Do Glutened Symptoms Get Worse The Longer You Are Off Gluten...

[carecare]

Hi all,

My husband went gluten free in October and he's improved so much with his symptoms (diahrea, horrible indigestion, not feeling good ...plus some other things I think would be related) He says he's never going back on gluten....especially after cheating on Thanksgiving and having two weeks of... off and on feeling bad. Well, the other evening he had such severe stomach pain that had him on the floor ready to pass out. I actually tried getting him to go to the ER but he refused. He was in the most severe pain. It lasted about 2 hrs and then his stomach just had pain off and on for the next couple days just not as intense. That evening I made taco's and he had the meat on his salad. The taco seasoning was listed as ok to use in the gluten free shopping guide. However, today he says the day before his stomach pain he ate at Taco bell and had the hard shelled taco. He never checked to see if it was gluten free or not (which I can't imagine Taco bell having things gluten free...but maybe they do). I also have been baking a lot the last couple days using regular floor....and I wonder if that's contributing to his pain....if I'm not cleaning good enough or something.

So, if this is gluten related...can symptoms get worse the longer you go without gluten in your system? He said he's never had such severe stomach pain before. I'm just glad he's not getting worse and the pain went away. I'm not even sure this is gluten related...but I am assuming it is.

Another question since I"m at it. My daughter's antigliadin IgA test was a strong positive 5 yrs ago and I was not told this. The other portion of the celiac panel was normal. ...so the dr did not diagnose her as celiac. If that is the only portion of the celiac panel that comes out positive do dr's not even consider celiac? ...and not even tell the patient that that portion of the test was positive...because it doesn't matter to them. I read on here in an article about the antigliadin IgA testing positive will result in 97% of the patients being celiac. Is that really true...if so...geesh...why didn't my daugher's dr tell me this?

CC

[Wolicki]

Yes, most definitely the gluten reactions get worse the longer you are gluten free. Taco Bell uses uses wheat in the taco meat. Your daughter more than likely is Celiac. Doctors are notorious for not properly reading results. If it's not all positive, it's negative. You should probably be a gluten free household to keep your dh and dd safe

[Mtndog]

Some people DO get more sensitive at first and if he ate at Taco Bell, I'll bet he got glutened. They are notoriously bad- like most fast food places. Also, if you are baking with regular flour and don't clean up enough (which is almost impossible because all it takes is one small particle) that could cause problems.

When I first went gluten-free, I got about 20x more sensitive- I had a reaction where I too was on the floor writhing in pain. BUT, that type of pain is pretty severe and could have other causes- appendix, gall bladder etc. If he's in that much pain again, I would go to the ER. Much better to be safe rather than sorry.

Hope he feels better soon!

[dilettantesteph]

After two years gluten free, my gluten reactions are much less severe. I only get sick for a day, not a week. I don't lie in bed wishing I were dead, I just have some stomach pain and D. There is hope.

[carecare]

I don't know what's up but he's on the floor again today. Currently on the bathroom floor...hasn't moved in the last 45 minutes. Too much pain. Wish he wasn't so stubborn about going to the dr. He feels awful. At least I provided him with a pillow.

We aren't a gluten free household yet....though he is gluten free. I don't know if he's getting glutened or if this is something else??

This sucks.

CC

[dilettantesteph]

I reread your post and thought that I should tell you that I have gotten sick from airborne flour before. It lasted longer than a normal glutening. Maybe that is what got to him. Maybe you shouldn't bake with gluten grains anymore. It would be great for him if you could learn to bake with non gluten grains. Then he could enjoy what you bake too.

[lovegrov]

As with so many other things, it depends on the person. There's no definite answer.

richard

[OptimisticMom42]

We threw all the flour out. The few gluten foods allowed in the house are treated like toxic cleaning chemicals. Well marked, seperate shelf et. I can't imagine the anger I would display if someone were to use wheat flour in my kitchen.

I know I'm being harsh but YES your baking with wheat flour in the same kitchen where you cook for your celiac family members is making them sick. Please stop.

[carecare]

I now actually think he's having gallbladder attacks. He refuses to go to the dr. He said he'd rather live with the pain than have surgery. Guess we wait and see if it happens again. He was in pain this time for about 5 hrs vs 2-3 hrs last week. He read an article about certain foods causing gallbladder attacks...like you were having an allergic reaction. Well, he ingested every food on the list yesterday I think. Makes you wonder. So now along with gluten, he's going to avoid a bunch of other foods.

Hope I can convince him to see a dr. the next time it happens.

thanks for all the advice.

cc

[lovegrov]

Taco Bell tacos are NOT gluten-free. Whether or not the pain is from gluten, your husband is definitely not being careful enough.

richard

[Mtndog]

I now actually think he's having gallbladder attacks. He refuses to go to the dr. He said he'd rather live with the pain than have surgery.

Hope I can convince him to see a dr. the next time it happens.

From what I've heard, gall bladder pain can rival giving birth. I never had a serious "attack" but had my gall bladder removed. **IF** it is his gall bladder, you can tell him that there are several of us here who had the surgery and felt much better after.

[lovegrov]

In addition to feeling much better after having the gall bladder removed -- IF that's what it is -- your gall bladder can become seriously inflamed, and while not as dangerous as appendicitis, an inflamed gall bladder can be serious business. Yes, in rare cases it can kill you if untreated, depending on what you have.

Also, from what I understand, an inflamed or infected gall bladder is much more difficult to remove by lap, which means you'd be more likely to have full-blown surgery.

I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. I just have a wife who is nurse and a mother who they thought recently might have a severe gallbladder problem. It didn't turn out to be severe, but she still needs it out.

richard

[GFYuleeLady]

I don't know what's up but he's on the floor again today. Currently on the bathroom floor...hasn't moved in the last 45 minutes. Too much pain. Wish he wasn't so stubborn about going to the dr. He feels awful. At least I provided him with a pillow.

We aren't a gluten free household yet....though he is gluten free. I don't know if he's getting glutened or if this is something else??

This sucks.

CC

Hi, I am going on two years of trying desparately to be gluten-free. It is difficult to say the least. You have to constantly be thinking about it. When in doubt, do not eat or drink it. The hidden gluten is something else. I have been making me a notebook for over a while now. I have a receipe section and info section, gluten-free products section and so on. I take my book with me whereever I go. It does help. Hope this helps also

[Ahorsesoul]

Picture him on the floor in pain and tell me why you do not have a gluten free household? Now picture you or one of your children on the floor in pain for 45 minutes. It would be a gluten free household right away.