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

Opiate Drugs And Celiac

ENF

By ENF
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

ENF Enthusiast
ENF
Posted

I know that Gluten can mimic the effects of opiates in cases of Celiac. I've also heard anecdotal evidence that opiate-derived painkillers are not good for people with Celiac disease. I have never liked Tylenol with Codeine - it makes me very weak, I feel horrible and doesn't work well for pain. I was in the hospital a few months ago for eye socket surgery. I was under the impression that I could go home the same day, and many people do for this procedure, but they gave me a shot of Demerol for pain and I could hardly move. I ended up staying overnight, and did not feel well the next day either, but went home anyway. Naturally, they gave me a Tylenol w/Codeine Rx to take with me which was useless, and I ended up using regular Tylenol. Anybody else have a problem with Opiates like this? Are there strong substitute drugs that are not derived from Opium? If there are problems with Codeine and Demerol, then Morphene would be probably be even worse. I'm concerned about possible future medical procedures.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
I know that Gluten can mimic the effects of opiates in cases of Celiac. I've also heard anecdotal evidence that opiate-derived painkillers are not good for people with Celiac disease. I have never liked Tylenol with Codeine - it makes me very weak, I feel horrible and doesn't work well for pain. I was in the hospital a few months ago for eye socket surgery. I was under the impression that I could go home the same day, and many people do for this procedure, but they gave me a shot of Demerol for pain and I could hardly move. I ended up staying overnight, and did not feel well the next day either, but went home anyway. Naturally, they gave me a Tylenol w/Codeine Rx to take with me which was useless, and I ended up using regular Tylenol. Anybody else have a problem with Opiates like this? Are there strong substitute drugs that are not derived from Opium? If there are problems with Codeine and Demerol, then Morphene would be probably be even worse. I'm concerned about possible future medical procedures.

As long as the painkiller is gluten-free, there should be absolutely no problem for a Celiac to take them. I have never heard of opiates being a problem for Celiacs and, as I have taken them for dental surgery and had zero problems with them, I would think that just another case of misinformation. Some opiates may bother or not agree with someone but it isn't related to gluten. I cannot take codeine, either, as it upsets my stomach but I can take Vicodin, which is a powerful painkiller.

It works like a charm, too! ;) Vicodin is gluten-free and the one I always ask for.

Painkillers given in shot form that do not pass through the GI tract would not cause any gluten related symptoms either, even if they did contain a gluten derivative.

You have to eat it for it to cause a reaction. It sounds like you are just sensitive to painkillers, in general. Many people are, especially if you aren't used to consuming them. Maybe if you need them again, ask for Vicodin. It works really well for killing pain and doesn't upset the stomach. It's one of the few that completely agrees with me so maybe you'll have luck with it also.

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

Any type of pain killer or anethetic almost works to good for me. I don't take even tylenol or ibuprofen much so when I had a car acdident the lortab 5 they gave me really packed a punch. When I have dental anethesia one shot will numb me from the top of my head down past my collar bone. Ugg didn't like that much. My throat was numb too (only 1/2). So now I just get the numbing medication that goes just around the tooth. The dentist said that it usually only works that way mostly on kids because of their different structure. I guess I'm weird and a kid at heart. :lol: I had an epidural with my second child and I could not feel a thing and they could have sawed off my legs with a dull butter knife and I would'nt have cared. It took more than usual to wear off too. The epidural was turned off around 2:00 in the afternoon and I didn't get feeling back till around 7 that evening and still had noodle legs. For my husband dental anethesia does not work much at all. He has to grin and bear it for fillings and percocet for him does not eliminate the pain per se just makes it so he doesn't care that he is in pain. Morphine works alright but he get really gabby and can't be quiet.

ENF Enthusiast
ENF
Posted
  • Author
As long as the painkiller is gluten-free, there should be absolutely no problem for a Celiac to take them. I have never heard of opiates being a problem for Celiacs and, as I have taken them for dental surgery and had zero problems with them, I would think that just another case of misinformation. Some opiates may bother or not agree with someone but it isn't related to gluten. I cannot take codeine, either, as it upsets my stomach but I can take Vicodin, which is a powerful painkiller.

It works like a charm, too! ;) Vicodin is gluten-free and the one I always ask for.

Painkillers given in shot form that do not pass through the GI tract would not cause any gluten related symptoms either, even if they did contain a gluten derivative.

You have to eat it for it to cause a reaction. It sounds like you are just sensitive to painkillers, in general. Many people are, especially if you aren't used to consuming them. Maybe if you need them again, ask for Vicodin. It works really well for killing pain and doesn't upset the stomach. It's one of the few that completely agrees with me so maybe you'll have luck with it also.

