Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Is It Possible To Have A Reaction From Handling Gluten Food

ami27

By ami27
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

ami27 Apprentice
ami27
Posted

I made cookies last night that were definitely not gluten-free. They were pre-made refrigerated dough, that you just break off and bake. Afterwards I had a headache which I still have today. I feel really bad today and am wondering if I could have been glutened by just handling the dough?

Ami

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
I made cookies last night that were definitely not gluten-free. They were pre-made refrigerated dough, that you just break off and bake. Afterwards I had a headache which I still have today. I feel really bad today and am wondering if I could have been glutened by just handling the dough?

Ami

This debate has gone forwards and backwards... can you adsorb it? (possibly but unlikely) but regardless its always a risk, under finger nails and such and really better not done... if you are going to do it then pre-made refrigerated dough is a huge plus over having flour floating around which is a almost dead cert...

Did you dust the cookies etc. ???

In the end I never ever mess about with gluten flour, experience has taught me that sooner or later I mess up...

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

It's probably not from touching the cookies themselves. It's just way too easy to accidently ingest some or get it around the kitchen and touch it later... It's also possible that you're just sick today, and it has nothing to do with gluten.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

Last year, at Christmas time, I made puppy chow for the other employees in my office and my daughter. It's made with Crispex cereal, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. It is yummy, yet I did not eat any because the cereal had barley malt in it. Somehow, I managed to get glutened by it. I had never reacted to barley, until that time. It was a slow reaction, for me anyways. I had to leave work early the next day with severe stomach cramps, similiar to my reaction to soy, not gluten. It is possible ami, even more so if you make the cookies from scratch.

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted

Are you guys sure it's not just "mind over batter"?

best regards, lm

p.s. sorry, couldn't resist making that stupid pun (really, just kidding).

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
Are you guys sure it's not just "mind over batter"?

best regards, lm

p.s. sorry, couldn't resist making that stupid pun (really, just kidding).

LOL....

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

Well Larry, if we can't laugh about this, who can?????? :lol:

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kbabe1968 Enthusiast
kbabe1968
Posted

there he goes again! lm....u and my husband must be cut from the same cloth! You make all the jokes he would! :D

Ami...I would say IF it was a glutening it was somehow ingested - how well did you wash your hands, do you bite your nails, etc.

Before going gluten free, I spilled an entire 2 lb jar of wheat flour. I vacuumed it up. Last week, I finally emptied the bag (long story). There was flour everywhere. I'm STILL recovering from it, I think. But I got it in my hair, and I breathed it in, etc. It was EVERYWHERE. I even got hives all up and down my hands. It was BAAAAAAD....

BUT, I still think it has to enter the body to become a problem....

:) Hope you're feeling better

(ps....Darlindeb - try the Health Valley Rice or Corn crunchems??? They're good - I made chex mix with them a couple weeks ago).

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
.....I feel really bad today and am wondering if I could have been glutened by just handling the dough? Ami

I certainly don't know. But something happened the other day that gave me a creepy feeling (just mental not physical).

Our (temporarily living at home 26 yr old) baby boy was heating up some leftover pizza (the real kind) that I had gotten for my wife the night before. We use paper plates a lot and also plastic paper plate holders and trays. I saw him pick up the pizza and then touch his tray with his greasy pizza fingers that just touched the crust. Don't know why it got to me so much, but now I don't really want to use those trays or paper plate holders. And if you follow the greasy pizza finger trail, the microwave handle, the refridge handle, the family size coke bottle, and who knows what else is possibly contaminated. And at the very least with pizza grease, if not gluten. I'm not sure if I even want to live here anymore.

See what you guys have done! I never thought about that stuff before. best regards, lm

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
.....Before going gluten free, I spilled an entire 2 lb jar of wheat flour. I vacuumed it up. Last week, I finally emptied the bag (long story). There was flour everywhere. I'm STILL recovering from it, I think. But I got it in my hair, and I breathed it in, etc. It was EVERYWHERE. I even got hives all up and down my hands. It was BAAAAAAD....

kb,

If that happens again, you better get those emergency hazardous response teams to quarantine your whole house. And then send in a crew wearing those spacesuits with the breathing packs to decontaminate your kitchen. Then I would sell the house and move to another neighborhood where that kind of thing doesn't happen.

best regards, lm

Gentleheart Enthusiast
Gentleheart
Posted

I've been told that gluten molecules absolutely cannot penetrate intact skin. But like everyone else has said, there are many other ways for a person to get glutened from just being around it. If you have any cuts or abrasions on your skin, if you breathe in anything airborne, it gets stuck in the mucous in the back of your throat and you naturally swallow it or if you absentmindedly put your fingers in your mouth or your nose for any reason. All those things could innocently happen and you have been glutened. None of us wants to be paranoid about this. But we sure can't ignore it either.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

Awwwwwwwww Larry--sorry about that son of yours. And, by the way, you would have to live in a bubble to stay away from all that. Everywhere you go, you take a chance on being glutened, so you might as well live in your house. :lol:

solange Newbie
solange
Posted

Would it be so odd that one could breathe gluten particles that are airborne from the rising steam/ heat/ smelly air out of the oven while it bakes? would it be so odd that some immune reaction could get started from the lungs?

We know so little about the whole thing. I can tell you that I got (or did I?) glutened by hair products. I was using a new kind of hair mousse that had aveeno in it ( the gluten cousin from oats which is sometimes mistaken by celiacs) on my clients and the next day, my hands broke out with Herpetiformis dermatitis ( that's MY reaction to gluten. ) I gave it away.

The fact is, a riled up immune system can get off easily. . I might have had a skin scratch , or maybe our skin is not that impervious. we do administer ointments through the skin don't we?

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Are you sure you didn't just have a headache unrelated to gluten?

richard

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,902
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Patty6133
    Newest Member
    Patty6133
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By Judy M · Posted

      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.