Jump to content

  • 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

Does More Gluten Consumed Mean Longer Duration Of Symptoms?

bridgetm

By bridgetm
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

bridgetm Enthusiast
bridgetm
Posted

My mom bought me a new cereal on Monday which looked to be gluten-free (as in no gluten ingredients used), but I saw that it was not expressly labeled gluten-free and contained oat flour. Normally I avoid such things ("Mom, it's all yours; enjoy") but my choices were this cereal (Mother's Cocoa Bumpers), Corn Chex, or a hot breakfast from the stove. I do just fine with Chex so it's always in the house, but... it's always in the house and sometimes I just can't eat anymore. It was a hot and sticky morning so I did not want to stand at the stove for eggs or Udi's french toast. My choices were leftover rice or the cocoa cereal and in my infinite wisdom... Guess which I picked???

I ate that stuff for breakfast 3 days in a row and once for an afternoon snack. On the evening of day 2 I noticed some more inflammation that usual and some cramping-like abdominal pain. At first I assumed it to be connected to my looming period... no joy. Symptoms worsened. Morning of day 4 I take a closer look at the label (I looked at it everytime I poured but never noticed anything new) and finally caught the fine print; "Manufactured by Quaker Oats Co." Ah... oops... The words oats, CC, conveyor belt, etc spun through my head and I poured some Chex instead. By then of course it was too late.

I've been gluten-free for over 4 months (and now also dairy-, soy- and HFCS-free) and my glutening symptoms have been consistent: 2-3 days of D, followed by 2-3 days of C and noticable improvement of inflammation with each day. However, this time I'm on day 3 of diahrrea and the progression looks like it may be another day or two (or three or four) before I move on to C. I am hoping that this long process is due to the duration over which I consumed the cereal, but I also worry that there may be another food or two I could be reacting to. My food diary points to the cereal as the most likely factor though, unless after consuming so many bananas this summer my body is finally saying enough.

Has anyone else noticed a longer duration of symptoms after a few days of eating the same gluten-containing food???

I would swallow my rice and water and roll with it, taking the punishment for my idiocy, but I'm moving back to campus on Tuesday to help out with soccer training camp which means hours on the practice field or in the gym each day. I don't want to be in pain or worried about my bowels out there.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

Has anyone else noticed a longer duration of symptoms after a few days of eating the same gluten-containing food???

What an awful experience! I have noticed that consuming a higher quantity of gluten means that the symptoms are more intense, but not of a longer duration.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Sorry to hear you're sick. I'm different from Lucia. I do get longer-lasting symptoms with more gluten. The D lasts longer for me and the resulting stomachache lasts a few days.

I find Immodium very helpful for the D. Is that something you can take?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I get more violently ill if I happen to consume a large amount but the length of time I am sick is the same. If you have to take immodium because you have to be out of the house that will stop the D but I avoid it as I want gluten out of my system and hesitate to take anything that will slow it's progress out of my body. I do find Pepto Bismal liquid to help with stomach pain but it doesn't stop the D so that is what I use.

bridgetm Enthusiast
bridgetm
Posted
  • Author

I considered Immodium this morning and found we were out; I will probably pick some up before going back to campus. I'll give Pepto a try too.

Another possibility I've been considering is GERD. Sorry if this is TMI but the D is usually very loose and yellowish and seems to occur shortly after eating. I read that this can be attributed to either GERD or a stomach virus; I have no idea where I would have picked up a virus (I ate Pad Thai from Noodles & Co the other day but my mom had the same thing and is having no problem) so I'm leaning towards GERD. I have also been getting heartburn more than usual.

Does anyone know if GERD can be exacerbated by gluten?

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

I'm sure if you have any kind of a food allergy, other digestive food problems can be aggravated by it. Loose and yellow also could be yOur gallbladder. I have found that I can tolerate very small amounts but it builds up in my system to a HUGE sick filled day :(

I hope you feel better!!

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Does anyone know if GERD can be exacerbated by gluten?

Yep. Just about anything related to your GI tract can be exacerbated by gluten.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


precious831 Contributor
precious831
Posted

More gluten for me equals much worse symptoms but the duration seems to be the same. Feel better soon!

bridgetm Enthusiast
bridgetm
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your replies. I can always find some sanity here when nothing makes sense.

I am beginning to feel better. I was actually hungry for breakfast today for the first time this week so at least the glutening symptoms are receding. I think I'm going to go back to a morning preventative Prilosec for a while to calm down the reflux problems.

Thank you again :)

precious831 Contributor
precious831
Posted

I get heartburn if I get glutened.

Just thought I'd share before I was diagnosed I had severe GERD and was on Prilosec too. I was on it for a long time. If you're trying to quit, please don't do it cold turkey. Imagine a damn being shut down, but having removed the Prilosec it's just completely open and the water just rushes in. That's the analogy for the acid, so if you want to quit, try to taper it down, don't quit cold turkey. These drugs are very powerful. Trust me I tried many times before and couldn't quit, by the 3rd day I wanted to die, the reflux was so severe. However I tapered it down and by the 2nd month I felt everything was normal. BTW my GI says the same thing about the not quitting PPIs cold turkey.

HTH.

bridgetm Enthusiast
bridgetm
Posted
  • Author

I get heartburn if I get glutened.

Just thought I'd share before I was diagnosed I had severe GERD and was on Prilosec too. I was on it for a long time. If you're trying to quit, please don't do it cold turkey. Imagine a damn being shut down, but having removed the Prilosec it's just completely open and the water just rushes in. That's the analogy for the acid, so if you want to quit, try to taper it down, don't quit cold turkey. These drugs are very powerful. Trust me I tried many times before and couldn't quit, by the 3rd day I wanted to die, the reflux was so severe. However I tapered it down and by the 2nd month I felt everything was normal. BTW my GI says the same thing about the not quitting PPIs cold turkey.

