Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • 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

Gluten Free Products Are Making Me Sick

Mack the Knife

Recommended Posts

Mack the Knife Explorer
Mack the Knife
Posted

I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease at the end of 2009. I have been on a strict gluten free diet ever since. I don't cheat and I am really careful about eating out and cc, etc. However, I have not gotten better on a gluten free diet. My symptoms persisted and when my gastroenterologist re-did the blood tests and biopsy they came back as still positive for Coeliac disease. He suspected I was still accidentally ingesting gluten from somewhere.

So I cut out everything and went back to unprocessed basics. Fruit, veg, meat, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds and lactose free dairy. And it worked! After two weeks or so, I felt better than I have felt for ages. My energy came back and my gastro-intestinal symptoms disappeared.

So I went to see a dietician and told her what I had been eating and the changes I had made. She thought I was probably getting sick from using contaminated gluten free flours (I love baking!) and she said I should be fine as long as I was more careful about where I sourced my gluten free stuff from.

So I ate some certified gluten free cereal and some certified gluten free buckwheat crispbread (made in a dedicated gluten free facility by a company that specialises in gluten free products). The next day all my symptoms came back and I have felt like crap for the last couple of days. So I have cut everything back out again and hopefully that will get me back to feeling better soon.

So am I so insanely sensitive to gluten that I can't tolerate certified gluten free food (that has to meet Australian food labelling requirements of testing under 5ppm)? Or am I intolerant to something in the gluten free food? I didn''t get sick instantly. There was a delay of about a day before it effected me.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


WheatChef Apprentice
WheatChef
Posted

If this occurs from a wide array of gluten-free products (ie: not just soy/corn/etc containing ones) then you might be experiencing carbohydrate intolerance. Would certainly account for the GI symptoms.

Mack the Knife Explorer
Mack the Knife
Posted
  • Author

If this occurs from a wide array of gluten-free products (ie: not just soy/corn/etc containing ones) then you might be experiencing carbohydrate intolerance. Would certainly account for the GI symptoms.

You can be intolerant to carbohydrates???? Damn! I don't know if I could cope with that one.

I was eating potatoes and sweet potatoes when i was feeling good. Are grain carbs different from potato carbs?

In retrospect, I probably should have started by re-introducing just one thing - preferably with a single ingredient. The stuff I ate was regular gluten free products with several ingredients.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

By "carbohydrate intolerance" do you mean FOADMAP foods? There are some people who have gut issues when they eat FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, and Mono-saccharides, And Polyols). Some are fructose intolerant too, meaning they don't absorb fructose properly. And yes, potatoes are lower FODMAP than grains.

Open Original Shared Link

Could also be lectins. Where's Mushroom? She finds foods with lectins very problematic though the diet you arrived on sounds more like low-FODMAP.

Open Original Shared Link

Maybe take a look at the specific carbohydrate diet? A lot of people around here really like that one.

Open Original Shared Link

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I have the same issue. I buy my gluten free grains whole and sort them. I find the odd grain that looks like wheat. I remove it. Then I wash, dry and grind for baking. I can eat the grains that way. I seem to be sensitive to the allowed levels. I can't even eat the certified stuff, though I do better with the stuff from Australia as your limits are lower than ours (USA). I am glad that you have managed to figure out how to feel better. Even if you are unable to eat grains, it is better than being sick all the time.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

...

So I ate some certified gluten free cereal and some certified gluten free buckwheat crispbread (made in a dedicated gluten free facility by a company that specialises in gluten free products). The next day all my symptoms came back and I have felt like crap for the last couple of days. So I have cut everything back out again and hopefully that will get me back to feeling better soon.

So am I so insanely sensitive to gluten that I can't tolerate certified gluten free food (that has to meet Australian food labelling requirements of testing under 5ppm)? Or am I intolerant to something in the gluten free food? I didn''t get sick instantly. There was a delay of about a day before it effected me.

So what are the ingredients in the cereal and the crisp bread? Can you add those ingredients in isolation to your diet and see if you react to them?

Marz Enthusiast
Marz
Posted

Be careful of the "home industry" gluten-free stuff.

I was ecstatic to see a whole range of gluten-free biscuits being sold at the local grocery store. A few days later started getting reactions :( I noticed when I was at the store, the range being sold by the manufacturer included biscuits with wheat ingredients as well as gluten-free stuff.

I'm assuming she made the gluten free items with the same baking utensils and oven as the wheat items, there was no type of warning like "being processed in the same lines...", but it was definately "home industry" type goods so bleh. Also, flour gets everywhere :(

Proof was when I made my own biscuits using identical ingredients, obviously in a gluten-free kitchen. No reaction at all! Safe to say I'm not trusting home industry anymore...

What is your reaction to plain grains - like rice, corn, maize/corn porridge?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 4 weeks later...
Guest tamilynn38
Guest tamilynn38
Posted

I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease at the end of 2009. I have been on a strict gluten free diet ever since. I don't cheat and I am really careful about eating out and cc, etc. However, I have not gotten better on a gluten free diet. My symptoms persisted and when my gastroenterologist re-did the blood tests and biopsy they came back as still positive for Coeliac disease. He suspected I was still accidentally ingesting gluten from somewhere.

So I cut out everything and went back to unprocessed basics. Fruit, veg, meat, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds and lactose free dairy. And it worked! After two weeks or so, I felt better than I have felt for ages. My energy came back and my gastro-intestinal symptoms disappeared.

