I Have A Cold

[spinsterwitch]

So I'm going to be tested for celiac because cutting out gluten improved my gut symptoms (and other symptoms).

Then I came to my parent's house for the holidays...I have a pretty severe cold (coughing, sore throat, etc) and am taking medications for all of that. I also started a challenge in order to make sure that if I have celiac that adequate antibodies are present. But I'm finding that I'm having fewer symptoms. I'm eating a lot of gluten, but I've only been nauseous once or twice and I have not had any loose stools.

Has anyone else experienced this in the midst of a cold? I'm wondering if, with the cold and being slightly dehydrated, some of the symptoms are lessened.

I know that everyone's body is very different. I have this image of the internal immune battle being waged so hard against the virus that has invaded my body that it is giving my gut a break.

P.S. My mom traditionally makes a turkey and rice soup on Xmas day. Great for the cold and gentle on the tummy!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Three possibilities immediately come to mind:

1) Your intestines have healed already to the point where you can eat a little gluten without FEELING symptoms (but intestinal damage may be ongoing, nonetheless),

2) You may not have a problem with gluten after all

3) Your cold MEDS might be shutting off your immune system's reaction (but again, damage may be ongoing).

If you are planning to be tested for celiac, you need to be eating plenty of gluten (3-4 pieces of bread per day for 3-4 MONTHS before the test). Otherwise, your body will stop making antibodies to gluten (if you have gluten intolerance or celiac), and the test will be negative even if you are a text-book celiac!

The blood work tests for antibodies against gluten. You don't make them if you aren't eating it.

And cold meds lesson the symptoms of a cold by shutting off the immune system's reaction to the virus--but that doesn't mean you are healthy any sooner. If anything, it screws up your immune system, and it makes your cold last LONGER because your immune system's response (the annoying runny noise, sneezing, etc.) is how your body fights the cold. Shut down the response, and the cold virus actually multiplies, and you are left less able to fight other infections.

You might very well feel better if you just stayed away from cold meds--despite what the pharmaceutical industry wants you to think (and pay them $$ for their product, which does NOT cure the cold).

Either way, I hope you feel better soon! (NOTHING beats mom's chicken soup!)