Could this be a new intolerance

[Celiacpartner]

Hello. My husband was diagnosed with celiac disease 30yrs ago. He has a gluten free diet, with the odd bit of contamination when eating out or eating something that says may contain, which he probably shouldn’t but he seems to tolerate his diet ok. The last few times he has eaten fish and larger servings of nuts he has noticed stomach pains like he used to get when he eats gluten. After 30yrs of getting it right and knowing what he can and can’t have with essentially no major instances, this has thrown us. Could this be a new intolerance or an allergy and has it happened to anyone else after so many years?

thanks

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Celiacpartner!

Does this happen with all nuts and all fish or just certain kinds? And are we talking about products that are advertised as gluten-free eaten at home or things served in a restaurant?

[Celiacpartner]

He’s noticed it after having a few different kinds of nuts and nuts on top of a gluten free nut bar. and it’s happened after having some fresh caught fish, and tonight from packaged plain salmon from the supermarket. He has stomach cramps and feels the need to vomit to try and relieve the symptoms. 

[trents]

Nuts are a common source of food allergy reaction/intolerance/sensitivity. But fish usually not. Of course, intolerances can develop to any food, whether or not they are common ones. I'm at a loss here.

[Scott Adams]

After years of stable management, developing new symptoms to historically safe foods like nuts and fish strongly suggests a secondary issue has developed. It is highly unlikely to be a new gluten issue if the foods themselves are certified gluten-free. The most probable explanations are a new, separate food intolerance (perhaps to a specific protein in certain nuts or fish) or a true IgE-mediated food allergy, which can develop at any age. The symptoms you describe—cramps and the urge to vomit—can be consistent with either. It is crucial he sees an allergist for proper testing (like a skin prick or blood test) to identify the specific culprit and rule out a serious allergy, as reactions can sometimes worsen with repeated exposure.

[Rogol72]

@Celiacpartner,

I agree with Scott. We have a food festival yearly in the town I live in, with artisan food stalls everywhere. I spoke to the owner of one of the artisan burger stalls, enquiring if the burgers were gluten-free when I said I was Coeliac ... he said he had a serious anaphylactic allergy to fish himself. He possibly carries an epi-pen or two everywhere he goes.

I would go see an allergist as soon as possible as suggested.

[trents]

This does not seem to be an anaphylactic response but I agree it would be wise to seek allergy-food sensitivity testing. You might look into ALCAT food sensitivity testing.

[Celiacpartner]

Thanks so much for the responses. I will urge him to go for further investigation. To be 48yrs old and develop a new allergy.. ugh, As if celiac disease isn’t enough! 

[trents]

Unfortunately, the development of celiac disease usually is not an end in and of itself. It usually brings along friends, given time. It is at heart an immune system dysfunction which often embraces other immune system dysfunctions as time goes on.