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Celiac Reaction From An Allergy Test?

katshow

By katshow
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

katshow Rookie
katshow
Posted

I'm just curious if this has happened to anyone else. Whenever I get glutented, I have a very hard time breathing and the only thing that will help me is Benedryl and an inhaler. I know that this is my symptom and I'm getting more used to it.

I had a skin prick test with various foods (corn, wheat, soy, milk, etc) and immidiately after, I had my normal Celiac reaction of trouble breathing and brain fog. This has lasted with a bloated tummy for a few days now. I asked my allergist if this was possible to have a Celiac reation and he said that it's not possible. As he put it "it would be worthy of a case study" and proceeded to ask me about my mental health history! Thanks, but I know I'm not crazy!

Has anyone else had this happen?? I'm assuming that if there's a chance of getting glutened by makeup, couldn't there just as easily be a chance to have a reaction from a skin prick??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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cornbread Explorer
cornbread
Posted

Since a skin prick test pricks your skin with a small amount of the allergen, then yes, no doubt that could cause a reaction, I would think. I mean, they are LOOKING for a reaction when they do the test, so why are they so disbelieving that they might've provoked one? :blink: Grrr, makes me mad! So sorry you had to go through that. :(

penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted

You had an allergic reation, not a Celiac reaction. Celiac isn't an allergy.

To have a Celiac reaction, the gluten actually has to make it to your intestines. Maybe you're just plain allergic to wheat, also.

katshow Rookie
katshow
Posted
  • Author

Right it would have seemed that I did have an allergic reaction, but nothing showed up on my skin. The DR said that to have that sort of reaction to a skin prick test is impossible, but everytime I have gluten, I have trouble breathing. I know there are a few other people on this site that have had similar reactions to gluten. I was just trying to get some more answers.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

katshow--I recently had a slew of skin tests for allergies. They did foods and everything else. The doctor did it over 2 visits, one month apart because he was afraid of a reaction. He said it was possible to have a generalized reaction, not just a skin reaction from the skin scratch tests--but it was not likely--he was being safe. You may have had a serious allergic reaction that was similar to one of your Celiac reactions. :)

penguin Community Regular
penguin
Posted

Systemic reactions to skin tests happen, I'm allergic to freakin' everything BUT food and I was sneezing and stuffed up.

katshow Rookie
katshow
Posted
  • Author

Thank you everyone! It's just good to know that I'm not crazy! I was so frustrated with that dr!! I learn so much more from this site than I ever have from a doctor! Thank you!

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Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

Personally (and this is just my opinion), I believe that if your skin is pricked and something applied to the cut, it WILL end up in your bloodstream. If it gets into your bloodstream, it can get into your bowels and cause a reaction there (or in your case, in your lungs).

I am very skeptical when it comes to the theory of things being applied to your skin not ending up being absorbed by it, and resulting in a reaction consistent with an intolerance, rather than an allergy. Just because that is the current 'wisdom' doesn't mean it's true. Just like Galileo and Copernicus were considered crazy, and persecuted for believing the earth is not the center of the solar system, but that the sun is, they were still right, even though they were some of the only ones believing it at first.

Moongirl Community Regular
Moongirl
Posted
I'm just curious if this has happened to anyone else. Whenever I get glutented, I have a very hard time breathing and the only thing that will help me is Benedryl and an inhaler. I know that this is my symptom and I'm getting more used to it.

I had a skin prick test with various foods (corn, wheat, soy, milk, etc) and immidiately after, I had my normal Celiac reaction of trouble breathing and brain fog. This has lasted with a bloated tummy for a few days now. I asked my allergist if this was possible to have a Celiac reation and he said that it's not possible. As he put it "it would be worthy of a case study" and proceeded to ask me about my mental health history! Thanks, but I know I'm not crazy!

Has anyone else had this happen?? I'm assuming that if there's a chance of getting glutened by makeup, couldn't there just as easily be a chance to have a reaction from a skin prick??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Trouble breathing and if u use an inhaler for it, then it can most likely be triggered by an allergic reaction. My allergist that did my test, is the chief of immun/allergy at the hostpital, he said just because the reaction doesnt show up on the skin doesnt neccessarily mean that you cant have a reaction of some sort to the food.

For example....2 yrs ago i had the test and i tested positive to crabs and clams, crabs ive never had, but i used to eat clam showder all the time. So i stopped eating those, but one time after i had fried shrimp, and my throat started itching. So i stopped eating those too. (this was pre-dx)

I was just tested again and nothing showed up on my skin test. He did say however if you have a neg skin test and neg reaction to food, ur ok. But if u have an oral reaction with a neg skin test to becareful, because it can turn itself into a skin reaction, which in turn would make it positive. Then it can turn into an allergic reaction. Im still hesitant on eating shellfish, even though he said he thinks id be ok.

;)

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted
Personally (and this is just my opinion), I believe that if your skin is pricked and something applied to the cut, it WILL end up in your bloodstream. If it gets into your bloodstream, it can get into your bowels and cause a reaction there (or in your case, in your lungs).

I am very skeptical when it comes to the theory of things being applied to your skin not ending up being absorbed by it, and resulting in a reaction consistent with an intolerance, rather than an allergy. Just because that is the current 'wisdom' doesn't mean it's true. Just like Galileo and Copernicus were considered crazy, and persecuted for believing the earth is not the center of the solar system, but that the sun is, they were still right, even though they were some of the only ones believing it at first.

