Sometimes It's Like Being A Detective....

[kristianne75]

I am so frustrated right now I could scream. I was glutened this past weekend, and I can not figure out where. The first sign that hits me is my skin, it gets red and itchy, and from there the joint aches, brain fog, etc. continues on....So I know that's what the problem is, and I can not figure it out. I have been racking my brain for 2 days trying to track it down. I thought it was antibiotics I was on for a sinus infection, but googling it proved me wrong. I have no clue from here. I will gladly avoid all of the things I used to enjoy if it will keep me healthy, but when things are so hidden...Ugh! It is so frustrating!

[mommida]

Are you sure that you weren't given a generic version of the antibiotic?

In the begining of gluten free life, we must have had a contaminated bottle of vanilla. It was driving me crazy trying to find out where the cross contamination was coming from. I went over every ingredient for every recipe and had to note which pot or pan was used for what we were eating and narrowed it done to the vanilla.

[bridgetm]

I have taken to calling unknown symptom-causing gluten sources the "unsub" as in Unidentified Suspect... Maybe a sign of too much time in front of the TV.

A full-blown gluten reaction is usually easy to trace for me, but when minor symptoms pop up from cross-contamination or maybe foods my stomach just isn't ready for yet, I agree that there is a lot of detective work. I end up scrutinizing my food diary, cross-referencing previous experiences. I usually label the time of onset of major symptoms in that book so I can go off of past experience and expand the search from there.

Often the cause of minor symptoms is something I never even considered and that can be very frustrating. In the spring I used a sunblock containing tocopherols. I was only a few months in and didn't know to watch for them. It took me a week to connect that sunscreen to my stomach symptoms and a flare-up of a rash (later ID'd as DH) on my arms which had improved after a week of gluten-free; it all clicked when I picked up a water bottle I had used that day and found a greasy hand print on the side and cap, not a stretch to assume it also ended up on the lip of the bottle. The sunblock was past its expiration date anyway so there was no buyer's remorse when I tossed it in the trash.

[GFinDC]

It's exactly like being a detective, a food detective. The detecting work is easier if you narrow down the list of food suspects. So, for example, you could eat simple, whole foods meals, with limited spices and cook them yourself at home. Wash your produce before cooking. Pretty soon the list of suspects will be reduced to you as the cook and whatever you put in your meals. Knowing those meal ingredients goes a long ways towards solving the mystery. And a classic detective technique works also, separate the suspects into different rooms. So eliminate foods (suspects) for a week that might be causing problems, then add them back for a week and see if they actually do cause problems. This works best if you are eating a small list of foods to begin with, say 5 or so.

Remember everyone is a suspect, so no foods/drinks, meds/vitamins that enter your mouth are above suspicion. They all need to be examined, sometimes several times over if there is any doubt. This is where a bright, naked light bulb in a loose swinging fixture comes in handy. Don't let them fool you either, they can always come back later as new food intolerances. Keeping a food journal can help, as they can change their story later but you can catch them at it.

[gabby]

Have you checked non-food items? I noticed that whenever it rained I would feel slightly glutened. Then one day I realized that someone in our household was eating gobs of gluteny foods and then using my UMBRELLA, which I would use later, holding the handle with my bare hands, and then happily eating my snacks with my bare hands. (note: it took me about 4 years to figure this one out).

[kristianne75]

You guys are so right, I have to totally retrace my steps and think outside the box a little here. Thanks for some good advice about things and for understanding the issues! No one else does.......

[Leah Banicki]

I have taken to calling unknown symptom-causing gluten sources the "unsub" as in Unidentified Suspect... Maybe a sign of too much time in front of the TV.

A full-blown gluten reaction is usually easy to trace for me, but when minor symptoms pop up from cross-contamination or maybe foods my stomach just isn't ready for yet, I agree that there is a lot of detective work. I end up scrutinizing my food diary, cross-referencing previous experiences. I usually label the time of onset of major symptoms in that book so I can go off of past experience and expand the search from there.

Often the cause of minor symptoms is something I never even considered and that can be very frustrating. In the spring I used a sunblock containing tocopherols. I was only a few months in and didn't know to watch for them. It took me a week to connect that sunscreen to my stomach symptoms and a flare-up of a rash (later ID'd as DH) on my arms which had improved after a week of gluten-free; it all clicked when I picked up a water bottle I had used that day and found a greasy hand print on the side and cap, not a stretch to assume it also ended up on the lip of the bottle. The sunblock was past its expiration date anyway so there was no buyer's remorse when I tossed it in the trash.

Love the 'unsub' line.