Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Licking Envelopes

jknnej

Recommended Posts

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

Stupid question, I know, but I just licked an envelope and am panicking. anyone know if envelpes are safe???

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


angel-jd1 Community Regular
angel-jd1
Posted

I have always heard that we are not supposed to lick them. I just buy the peel and stick ones.

However I have never seen any proof or research that goes either way on the issue.

I guess I just go twards the safe side of things with the peel and stick. When I have one that is lickable, i use a wet paper towel to seal it. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

-Jessica :rolleyes:

KaitiUSA Enthusiast
KaitiUSA
Posted

I have also always heard they are not safe but I do not know that for sure I just stay away from licking them. I also heard that most stickers contain gluten as well in their adhesive. I use the peel and stick and then wash my hands(because of the adhesive)-I like to be extra cautious.

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted
  • Author

Oh, this sucks! I just licked one a couple of minutes ago. I just got off a week of hell for ingesting gluten accidentally. I am really depressed now.....the thought of another week of hell is really awful.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

I can't put my hands on the posts right now, but the companie(s) responsible for making all envelope glue in the U.S. are on record as saying it is corn based and completely gluten-free. Can't say about foreign companies. I think these posts were on the St. John's forum.

Does this mean you can now lick envelopes? That's your decision. I mostly still wet them with a cloth or get my son to do the licking.

richard

pamelaD Apprentice
pamelaD
Posted

I lick envelopes all the time... well 5 or 6 a month (bills), and have never had a reacation.

I remember reading somewhere that envelopes USED TO have gluten, but the newer ones do not. So if you have an older box of envelopes, perhaps buy some new ones.

I am only speaking from my experience....

Is anyone out there sure they have had a reaction from licking an envelope?

Pam

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

good job richard---getting your son to lick envelopes--my daughter ;) always told me to get a wet papertowel cause she isnt licking nothing for me---hehe---like i told someone in a post a few minutes ago--i use a glue stick to seal envelopes or i tape them--i do not lick-- :P deb

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Carriefaith Enthusiast
Carriefaith
Posted

Once when I was doing my banking, I licked an envelope by mistake... As soon as I licked it, I realized what I did and I went outside and spit a few times to "try" and get rid of it. I never got sick from it as far as I can remember.

KaitiUSA Enthusiast
KaitiUSA
Posted

I never got a reaction from it...since I have had celiac I just have never licked them. I know people that have had reactions from what they thought was that. Maybe that was with old envelopes I don't know. I just don't really trust it them but if you know they are gluten-free and you don't have a reaction....it's completely up to you.

DarlinDeb25-the glue stick is a good idea. I think I'll do that. :D

Boojca Apprentice
Boojca
Posted

The post saying if they are made in the USA they are gluten-free is correct. I can't put my hands on it, but there was a post about this in the Delphi Forums a while ago.

Bridget

stef-the-kicking-cuty Enthusiast
stef-the-kicking-cuty
Posted

If I have to lick an envelope I always give it to my hubby or also take a wet towel.

Hugs, Stef

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted
  • Author

Ok, I feel a little better now. Hopefully they are gluten-free...in the future I will stay away from them...

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Well here is one person who has had a definate reaction form licking an envelope. I also have DH though and because I was so sick for so long (15 yrs)- ('it was all in my head-have an antidepressant' was my ex-doctors mantra) I am very sensitive. For me 1 envelope caused DH sores and a flare up of the 1 day depression with 2 weeks of joint and muscle pain. I wouldn't lick an envelope any more than I would eat at Pizza Hut! No matter where it was made.

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

I certainly don't want to cause alarm here, but I just want to let you know of my personal experience. I do not lick envelopes. I know what they say about the glue being ade from corn, and it's gluten-free, etc, but why take chances if there are old envelopes out there that might not be gluten-free. How am I supposed to know if EVERY envelope is safe. I use a wet sponge to wet the glue.

Now, about the paper. I don't know if this applies to envelopes or all types of paper (I doubt that), but some craft paper has wheat starch as a binder in the paper. I have had definite skin reactions to some paper I was using at a stamping class I took a while back. I couldn't figure out what was happening with my hands for the longest time, but I went to the class once a week for a few months and would spend the next few days after each class dealing with a rash, pain and tingling in my hands. It ended up being the paper.

