we can retest and hopefully find out if it is them.
And no - I have been scouring EVERYTHING to make sure nothing else has changed. Only use gluten-free lip products and toothpaste so not there either (but very good suggestion). Thank you for validating me. I feel like many are just saying "you are not being gluten-free enough - but I do have a perfect 16 year track record that proves otherwise - so has to be something sneaky.

[Beverage]

Yes it's so frustrating. Gluten is everywhere! Any airborne gluten possibilities? Home remodel projects? Any pets eating gluten (they eat, lick themselves, you pet them....). Sickest glutening I got was from taking care of my neighbor's chickens, they would get all excited, kick up the shavings which had their food in it, the coop would get filled with  airborne dust, I breathed it in).