Thanks, but I am not "sensitive to painkillers, in general", since I can take everything else including aspirin, naproxen sodium (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Motrin), Acetamiophen (Tylenol), and others. Novacaine, which is not an opiate, is also fine. Only drugs containing opiates give me problems - and these reactions are not gastrointestinal, they're more neurological and very debilitating as well.

vampkestrel Rookie
vampkestrel
Posted

I have a bit of trouble with opiate mainly because they don't work. I had surgey last year as well, the tried demirol, morphine, viacodan and then finally the only one that worked on me was talwin. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia first and I went through a whole slew of pain killers that never did a thing. I always wondered if it was due to my celiacs that the meds just never quite worked with me.

Mtndog Collaborator
Mtndog
Posted

I cannot tolerate codeine at all. They gave it to me after my wisdom teeth surgery and I was a nut bag......tried to leave the house in my underwear :lol:

Many of them make me either out of it or depressed. The only one that works and does not make me that way is percocet. It took some trial and error to find it, but thank God I did as I have severe chronic pain from Lyme disease.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted
Thanks, but I am not "sensitive to painkillers, in general", since I can take everything else including aspirin, naproxen sodium (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Motrin), Acetamiophen (Tylenol), and others. Novacaine, which is not an opiate, is also fine. Only drugs containing opiates give me problems - and these reactions are not gastrointestinal, they're more neurological and very debilitating as well.

Utterly unrelated to your question, may I recommend a bit o' hair of the dog to help you sleep? Alcohol's one of the best drugs out there for making you not care about pain. I'd also recommend a toke or two, but oh right, we haven't bothered to make it legal yet.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ENF Enthusiast
ENF
Posted
  • Author
Utterly unrelated to your question, may I recommend a bit o' hair of the dog to help you sleep? Alcohol's one of the best drugs out there for making you not care about pain. I'd also recommend a toke or two, but oh right, we haven't bothered to make it legal yet.

I agree.

Alcohol is good in some cases, but in NY we're waiting for decriminalization of the other stuff for medical use - currently there's all kinds of domestic stuff floating around but it's hard to get the right varieties for specific uses, such as sleeping, pain, etc., so I don't bother too much with it.

ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

I cannot tolerate any narcotics. Make me vomit on the spot and that's morphine injection or demeral pills. I just tell them upfront do not give them to me. Fenergen also does that to me. Ironic that it's to calm your stomach but it makes me vomit over and over.

DH cannot handle narcotics either. With him, he just turns mean and abusively mouthy. He finally figured that the pills for his back were going to end our marriage and got off them, thank God.

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
Utterly unrelated to your question, may I recommend a bit o' hair of the dog to help you sleep? Alcohol's one of the best drugs out there for making you not care about pain. I'd also recommend a toke or two, but oh right, we haven't bothered to make it legal yet.

Very, very true! I guess it depends on the application but a glass of red wine with an Advil does wonders for pain in general! ;)

I think some people are just sensitive to certain narcotics and what may work well for some does not work well for others. I don't think being a Celiac has anything to do with it unless you are not healed and not absorbing the meds properly. It also depends on what type of pain a person will be in....bone pain vs. soft tissue pain. I think it boils down to trial and error.

ENF Enthusiast
ENF
Posted
  • Author

I do think that having celiac is causing some of us to have a problem with opiates, either all of them or certain types - there is a growing body of scientific studies that shows how similar gliadin is to opiates when it goes to the brain - not the opioid receptors, but ones that are very similar to them. I'm no scientist, but I'm sure that somebody who is qualified will eventually do some research on this. Possibly, the opioids are getting channeled to the wrong receptors, or setting something else off. We are wired differently than non-celiacs, and often there is neurological damage causing various other problems, other than gastrointestinal, for Celiacs.

An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

(bold mine)

babysteps Contributor
babysteps
Posted

If I take anything with codeine, I can't keep food down.

So I use ibuprofin instead and get to eat!

Once in college when I went to the health center with a fever, they gave me tylenol. Which I threw up about 5 minutes later. The nurses said that they had never seen this, plopped me in a tepid bath instead (the pill didn't come out whole so they had to assume that I'd metabolized the drug). I think I do usually tolerate tylenol, but take it so rarely not sure I've got a strong basis for that statement...

Not sure if this is related to gluten or celiac in any way, but that's the way my body reacts.

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. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy. Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all. There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes. The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy...
    2. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped. It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition. Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here. Malnutrition...
    3. NanceK
      - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well. I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given...
    4. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      4

      Feel like I’m starting over

      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals. Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D. By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease. You got it from your mom or dad. Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Kirita's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      3

      Recovery from gluten challenge

      Hopefully the food she eats away from home, especially at school, is 100% gluten-free. If you haven't checked in with the school directly about this, it might be worth a planned visit with their staff to make sure her food is safe.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,290
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Joycemarie
    Newest Member
    Joycemarie
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Related issues

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      My only proof

      By NanceK · Posted

      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Feel like I’m starting over

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
    • Scott Adams
      Recovery from gluten challenge

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Hopefully the food she eats away from home, especially at school, is 100% gluten-free. If you haven't checked in with the school directly about this, it might be worth a planned visit with their staff to make sure her food is safe.
×
×
  • 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.