I do have DH and the funny thing is I get a similar reaction from dog saliva. When a dog licks my hands and I don't wash them IMMEDIATELY, within a few minutes I get that tingling feeling. When I put two and two together it ended up the dogs were eating food with gluten and it was in their saliva. Now I actively avoid letting dogs lick my hands and if they do, then I make sure to wash them right away.

So you might want to consider that if you get a reaction from a certain "licked" envelope it might have been the glue OR the paper!

God bless,

Mariann

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted
  • Author

For sure I won't be licking any envelopes anymore.

flagbabyds Collaborator
flagbabyds
Posted

I never do, I have that little thing that has a water bottle and then a sponge on top and it works really well, and Hey now, you don't have to taste that disquesting taste

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. nanny marley
      - nanny marley replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      nothing has changed

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again
    2. trents
      - trents replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      46

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
    3. trents
      - trents replied to Woodster991's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      10

      Is it gluten?

      @par18, no, Scott's use of the term "false negative" is intentional and appropriate. The "total IGA" test is not a test used to diagnose celiac disease per se. The IGA immune spectrum response encompasses more than just celiac disease. So, "total IGA" refers to the whole pie, not just the celiac response part of it. But if the whole pie is deficient, the...
    4. RMJ
      - RMJ replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      nothing has changed

      This may be the problem. Every time you eat gluten it is like giving a booster shot to your immune system, telling it to react and produce antibodies again.
    5. asaT
      - asaT replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      nothing has changed

      Scott, I am mostly asymptomatic. I was diagnosed based on high antibodies, low ferritin (3) and low vitamin D (10). I wasn't able to get in for the biopsy until 3 months after the blood test came back. I was supposed to keep eating gluten during this time. Well why would I continue doing something that I know to be harmful for 3 more months to just get...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,342
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Muhammad
    Newest Member
    Muhammad
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • nanny marley
      nothing has changed

      By nanny marley · Posted

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again 
    • trents
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By trents · Posted

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
    • trents
      Is it gluten?

      By trents · Posted

      @par18, no, Scott's use of the term "false negative" is intentional and appropriate. The "total IGA" test is not a test used to diagnose celiac disease per se. The IGA immune spectrum response encompasses more than just celiac disease. So, "total IGA" refers to the whole pie, not just the celiac response part of it. But if the whole pie is deficient, the spectrum of components making it up will likely be also, including the celiac disease response spectrum. In other words, IGA deficiency may produce a tTG-IGA score that is negative that might have been positive had there not been IGA deficiency. So, the tTG-IGA negative score may be "false", i.e, inaccurate, aka, not to be trusted.
    • RMJ
      nothing has changed

      By RMJ · Posted

      This may be the problem. Every time you eat gluten it is like giving a booster shot to your immune system, telling it to react and produce antibodies again.
    • asaT
      nothing has changed

      By asaT · Posted

      Scott, I am mostly asymptomatic. I was diagnosed based on high antibodies, low ferritin (3) and low vitamin D (10). I wasn't able to get in for the biopsy until 3 months after the blood test came back. I was supposed to keep eating gluten during this time. Well why would I continue doing something that I know to be harmful for 3 more months to just get this test? So I did quit gluten and had the biopsy. It was negative for celiacs. I continued gluten free with iron supps and my ferritin came back up to a reasonable, but not great level of around 30-35.  Could there be something else going on? Is there any reason why my antibodies would be high (>80) with a negative biopsy? could me intestines have healed that quickly (3 months)?  I'm having a hard time staying gluten free because I am asymptomatic and i'm wondering about that biopsy. I do have the celiacs gene, and all of the antibody tests have always come back high. I recently had them tested again. Still very high. I am gluten free mostly, but not totally. I will occasionally eat something with gluten, but try to keep to a minimum. It's really hard when the immediate consequences are nil.  with high antibodies, the gene, but a negative biopsy (after 3 months strict gluten-free), do i really have celiacs? please say no. lol. i think i know the answer.  Asa
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.