Sister Tested For Allergies, Gluten Was One, What Does This Mean? Esp For Me With Ibs Symptoms

[crampy girl]

Hi there, does anybody out there know anything about this: My older sister said 15 yrs ago, she got really sick couldn't eat withoug throwing up, and stomach upset (she thinks it was diarrhea but she can't remember) lost a bunch of weight and went to several doctors. One of them had her test for allergies and gluten was one of them, I believe it was one of those skin tests that the allergists do. Anyway he told her to stop eating gluten and she did, and she got better. She cheats now and then. I have suffered since I was 18 or so after I had my first "episode" of what got labeled as Irritable bowel syndrome after I ate a box of ritz crackers. Here I am 25 years later and never having figured any of this out before. My symtoms started getting worse this summer to the point that I could not plan anything or commit to anything. My life was being ruled by the "attacks" of diarrhea, painful cramps that lasted 4 hours or so. Well, when I paid attention and noticed that I was getting my cramps after I ate cereal (even with lactaid milk- yes we both are lactose intolerant since our mid 20's), I stopped eating the cereal and got a tiny bit better, but when I decided to stop all breads and wheat foods, I felt so much better. I did have one bout about a week ago, it was after I drank starbucks frappacino light, and the night before ate campbells tomatoe cream soup and I was starting the P, and didn't get much sleep the night before, so I figure it was multifactorial. Anyway, does any one know if having a gluten allergy on a skin test means the same thing as this celiac thing? Also I can't drink wheat beers, I get facial swelling.

Thanks,

crampygirl.

[ravenwoodglass]

Celiac disease is not an allergy it is an intolerance. But that doesn't mean that folks can't have both. You really should get a celiac panel done before you go gluten free. If you suspect you also have an allergy to gluten or wheat you could also have allergy testing done but the celiac screening and the allergy tests are testing for different reactions.

[captaincrab55]

Anyway, does any one know if having a gluten allergy on a skin test means the same thing as this celiac thing? Also I can't drink wheat beers, I get facial swelling.

Thanks,

crampygirl.

Not an expert on this, but one can be skin tested for a wheat allergy, not glutten...

[kareng]

To confuse things more, many doctors call Celiac an allergy. Your sisters doc could have meant Celiac. My GI called it an allergy and I have seen several times on TV amd articles docs calling it an allergy. They may do that as its easier to understand.