Why Does This Happen?

[waterlily-]

Why is it that one day I can eat like, two chocolate chip cookies and not get sick and the next day I do? That also goes for oatmeal, powdered milk, coffee, milk, cheese, bread, pancakes, waffles, etc. So I said enough of this and went gluten-free completely. But I'm still wondering, why does this happen?? How can something give me chest pains and make me sick one day and not the next? Is my internal system just really out of whack or what?

[ravenwoodglass]

For many of us symptoms can come and go at first. In addition some have delayed reactions from gluten so we may not react to something we ate for a day or two.

[Jestgar]

There can be a threshold effect so that you don't get symptoms unless you've consumed a certain amount over a certain period of time.

The rate at which the wheat is digested and the antigenic peptides exposed to your intestine will vary depending on what you ate the previous meal and what you've eaten with the gluten this time.

Absorption/exposure can also be affected by hormones, alcohol, medications, etc.

[fullofhope19]

Why is it that one day I can eat like, two chocolate chip cookies and not get sick and the next day I do? That also goes for oatmeal, powdered milk, coffee, milk, cheese, bread, pancakes, waffles, etc. So I said enough of this and went gluten-free completely. But I'm still wondering, why does this happen?? How can something give me chest pains and make me sick one day and not the next? Is my internal system just really out of whack or what?

Okay I was wondering the same thing. We have been doing a LOT of renovations on our house and so dinner has not been something I wanted to cook. I ate at Hardee's and had their Big Chicken Sandwich fully expecting to get really sick. To my shock I didn't. The next day still nothing so I didn't even get a delayed reaction to my gluten. So the next day I tried it again. Nothing. I was really getting confused so I tried it a third day in a row and boom! Pain and symptoms. So I think it has to do with the fact I have followed a gluten free diet to a T for over a year now. So I guess my body healed up enough to be able to handle an occasional gluten eating. I have since tried it off and on a few weeks now and if I just surround the meal with days of eating gluten free and just for one meal, if it is for dinner, I seem to be able to tolerate the gluten. However, I still worry because I hear gluten intolerance or sensitivity can lead to full blown celiac disease which I do no have yet.

I do know I am MUCH better when I follow a gluten free diet, but I am still confused as to why I can have gluten every so often. Strange!

[waterlily-]

Interesting. Thanks guys! :]