Has This Happened To Anyone?

[adia117]

I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease since February 2008. I have noticed that with each accidental ingestion of gluten, my reactions have become more severe. Has this happened to anyone else? When I was first diagnosed, I'd just get a bad stomach ache, of course followed by the bathroom issues. But now, I get so itchy on my face and scalp I need to take Benadryl and it feels like someone punched me in the stomach 1000 times (and then 3 days in the bathroom!)

Just wondering if any other celiacs notice worse reactions after being on the gluten-free diet.

Thanks!

Ashley

[ang1e0251]

Yes, I notice I am more and more sensitive as time goes on. I also become more and more careful.

[dhd2000]

Yes, for the first year I was more sensitive, now two years later, I am less sensitive. Or maybe just better at avoiding gluten! Either way, I feel great.

Dee in NC

[Aroostook]

Oh yes I have! The last one was a killer! Even added nausea and blackout to it! Not good, not good at all! But you do learn that you must be very very very careful what goes into the mouth!!

[nasalady]

I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease since February 2008. I have noticed that with each accidental ingestion of gluten, my reactions have become more severe. Has this happened to anyone else? When I was first diagnosed, I'd just get a bad stomach ache, of course followed by the bathroom issues. But now, I get so itchy on my face and scalp I need to take Benadryl and it feels like someone punched me in the stomach 1000 times (and then 3 days in the bathroom!)

Just wondering if any other celiacs notice worse reactions after being on the gluten-free diet.

Thanks!

Ashley

Hi Ashley,

Yes, that's normal....most of us seem to become more sensitive the longer we are without gluten. Sorry to hear you're going through this! When I started the gluten-free diet I tried to let my family eat "normally" but I kept getting glutened by crumbs. I just couldn't take being sick half the time, so now we are all gluten free.

Hope you feel better soon!

JoAnn

[lizajane]

yes- i started getting a weird heartburn/reflux type pressure in my chest that kept me up for HOURS after a recent accidental exposure. i have never had that symptom!

and my son, who is 4, is gluten free and has amazing behavior now. BUT when he gets glutened by accident, he turns into a little monster (And doesn't sleep!). at first, it only lasted one day. but now that he has been off gluten for more than a month, it has lasted 2-3 days. YUCK!

[Gfresh404]

Add me to the list. Before I would just get a bad stomach ache and bloated. Now it sends me to the bathroom and afterwords I am almost feel as if I am in shock.

Before when our bodies were constantly receiving gluten, we developed somewhat of a tolerance for it. Now that we are gluten-free that tolerance is gone and in turn, our symptoms become more severe if gluten is accidentally consumed.

[TotalKnowledge]

It certainly makes sense that it would effect you more the longer you have gone without. Eating something everyday makes you build up an immunity to it.

In the absence of that item the immunity will go away and a slight exposure will have full impact. Think of how someone with a drinking problem isn't that effected by one drink, if they stop drinking their tolerance will diminish and an individual drink will effect them more in the future.

[ang1e0251]

The way I understand it is your body is making antibodies to combat that foreign invader, gluten. At that point you have antibodies in your system probably every day, I know I ate gluten every day. When you stop and the antibodies are finally out of your system, then suddenly you introduce gluten again ( doesn't matter how much, even a crumb) those antibodies turn on full force. There's that enemy again! Now you haven't had any antibodies for awhile and WOW, they really kick your butt!

OK, I'm not a medical person. But that's the way I've interpretted what I've read. Anyone with medical knowledge..can you explain it?

[adia117]

Thanks so much for replying. It's just good to know that I'm not the only one (not that I really want anyone to suffer!)

[GottaSki]

I had read about severe glutenings, but mine have been very few, mostly bloating.

Unfortunately, now I am with you...just had the most severe reaction of the past three months. I ate out for lunch yesterday (have done this successfully most of the times I've tried) severe bloat within an hour, really sick to my stomach within two hours and completely out of it - passed out for a few hours - woke up feeling awful after the "nap" was not hungry, but tried to eat dinner as it was my husband's birthday and actually felt a bit better after getting safe food in me. Fell asleep quickly and slept thru until early this morning -- when I woke up with what I can only describe as a wicked hangover (without the fun the night before of course!)

Not fun at all...trying to take it as a sign that I am doing well gluten-free and my body is healing!

[samcarter]

Oh, yes. After I went gluten free, and then did a gluten challenge, it was so excruciating. Now if I get a little gluten by accident, I can tell almost immediately.

It reminds me of when I finally went off to college, and was away from my mom's cats for a little bit, and my cat allergy finally reared its ugly head. It was like once my body was away from the allergen, it recovered and then it "remembers" how sick it was before and goes on high alert when the allergen is re-introduced.