Does Every Crumb Matter?

[tina a]

hello. i have recently been diagnosed as gluten intolerance as well as wheat and dairy. i have, in the past, been diagnosed as having IBS. so i figure gluten and food sensitivities were the problem all along.

i have been having hot flashes for about three years and was doing bio-identicals but then it seemed they stopped working so i went to a different doctor and one of her many tests was the food intolerance tests. it was through a blood test and the end result was gluten, wheat, dairy intolerance. so i'm thinking that is the reason for my hot flashes.

has anyone experienced hot flashes and constipation (not D) as symptoms of being glutened?

i do share a toaster as well as the other kitchen items with glutened things i am sure.

yes right now i am still experiencing those symptoms but could it be from something else? like would a few gluten crumbs still cause such a reaction in a non-celiac person?

[ravenwoodglass]

Yes it would matter if you are sharing a toaster. Get a dedicated one for your toast. My hot flashes are a thing of the past since I went gluten free, unless I get glutened. My OB/GYN even said I might get my period back also since I went through menopause really early but that didn't happen.

[K8ling]

Yes!!! EVERY CRUMB MATTERS!!! I get constipation followed by D after a few days when I get glutened. You need a separate toaster, and to watch out for cross contamination. You can get sick from one tiny crumb. I have gotten sick from my toddler before, he had a graham cracker at playgroup and then took a bite of my lunch when he got home. It was an eye opening experience.

I hope you feel better!

[missceliac2010]

As others have said, yes every crumb matters. I went out and bought myself a new toaster for my gluten-free breads. It only cost me $7 @ Target! My Mom sews, and she even made me a fabric cover to put over the toaster when not in use so that rogue crumbs from the gluten-laden toaster next to it would not get into the appliance. She was even kind enough to embroider the top with the words "Gluten Free!" She's a sweet lady! Anyway, I'm babbling! Bottom line, get yourself a new toaster. Your health is worth it! Good luck!

[GlutenFreeManna]

Yes, and not only crumbs you can see matter. The ones you can't see matter too. If you make a sandwich with regular bread for a family member, wash you hands really well before you touch any of your food or eat anything. If your spouse eats gluten, make them brush their teeth before kissing you. I got glutened once from taking a sip from my husband's water bottle on a hot day. He had been sampling gluten food all day long.

I have a question off topic for you: When you say you were diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" via a blood test, what blood test did they do? I thought there were only blood tests for celiac. I'm probably wrong, because I don't know much about the tests, but I'm just curious to know what your test was.

[cassP]

i was JUST thinking about this yesterday- over the last 5 years when i would binge on wheat- i noticed that i was even more heat sensitive than normal AND i would have to lower my AC a few degrees more than normal! there's discussions somewhere on this forum about people's celiac kids always taking their sheets off the bed, or rippin their socks off cause their hot... interesting.

and ya- back in 90s before i went on bloodtype diet (type O/caveman/no wheat): i was having the "D" everyday....

then, when i would cheat- i would get "D" & "C"... and last year when i binged on wheat for a week-> i had the world's worst "C" to ever have happened to anyone on earth! it was horrific.

[notme]

i keep messing up and tasting the kids' food to make sure it's not too hot. this is gonna take awhile to get used to.

[Janelee63]

Do you think the kids would notice if you put them on the gluten free stuff too? I would think it would be easier and probably healthier.

[K8ling]

Thats what I did, my toddler eats completely gluten-free when he is at home, the school tries to keep hi gluten-free with the food I send but occasionally he slips through the cracks by asking for a snack. It cut down majorly on my CC's and the toddler seems much happier AND healthier. It's a little more expensive but I am not always wondering why I am sick.

[notme]

Do you think the kids would notice if you put them on the gluten free stuff too? I would think it would be easier and probably healthier.

yes, ma'am! exactly what i thought, too they had potatoes (boiled w/kosher salt then browned a little in olive oil) and eggs (scrambled w/kosher salt n pepper) no milk, no cheese, no onions, no peppers, no nothing. can you tell i've had a rotten, rotten gut day lol. throwing out more food from the pantry. thinking of getting a tattoo: CELIAC. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FEED. if i had any doubt, i do not anymore. skipping the dairy for now, although i was fine eating a tomato broiled with parmesan cheese on it a few times last week?? no clue.

btw i let the 6 yr old help me make the eggs - he got the biggest kick out of it. shootfire, if i gotta cook simple things then i will have a sidekick i'll take the blessing for 500, alex...

