Reintroduction of Gluten

[Suze046]

Hi, so just to put you in the picture, I’ve had lots of digestive issues over the past 6 months, diarrhoea, constipation, gut ache, cramps, head aches, lost 2 stone in weight am perimenopausal.. need I go on. I know some of this is caused by stress and I’ve always had to watch what I eat so noting too processed of fatty and rich. I’ve had blood tests, stool tests gall bladder scan, repeated tests and nothing showed up (which is good) I tested negative for celiac back in March. I’ve just done 6 weeks gluten free and I have to say things got better. My doctor told me to reintroduce it so I did this 9 days ago but gently and I’m still keeping some gluten out of my diet. My question is how long can it take for a reaction because my diarrhoea constipation and cramps are back but only in the last 4 days and it started with a slight unsettling tum feeling first like it might kick off but not sure. So I’m wondering if this is just a coincidence or if it can take your body that long to react? Anyone else been through this? Advice needed! 

[Scott Adams]

Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.

What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly consistent with a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While a celiac reaction can be more immediate, a sensitivity reaction is often delayed, sometimes taking several days to manifest as your body's inflammatory response builds up; the fact that your symptoms returned a few days after reintroduction is a strong indicator that gluten is indeed the culprit, not a coincidence. Your doctor's advice to reintroduce it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, as the initial negative celiac test and subsequent improvement on a gluten-free diet pointed strongly towards sensitivity. Many in this community have gone through this exact same process of elimination and challenging, and it's wise to reintroduce gently as you did.

Given your clear reaction, the best course of action is likely to resume a strict gluten-free diet, as managing a sensitivity is the primary way to control those debilitating symptoms and allow your body to heal fully.