Ever Pass Out From Eating Wheat?

[bigapplekathleen]

Hi everyone,

I tried normal wheat pizza two nights ago after 19 months on the gluten-free diet. It was delicious, but 45 minutes later, I was PASSED OUT "COLD"- snoring. The next morning I felt like I has been hit by a truck and was in a complete fog most of the day. I felt like I had a hangover, in fact, but without the stomach upset. My stomach was weirdly calm. I had absolutely NO GI symptoms from the pizza, which I found strange, because I react nearly every time I eat in a restaurant - even ones who cater to gluten-free clients.

So...has this ever happened to anyone? I am starting new allergy tests this week to test for other food allergies. My celiac specialist thinks I have non-celiac gluten intolerance(since I don't carry the genes for celiac), but I have agreed to a gluten challenge and the other food allergy testing (mostly to see if it's changed since I have been gluten-free). In the back of my mind, i am starting to think I am allergic to soy, corn or casein instead of wheat.

Thoughts, anyone?

Thanks,

Kathleen

[darlindeb25]

that is weird, how are you feeling now--has the fog left---i am allergic to soy and an very corn limited now too, i also have problems adding vitamins--a good multi vitamin is ok, but i cant add calcium and now i am wondering if my B-complex is more then i can handle too-----it would be nice if it was just soy and corn for you----deb

[ianm]

I would get extreme fatigue and brain fog that would last for days when I used to eat wheat. I used to have a lot of dizzy spells and would pass out but not quite the way you described. I never had too many GI problems before going gluten-free. This goes to show that we just can't eat gluten.

Ianm

[bigapplekathleen]

Hi Deb,

Well, the reaction was on Thursday night. The 'fog' was basically all day Friday. I feel fine today. In fact, my stomach feels calmer than normal. This is really weird for me. I am craving all sorts of foods now, though.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that after the pizza, I started to break out in slotchy patches on my face. They were still there on Friday but are gone now. I have only had that before with allergic reactions to food liek strawberries.

Another weird thing - every time I eat gluten (mistakenly), I get canker sores. I haven't gotten any from this exposure - and it was TWO HUGE pieces of pizza.

Kathleen

diagnosed with celiac disease aug 2003 (blood test)

(Last biopsy in Dec 2004 shows complete remission of celiac disease)

diagnosed with peripheral neurpathy May 2004

multiple medical problems for years and years

[ianm]

Funny you should mention canker sores. I use to get them all of the time but don't think I've had one in the past year.

Ianm

[darlindeb25]

i get canker sores everytime my tummy gets upset--i was always told they are caused by the stomach acids-------and kathleen--i read that for us celiacs or gluten intolerant that gluten is an addiction and that could be why you are craving deb

[judy05]

Kathleen,

I have the same problem. I don't have the Celiac gene, my biopsy was negative and villi not damaged. I did have a high reading on the IgA. My GI doc doesn't believe I have Celiac and won't give me a diagnosis. I have tried eating dairy and gluten again to prove a point and got sick again. No more for me I'm actually afraid of passing out like you did. I used to have a lot of neurological problems and I don't want to feel like that again. If I accidentally eat gluten I usually develop migraines, and a few hours later get cramps and diarrhea.

I get brain fog if I get casein along with cramps and diarrhea. It took a long time to figure out what my body was trying to tell me. Good luck to you.

[bigapplekathleen]

HI Judy,

Thanks for your reply. The problem is that there are other serious neurological diseases that can apparently cause gluten intolerance, so my doc is trying to rule out whether the gluten intolerance is causing the neuro symptoms or whether the symptoms are really a result of some neuro disease that's been missed.

An update on my reaction - the fog that I had after the pizza lasted about 24 hours. I was completely 'out of it'. Then I had severe constipation for 48 hours. About 72 hours after the pizza, bronchial symptoms appeared and I started coughing. 12 hours later, my voice was gone and I had severe respiratory symptoms. Now, a week after that pizza, I am fighting horrible respiratory symptoms. Maybe I have just a cold, but I think there must be a link; I think I taxed my immune system with that wheat.

I am seeing the allergist today for scratch tests and blood tests... then will start a gluten challenge.

kathleen

[KaitiUSA]

You do not have to have digestion symptoms. With celiac there are over 200 symptoms common ones including fatigue and some unrelated to digestion. 1-2% of celiacs also do not have the gene for it so it is possible you have it. It sounds like you had a reaction whether you arre celiac or gluten intolerant.

[rmmadden]

Thanksgiving weekend (before I was diagnosed with celiac disease) I was at Church and had to leave because I felt like I was going to pass-out. This was after 3-days of eating stuffing, rolls, turkey sandwiches, pumpkin pie, etc (Basically it was a Gluten Fest). Thankfully I haven't had this happen since I was diagnosed.

Hang In There!

Cleveland Bob

[Twister2]

I had the same thing happen to me while eating Fajitas at a mexican restaurant before I was formally told to go gluten free by my GI. I almost passed out at the table, I felt so bad I had to try and discretely put my head between my knees to get some blood back in my head. It was scary. Haven't really had it since going gluten-free though!

Cheers,

Twister2

[sneako]

Hello,

I was blood tested about 2 weeks ago for celiac and tested positive on one of the two tests. I still need to schedule a biopsy to make sure.