So I went to see a dietician and told her what I had been eating and the changes I had made. She thought I was probably getting sick from using contaminated gluten free flours (I love baking!) and she said I should be fine as long as I was more careful about where I sourced my gluten free stuff from.

So I ate some certified gluten free cereal and some certified gluten free buckwheat crispbread (made in a dedicated gluten free facility by a company that specialises in gluten free products). The next day all my symptoms came back and I have felt like crap for the last couple of days. So I have cut everything back out again and hopefully that will get me back to feeling better soon.

So am I so insanely sensitive to gluten that I can't tolerate certified gluten free food (that has to meet Australian food labelling requirements of testing under 5ppm)? Or am I intolerant to something in the gluten free food? I didn''t get sick instantly. There was a delay of about a day before it effected me.

You may have more than just celiacs disease- you also may have gluten intolerance or starch problems- you should be tested to see if you have problems with carbs-

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Chaoticcrud
    Newest Member
    Chaoticcrud
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Diagnosed w Celiacs, but reacting to gluten-free Digiorno Pizza AND Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

      By trents · Posted

      As I suspected, xanthan gum is one of the ingredients. It is a polysaccharide used as a texturing agent in many gluten-free products. It's hard to digest and causes distress for many celiacs. I can't say for sure if that was the problem but you might be on the lookout for it in the future. Muscle spasms can be caused by magnesium deficiency. Are you taking any vitamin and mineral supplements? I mean some things more potent than a multivitamin?
    • Wheatwacked
      Gluten-Free Newbie

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Hello @Suze046 In the western world 40 to 60 percent are low or deficient in Vitamin D.  Malabsorption from Celiac Disease, avoidance of UV from the sun and seasonal variations can result in low vitamin D.  A simple 25(OH)D test will tell you your status.  Low vitamin D affects immune system, bone health, mental health.  I keep mine around 80 ng/ml (200 nmol/L). Choline has many functions in our body.  From the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine to fat digestion.  It is made by our bodies but in insufficient amount.  The major dietary source is from beef and eggs.  The RDA is 500 mg a day.  That would be equivelant to 3 eggs or 10 cups of cooked brocolli a day.  Choline is a significant portion of biliary phospholipids and is a crucial element for bile function.n.  I found taking Phosphatidly Choline capsules helps.  A homocysteine test can be indicative of choline deficiency.  Could we be overlooking a potential choline crisis in the United Kingdom? NIH Choline Fact Sheet Vitamin D Is Not as Toxic as Was Once Thought
    • annamarie6655
      Diagnosed w Celiacs, but reacting to gluten-free Digiorno Pizza AND Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

      By annamarie6655 · Posted

      @trents thank you so much for your response!  When i was diagnosed, I was exhibiting mainly joint pain, hair loss, bloating, and allodynia (painful feeling from non painful stimuli). The muscle spasms only started after diagnosis, and it seems to only happen when I am severely glutened. It’s only happened twice, but it definitely makes me nervous when it happens.    In regard to the pizza, thats what i saw after i got sick from it. I’m still trying to figure out how to switch to ALL certified gluten-free goods.    for the dressing, here is the ingredient list:  WATER, VEGETABLE OIL, VINEGAR, SUGAR, GARLIC, SALT, RED BELL PEPPER, ONION, CONCENTRATED LEMON JUICE, XANTHAN GUM, POTASSIUM SORBATE, HERBS, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA, MONOACETIN, SPICES. and the link: https://www.kraftheinz.com/en-CA/kraft/products/00068100903577-zesty-italian-salad-dressing  
    • trents
      Diagnosed w Celiacs, but reacting to gluten-free Digiorno Pizza AND Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @annamarie6655! Are the muscle spasms and joint aches a new pattern of reaction to gluten or have you experienced these in the past? Concerning DeGiorno's "gluten-free" pizza, we have had many reports from celiac.com members of gluten reactions from consuming this product. I believe it is one of those "gluten-free" products that is made from wheat (speaking of the crust component) that has been processed in such a way as to remove most of the gluten. The FDA regs allow food companies to use the claim "gluten-free" as long as the product contains no more than 20ppm of gluten. This works for most celiacs but not for those on the more sensitive end of the spectrum. There is another industry standard known as "Certified Gluten-Free" that is stricter, requiring no more than 10ppm of gluten. Certified Gluten-Free products use the "GFCO" logo. Concerning the salad dressing, could you list the ingredients in another post or link it? There are certain other ingredients besides gluten commonly used in gluten-free manufactured food items to give them acceptable textures that give a lot of celiacs problems. 
    • annamarie6655
      Diagnosed w Celiacs, but reacting to gluten-free Digiorno Pizza AND Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

      By annamarie6655 · Posted

      Hello, so I was diagnosed with Celiacs about 8 months ago. After being diagnosed, I have been trying very hard to maintain a completely gluten-free (and celiac safe) diet.  Two of the main times I had a huge reaction, it was from: - gluten-free Digiorno Pizza w Pepperoni - Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (this was in canada if that changes anything) Both are marked as gluten-free. Following eating these items, I had a severe bout of diarrhea, uncontrollable and heavy muscle spasms throughout my whole body, and aching throughout every joint.   If these are both gluten-free, why would I be reacting to them? Should I be worried about a separate allergy?  In regards to the muscle spasms, should I follow up with someone about that?
×
×
  • Create New...