Is There Greater Sensitivity To Gluten After Starting G/f Diet?

[Susan M-G]

Is there greater sensitivity to gluten after starting gluten-free diet? i.e. pre gluten-free diet, the gluten containing products individually do not cause upset, just a general feeling, and/or eruptions of symptoms that are not continuous, although the diet contains a constant or regular input of gluten, compared with post gluten-free diet, in which a slip, an oops, or a deliberate ingestion of birthday cake results in almost immediate distress?

[Corkdarrr]

I've definately found that I'm more sensitive to gluten since going gluten-free. I did an experiment a few months ago involving the fryers at work. I made some fries one day and got very sick. A few weeks later I made some fries in *fresh* oil and felt perfectly fine. That confirms both the presence of gluten in a nondedicated fryer as well as my sensitivity to even small amounts of gluten.

I think the reason we notice it more is because since removing gluten from the diet, our digestive systems are no longer in a constant state of stress.

I know I didn't realize it was possible to not feel like crap all the time until I stopped eating gluten. Amazing!

Courtney

[CarlaB]

Yes. Think of it like smoking. A smoker may have some general health problems but not feel ill from one cigarette. Yet if they stop smoking for some time, one cigarette may make them feel quite ill.

[sspitzer5]

Is there greater sensitivity to gluten after starting gluten-free diet? i.e. pre gluten-free diet, the gluten containing products individually do not cause upset, just a general feeling, and/or eruptions of symptoms that are not continuous, although the diet contains a constant or regular input of gluten, compared with post gluten-free diet, in which a slip, an oops, or a deliberate ingestion of birthday cake results in almost immediate distress?

YES, I'm much more sensitive to it now than before being gluten-free.

[Guest cassidy]

I am much more sensitive. I was talking to friend who I'm pretty sure has celiac. She was saying that she doesn't get sick after every meal and that her doctor told her if it was celiac then she would. I never used to get sick after every meal. I would have good and bad days and sometimes just feel yucky in general.

Now, if I have a speck of gluten I feel it for several weeks. It is crazy since I would probably eating pounds of the stuff for years and I didn't always feel as bad as I do when I mistakenly eat a crumb.

[Susanna]

Is there greater sensitivity to gluten after starting gluten-free diet? i.e. pre gluten-free diet, the gluten containing products individually do not cause upset, just a general feeling, and/or eruptions of symptoms that are not continuous, although the diet contains a constant or regular input of gluten, compared with post gluten-free diet, in which a slip, an oops, or a deliberate ingestion of birthday cake results in almost immediate distress?

Is there greater sensitivity to gluten after starting gluten-free diet? i.e. pre gluten-free diet, the gluten containing products individually do not cause upset, just a general feeling, and/or eruptions of symptoms that are not continuous, although the diet contains a constant or regular input of gluten, compared with post gluten-free diet, in which a slip, an oops, or a deliberate ingestion of birthday cake results in almost immediate distress?

Yes, there is greater sensitivity to gluten after being gluten-free for a while. See, gluten is an allergen to us, so all the time we were regularly exposing ourselves to it, we were making antibodies to the allergen. But now that we're gluten-free, we don't need to make the antibodies anymore, so when we're exposed to gluten now, we have no antibodies to fight it with, and thus a bigger reaction.

I definitely have a bigger reaction now than I used to, before I went gluten-free.

[Helena]

Yes, there is greater sensitivity to gluten after being gluten-free for a while. See, gluten is an allergen to us, so all the time we were regularly exposing ourselves to it, we were making antibodies to the allergen. But now that we're gluten-free, we don't need to make the antibodies anymore, so when we're exposed to gluten now, we have no antibodies to fight it with, and thus a bigger reaction.

I'm not sure that this is correct--- the reaction to an allergen is different (involves a different antibody altogether--IgE). In general, with allergies, the more antibodies one has, the more violent the reaction. (the reaction occurs *because* the body sets out to destroy an allergen. . . so the more antibodies circulating the more likely that there will be a very severe reaction. There isn't always a clear correspondence between the concentration of allergen-specific IgE and the severity of the reaction, but on average there is.

