I Think I Was Glutened

[txnmaryann]

This morning, I had a cheese omlet (dairy has not been a problem for me). A few hours later, I snuck a snack size bag of M&Ms from a stash my son had. About 1 1/2 hours after that, my stomach started hurting and cramping. This is the first time since I've been gluten free that I've had those symptoms. I've been gluten free for about 3 weeks and feeling great. My stomach still hurts, it never got severe like before, and I didn't have the Big D, just cramps. Also, I have a bunion which I received a cortisone shot for last week....it has felt fine since then, until today....it started hurting again. Could that be related to gluten?? Could I have gotten glutened from the M&Ms??

[CarlaB]

Did you make the omlet or did you eat it out?

[ravenwoodglass]

This morning, I had a cheese omlet (dairy has not been a problem for me). A few hours later, I snuck a snack size bag of M&Ms from a stash my son had. About 1 1/2 hours after that, my stomach started hurting and cramping. This is the first time since I've been gluten free that I've had those symptoms. I've been gluten free for about 3 weeks and feeling great. My stomach still hurts, it never got severe like before, and I didn't have the Big D, just cramps. Also, I have a bunion which I received a cortisone shot for last week....it has felt fine since then, until today....it started hurting again. Could that be related to gluten?? Could I have gotten glutened from the M&Ms??

If you had the omelet out you may have been CCed. If you made it in your home have you deglutened your kitchen? If you used a shredded cheese was it Kraft or another certified gluten-free brand? Some companies use flour to keep the shreds from sticking, rare but it happens. The M&M's are supposed to still be gluten-free but when in doubt always call the company to check. One other thing to consider is that for some of us the gluten reaction is a delayed reaction, you should look back over not just the day you got ill but also about 3 days before that.

As far as the bunion pain goes I can only relate it to my own experiences and don't have any scientific studies to cite but for me the pain seems to go to the weakest spot in my body. If I have had a recent injury to a joint or tendon (I am always tripping so this happens a lot) it seems to be 'reactivated' if I get glutened. It is also the only time my arthritis will act up. I think this has to do with the inflamatory reaction but I am not sure.

It can be so hard to pinpoint what got us that it can be quite frustrating. I hope you feel better soon.

[happygirl]

If you have only been gluten free for a few weeks, you are probably still healing. Which means your body is still damaged and not working "normally" yet, even though you are gluten-free. I noticed after I went gluten-free that I would react to strange things....but after I was truly 100% gluten-free and my body had healed, I was ok. So it *might* not be directly gluten related, but as a result of the damage.

The other thing is that many celiacs are lactose intolerant (permanent) or temporarily lactose intolerant when they are diagnosed with Celiac. That is because the enzyme 'lactase' is located on the villi. When your villi are damaged, your enzyme is affected (i.e., not there!). That is why many recent Celiacs can't tolerate dairy now, but later on they can. Lactose is another strange one....doesn't mean that you will react each time.

Is your pan truly clean or has it been used a billion times on gluten containing foods?

Hope this helps and gets ya thinking! Hope you feel better!!!!!!!

[eleep]

I was about three weeks in when I started noticing that I was reacting to lactose myself!

[txnmaryann]

I was about three weeks in when I started noticing that I was reacting to lactose myself!

Oh great, this just really sucks! I made the omlette in a teflon pan I've had awhile, have basically used it to cook eggs and not much else. I also had enchiladas the night before that I made by a recipe in a gluten free cookbook I just got.....more cheese. I also love yogurt! OK, so I'll cut out the dairy and see how that goes

I also think the foot pain is related. makes sense about inflamation, that's what the pain is from........

I can't thank you all enough!! This is so hard to figure out and without this forum, I'd REALLY be lost!!!

[Lymetoo]

Hey txnmaryann.....So if I'm reading this right, you're from Texas???

Hope your tummy settles down soon!

[eleep]

Believe me, I know how the "oh great, now no cheese" thing feels! If you are lactose intolerant (and not casein intolerant), you may find that you can tolerate yogurt since the bacteria have consumed most of the lactose -- I have had no problems with plain yogurt, butter or buttermilk -- all of which are low (or no) lactose. I use Lactaid milk in my coffee.

It's kind of an experiment-and-see thing -- however, I did find it useful to get the Enterolab panel that included casein intolerance because I was reacting severely to dairy for a while and found it quite alarming!

A friend served me soup with a tomato-cream base a few weeks ago (he'd gone out and specially gotten gluten-free ingredients for me) and I had no Lactaid in my purse. I was so happy to have someone cook for me that I took the risk and had the soup anyway -- I didn't react very strongly at all, although I did get home later that night and feel a little off and somewhat insomniac until I took some Immodium, so I do know that the lactose thing does seem to be disappearing!

eleep

[Rikki Tikki]

Don't discount the possibility of the flu bug. It's going around my area

[txnmaryann]

Hey txnmaryann.....So if I'm reading this right, you're from Texas???

Hope your tummy settles down soon!

Yep.....the Dallas area. The tummy has calmed down some, not right yet, but better Thanks!!!!!!

The more I think about it....I use that pan for my DD grilled cheese sandwiches. Guess it's time to throw it out. I do have a new set of Saladmaster cookware that has not been contaminated, I'll just start using those exclusively. I'll cut out the dairy and see how it goes.......All the talk about make up has me concerned about my lipstick. I use Bare Essencials, does that have gluten??

I'd like to do the Entrolab (SP?) but am in conflict with the husband about it. He just thinks: cut out the gluten and that's that. Until seeing my endoscope pics, he really didn't take me too seriously about the pain, knew I had the Big D all the time, but I think he thought it was "my nerves".

thanks again everyone!!

[gfp]

Oh great, this just really sucks! I made the omlette in a teflon pan I've had awhile, have basically used it to cook eggs and not much else.

Well you could have used the pan to cook something with gluten in it before being gluten-free....

You should also look at whatever you ate the day before as well.

[Cornhusker]

It's only been three weeks on the diet, try not to over-react. As others have said (and I've experienced), your body will do strange things at this stage.