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

Ended Up In Hospital Last Night Due To Eating Gluten After Being Gluten Free For 4 Weeks

beebs

Recommended Posts

beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted

I am not diagnosed with anything at this point and I am 24 weeks pregnant and after talking to some of the wonderful people on this site I decided to go gluten free so that I didn't harm the baby. I have a history of connective tissue disorder (not sure which one)GORD, I have dramatic weight loss, my mother is Celiac my grandfather was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 48yrs and both my kids have bad GI issues but noone can figure our what is wrong.

I planned on doing a gluten challenge after the baby was born and then getting the Endoscopy.

Anyhow - last night I went out to a lovely restuarant and after being gluten free for about a month I ate gluten. About 30 minutes after I finished eating my meal I felt awful. I basically ended up vomiting my guts up and then this agonising pain that comes and goes and feels colicky in my stomach started -above the belly button in the middle. Its similar to labour in a way as in the pain builds and then peaks and then subsides over and over. It feels like a vice has got my intestines and is squeezing them. Anyhow - I rang labour ward and told them and they told me to come in to be checked that it wasn't pregnancy related.

The pain is so intense that I can't breath and am curled up in the fetal position crying. It lasts for around 2 hours. Does that sound like it could be gluten - it just seems so full on.

If that is gluten then there is no way in hell I can every go through a gluten challenge and feel like that again. I have had it about 4 times in 18 months.

Does anyone else have similar symptoms.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Sure can relate. Although I don't vomit the pain you describe is quite familiar with a glutening. It comes for me in intesifying waves that are strong enough to break me out in a sweat and make me feel like I am going to faint. When the D hits me it last painfully for hours, usually about 5 to 7, and is accompanied by bleeding that continues for another 3 days, mildly. What you did was an accidental challenge, be sure to report the results to your doctor if they want you to do one on purpose for any reason. You now know you definately don't want to have gluten in your system. I hope you are feeling better today. Eat very blandly when you feel up to eating. For me Cream of Buckwheat cereal helps soothe my stomach and it has a fairly good amount of easily digestable protein as well as some carbs.

CarolinaKip Community Regular
CarolinaKip
Posted

I am not diagnosed with anything at this point and I am 24 weeks pregnant and after talking to some of the wonderful people on this site I decided to go gluten free so that I didn't harm the baby. I have a history of connective tissue disorder (not sure which one)GORD, I have dramatic weight loss, my mother is Celiac my grandfather was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 48yrs and both my kids have bad GI issues but noone can figure our what is wrong.

I planned on doing a gluten challenge after the baby was born and then getting the Endoscopy.

Anyhow - last night I went out to a lovely restuarant and after being gluten free for about a month I ate gluten. About 30 minutes after I finished eating my meal I felt awful. I basically ended up vomiting my guts up and then this agonising pain that comes and goes and feels colicky in my stomach started -above the belly button in the middle. Its similar to labour in a way as in the pain builds and then peaks and then subsides over and over. It feels like a vice has got my intestines and is squeezing them. Anyhow - I rang labour ward and told them and they told me to come in to be checked that it wasn't pregnancy related.

The pain is so intense that I can't breath and am curled up in the fetal position crying. It lasts for around 2 hours. Does that sound like it could be gluten - it just seems so full on.

If that is gluten then there is no way in hell I can every go through a gluten challenge and feel like that again. I have had it about 4 times in 18 months.

Does anyone else have similar symptoms.

I don't vomit, but I do get the intense waves of pain. It feels as you discribed " a vice has got my intestines and is squeezing" depending on how much I was CC or glutened, it last for two-three days for me. Yes, I can end up in a fetal position crying too! I also have brain fog and a headache. I don't get D until it's almost over.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

While that can certainly be a celiac response, since you are pregnant, it REALLY is important to rule out that it is not preterm labor. Please do go in to your doctor (or the ER, whichever is more appropriate now), and get evaluated. I'm not a fan of a lot of intereference in a pregnancy, but this is a good case for some!

JBaby Enthusiast
JBaby
Posted

Yes...to a "T". Had it last night. I get nauseated but dont vomit. Last time a few months ago i almost ended in ER. It was coming out both ends, my body temp escalated to the point i had to take my clothes off, the pain was riveting, couldnt breath. I seriusly thought I was going to die. My chest hurt like nothing else as if i was in a full body vice being squeezed. This was after I ate a new product that states gluten free but is processed in a facility that also produces products with wheat...Thai Kitchen Rice.

beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted
  • Author

Oh yeah - I went straight to the hospital to make sure it wasn't pre term labour. They said whatever it was it was not that.

