My Er Visit

[slmprofesseur]

Two days before my vacation I went shopping for the necessary items for myself and my 2 yo son. I bought some mixed nuts (store brand) and planters, fruit, rice chex, Gluten-free pasta, and mac n cheese in the box. I ate some of the store brand nuts with my husband when we got home. My stomach felt *funny*. It was most like a dull ache. At 6:30 later that day I ate dinner, sauteed yellow squash, cubed steak baked (coated with rice flour), and a salad. About 7PM, I was crying I was in so much pain. It was a sharp, stabbing pain in the center of my stomach and directly under my ribcage. I immediately thought gall stones. I couldn't walk...I had to crawl to my cellphone (my children were scared to death...). I sent my husband a text message: Pls help gallstone woes!. He left work and drove me to the ER(around 8PM). I waited about 3 hrs to be seen, I was still crying. I could barely walk and rated my pain as a 10 +.

Finally I saw a doctor at 10. He didn't even listen to me. I explained that I think I must have eaten something with gluten. Each time I eat gluten, I have this "gallstone" attack. I had to explain that I had an appendectomy, and I am not pregnant. Ultimately I was dismissed and he ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound didn't show any gallstones. I was still in pain so they gave me morphine. I was very dehydrated by this time also (Blood pressure: 96/55) Morphine just dulled the pain. I also had reflux and was very gassy.

At 2AM, he mentions IBS and that I should make a follow up appt with my PCP. He hands me 2 prescriptions: Nexium and Lortab (for pain). At this time I was seriously upset. No one will listen to me!!!! I also was advised to eat a bland diet with an emphasis on breads, grains, saltine cracker and liquids. I was very upset and so was my husband.

Needless to say, I came home and read the labels on anything I had not prepared myself. The culprit was the Mixed nuts (generic). I won't touch the planters anymore either. I will stick to plain nuts(from the baking aisle) from now on. I ate rice and veggies/fruits for 2 days. I couldn't drink much cause it made the dull ache worse. It taken me almost a week to get back to normal. I give up on actually getting a doctor to listen to me. I know how to take care of myself the best.

The moral of the story is to READ YOUR LABELS!

As for the vacation.......

The vacation (at Kure Beach, NC) itself was excellent. No gluten problems. I also didn't go to any restaurants. I stopped at Food Lion and Harris Teeter (in Wilmington, NC) and bought some fresh foods and meats. I put foil over the gas grill at our inn (Hidden Treasure Inn) and had a great time. The owner joined us at the pool one evening. While everyone else was drinking beer, she offered me a glass of wine. We didn't go to any restaurants because I am also allergic to shellfish. I fed a family of four for 4 days $30/day! My DH complemented me on how well we ate on vacation! And it was worry free (for me!)

[gfpaperdoll]

So sorry you had a bad time with the gluten accident. That is the worst pain there is. & yes, we are all used to being ignored when we go to the doctors - ERs have got to be the worst. They are full of young docs that "know everything".

I found out a few years ago that I could no longer eat roasted nuts. Even the ones that the label looks clean, will make me sick. Although, not reflected on the label, I think they changed something because I get a gluten reaction from them everytime. So be careful, even on the name brand ones, so you do not get sick again.

I do miss the convenience, because you can always find a can of roasted nuts somewhere.

I have no problem with the same nuts that are bought fresh.

[ShayFL]

These are good nuts. I spoke with th owner. It isnt a large operation which I think is usually better:

Open Original Shared Link

[nora-n]

I have read on the forums that in general, mixed nuts usually have CC from the place they are processed or packed. Was Fine from Enterolab also quoted on that?

Last week I bought some mixed nuts and thought I reacted, so I washed them and put them on a towel to dry and they were okey.

I mean, not much is needed to gluten me, I once showed a bunch of ladies some Armour Thyroid tablets, they were allowed to take some out and smell them, and we put them back. This was after they ate some bread. Then every time I had one I got glutened. I took two clean dish towels and emptied them onto one and rubbed them carefully, and repeated with the other towel, and I think i rinsed the inside of the bottle too, and the problem disappeared.

So I think it only takes one contaminated nut to spoil the whole barrel....

My daughter had these huge pains too from gluten. They never found out what they were. Later she reacted so good to going gluten-free that she got an official diagnosis.

nora

[torontosue]

Sorry to hear you were glutened. I haven't had the doctor not listening to me situation yet. It was actually at the ER that I was diagnosed when I went in with that same intense pain you mention. I guess I was lucky, I must have had the one doctor in the whole medical community who knows Celiac.

I had a similar reaction to a bag of almonds not too long ago. It was the same company I always buy, but this time instead of buying the plain unsalted I decided to give 'lightly salted' a try. Apparently it was also lightly floured to help the salt stick I'm assuming. Guess you're right, nothing is safe. Read all your labels.

[slmprofesseur]

Well, I just threw out the Nexium. Too many bad side effects. I will just be more vigilant on labels. Thanks for the link Shay!

[IMWalt]

It was a sharp, stabbing pain in the center of my stomach and directly under my ribcage. I immediately thought gall stones. I couldn't walk...I had to crawl to my cellphone (my children were scared to death...).

Have you had this response more than once? The reason I ask is that a couple times in my life, I have had a very similar experience. The last time was a couple years ago. I ate a peanut butter sandwich and headed out for a bike ride. A few miles from home I got a horrible pain behind my rib cage, although mine was a little bit to the right. It got progressively worse until I had to get off my bike and call my wife. Thank God I had my cell phone with me. I had to lay on the side of the road until she arrived. From what I described she was sure it was gallstones (she had hers removed) and wanted to take me to the ER. On the way the pain subsided and I convinced her to take me home. That was before I went gluten-free. I don't want to blame all my life's woes on gluten, but the other times I experienced this pain I had eaten pasta. I blamed it on the tomato sauce.

Walt