However, I had been gluten-free for the past week and woke up tired, but not in a "fog." Last night however, my grandma sent me a huge container of freshlybaked homemade cookies and cheese straws. I dug right into them. Yesterday my stomach was fine, today its gurgling just a smidgen, not enough to bother me. But I woke up this morning with a tremendous headache, nausea and feel like I have a horrible headache (ya know, the one after you drank a case of beer.) Is the "hangover" feeling part of the gluten stuff?

Also, my doc says I should "try to keep your gluten levels down as reasonably possible." Now, everything I read up on celiac suggests that even a tiny bit of gluten can screw up an entire week of gluten free, is this true? And as for the "frying something with flower in the fryer, then frying up french fries" Is that really bad and will that allow gluten to get on the fries? As in..IT DOESNT DIE!? And how little is a little amount of gluten to get the symptoms going? aka, how cautious must I be? If someone touches bread, then touches something of mine is that bad?

Mike

(ps, sorry if I asked 100 questions easily answerable by searching, but my head is about to burst and I just wanted to get it out before I blow up) (pps: I'm glad I found these boards! I look forward to learning more!!!!)

[lovegrov]

"Gluten" doesn't die because it isn't alive. If baking bread at 350 degrees doesn't "kill" the gluten, why would frying it at 375 "kill" it? There is a temperature at which the protein structure is destroyed, but the food would also be a blackened crisp and inedible.

You need to continue to eat gluten until you have the biopsy, otherwise you'll never be sure whether the biopsy was accurate. If you have a hard time getting a biopsy scheduled soon, see if your doctor can help you.

If it turns out you do have celiac, your goal needs to be to avoid all gluten. Even crumbs.

richard

[KaitiUSA]

Also, please remember a biopsy can rule celiac in but not out. So if the biopsy comes back negative you can still have it. If there is little damage from beginning stages or sporadic damage than they can easily miss it.

You need to remain on a regular diet until all of the testing you want to get is complete. Do you know what blood tests they ran because some are very accurate for celiac...and if you do have celiac which my bet is you do because of your blood tests..then you need to stay 100% gluten free(foods and products) and no frying or putting it to a really high temp. will not kill it.

If someone touches bread and gets crumbs on their hands and then touches your food yes that is a probably. You have to be extremely careful. You need to watch if your partner eats gluten and then kisses you, shampoos, lotions,soap, hairsprays, perfumes, being around loose flour, all that stuff that can be inhaled or easily get into the mouth needs to be eliminated.

If you need anything just email me anytime

[sneako]

Thank you for the fast responses, when I said "IT DOESNT DIE?" was not serious Of course gluten isn't alive, but I was just curious as to whether there is a temperature that gluten can experience in which it will not be reactive to my body anymore. Since most fryers are at 350degrees F

BTW, I'm a chef Which is crappy since I can't really taste anything anymore.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

If I accidentially get glutened, I will "pass out" for hours. I literally can't keep my eyes open!! It is SO frustrating ~ specially when I am busy. The only thing that stops it is not eating gluten.

[traveljunkie]

The first time that happened to me, I was driving. I was so scared, and drove to my drs office. They put me on a heart monitor. Duh...I knew they were way off because I had just eaten lunch and knew I was having some kind of reaction. That was almost 3 years ago. I had about 6 more episodes of nearly passing out before I learned what was happening. I haven't had that happen since going gluten-free.

Charlene

[CMCM]

I had been eating really minimal gluten before Thanksgiving, and then one evening and next day I had a major gluten fest, and late afternoon that second day I suddenly got unbelievable dizzy and nauseated, and I had to lay down for about 5 hours before any of the dizziness lifted. I was so dizzy I was even spinning with my eyes closed, and it was horrible. Scared me to death, too. The next day or two the dizziness was gone, but I felt nauseated...less so, but it was still there. And digestion was by that point messed up, too. I had NEVER had such a reaction....I'd often had nausea a couple of hours after eating, and the D, but not the extreme dizziness with it. All I could figure was that I hadn't had much gluten for awhile, and then virtually everything I ate for 3 meals was total gluten.

My mom reminded me of an incident when I was in high school...we were in a store and I nearly blacked out for no apparent reason.

[loraleena]

Hi everyone,

I tried normal wheat pizza two nights ago after 19 months on the gluten-free diet. It was delicious, but 45 minutes later, I was PASSED OUT "COLD"- snoring. The next morning I felt like I has been hit by a truck and was in a complete fog most of the day. I felt like I had a hangover, in fact, but without the stomach upset. My stomach was weirdly calm. I had absolutely NO GI symptoms from the pizza, which I found strange, because I react nearly every time I eat in a restaurant - even ones who cater to gluten-free clients.

So...has this ever happened to anyone? I am starting new allergy tests this week to test for other food allergies. My celiac specialist thinks I have non-celiac gluten intolerance(since I don't carry the genes for celiac), but I have agreed to a gluten challenge and the other food allergy testing (mostly to see if it's changed since I have been gluten-free). In the back of my mind, i am starting to think I am allergic to soy, corn or casein instead of wheat.

Thoughts, anyone?

Thanks,

Kathleen

The symptoms you describe can be symptoms. After being gluten free for a couple weeks this summer I gave in to a quesadilla. Literally while was still eating fatigue and severe brain fog set in. This was followed by shakes, racing heartbeat ,fever, sore throat, diareaha and nausea. This lasted a day and a half. The 2nd day after I vomited violently for half a day. Needless to say the temptation is gone!! I have been glutened twice since. The main symptoms are brain fog, fatigue, chills and fever.