Ok, I'm Getting Really Freaked Out!

[jeslk]

I've been doing a lot of reading on this forum over the past two days, and I'm starting to get really freaked out about getting "glutened.". At first I wasn't worried at all because I don't have any outward symptoms, but now I've come across several posts indicating that even a crumb can cause damage!

I mean, is it really true that coming into contact with just trace amounts can negate all of the other gluten free time I've done? Hearing about reduced life spans and the like - it's really hitting home how much gluten really is a poison for us. I'm actually hoping I do start to show symptoms so that I'll know. Otherwise, my doctor suggested that I need to be even more "borderline paranoid" about coming into contact with gluten.

Plastic bubble, anyone?

[hnybny91]

Sadly you do have to be a little paranoid. My DD's birthday was the other day and she wanted grilled cheese sandwiches for her birthday. She is gluten free like me so I grilled hers on the George Foreman grill and then made her boyfriend some mini quesadillas on the same grill. I wiped the grill with a sponge and then made mine with gluten free bread. I got glutened because I did not thoroughly wash the grill pan after boyfriends

[Fire Fairy]

I got glutenated from a scratched no-stick skillet. And I got glutenated from invisible crumbs in grape jelly. You see since I live with gluten eaters I didn't toss the old jelly I just bought new, unfortunately the jellys got switched round. I also think I might have gotten sick from ingesting some nail polish. I had some polish that literally wore off over a day. And I now know my top coat had gluten in it.

To quote Alister Mad Eye Moody (Harry Potter) "Constant Vigilance." (I might have to make that quote part of my signature. )

[jeslk]

Wow, it really is crazy, huh? So I guess what I don't understand is whether or not gluten is effecting me the same way, even if I don't get the outward reaction . . . I keep get g mixed messages, since I see some people saying that you have to figure out what your tolerance is.

Is there such a thing as gluten tolerance for someone with celiac?

[Lori2]

I'm actually hoping I do start to show symptoms so that I'll know. Otherwise, my doctor suggested that I need to be even more "borderline paranoid" about coming into contact with gluten.

Actually, aren't you showing symptoms? Your signature says you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and thyroid cancer. According to Dr. Green (Columbia Celiac Center) in his book, Celiac Disease A Hidden Epidemic, he states that thyroid cancer is 22 times more prevelant in a celiac than in the general population. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is 9 times more prevelant. Somehow, I guess my diarrhea, gas and cramps aren't too bad after all.

[jeslk]

Actually, aren't you showing symptoms? Your signature says you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and thyroid cancer. According to Dr. Green (Columbia Celiac Center) in his book, Celiac Disease A Hidden Epidemic, he states that thyroid cancer is 22 times more prevelant in a celiac than in the general population. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is 9 times more prevelant. Somehow, I guess my diarrhea, gas and cramps aren't too bad after all.

Yes, I meant immediate symptoms of being glutened. It's precisely because of the two cancers that I am concerned I won't know if I'm accidentally ingesting gluten and causing more damage.