Gluten Reaction Decreasing?

[SGWhiskers]

Before I went on the gluten-free diet, I had terrible neuro issues. In the first weeks of making mistakes, I noticed that my reaction to gluten was less severe each time. Has anyone gone from a severe neuro response to silent or near silent response with time on the gluten-free diet? I'm concerned that the "off" feeling I'm having is actually gluten.

[April in KC]

I went gluten free three years ago. I have Celiac Disease (30-lb weight loss) and DH, but some of my worst symptoms were neurological - dizziness, brain fog, stumbling, headaches, etc. When I first went gluten free, I felt great, but when I got accidentally glutened, the symptoms were terrible - I would fall asleep hard and have trouble talking/being coordinated for a few hours, then get moody, and then the physical symptoms would follow - GI problems, skin problems and muscle aches. That first year gluten-free, I joked that I had an 'early warning system' because I would get headaches while eating and know that I was eating something CC with gluten.

Now, a few years gluten-free, I am not nearly as sensitive. I think it's a blessing and a curse (mostly a blessing). I think my lower antibody levels must make the reactions less severe, but I have lost my early warning system and now I have more vague symptoms unless I eat something really contaminated. Sometimes I realize that I have been feeling 'off' for a while and have to go back to eating basics until I figure out what has been bothering me. I think I still get glutened too frequently.

My dad is also Celiac. He's older, and he cheats and eats gluten once every month or two. He says that his reaction is not bad if he only eats it once and then stops, but if he tries to eat gluten on two separate meals or two days, his reactions are much more severe. I don't at all recommend what he does (it triggers his psoriasis among other things), but it is interesting in that it supports the idea that peoples' symptoms can increase or decrease along with the levels of antibodies.

[modiddly16]

The longer you follow your gluten free diet, the longer your body has to heal....once your body is all healed up the gluten reaction typically gets less intense or delayed. I would get sick within 10 minutes of gluten consumption, now sometimes it'll be a day or two after. I think it just depends on your body and your healing process. Some people are as sensitive on day 600 as they are on day 1. Although, cheating on your diet does cause damage...even if it doesn't cause a reaction!

[Canadian Girl]

This is what i haven't been able to get a clear answer on.. if you still eat something but don't react from it, it still causes damage, and wht will this end u doing?? Like i know that Celaic's are at a 10% greater risk to getting cancer, but that's just from being Celiac not from eating gluten right? Like if you eat gluten sometimes but don't react that doesn't mean that you'll be at an even highter risk to get it does it???

[April in KC]

This is what i haven't been able to get a clear answer on.. if you still eat something but don't react from it, it still causes damage, and wht will this end u doing?? Like i know that Celaic's are at a 10% greater risk to getting cancer, but that's just from being Celiac not from eating gluten right? Like if you eat gluten sometimes but don't react that doesn't mean that you'll be at an even highter risk to get it does it???

Sorry for posting something technical, but since I'm not a doctor, I wanted to go with a somewhat trustworthy source.

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I'm sure there are better sources, but the abstract for this clinical research seems to imply that the inflammation from Celiac Disease itself can be partly to blame for cancers. I do think some of the increased risk is from sharing certain genes, but other parts of the risk come from having chronic inflammation in your GI tract. So - avoiding mild glutenings is a good thing.