That having been said, sometimes people with allergies do react more severely after the offending food has been eliminated . . . there is something that I don't understand here. But I have a feeling that our knowledge of immunology is still patchy.

I've done lots of research on allergies, but my knowledge of the physiology of celiac disease is sketchy . . . I would be interested to know why people react more strongly after having eliminated gluten. This is an area where misconceptions about celiac can arise. My sister probably does have celiac . . . but after hearing about how people react more severely when on a gluten free diet, she has decided not to get rid of gluten entirely. Her naturopath agrees. I'm trying to convince her to go gluten free, of course. . . .but she really trusts her naturopath.

[AmandaD]

Absolutely. My GI doc said to me last year "even if you're not feeling too bad now, basically wait until you go gluten-free" - she said i would more than likely begin developing symptoms.

I did. Bastards.

(Meaning that when I get some gluten I totally react now...)

[frustratedneicey]

I DEFINATELY get more sick now that I am gluten free. I would NEVER, EVER, purposely eat gluten because I know how I will react. Before I knew I had Celiac Sprue, I had alot of diarrhea, and felt washed out all the time, but now, one little crumb in my peanut butter, by a kid who can't read my name on the lid, and BAM, I get horrible, horrible stomach cramps that hycosamine can't even touch. I vomit very violently along with diarrhea. I would not wish that feeling on anyone (except maybe the one who left their crumb in my peanut butter....kidding). I just said to my doctor last week that I would rather be eating whatever I want than sticking so strictly to this diet and still paying for it,,,,even worse. (except for the cancer thing) It's just that at the time it happens I wish that I would just pick up a Pizza Hut pan pizza and have a treat. I am sick anyway, might as well enjoy it....but I don't, because I know I will want more.

Denise

[hez]

I was very sensitive to gluten after going gluten-free. However, after being gluten-free for about a year and a half I have noticed my reactions to accidently getting glutened are delayed. I used to know withing an hour if I had been glutened now it can be up to 24 hours. I am assuming this is happening because I have had some healing, but am not sure.

Hez

[eleep]

Yup -- I've got about a two-day lag on reaction symptoms, although those two days might feel more stressy than usual. Then the other stuff hits kind of hard.

[celiacgirls]

Yes. I wasn't even aware I had symptoms until I went gluten-free. Then many things like irritability and fatigue went away. I was tested because my daughter was positive. Now when I have accidental gluten from cc, I do have stomach problems immediately. Not terrible symptoms but I can tell.

[miles2go]

QUOTE

Yes, there is greater sensitivity to gluten after being gluten-free for a while. See, gluten is an allergen to us, so all the time we were regularly exposing ourselves to it, we were making antibodies to the allergen. But now that we're gluten-free, we don't need to make the antibodies anymore, so when we're exposed to gluten now, we have no antibodies to fight it with, and thus a bigger reaction.

I'm not sure that this is correct--- the reaction to an allergen is different (involves a different antibody altogether--IgE). In general, with allergies, the more antibodies one has, the more violent the reaction. (the reaction occurs *because* the body sets out to destroy an allergen. . . so the more antibodies circulating the more likely that there will be a very severe reaction. There isn't always a clear correspondence between the concentration of allergen-specific IgE and the severity of the reaction, but on average there is.

That having been said, sometimes people with allergies do react more severely after the offending food has been eliminated . . . there is something that I don't understand here. But I have a feeling that our knowledge of immunology is still patchy.

I've done lots of research on allergies, but my knowledge of the physiology of celiac disease is sketchy . . . I would be interested to know why people react more strongly after having eliminated gluten. This is an area where misconceptions about celiac can arise. My sister probably does have celiac . . . but after hearing about how people react more severely when on a gluten free diet, she has decided not to get rid of gluten entirely. Her naturopath agrees. I'm trying to convince her to go gluten free, of course. . . .but she really trusts her naturopath.

