Is Severity Of Symptoms Related To Sensitivity Toward Gluten?

[lilgreen]

My symptoms aren't severe, but I'm wondering if that means that it likely requires more gluten for me to show symptoms than for someone with severe symptoms.

I'm wondering because I haven't gotten an official diagnosis, so I'm still second-guessing myself. It's in my family and my son was just diagnosed and every time I've been tested I've been on a gluten-restricted diet, so I've had negative results. I've been feeling notably better since going strictly gluten-free and I'd only had one notable instance of symptoms, which I think I traced to some chips I ate.

But, yesterday I had full-out stomach pains like I hadn't had in ages - not since going gluten-free - and I used to get them often. But I can't think of what I ate. The only possible thing was that I noticed the corn cereal I ate says "produced in a plant that processes wheat." I've been eating this cereal (without realizing this, obviously) for weeks without a reaction, though.

So, if the bowl of cereal I ate yesterday had a trace of wheat, could that really have cause my stomach pains? I know some people are super sensitive, but I always thought they also had super severe symptoms. Also, I know in the recent past I've accidentally used margarine with wheat bread crumbs in it for my toast with no reaction. So, can my reactions be this inconsistent, too?

Ahhh! I'm starting to think I should just go hard core gluten for three-four months to get a proper test done. But then I know how bad I'd feel. What gives??

This has turned into a ridiculously long post for something so basic... sorry! And, thank you!

[mftnchn]

It's my understanding that for many people the longer they are gluten-free the more sensitive they get. Perhaps that box had more CC than others???

[Darn210]

If you've been eating out of the same box . . . I wouldn't think so. Don't forget that sometimes, you can have stomach pains without it being caused by gluten. Did you have any spicy food or questionable leftovers?

Could also be a delayed reaction from the day before.

Could also be something totally not expected . . . I just realized the other day that I needed to throw out the kids' old chapsticks - because they were using them before they went gluten free and may have contaminated them.

You can always do a trial of not eating out of the box for awhile and then having some cereal to see if you set it off again.

[2kids4me]

My symptoms aren't severe, but I'm wondering if that means that it likely requires more gluten for me to show symptoms than for someone with severe symptoms.

Outward symptoms are no indciation of the damage that may be occuring in your intestine. My son did not have any serious symptoms - only vague complaints that in hindsight were from undiagnosed celiac). His intestine was a mess - visible damage during endoscopy. His sister was diagnosed first - we were only testing him because GI recommended testing family members...

Sandy

[elye]

I can second that...I had no obvious GI symptoms when I was diagnosed (it was a miracle I even was diagnosed) through the blood panel, and the ensuing biopsy showed significant damage. I now get the abdominal cramping and bloating if I accidentally consume gluten, because my lower intestine has healed and I now really feel it. And it can be fairly intense cramps from just cross-contamination...a few bread crumbs, even.