Unexplained Episode? Help!

[Dace]

My 16 yr old has recently been diagnosed as gluten intolerant. Began gluten-free diet Sunday.

Today is Thurs, early AM.

She woke up with a really bad stomachache and diarrhea that won't ease up.

Yesterday she ate granola and yogurt (same as she has has every other morning since Sunday)Apple, peanuts, turkey & cheese lettuce wrap, and corn chips.

Last night we cooked: Mashed pots with cream & butter,baked beef ribs with BBQ sauce:tomato puree, brown sugar, corn sweetner, distilled vinegar, natural hickory smoke, salt, sugar, mustard, spices, worchestershire sauce, (molasses, distilled vinegar, water, carmel color, spices, dehydrated garlic, natural hickory smoke, salt, natural flavor, anchovies, tamarind)

Also made black bean cupcakes: canned black beans, eggs, vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, butter & honey.

Frosting: powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, milk, cocoa powder

We DID also make traditional flour cupcakes, but she did not est them.

I have read conflicting things about baking powder, so I don't know if that is the culpret, same goes for the distilled vinegar.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

[ciavyn]

Natural flavoring and spices is often suspect, though I've not had any issues. It has only been four days, so sometimes the body is reacting to everything, without explanation. I had off and on issues for the first month or so, before it smoothed out, and every now and again, something that shouldn't have bothered me will, and I have a nasty reaction. Give it a few months before you get suspicious of each response...but there is also nothing wrong with checking out ingredients a second time!

[tictax707]

In addition to the natural flavor, I would be suspicious of the hickory flavor and the caramel color. They may or may not have sources of gluten in them, from what I understand. Also - what kind of granola was it? Was the granola made with oats? If so, were they gluten free oats? I think most baking powders in the US are usually gluten free, but like ciavyn said, it's definitely good to check the ingredient lists twice. Once I was eating dairy free cheese for an entire week before I discovered that the cheese had OAT flour in it. And I was so confused at to why I was starting to feel really awful. I had missed it on my first check. (and who the hell puts OAT FLOUR in cheese anyway? but whatever. I learned.) The distilled vinegar I think should be ok too. I am assuming the wrap of the lettuce wrap included some formof gluten-free tortilla?

[i-geek]

Number one suspect for me would be the oats if they're not gluten-free. Otherwise, could she possibly have a stomach bug? I know from friends with kids in school that the bugs are going around.

[kayo]

The oats jumped out at me too. Even if they are gluten free oats it's possible they're just too tough for her system at this time.

Is it possible she's also dairy intolerant?

The other thing that jumped out at me is how complex some of the foods are. It might be worth it to keep her diet very simple for the first month or so. Lean protein, no sauces, steamed veggies, fruit, rice.

So many of us have had occasional reactions to corn chips as well. They're gluten free but the amount of oil and or cross contamination could be the culprit.

[Skylark]

The granola is a likely culprit. Also, I'm sure you were careful with the wheat flour while you were baking, but it's still awfully easy to get some into the air and contaminate cooking surfaces. I have a strict no-flour rule in my kitchen.

[K8ling]

Also, it could be cc. I have been CC'd with my kid before ( I made him normal cookies- NEVER did that again lol)

[allisons]

Oats are a common source of cross contamination because they are often processed on the same machine as wheat. Some percentage (relatively small, but it's there) of celiacs react to the protein in oats as well.

Was your son diagnosed gluten intolerant or celiac? How was the diagnosis done?

Also - four days isn't NEARLY long enough for it have helped yet. If your son has celiac, any number of relatively harmless-but-harder-than-average foods can trigger a tummy reaction because the intestinal lining hasn't healed yet.

Natural hickory smoke, by the way, has nitrites in it. Eating that would have given me nasty painful diarrhea as well. Has he shown any sensitivity to nitrites (ham, hot dogs, salami)?

[tarnalberry]

If she's new(ish) to gluten free, I'd leave out all oats - including gluten free oats. (And there were probably oats in the granola?)

[Dace]

Thank you for all the great responses! I appreciate it

To clear up a few questions she is going gluten free because we recently pulled some lab work that was done 5 yrs ago. She was tested for celiacs and the Dr said it was negative but she was positive on the antibody....which meant nothing to me and so I (stupidly) did not ask for clarification as I was just happy to hear she was Neg on celiacs.

Here Gliadin Ab IgG was elevated above the normal range....which seems to be evidence that she is having trouble (at some level) digesting gluten.

The lettuce wrap is just that, stuff wrapped in lettuce...usually turkey, pepper jack cheese and cuke. No dip, no flour wrap.

The reason for the complex menu is that I teach cooking lessons and she is in my class...the menu was chocolate peanut butter filled cupcakes (we made the black bean cupcakes for her), mashed pots and oven baked ribs. When I was choosing the BBQ sauce I was looking to avoid modified food starch....apparently I have a lot more to learn!

Also CC could definitley be it, she was quite hands on with making the regular cupcake recipe Ooops!

Yep, lots and lots to learn.

Just took her younger sister in for testing today. She has a very pronounced reaction to gluten, much more than the 16 yr old.

[kareng]

Did you use the same mixer & cupcake pans for both kinds of cupcakes? I can get my mixer clean because it doesn't have many places for flour to hide but alot of cupcake pans have little creases & even using paper cups wouldn't help.

[Dace]

Did you use the same mixer & cupcake pans for both kinds of cupcakes? I can get my mixer clean because it doesn't have many places for flour to hide but alot of cupcake pans have little creases & even using paper cups wouldn't help.

Same mixer and spatula...different cupcake pans. I had kids doing the cooking and flour got all over the place! Oh, boy...lots and lots to learn

[Mack the Knife]

Same mixer and spatula...different cupcake pans. I had kids doing the cooking and flour got all over the place! Oh, boy...lots and lots to learn

I would freak out if anyone was using flour in my kitchen. It gets everywhere. There is no way I would stand in the same room as someone baking with regular flour much less participate.

I felt worse before I felt better after going gluten free. It took at least a month before I felt any improvement and then I very gradually improved after that.

And yes, oats are not a good idea to start with. In Australia, where I live, oats are regarded as a complete no-no for Coeliacs.

[mamaw]

carmel color made in the US is safe! Your daughter is very new to this gluten-free lifestyle ^ sometimes people can get ill quickly while their body is trying to adjust to the new changes....she may see lots of strange things going on. I think when people start this gluten-free diet thay in turn become more aware of their bodies & what the body is telling them. For instance many pass gas on a daily basis & laugh & joke about it but as a gluten-free person we may have a different take on that matter...

Yes, there is a lot to learn but it does all fall into place with time....

I agree no oats gluten-free or not for at least the first year.And she may need to go to more milder type foods to give her system a chance to heal..... I also would not want her in a room full of flying wheat flour....can she wear a mask?

This has become a question for our school next year when our kid has cooking class.... because they have to eat what they make. I know for sure our kid is not eating wheat products....we are looking for alternatives so they are not in the class with kids & flying flour. I remember when I was in cooking class & how wild at times we got with flour!.. I remember the teacher had white hair after class !!!!!!!

good luck

blessings

[Kathy59]

I think everyone has pretty much covered it all..I only wanted to add one thing regarding the mashed potatoes..not sure how you prepared them..I used to boil my potatoes in chicken broth..if you do, and you don't either purchase gluten-free broth or make your own, it could cause problems. I also use real butter, it is easier for your body to digest. We don't use much butter in our household so, I prefer it.

Unless a manufacture has told me the product does not contain gluten, I stay away from anything that list "natural flavorings and/or spices" usually means MSG!

Hang in there!