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Allergic Reaction Question

Yellow Rose

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Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted

I am wondering about allergic reactions and glutening. I am allergic to bee's and walnuts. Both make me stop breathing within 20 minutes and I have to take benadryl, epinefrin, and steroids to stop the reactions. Can glutening work the same way? Is it a true allergic reaction or is it considered something else. I got glutened over the weekend and was in so much pain my muscles were spasming and I could not move without feeling like I was being ripped apart. It was the worse one yet and I do not want to go through that again. Does anyone know or has anyone tried and succeded in stopping a glutening?

Yellow Rose

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Ridgewalker Contributor
Ridgewalker
Posted
I am wondering about allergic reactions and glutening. I am allergic to bee's and walnuts. Both make me stop breathing within 20 minutes and I have to take benadryl, epinefrin, and steroids to stop the reactions. Can glutening work the same way? Is it a true allergic reaction or is it considered something else. I got glutened over the weekend and was in so much pain my muscles were spasming and I could not move without feeling like I was being ripped apart. It was the worse one yet and I do not want to go through that again. Does anyone know or has anyone tried and succeded in stopping a glutening?

Yellow Rose

Oh, I am so very, very glad you asked this. I've been terribly worried lately about issues relating to this!

Ok, so we know that once you've eliminated a substance you are sensitive to, your reaction becomes stronger when you're exposed to it. Allergies have to the potential to become stronger and stronger each time you're exposed to the substance. What is the difference between an intolerance and an allergy? This is really important!

My mother eliminated casein on a trial basis. She was about 90% sure already that she is casein intolerant. She did a challenge after oh, 3 or 4 weeks. The next day, not only did she have the "intolerance symptoms" that she gets from a glutening (brain fog, diarrhea, nausea, severe edema, etc.) but also her mouth and lips became numb, her tongue swelled a bit, and it was difficult to swallow. She could breathe fine, and these symptoms only lasted about 4 or 5 hours, but that is terrifying. She has NEVER shown allergic-type reactions to anything, ever before!

It makes me wonder if any of us need to be trying dietary challenges on our own, especially with our kids.

I've always thought that an intolerance causes gastro and neuro symptoms, while an allergy causes respiratory/throat symptoms. I'm no longer sure this is correct.

What is the difference between an intolerance and an allergy? It bears repeating! Can a person be both intolerant and allergic to the same substance? Or, if they are the same thing, can someone who's always shown GI and neuro symptoms in the past suddenly develop respiratory/throat symptoms?

I know that all this doesn't directly address your question, but you hit on something related to things I've been laying awake at night trying to figure out!

-Sarah

JennyC Enthusiast
JennyC
Posted

Unfortunately, none of those things will ease a glutening. Anaphylactic reactions are caused by histamine release from mast cells. A celiac patent's response to gluten is caused by cytokines/interleukins released by T-cells. These reactions are very different. In truth, the IFN-γ cytokine that is released during glutening is essential to our bodies and we should not try to suppress it. It has antiviral, immunoregulatory, and tumor suppression activities. We just need to try our best not to get glutened. Easier said than done, I know.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

As Jenny said, anaphylactic allergic responses and the autoimmune celiac responses are two different chemical processes in the body. You can have a wheat allergy that can become anaphylactic, but a true gluten intolerance on its own is not the same process and cannot cause the same immediately life threating response.

Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted
  • Author
As Jenny said, anaphylactic allergic responses and the autoimmune celiac responses are two different chemical processes in the body. You can have a wheat allergy that can become anaphylactic, but a true gluten intolerance on its own is not the same process and cannot cause the same immediately life threating response.

So if I read this right, I have tested positive for antibodies and that is a true gluten intolerance with an autoimmune response that has to work its way out of my body on its own and I can't do a darn thing but wait it out. Thanks for clearing that up.

Yellow Rose

Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted
  • Author
Oh, I am so very, very glad you asked this. I've been terribly worried lately about issues relating to this!

Ok, so we know that once you've eliminated a substance you are sensitive to, your reaction becomes stronger when you're exposed to it. Allergies have to the potential to become stronger and stronger each time you're exposed to the substance. What is the difference between an intolerance and an allergy? This is really important!

My mother eliminated casein on a trial basis. She was about 90% sure already that she is casein intolerant. She did a challenge after oh, 3 or 4 weeks. The next day, not only did she have the "intolerance symptoms" that she gets from a glutening (brain fog, diarrhea, nausea, severe edema, etc.) but also her mouth and lips became numb, her tongue swelled a bit, and it was difficult to swallow. She could breathe fine, and these symptoms only lasted about 4 or 5 hours, but that is terrifying. She has NEVER shown allergic-type reactions to anything, ever before!

It makes me wonder if any of us need to be trying dietary challenges on our own, especially with our kids.

I've always thought that an intolerance causes gastro and neuro symptoms, while an allergy causes respiratory/throat symptoms. I'm no longer sure this is correct.

What is the difference between an intolerance and an allergy? It bears repeating! Can a person be both intolerant and allergic to the same substance? Or, if they are the same thing, can someone who's always shown GI and neuro symptoms in the past suddenly develop respiratory/throat symptoms?

I know that all this doesn't directly address your question, but you hit on something related to things I've been laying awake at night trying to figure out!

-Sarah

Your mother's reaction of tounge swelling and difficulty with swallowing was how I started with walnuts. Several years down the road and I can't have even a bite without winding up at the ER getting shots. She needs to get her Dr. to write a script for an epi pen she can carry with her.

Yellow Rose

Ridgewalker Contributor
Ridgewalker
Posted
Your mother's reaction of tounge swelling and difficulty with swallowing was how I started with walnuts. Several years down the road and I can't have even a bite without winding up at the ER getting shots. She needs to get her Dr. to write a script for an epi pen she can carry with her.

Yellow Rose

Thank you for the info- I'll pass it on!!!

-Sarah

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mftnchn Explorer
mftnchn
Posted

I think it might be possible to both be allergic to gluten and have the celiac reaction as well.

Definitely if you are doing a food challenge, be where you can get to an ER quickly if you do have a strong reaction. Also alka-seltzer gold (don't know if it is gluten free) can help calm an allergy response, or just plain baking soda.

I don't know if casein or soy protein that are kind of close in structure to the gluten protein could cause the interleukin/cytokine reponse, I haven't seen info on that. But I did see where 50% of celiacs have trouble with casein, and also there is research evidence that shows that soy can cause blunting of the villi.

I think for a glutening, try detox things. I need to do more research about the chemical response involved.

Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted
  • Author

I think for a glutening, try detox things. I need to do more research about the chemical response involved.

Please explain Detox Things. :huh:

Yellow Rose

Yellow Rose Explorer
Yellow Rose
Posted
  • Author

Sorry about that I was trying to highlight not change the color.

I think for a glutening, try detox things. I need to do more research about the chemical response involved.

Please explain Detox Things. :huh:

Yellow Rose

mftnchn Explorer
mftnchn
Posted

My thought was anything that helps move the food through the system faster, absorbs toxins or helps you excrete them could possibly help with the reaction. But again, I need to research more about the chemical process.

Things like really increasing your water intake, making sure you are excreting--even having diarrhea may be helpful as you are getting rid of the food faster. Charcoal, other things to absorb.

For allergic reactions, baking soda (or alka seltzer can help) I don't know about glutening though.

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