Should I Allow Myself To Get Glutened For My Trip To France?

[Gemini]

I think that gluten in an IV absolutely would cause a huge reaction. You have immune response cells everywhere. However, I don't think they would ever put gluten in an IV. It doesn't belong in your blood...

Considering that all of the leading researchers for celiac disease, at least the ones I have read up on like Dr. Fasano and Dr. Green, continually tell people that gluten has to reach your gut, meaning your stomach, for an autoimmune reaction to occur, I have to believe that these doctors know what they are talking about. This has also been my experience in learning all the details of having and living with celiac disease successfully. I know there are many who post on this forum who like to believe what they like to believe but at some point, I think we have to include what the prevailing research has shown.

If you have a topical reaction or any other reaction which stems from contact with gluten, other than your gut, they consider that an allergy, much like the process which occurs with a peanut allergy. That would make sense. It would also make much more sense that a person who has lost a lot of weight from undiagnosed celiac disease and is taken to a hospital and hooked up to an IV, is not going to immediately recover, as we all know. It took me 6 months to start gaining weight after diagnosis so it would stand to reason that anyone would still be losing weight in the hospital, especially if they are more advanced in age. I don't think it has anything to do with gluten that may occur in an IV. My weight loss was profound and scary, it happened so fast, and even though I was gluten-free, I still lost some more weight in the beginning.

Immune response cells may be everywhere, but the definition of a Celiac reaction, backed up by the experts who study this, is a gut reaction. Anything else is considered an allergic reaction, not an intolerance type reaction.

[Gemini]

Gosh yes it certainly would! I wonder if what the gluten was in was actually a feeding tube though.

Yup....that would the only other issue, that I can think of, for a Celiac. A feeding tube would absolutely require gluten-free nutrients.

[Gemini]

Or if circumstances allow it.

Mango-- how on earth do you get the jar of peanut butter through security? I would love to know.

If the jar is over 3 oz. you pack it your suitcase.

[mom26boys]

I'm new to all this myself, but I've been reading in a lot of websites about how much further Eruope is ahead of the US when it comes to celiac and gluten intolerances. In some countries, I read, fast food places have as many gluten free items in their menu as regular glutened items. I have a cousin who lived in Europe and traveled for work all over Europe for his company who sells cookies, and he told me that there is gluten free stuff everywhere over there and that most restaurants have gluten free menus. He said people all over would ask him if his company carried any gluten free varieties of their cookies. I was so impressed with what I've learned about Europe that now that I'm starting to live gluten free, I'm thinking my next vacation needs to be somewhere in Europe so I don't have to deal with the food issues like I would here in the states! Just in case, you should probably take some of the enzymes for gluten that are available to help if you do accidently get glutened. Oh, and learn how to say "gluten free" in French! From the sounds of it, I think you might be pleasantly surprised at how easy it might be to be gluten free in France! Have fun!!!

[Medz]

You have my sympathy - French bread, crepes, croissants, sigh. I'm sure most restaurants will be able to sort you out though - there's so much fresh food, good meat and fish, veg.

I also understand about the business trip thing - sometimes when you're in a work environment it feels too "personal" to have to tell customers/colleagues why you can't eat certain things, and you just don't have time to yourself to shop for alternatives etc. I'm teaching myself to be better at it after a glutening on a business lunch this week when I tried to second-guess the menu instead of asking

If you really don't have symptoms and don't mind the fact it'll set you back several months, then go for it, and please have a baguette for me!

[ravenwoodglass]

Considering that all of the leading researchers for celiac disease, at least the ones I have read up on like Dr. Fasano and Dr. Green, continually tell people that gluten has to reach your gut, meaning your stomach, for an autoimmune reaction to occur, I have to believe that these doctors know what they are talking about. This has also been my experience in learning all the details of having and living with celiac disease successfully. I know there are many who post on this forum who like to believe what they like to believe but at some point, I think we have to include what the prevailing research has shown.

.......

Immune response cells may be everywhere, but the definition of a Celiac reaction, backed up by the experts who study this, is a gut reaction. Anything else is considered an allergic reaction, not an intolerance type reaction.

Gluten does not have to reach the gut. It easily can enter the system through any mucosa. Here are a couple of links to info on that. They include info on testing using rectal, oral and nasal mucosa. Hopefully someday the US will start to use these testing methods as they are much less barbaric than poisoning us for weeks. If a reaction can be seen using these metholds then the antibody reaction would, I would imagine, be occuring.

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[Lisa16]

If the jar is over 3 oz. you pack it your suitcase.

If you check your suitcase. I never do-- it was kind of a point of pride with me. Perhaps I will start.

[Jestgar]

The topic of gluten response in places other than the gut is interesting, but is way off topic for this thread. Anyone that wants to continue it, please start a new thread.