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Gluten In Envelopes

lynne1978

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lynne1978 Rookie
lynne1978
Posted

Can anyone help me... I just spent about an hour licking thankyou letter envelopes for my sons birthday and now feel really tired and sick and have a cracking headache. I am in the process of being dx and was wondering is it a relatively common thing for it to be in them and is there enough gluten to cause a reaction like this?

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kenlove Rising Star
kenlove
Posted

I had problems licking envelopes too. Was getting sick every Sunday and that was the only thing I could figure out.

I pay bills on Sunday and as soon as I stopped licking I was fine. Paying bills was really making me sick!

(Especially the electric company B) )

Can anyone help me... I just spent about an hour licking thankyou letter envelopes for my sons birthday and now feel really tired and sick and have a cracking headache. I am in the process of being dx and was wondering is it a relatively common thing for it to be in them and is there enough gluten to cause a reaction like this?
home-based-mom Contributor
home-based-mom
Posted

Glue sticks are your friend! :P

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Open Original Shared Link

Here is a link to previous posts.

katifer Apprentice
katifer
Posted
Can anyone help me... I just spent about an hour licking thankyou letter envelopes for my sons birthday and now feel really tired and sick and have a cracking headache. I am in the process of being dx and was wondering is it a relatively common thing for it to be in them and is there enough gluten to cause a reaction like this?

YES i feel horrible if i lick an envelope!!! absolutely gluten!

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Just because something makes you sick does not necessarily mean it contains gluten.

I am a celiac. I react to gluten.

If I eat shellfish, I get very sick.

This does not prove that shellfish contain gluten--they don't. It proves that, in addition to having celiac disease, I am also allergic to shellfish. :(

There are many things in the paper itself that makes up the envelope that you could be sensitive to. And, gluten or not, if you ingest enough adhesive, well, it could be an irritant.

sneezydiva Apprentice
sneezydiva
Posted
Just because something makes you sick does not necessarily mean it contains gluten.

I am a celiac. I react to gluten.

If I eat shellfish, I get very sick.

This does not prove that shellfish contain gluten--they don't. It proves that, in addition to having celiac disease, I am also allergic to shellfish. :(

There are many things in the paper itself that makes up the envelope that you could be sensitive to. And, gluten or not, if you ingest enough adhesive, well, it could be an irritant.

You're point is well taken. I know when my allergies act up, I now wonder if I got gluten, and once I can confirm I haven't, I have to remind myself it is just my allergies. It is too easy sometimes to blame gluten.

However in this case, envelope adhesive does contain a food based adhesive whether it be corn, tapioca or wheat. It is possible for it to contain gluten. The companies can tell you what they want, but envelopes aren't a food, and aren't regulated by the FDA. They can change the adhesive at will, and you will never know it. It's not a chance I'm willing to take. You can buy a little sponge at office supply stores to wet the adhesive without licking it.

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Open Original Shared Link

Found this article and shall continue to look. :)

elonwy Enthusiast
elonwy
Posted

I haven't licked an envelope since I got a paper cut on my tongue. I am fan of those sponge moistener things for envelopes. Especially with that many, gluten or no, you're ingesting glue. The other thing I will do is moisten my finger with spit (say if I'm out at the ATM) and then rub it on the glue. If I need more spit, I use another finger. Licking an envelope is not worth the risk of gluten ingestion or a sore tongue.

kenlove Rising Star
kenlove
Posted

It is interesting that there are so many reports on no gluten in envelope adhesive yet it continues to get so many of us sick.

I have to wonder if the envelop manufacturers, who might just order adhesive from another company, really know the ingredients of the adhesive. I'll write a friend at 3M and see if they have anything to say about it.

Ken

Open Original Shared Link

Found this article and shall continue to look. :)

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

someone on the board actually called the only major manufacturer of adhesive for envelope glue, and nope - doesn't contain gluten. from all the checking up on it that's been done, it appears to be an urban legend. of course, it's a very easy thing to avoid - use a sponge, use a damp paper towel, use your finger (just once, of course!). I still avoid licking them even though I know it's a gluten myth.

VioletBlue Contributor
VioletBlue
Posted

Better yet, buy self sealing envelopes. I make up a page of labels for all the bills I write on a regular basis; water co, gas co, electric etc. So I use self sealing envelopes with a label instead of having to seal the envelopes that come with the bill. Whether the glue contains gluten or not, I don't like the taste of most of the glues they use and would rather not lick who knows what off an envelope.

someone on the board actually called the only major manufacturer of adhesive for envelope glue, and nope - doesn't contain gluten. from all the checking up on it that's been done, it appears to be an urban legend. of course, it's a very easy thing to avoid - use a sponge, use a damp paper towel, use your finger (just once, of course!). I still avoid licking them even though I know it's a gluten myth.
JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

Completely OT, but Violet? Love your quote in your sig!

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