Ursula--My Kineisiolgist told me that the skin absorbes many things--some in as little as 8 seconds. I am always aware of that--I have read over and over the experts who claim that this is not possible. I tend to keep an open mind on these things, and try to be as careful as I can with it. I was lucky with my allergy tests, no complications.

slpinsd Contributor
slpinsd
Posted

katshow,

I also have breathing difficulty associated with gluten ingestion, and I am NOT allergic- IgE mediated) to any foods. Last time I was glutened it felt like my throat was closing up and I couldn't talk very well. Do you have asthma? I was recently diagnosed- and I think it's due to gluten. Apparently., I am having bronchial spasms associated with reflux. With me, I believe that the gluten is causing the severe reflux, and the reflux is aggravating the asthma symptoms.

I didn't have any reaction to a skin prick test- and only a few environmental allergies...........but I don't put anything past what our bodies can do. You're not crazy!

katshow Rookie
katshow
Posted
  • Author

Thank you! I feel the exact same way. I know that I have a reaction when I eat gluten, I was just trying to see if anything else aggrevated my condition. I never had asthma before this new reaction, but the dr said that I do now. It's all so weird but I really appreciate all of your help! Thank you again!

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

What fun! :blink: I am actually going in for allergy testing tommorrow. I had it done years ago and have decided to start over with a new doc as my allergies have worsened. I had already decided to make sure he doesn't test for wheat etc. Hope your feeling better katshow!

plantime Contributor
plantime
Posted

If the skin did not absorb stuff, then all of the medicated patches for birth control, pain relief, nicotine, and such would be no good. Whenever I get glutened, my sinuses swell up and I have difficulty breathing. I don't care what kind of reaction it is called, I know to avoid gluten!

ms-sillyak-screwed Enthusiast
ms-sillyak-screwed
Posted

katshow --- Just remember everyones body is different. I had the skin scratch tests and had a slight reaction from the scratches and I had a big time celiac disease reaction to the SHOTS. I get seizures and I got 3 in less then a week and a half, after having the "SHOT" to counter-at the food allergies I have. I believe the doc was a liar (for $$$) he doesn't have a clue about celiac disease. I will NEVER under go those shots again. It's frightening having celiac disease seizures and being alone!

The skin DOES absorb!

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

Do you think they messed up your serum? I had allergy shots for years--over a decade and they did wonders for my allergies. However, they weren't for food allergies, but for environmental allergies Never had a reaction. Sorry for how yours turned out! Did he have gluten or wheat in the mix to try to "desensitize" you? If so...that is crazy! You could kill someone by including serious food allergies in a serum injection! You poor thing!! Glad you're safe now!

The crazy thing is years ago I had the skin test and was diagnosed with all sorts of allergies. I still have allergy symptoms that have been getting worse the past several years, so I went in to get re-tested... Well, all the tests came back negative, somehow I have no allergies any more!! The doc didn't know why they're gone (outgrew or shots worked?) nor why I still have allergy type symptoms. Strange!

ms-sillyak-screwed Enthusiast
ms-sillyak-screwed
Posted

jenvan -- Thank you for the kind words.

The serum was made up two different times. The first time I had the SHOT (I didn't know) but I had a cracked back tooth and the doc said the reason for the reaction. I took anitbiotics and for the first time in my life taking them I felt better, much better following knocking whatever was in my system out. After about 3 or 4 months and my tooth was fixed I went back for another food-allergy SHOT. A new batch of the serum was mixes the day before I went it. You are right about the serum is to desensitize one to the allergens. What [was] in the batch was to be foods I currently eat that I only have a mild or slight senstitivity -- things I know are safe by reading my body. And she did add something in the serum to desensitize me to SOY. I know SOY is a huge problem for all of us here (some choose to be in denial). However, that might have been what caused the problem.

The girl that does it is very nice and thoughtful, and believes in what she does. And for envoiromental allergies it works. For food; nope!

You mentioned some of your allergies went away... I read something in a book I read -- it's a very technical book about autoimmune disease like the ones we suffer from here. In my case earlier in life I had hay fever, fibromyalgia, and other things I [no longer have] that have turned into more serious disease(s) now. This book was a light-bulb-moment for me. It commented-the-dots for me to understand why my bodies health and illnesses have progressed over the last 15 years. You see, I thought I was living healthy gluten & dairy free for 5 years, until suddenly after eating SOY and other things I thought were healthy in this new diet -- in-fact I was posioning myself and making things worse. And hence the secondary food allergies...

Open Original Shared Link

List Price: $39.95 -- But go to your local library and have them do an inter-library loan if it's too pricey. It is very technical, in fact, but flip through it and you will gain valuable information.

shai76 Explorer
shai76
Posted

I am allergic to wheat, and gluten intolerant. The allergist does the RAST blood allergy tests for me because the skin pricks can cause reactions like you mentioned. I did have a skin prick for dust and had a anaphelectic reaction. I broke out in hives all over my body and had a terrible asthma attack, among other things. Skin prick tests can be dangerous for people with serious food allergies. I think that they should not even bother checking for wheat allergy if you have celiacs though. There is no way you can eat it any way.

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