Allergies are funny things. I've had them all my life, have a chemist father who I inherited them from and have studied them to a certain point, so I'd say that other than my body as laboratory, I have a good working knowledge of them, but perhaps not expertise. My understanding is that the body recognizes certain protein strands when an IgE-moderated response is initiated. But that response isn't along the lines of an exact recognition, but more of a response of, well, this looks sort of like that, so, start response. Which explains why I have trouble with most of the goosefoot family and crustacea, but not all. When I've been good at avoiding my personal allergens, I can slip in some without discomfort, such as corn or Swiss chard, but if I have lobster anytime it is bad, bad news. With wheat, the story has been slightly different. I've been wheat-light for about eight years, completely gluten-free since January of this year and have never been diagnosed by the medical community conclusively with celiac, but with a high allergy test for wheat. When I get glutened it's apparent a few hours after it happens and it's been almost two weeks since my last one and things are still not right, so I'm getting more sensitive the longer I stay away. Maybe I'm one of those that are both celiac and allergic, I don't know.

Hope that helps rather than just muddying the issue further! And what's up with those people that say allergies can run in seven-year cycles?

[miles2go]

Mmmkay, I need to apologize for my netiquette on that last post. I'm on lo-fi version here at home and need to post replies to those folks in the middle of a thread at work.

So, sorry about that, my reply to Helena was just the last paragraph.

[Helena]

My understanding is that the body recognizes certain protein strands when an IgE-moderated response is initiated. But that response isn't along the lines of an exact recognition, but more of a response of, well, this looks sort of like that, so, start response. Which explains why I have trouble with most of the goosefoot family and crustacea, but not all.

Hmmm....not sure. What you are saying sort of makes sense----it is possible to have reactions to foods which have similar protein structure. So folks who are allergic to a particular type of shellfish are often told to avoid *all* shellfish . . . the same is not true with fish. Some who are allergic to peanuts just react to peanuts but a number need to avoid many or even all legumes (like soy). And then there are the weird cross reactions to foods that are botanically unrelated but structurally similar (in terms of protein) like ragweed and banana.

My understanding though is that the immune system does try to target specific proteins although sometimes it also reacts to proteins with a similar structure . If this weren't the case, then I don't understand how there could be separate blood tests (which detects allergen-specific IgE) for soy and for peanut. But I could be wrong here . . . I don't have a background in science . . . I just have a lot of allergies.

I'm still fuzzy on how a drop in antibodies with celiac = a stronger reaction

I think I'm one of those people with celiac and with a wheat allergy too, although I've never reacted as severely to wheat as I do to some other foods. I eliminated wheat after raising the issue with my (now ex-) allergist and having a positive skin and blood test. I always reacted a bit to rye and was suspicious of barley . . .and then after going on an elimination diet figured out that oats were a problem but I didn't eliminate them completely until quite recently! (in spite of a nearly gluten-free diet I had a positive anti-tTG test . . . not to mention the fact that I react to gluten)

I haven't heard the 7 year cycle theory about allergies . . . I think that in adults the really really severe allergies (like your lobster allergy) are there to stay. I've heard conflicting things about allergens which seem less severe . . . I was holding out hope that I would one day be able to eat wheat again although my allergist didn't think that would be likely. The anti-tTG test kind of killed that dream. . . .although it had already begun to fade. I react to corn, too! The worst has been hives and throat itchiness . . . my allergist though wants me to avoid corn as much as possible. . . . corn probably won't kill me, but reactions can be unpredictable so he isn't certain about that.

Thanks for the thought-provoking suggestion.

Oh, and no problem re: the quotations.

Sorry to shift the thread to a discussion about allergies--I've noticed that I've been doing that a lot on this board But I'm relatively new to celiac disease so I think of the immune system in terms of allergic reactions. I'm too new to the gluten-free diet to know whether I'll react more to small amounts of gluten!

[SarahTorg]

I think so. I think I just notice more, because now I know the things I was going through were NOT normal for ME like I once thought.