Please don't take this the wrong way- but I am glad I am not the only one. This gluten stuff is so full on confusing and hard to diagnose. Drives me insane!

Thanks for your replies.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Oh yeah - I went straight to the hospital to make sure it wasn't pre term labour. They said whatever it was it was not that.

Please don't take this the wrong way- but I am glad I am not the only one. This gluten stuff is so full on confusing and hard to diagnose. Drives me insane!

Thanks for your replies.

Glad to hear you got checked out and I hope your feeling better today.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Marlie Apprentice
Marlie
Posted

My daughter's stomach pain is intense and she'll have her knees to her tummy. Glad it wasn't pregnancy related however feeling terrible on top of being pregnant is surely no fun. Hope you feel better soon.

beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted
  • Author

Sure can relate. Although I don't vomit the pain you describe is quite familiar with a glutening. It comes for me in intesifying waves that are strong enough to break me out in a sweat and make me feel like I am going to faint. When the D hits me it last painfully for hours, usually about 5 to 7, and is accompanied by bleeding that continues for another 3 days, mildly. What you did was an accidental challenge, be sure to report the results to your doctor if they want you to do one on purpose for any reason. You now know you definately don't want to have gluten in your system. I hope you are feeling better today. Eat very blandly when you feel up to eating. For me Cream of Buckwheat cereal helps soothe my stomach and it has a fairly good amount of easily digestable protein as well as some carbs.

Okay - I am in a big dilemma here. Because they do want to do an endo. It was put off because of my pregnancy - but by the time I give birth and am well enough I will have been gluten free for 6 months - thats long enough for a negative to show even if there was damage isn't it?

There are a couple of reasons they want to do it - they think that my esophagus may be damaged due to my Severe GERD, I get ulcers alot, Obviously the celiac thing as well, also my two kids are sick - they both handendoscopies recently my 4 year old has gastritis with no obvious cause, he also has malabsorption symptoms for over a year - he was neg for celiac. My 18 month old has GERD, Eosophagus ulcers, Gastritis, Duedonitis, haven't recieved the rest of the results yet (get them tomorrow) though I wouldn't be surprised if he was neg for celiac. Anyhow their Paed GI wants to see if anything shows up on my endo - because basically he has no idea what is going on with my boys - and he is one of the top celiac specialists in the city.

So this is my dilemma - I know I cannot go through a gluten challenge if I get that sick - I will have 4 kids to look after soon - so,should I

a) Get an endo now - whilst pregnant (it has been mentioned) before I have a chance to heal (assuming that it could be celiac)

b)or get one after the baby comes- without a gluten challenge - but then - whats the point you know?

Arrghhh!!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Your in a tough spot. How are you feeling on the diet? Is it helping? Blood work and biopsies both have high rates of false negatives so you need to keep that in mind. If you stay on the diet and it takes care of the problems you are having that is really an answer in itself. Kids have an even higher rate of false negatives than adults, when you are done with all testing for them that is celiac related there is no reason not to try the diet with them and see if it helps.

beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted
  • Author

Yeah - there is absolutely a difference on the diet.

I think I am just going to go gluten free and forget about the endo- gluten hurts too much!

Thanks for your help!

Your in a tough spot. How are you feeling on the diet? Is it helping? Blood work and biopsies both have high rates of false negatives so you need to keep that in mind. If you stay on the diet and it takes care of the problems you are having that is really an answer in itself. Kids have an even higher rate of false negatives than adults, when you are done with all testing for them that is celiac related there is no reason not to try the diet with them and see if it helps.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
:D Your tummy is not going to know whether you have that piece of paper or not.
beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted
  • Author

:D Your tummy is not going to know whether you have that piece of paper or not.

I know :lol:

I guess I just thought it might help my kids get a diag of something.

I had my 18 month old results back today. Non diagnostic from a celiac point of view - but he does have increased

lymphoplasmacytic lamina propria inflammation in the villi - which the Paed GI said can happen in Celiac before the Villi gets damaged? He also had GERD, Eosophagitis, Gastritis and duedonitis plus ulcers in is Esophagus. Poor little man - GI dr suggested going gluten free for him as we have nothing to lose at this point!

Ada-B Newbie
Ada-B
Posted

If I were you, I'd stay gluten-free until the baby is born. Then you can talk to your doctor about a gluten-challenge when your body isn't under quite so much stress, and you can do it with everyone knowing what you're up to and what you're doing, just in case things go horrible bad.