[tina a]

I have a question off topic for you: When you say you were diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" via a blood test, what blood test did they do? I thought there were only blood tests for celiac. I'm probably wrong, because I don't know much about the tests, but I'm just curious to know what your test was.

[notme]

Thats what I did, my toddler eats completely gluten-free when he is at home, the school tries to keep hi gluten-free with the food I send but occasionally he slips through the cracks by asking for a snack. It cut down majorly on my CC's and the toddler seems much happier AND healthier. It's a little more expensive but I am not always wondering why I am sick.

it would be easier if they were our kids, but they are my grandbabies who live here with their mom (our daughter, who works nights - their daddy is a marine who is about to be deployed so they are kind of in limbo) our youngest (in college) also lives here and our son lives 5 blocks away with our other grandson and they are here alot. so i am not the only one getting them meals. mondays and tuesdays they are eating gluten free. probly thursdays and fridays too

[bluebonnet]

As others have said, yes every crumb matters. I went out and bought myself a new toaster for my gluten-free breads. It only cost me $7 @ Target! My Mom sews, and she even made me a fabric cover to put over the toaster when not in use so that rogue crumbs from the gluten-laden toaster next to it would not get into the appliance. She was even kind enough to embroider the top with the words "Gluten Free!" She's a sweet lady! Anyway, I'm babbling! Bottom line, get yourself a new toaster. Your health is worth it! Good luck!

that is so sweet! its awesome when family and friends "get it".

[ravenwoodglass]

I have a question off topic for you: When you say you were diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" via a blood test, what blood test did they do? I thought there were only blood tests for celiac. I'm probably wrong, because I don't know much about the tests, but I'm just curious to know what your test was.

well the dr just took my blood and tested it for iga's or something and the ones that were high i have an intolerance too. she also told me that i may have a high intolerance to wheat and since i kept eating it i became intolerant to a lot of other things-- like gluten, dairy, and even a little of strawberries. so i am hoping by cutting out gluten my other "intolerances" will go away. what do you think? tina

[anabananakins]

i do share a toaster as well as the other kitchen items with glutened things i am sure.

yes right now i am still experiencing those symptoms but could it be from something else? like would a few gluten crumbs still cause such a reaction in a non-celiac person?

Yes. I tested negative to celiac after a 3 month gluten challenge (gluten BINGE!) and I don't have the gene either. But once I went gluten free even a tiny bit would make me sick. Each time I've been 'glutened' it's been something tiny like crumbs, contaminated oil or the time I let my friend try some of my food using his gluten-y fork. I thought everyone here was more sensitive because they had celiac, but nope. If I mess up I get 2 hours grace (during which time I start feeling deathly tired) then crazy stomach pains and D. From something so small I never saw it.

[K8ling]

I totally understand the deployment issue, mine is about to deploy again. I have considered going to stay with family but 1)no one has room for us, and 2) I have a house/school/dog/cats and I love my independence. Also, the food thing played into it- constantly being cc'd is NOT my idea of fun lol.

I hope you find a solution, and tell your daughter to hang in there. This will be my husbands 8th tour of Iraq, and it never gets easier for me, just more routine.

[notme]

thank you! boy, I thought being a ''trucker's widow'' was rough but the most time my husband spent away in one shot was three weeks. she misses him terribly - we all do, he's a great 'kid' lol. God bless you, eight deployments! where is he out of? our oldest daughter and *brand new* son-in-law are in the air force. she is in japan right now but her base is in new mexico. she went to iraq (balad) last year. I worried but not like they let them leave the base. she did korea the year before. you get used to it, I guess :/

[K8ling]

We are based in Georgia right now, but waiting for a PCS when my husbands platform changes. He deploys to Iraq and is Air Force as well. Unfortunately, they DO let them go off base at pretty much every base. My husband has brought back all kinds of odd pictures and little presents for the kid. He will be headed to Afghanistan next year which complicates my life further because I have to be EXTREMELY careful when he is deployed to not get CC'd or accidentally eat something that could make me sick (I have a 2 year old). There is no one here to take care of him if I get sick so...I just can't get sick lol.

Like I said, it never gets easier, just more routine.

[Aphreal]

Shesh I never even thought of that! I am always making gluten items for the family and never thought of immediately washing my hands. I would make a hotdog in bun then turn around and make my lettuce wrap.

*sigh* I also toast my gluten-free waffles and toast sticks in the family toaster and wonder why I get (D) when I know I was gluten-free!

My kids are too old for me to try the switcharoo. they are always sticking their nose up at anything out of their ordinary. Plus with 4 kids, there is no way I can afford that. I am barely able to afford my own gluten-free stuff.