Glutened On Friday

[CMCM]

After a month of very successful gluten-free eating (as evidenced by normal poops!) I got creamed on Friday. We went to a restaurant where I questioned the chef about the foods I was ordering, and he said they were definitely gluten free. I had a steak w/fries, beet salad w/olive oil and greens on top, and vanilla ice cream w/light choco sauce on top. And wine. I didn't bloat up or anything as I would have if I had eaten something major, like bread. By about an hour later I was starting to feel nauseated, really sick, and even a little dizzy. My back was aching. Joints hurting. I never threw up, but felt like I might a few times, and the nausea lasted until the next day, when the poop went back to the familiar old gluten D sessions. The whole next day I felt kind of sick all day, not much appetite. Today, Sunday, I'm still not back to normal, still feel kind of yucky. But I found my train of reactions kind of interesting.

I'm wondering where the gluten was. Possibly in the vinegar in the salad dressing (I had a bite of my husband's lettuce salad, which had some sort of dressing on it). Possibly the ice cream, but does ice cream often have gluten in it? Possibly the chocolate sauce.

I'm feeling really depressed at this point. It looks like having been really strict with gluten free eating has made me far more sensitive than before. I've read that when you are eating gluten regularly, you do build up a certain degree of tolerance to it. Perhaps I now have lost that tolerance and hence react more strongly to even tiny amounts. I can see I have to re-focus and consider every single little thing including vinegar sources, etc.

[PeggyV]

My guess it was the french frys, I got really sick from them once. Was the ice cream vanillia? I know a lot of chocolate ice cream has gluten, maybe the chocolate sauce... So hard to tell, but I know how you feel! I hate the aching to me that is worse then the D.

Sorry it happened. Hope you feel better.

[CarlaB]

It was most likely the french fries. Usually the fryer is also used to cook breaded chicken or other gluten containing items. The steak could have been cooked on a grill where they had cooked items with soy sauce or other gluten containing sauces. Also, was it marinated (I always ask!)? I would have read the chocolate sauce ingredients, too. You never know!

I avoid salads in restaurants with no gluten-free menu. My son used to work at a tea shop that served soup, sandwiches and salads. The sandwiches and salads were prepared at the same station, which I wouldn't have known had my son not worked there. It would have seemed safe.

You can always carry your own salad dressing. I usually ask what brand they use. Again, it's another reason to only get salad at a rest. with a gluten-free menu ... the dressings have already be looked at for gluten. Or you can do as you did and get olive oil ... I've done that, olive oil and lemons.

[CMCM]

The other reaction I forgot to mention is a very itchy rash on one ankle. Just out of nowhere, itching like crazy yesterday but better today. I've had these rashes before....I got one last summer and thought it might be some sort of poison ivy, although I really hadn't been anywhere to get it. It was a raised and horrendously itchy rash about 4 inches around. That one lasted awhile, and then later a less severe one appeared on my left ankle, then they both went away. This has to be from gluten, though, no other possible cause I can think of.

The fact is, a restaurant is really never safe, I guess. There can always be food contamination via food prep if nothing else.

[Slackermommy]

That stinks. When you try so hard to make it work. I guess that is why some people just don't go out. I have been getting gluten sometimes when I go out, but each time I learn something new to ask, and every time I am getting better at ordering out.

Hope you feel better soon.