Gluten Or Flu

[adab8ca]

Soooooooooooo, I am having a debate with my husband and family. I have never had GI symptoms with celiac before I was diagnosed except weight loss and poor appetite...But no D or C or pain or bloating or anything. I am gluten-free since August. Last Wed. I licked a spoon that I used to spread almond butter on an english muffin for my husband. OK, stupid but how much could I have ingested??? I have been SO sick since then. Nerve pain, joint pain, D, nausea etc. My husband said it is impossible to be sick for this long and that it must be the flu. I have never heard of a stomach flu to go relentless and unchanging for 6 days. Since I have not had this type of reaction EVER with the GI stuff, he doesn't buy it.

It doesn't really matter the cause, but ick ick ick. I feel horrendous but I am thinking that many of us have reactions that are a) different than expected and lasting for a long time.

He threatened to take me to the hospital but I think I need to ride this out.

[Lisa]

If it were me, I would revisit everything I came in contact with. Keep a food log to include vitamins, lotions, lipsticks, shampoo.....

[Tigercat17]

I'm so sorry you're feeling so bad. I second what Lisa said. I really suspect this is a gluten reaction. When we remove gluten from our diets we become more sensitive to it and sometimes start to have different reactions. I would double check everything -vitamins, beauty products, mouth wash, gluten free processed foods and medicines. A food journal is so helpful. Maybe you're getting some cross contamination somewhere else besides the English muffin. Also, an immune response to gluten could last for two weeks, so it might just be the muffin, but it's a good idea to recheck everything again anyway. I hope you have a separate toaster for your gluten free bread and have a separate butter, jelly and peanut butter. It sounds like you have gluten in your kitchen, so you have to be extra-extra careful about cross contamination. Hang in there! I hope you feel better soon!

[adab8ca]

THanks!

I have been basically eating NO processed foods nor grains

The gluten in my kitchen is literally englush muffins and the occasional sandwich bread. I have separate toaster (but am not even really eating bread at all). Nothing else has changed, it was only the stupid spoon and the reaction started that day.

Slowly feeling better but still very very nauseous and dehydrated

[Kit Kellison]

Licking a butter knife would be plenty to make me sick for weeks. There's a huge variability among us as to the length of time the inflammation caused by a gluten ingestion will be evident, from days to months. In addition, it can trigger other autoimmune responses that will produce more inflammation that can make you feel generally ill.

There are a lot of foods that are said to be inflammatory, like green leafy foods, fruits and vegies (as long as you're not sensitive or allergic), red wine, green tea, fish oil... With some luck they'll contribute to calming down your response a bit. Yoga is actually helpful if you can do it.

And if you do judge yourself to be this sensitive, you might consider keeping your kitchen gluten-free. I don't even like the idea of preparing food around where a gluten-laden rag has wiped, and I would worry about the dishwasher spreading gluten on to my plate. Not everyone has a mate as supportive as mine, but it is such a relief for me to know that my home isn't going to challenge my health. Best of luck to you, I hope you feel better soon!

[tarnalberry]

There are a lot of foods that are said to be inflammatory, like green leafy foods, fruits and vegies (as long as you're not sensitive or allergic), red wine, green tea, fish oil... With some luck they'll contribute to calming down your response a bit. Yoga is actually helpful if you can do it.

I suspect, from the context, this was meant to be "There are a lot of foods that are said to be ANTI-inflammatory..."

[adab8ca]

I suspect, from the context, this was meant to be "There are a lot of foods that are said to be ANTI-inflammatory..."

That's how I took it

Thanks for all your thoughts. I showed this to my husband who declared that he was getting a hot plate and moving to the basement! We have so little gluten in the house but I think he would be amenable to dropping it. It may also explain recently when I have felt "unwell" and couldn't pin point the cause. I bet it was a time I ate something suspect.

It's funny when you see references to Celiac in the media and it sounds like stopping gluten and all will be well and you will be thin and feel fantastic but in reality, many of us just feel "OK" and GOD forbid you eat a crumb, it cans set you back weeks or months and you will feel like you are dying. DOn't even get started on other food intolerances. IN some ways I feel worse than before I was diagnosed except of course, the crushing anxiety and suicidal depression is not there. But I ache from head to toe, bones, joints and nerves. Guts. I just want to get on with it!

[Tigercat17]

That's how I took it

Thanks for all your thoughts. I showed this to my husband who declared that he was getting a hot plate and moving to the basement! We have so little gluten in the house but I think he would be amenable to dropping it. It may also explain recently when I have felt "unwell" and couldn't pin point the cause. I bet it was a time I ate something suspect.

It's funny when you see references to Celiac in the media and it sounds like stopping gluten and all will be well and you will be thin and feel fantastic but in reality, many of us just feel "OK" and GOD forbid you eat a crumb, it cans set you back weeks or months and you will feel like you are dying. DOn't even get started on other food intolerances. IN some ways I feel worse than before I was diagnosed except of course, the crushing anxiety and suicidal depression is not there. But I ache from head to toe, bones, joints and nerves. Guts. I just want to get on with it!

It really would be a good idea to have a completely gluten free kitchen. I hate to tell anyone how to run their household, but it sounds like you're really sensitive and you don't want to feel sick wondering where it came from all the time. I know if I had any gluten in my house I would be a basket case with all that you have to think about and then I'd be sick constantly. My husband is very supportive, but it's a little different when you're the one that really has to think about every little thing you put in your mouth and then get sick from a crumb of bread floating around.

You can always substitute the English Muffins for some Udi's Bagels. I just bought these for my hubby. They're a little expensive, but he said they tasted better than regular bagels! Good Luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!

[T.H.]

So sorry it zapped you so badly! My friend's little 2 year old just shared a straw one time with her, when she'd eaten a burger earlier, and THAT got him. It's bizarre to realize it can be so little and do so much damage, yeah?

My daughter would sympathize with the change in symptoms, though. Before going gluten-free, she didn't even have gut issues at all! She was tired a lot and would feel more anxious and such. She's been gluten free now for a little over a year, and now when she gets glutened, she gets feverish for a couple days, extreme gut pain and nausea and, if the last two times were anything to go by, vomiting too. Joint pain that lasts for days. Massive panic attacks that are so bad she'll sob hysterically for hours and hours and scares the crap out of me because she sounds practically suicidal.

so, yeah....the reactions can DEFINITELY change over time.