New Symptoms?

[MartialArtist]

I am now 2-1/2 months gluten-free. In the first 6 weeks, I managed to have NO mouth ulcers -- that is a HUGE deal in my world. A couple of weeks ago, one appeared inside my lower lip, but I thought it might be due to some irritation from an infrequently (and recently resumed) worn lower teeth retainer. Then just as that one healed, I got another one just inside my upper lip. No way to know whether these are symptoms of being glutened, but I do go to restaurants at least once a week and despite my best efforts to talk with the waiter and/or manager, I can't guarantee I haven't been exposed there.

But here's the weird new stuff -- also in the last couple of weeks, I've started experiencing pain in the joint at the base of my big toe on one foot. As is evident from my username, I do martial arts, so I figured I might have jammed it or bruised something (and I've had it checked out by an orthopedist who said it was a mildly arthritic joint and gave me an injection in it -- ouch, btw). But should I be looking at this as a celiac / gluten exposure symptom?

Finally, for the past 2-3 mornings, I've awakened with a terrible headache. I'm fairly certain I have not gotten gluten in those days b/c I'm cooking for myself and I clean every surface before doing anything in my kitchen in case someone else left gluten crumbs around. It's possible I have some level of sleep apnea (still need to do that sleep study...) but I don't know for sure and now I see that headaches are also a symptom for many.

Why did I go and get this disease with so many possible symptoms that I could attribute almost anything I experience to it, rightly or wrongly???

Anyone have any thoughts on what I should make of these things? I am not sure I truly trust the average doctor to know enough about celiac to make a connection or rule one out for me in any definitive sense!

Frustrating.

[ravenwoodglass]

The symptoms you are mentioning could be due to CC from somewhere. Recheck everything and if you can avoid restaurants for a bit. Have you checked all meds and supplements? Toiletries? Do you use any 'antislip' powders on your hands when practicing? I don't know if they use those in martial arts but it would be something to check if they do. What are you eating? Are you going with pure single ingredient foods? Some stuff that is gluten free by ingredients can be CC'd by processing and the companies don't have to tell us if gluten is used in the plant. You could also have another intolerance. Have you increased your consumption of soy, for example, since you dropped gluten? Both soy and gluten flare my arthritis so I thought perhaps I should mention it.

[GFinDC]

Agree, soy and dairy can cause problems. So can nightshades. Don't forget to check any sports drinks, vitamins, meds or whatnot that you consume.

[MartialArtist]

My soy and dairy intake have not gone up, per se. I have not cut them out (i.e. I don't avoid products with those allergens in them) but I don't seek them more than before or anything. I could see if I were having digestive symptoms that it might be sensitivity to those other things that are often issues for those with celiac, but it's the secondary symptoms only that I'm dealing with. I suppose if I have a true allergy to these other things (beyond simple intolerance), I could get some of those same secondary symptoms, but I'm not ready to go there yet.

But I do find it very frustrating that Celiac has so many seemingly unrelated (to digestion) symptoms that virtually anything could be a symptom of gluten exposure -- or could be totally unrelated! Grrr... Oh well...

[Jestgar]

gluten gives me a headache, soy and dairy, digestive issues, corn, joint pain. Don't assume that intolerance to some other food will manifest as digestive....

[ravenwoodglass]

gluten gives me a headache, soy and dairy, digestive issues, corn, joint pain. Don't assume that intolerance to some other food will manifest as digestive....

I agree, my arthritis flares badly with soy for example but the digestive symptoms I get from soy are just a little constipation and is only noticeable because I am so regular now that I dont consume gluten.