Provided you're gluten-free, I don't see that there is a hurry to diagnose celiacs just yet. Just my take on things, but that's what I'd do. FWIW I broke my foot in pregnancy and had to hobble around until the baby was born so I could have an x-ray! The things we mothers do for our kids!

beebs Enthusiast
beebs
Posted
  • Author

I won't be doing a gluten challenge - I am too scared to eat gluten agian ;)

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. klmgarland
      - klmgarland replied to klmgarland's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      2

      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      Thank you so very much Scott. Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful. If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to klmgarland's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      2

      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to ...
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      1

      My only proof

      It's very frustrating to be dismissed by medical professionals, especially when you are the one living with the reality of your condition every day. Having to be your own advocate and "fight" for a doctor who will listen is an exhausting burden that no one should have to carry. While that 1998 brochure is a crucial piece of your personal history, it's infuriating...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Colleen H's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      Methylprednisolone is sometimes prescribed for significant inflammation of the stomach and intestines, particularly for conditions like Crohn's disease, certain types of severe colitis, or autoimmune-related gastrointestinal inflammation. As a corticosteroid, it works by powerfully and quickly suppressing the immune system's inflammatory response. For many...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to ElenaM's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      I think I am gluten intolerant

      Based on what you've described, it is absolutely possible you are dealing with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. Your situation is a classic p...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,905
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Croissantl0v3r
    Newest Member
    Croissantl0v3r
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      Thank you so very much Scott.  Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful.  If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
    • Scott Adams
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to have to deal with such hyper-vigilance. The fact that you have made your entire home environment, from makeup to cleaners, gluten-free is a big achievement, but it's clear the external world and shared spaces remain a minefield. Considering Dapsone is a logical and often necessary step for many with DH to break the cycle of itching and allow the skin to heal while you continue your detective work; it is a powerful tool to give you back your quality of life and sleep. You are not failing; you are fighting an incredibly steep battle. For a more specific direction, connecting with a dedicated celiac support group (online or locally) can be invaluable, as members exchange the most current, real-world tips for avoiding cross-contamination that you simply won't find in a pamphlet. You have already done the hardest part by getting a correct diagnosis. Now, the community can help you navigate the rest. If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful as it offers various ways to relieve the itch:  
    • Scott Adams
      My only proof

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It's very frustrating to be dismissed by medical professionals, especially when you are the one living with the reality of your condition every day. Having to be your own advocate and "fight" for a doctor who will listen is an exhausting burden that no one should have to carry. While that 1998 brochure is a crucial piece of your personal history, it's infuriating that the medical system often requires more contemporary, formal documentation to take a condition seriously. It's a common and deeply unfair situation for those who were diagnosed decades ago, before current record-keeping and testing were standard. You are not alone in this struggle.
    • Scott Adams
      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Methylprednisolone is sometimes prescribed for significant inflammation of the stomach and intestines, particularly for conditions like Crohn's disease, certain types of severe colitis, or autoimmune-related gastrointestinal inflammation. As a corticosteroid, it works by powerfully and quickly suppressing the immune system's inflammatory response. For many people, it can be very effective at reducing inflammation and providing rapid relief from symptoms like pain, diarrhea, and bleeding, often serving as a short-term "rescue" treatment to bring a severe flare under control. However, experiences can vary, and its effectiveness depends heavily on the specific cause of the inflammation. It's also important to be aware that while it can work well, it comes with potential side effects, especially with longer-term use, so it's typically used for the shortest duration possible under close medical supervision. It's always best to discuss the potential benefits and risks specific to your situation with your gastroenterologist.
    • Scott Adams
      I think I am gluten intolerant

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Based on what you've described, it is absolutely possible you are dealing with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).  Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.   Your situation is a classic presentation: a negative celiac panel but a clear, recurring pattern of symptoms triggered by gluten. The symptoms you listed—particularly the extreme fatigue, bloating, neurological-psychiatric symptoms like depression and anxiety, and even the skin manifestations like facial flushing—are all well-documented in research on NCGS. It's important to know that you are not alone in experiencing this specific combination of physical and emotional reactions. The only way to know for sure is to commit to a strict, 100% gluten-free diet under the guidance of a doctor or dietitian for a period of several weeks to see if your symptoms significantly improve. It is also crucial to rule out other potential causes, so discussing these symptoms with a gastroenterologist is a very important next step.
×
×
  • 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.