Feels Like I Was Glutened But Not Entirely Sure....

[Flochick]

I've been gluten-free for several years now, over time going closer and closer to the diet outlined in Elaine Gottshall's "Breaking the Viscious Cycle" but not completely there yet (still don't make my own yogurt or anything like that and I still use the gluten-free flours on occasion). I've been doing pretty well but I do get glutened once in awhile, usually when I've grown lax (not reading labels on products I've used successfully in the past is usually the main reason - you'd think after a couple of glutenings I'd stay more vigilant). At any rate, about a week ago it felt like the usual glutening event - major brian fog and exhaustion, really nasty gas, then a bad bout of D that lasted about three days. My brother's girlfriend had a stomach bug the previous week so I initially thought it may be that, but I had no fever or stomach pains and besides, I had these symptoms for so long pre-diagnosis I know when it's a bug and when it's gluten. Problem is, I just don't seem to be getting back on track and it's been about a week. I've been eating really gentle food like bananas, rice porrige, rice bread, applesauce, rice cakes, turkey, chicken soup (with carrots and potatoes cooked until very soft), and more recently, grits, white fish and rice milk. And decaf green tea. I've definitely improved since the first few days, but the bowel movements are just still way too loose. I'm afraid to bring anything new into my system but I know after all this time I really need to start getting some more nutrients and fiber into my diet. I'm taking supplements and probiotics, and just started taking Metamucil again in hopes it will help.

There were two things I ingested two days before all of this hit. One was a new brand of instant cappucino (I had success with the General Mills versions and thought I had read the label well from this other company but maybe not well enough). I also tried a version of Trader Joe's turkey kielbasa that I had used many times in the past - however this type was a more spicier version than the one I had before - I didn't know I bought the spicier kind until I actually ate it. I neglected to read the label as I had eaten this product before with no problems and was in a hurry the day I bought it (that darn lax thing rearing its ugly head), and I'm wondering if this different type of kielbasa has something in it I shouldn't have. I tried to go back to Trader Joe's this week and neither type of kielbasa was available, so I'll have to wait until it comes back before I can check the label.

At any rate, I usually bounce back a little faster than this. I really have no other symptoms right now other than loose stools and sometimes I still get the funky "gluten gas" - my brain fog is basically gone and I got a little dehydrated over the week but my fluid levels seem to be returning to normal. We are under a particularly stressful period in our lives right now, a negative business situation that has been dragging on for over two years now. I'm wondering if maybe this stress is part of the reason of the slow recovery or if there's something else I should be looking at.

Has anyone on the board had a prolonged recovery period from getting glutened? And what helped? BTW, I'm also allergic to sugar cane (which I have not had during any of this time) and previous tests have shown that I'm not allergic to corn, rice, any of the other gluten-free grains, or any of the foods mentioned above.

Oh and after I've been glutened, I can't tolerate dairy at all. Sometimes it can be weeks after a glutening event before I can even try to reintroduce it, and that has to be really minimal and easier to digest types (yogurt, goat's cheese, etc.). So for now, it's out of my life.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

[Flochick]

Has no one really had a longer than usual recovery period from getting glutened?

[aikiducky]

My recovery period from gluten is normally two weeks, so for me one week would not be longer than usual.

Just in case, are the rice cakes for sure safe? Some rice cakes can be cross contaminated.

Could be that this was a bigger than normal glutening and it'll take a bit longer than normal to get over?

Don't really have an answer but I hope you get better soon.

Pauliina