HTH.

That is good to know; thank you! My doctor didn't say anything about that. I'll be more careful next time.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. SusanJ
      - SusanJ replied to Jillian83's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      5

      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      Two months ago, I started taking Dupixent for dermatitis herpetiformis and it has completely cleared it up. I can't believe it! I have had a terrible painful, intensely itchy rash for over a year despite going fully gluten-free. See if your doctor will prescribe Dupixent. It can be expensive but I am getting it free. When the dermatitis herpetiformis was...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to tiffanygosci's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      13

      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      @tiffanygosci, Thiamine deficiency is a thing in pregnancy for "normal" people, so it's exponentially more important for those with celiac disease and malabsorption issues. I studied nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology because I was curious what the vitamins were doing inside the body. See my blog. Click on my name to go to my page...
    3. tiffanygosci
      - tiffanygosci replied to tiffanygosci's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      13

      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      Thank you for sharing all of this, Knitty Kitty! I did just want someone to share some commonality with. I did not know This one Deficiency was a thing and that it's common for Celiac Disease. It makes sense since this is a disorder that causes malabsorption. I will have to keep this in mind for my next appointments. You also just spurred me on to make that...
    4. RMJ
      - RMJ replied to Riley.'s topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      4

      Outgrow celiac?

      I think your initial idea, eat gluten and be tested, was excellent. Now you have fear of that testing, but isn’t there also a fear each time you eat gluten that you’re injuring your body? Possibly affecting future fertility, bone health and more? Wouldn’t it be better to know for sure one way or the other? If you test negative, then you celebrate and g...
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Riley.'s topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      4

      Outgrow celiac?

      @Riley., Welcome to the forum, but don't do it! Don't continue to eat gluten! The health problems that will come if you continue to eat gluten are not worth it. Problems may not show up for years, but the constant inflammation and nutritional losses will manifest eventually. There's many of us oldsters on the forum who wish they'd been diagnosed...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,980
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Cathal Brugha
    Newest Member
    Cathal Brugha
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • SusanJ
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By SusanJ · Posted

      Two months ago, I started taking Dupixent for dermatitis herpetiformis and it has completely cleared it up. I can't believe it! I have had a terrible painful, intensely itchy rash for over a year despite going fully gluten-free. See if your doctor will prescribe Dupixent. It can be expensive but I am getting it free. When the dermatitis herpetiformis was bad I could not do anything. I just lay in bed covered in ice packs to ease the pain/itching and using way too Clobetasol. Dapsone is also very good for dermatitis herpetiformis (and it is generic). It helped me and the results were immediate but it gave me severe anemia so the Dupixent is better for me. Not sure if it works for everyone. I cannot help with the cause of your stress but from experience I am sure the severe stress is making the celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis worse. Very difficult for you with having children to care for and you being so sick. Would this man be willing to see a family therapist with you? He may be angry at you or imagine that your illness is a psychosomatic excuse not to take care of him. A therapist might help even if he won't go with you. Also do you have any family that you could move in with (with the kids) for a short time to get away? A break may be good for you both.
    • knitty kitty
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @tiffanygosci, Thiamine deficiency is a thing in pregnancy for "normal" people, so it's exponentially more important for those with celiac disease and malabsorption issues. I studied nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology because I was curious what the vitamins were doing inside the body.  See my blog.  Click on my name to go to my page, scroll to drop down menu "activities" and select blog.   So glad you're motivated to see the dietician!  We're always happy to help with questions.  Keep us posted on your progress! 
    • tiffanygosci
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By tiffanygosci · Posted

      Thank you for sharing all of this, Knitty Kitty! I did just want someone to share some commonality with. I did not know This one Deficiency was a thing and that it's common for Celiac Disease. It makes sense since this is a disorder that causes malabsorption. I will have to keep this in mind for my next appointments. You also just spurred me on to make that Dietician appointment. There's a lot of information online but I do need to see a professional. There is too much to juggle on my own with this condition.<3
    • RMJ
      Outgrow celiac?

      By RMJ · Posted

      I think your initial idea, eat gluten and be tested, was excellent. Now you have fear of that testing, but isn’t there also a fear each time you eat gluten that you’re injuring your body? Possibly affecting future fertility, bone health and more? Wouldn’t it be better to know for sure one way or the other? If you test negative, then you celebrate and get tested occasionally to make sure the tests don’t turn positive again. If you test positive, of course the recommendation from me and others is to stop gluten entirely.  But if you’re unable to convince yourself to do that, could a positive test at least convince you to minimize your gluten consumption?  Immune reactions are generally what is called dose response, the bigger the dose, the bigger the response (in this case, damage to your intestines and body). So while I am NOT saying you should eat any gluten with a positive test, the less the better.  
    • knitty kitty
      Outgrow celiac?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Riley., Welcome to the forum, but don't do it!  Don't continue to eat gluten!  The health problems that will come if you continue to eat gluten are not worth it.  Problems may not show up for years, but the constant inflammation and nutritional losses will manifest eventually.  There's many of us oldsters on the forum who wish they'd been diagnosed as early.    Fertility problems, gallbladder removal, diabetes, osteoporosis and mental health challenges are future health issues you are toying with.   To dispel fear, learn more about what you are afraid of.  Be proactive.  Start or join a Celiac group in your area.  Learn about vitamins and nutrition.   Has your mother been checked for Celiac?  It's inherited.  She may be influencing you to eat gluten as a denial of her own symptoms.  Don't let friends and family sway you away from the gluten-free diet.  You know your path.  Stick to it.  Be brave. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.