Newly Diagnosed

[navigator]

Hi from Scotland. I was diagnosed yesterday and just trying to get my head round everything. I'm okay (I think) with foodstuff but I'm trying to figure out my cosmetics, skincare etc. I've already discovered that my cleanser, toner and exfolliant have gluten in them. Does anyone know if Estee Lauder and Bobbi Brown cosmetics are gluten free? How much do I have to do in my home to prevent cross-contammination?

[NateJ]

Hi from Scotland. I was diagnosed yesterday and just trying to get my head round everything. I'm okay (I think) with foodstuff but I'm trying to figure out my cosmetics, skincare etc. I've already discovered that my cleanser, toner and exfolliant have gluten in them. Does anyone know if Estee Lauder and Bobbi Brown cosmetics are gluten free? How much do I have to do in my home to prevent cross-contammination?

Welcome!

you will probably get a load of different opinions here, but your best bet is to call the manufacturers. You will get all kinds of different legal sounding answers but usually what I do is if the manufactures says anything besides "Yes our product is gluten free and we test it" I will throw it out and try something else.

I'm not sure what the laws are in the UK but here in the US we don't have a standard for gluten-free labeling yet.

There are some groups trying to push it through and some manufacturers have taken it on themselves to label products as safe

or list known allergens (probably more to protect themselves from lawsuits, than to help a consumer) but unless a product says gluten-free on it or i can get a straight answer from the people who make it , i won't buy it.

beware of phrases like natural ingredients, or natural flavors. That can mean anything I have learned.

[navigator]

Thanks for your reply. Foodstuff is okay as even if it doesn't display the gluten free or contains gluten prominent label the ingredients are easy to understand. However, cosmetics are covered by different legislation and although they list ingredients, gluten tends to be'hidden' under chemical names rather than strightforward wheat, rye, barley etc. From what I'm picking up on the net the U.K. position is that it's only about ingesting foods whereas the USA position seems to be also about absorption and covers much more than food. As I'm 53 and my medical history suggest that I've had coeliac for a number of years I don't want to take the risk that it's only about food. So glad that I found this site.

[rdunbar]

Thanks for your reply. Foodstuff is okay as even if it doesn't display the gluten free or contains gluten prominent label the ingredients are easy to understand. However, cosmetics are covered by different legislation and although they list ingredients, gluten tends to be'hidden' under chemical names rather than strightforward wheat, rye, barley etc. From what I'm picking up on the net the U.K. position is that it's only about ingesting foods whereas the USA position seems to be also about absorption and covers much more than food. As I'm 53 and my medical history suggest that I've had coeliac for a number of years I don't want to take the risk that it's only about food. So glad that I found this site.

if you are just beginning the healing process, i think it's best to be ridiculously careful about avoiding even the faintest hint of gluten in your life.

since the damage is coming from your immune system creating antibodies, you have to stop it from doing so to give yourself a chance to heal, and that only happens if it doesn't sense the presence of gluten in your system, so yes, you do need to be vigilant about trace amounts from cross contamination, and body care products.

there are heaps of ingrediants that can have gluten in them, or be contaminated by it, but you may not know, so i believe its better to be safe, and not take chances by eating anything processed and packaged. just meat, veggies, and fruit, olive oil, cocunut oil.

it takes getting used to, but when you adjust to it, it's a really enjoyable, and rewarding way to live!

[Karla01]

Hello, I can tell you estee lauder does have some products with gluten, the lipstick I wore actually listed wheat in the ingredients. I switched to lancome for my lipstick which is gluten free, I call the manufacturers also. I dont really pay to much attention to eyeshadow , or eye makeup because I am not eating it. I do pay attention to shampoos and conditioners because there is a chance I could ingest in the shower. I also pay attention to hand lotion because pf possible ingestion. I was diagnosed in August 2010, and I too had for a very long time. Good luck to you.

[navigator]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. My daughter was diagnosed two years ago and I had thought that I was knowledgable on this but as she was married when she was diagnosed I now realise that there are all sorts of daily living stuff of which I was unaware. I had no idea the mine field that bodycare products are. Between having a long chat with her yesterday and the advice on this forum, the shell shocked feeling has gone. I'd only gone to get tested to stop her nagging me and I genuinely was convinced that I only had a problem with wheat. Prior to diagnose my daughter was extremely thin and I mistakenly thought that before diagnosis all coeliacs were like this. I on the other hand have always had a struggle with being overweight.

My G.P. (doctor) has referred me for a bone density test. Have you all had one of these?

[cahill]

My G.P. (doctor) has referred me for a bone density test. Have you all had one of these?

Yes I had a DEXA scan last fall, it showed osteoporosis in my spine.I am 54. The test its self is one of the easiest ones I have ever done, no prep , no needles.

[navigator]

Yes I had a DEXA scan last fall, it showed osteoporosis in my spine.I am 54. The test its self is one of the easiest ones I have ever done, no prep , no needles.

Good to hear the test is easy. but what about your diagnosis? Can the process be slowed/stopped by medication? How much does the osteoporosis impact on your daily life? I have joint pains and was given a clinical diagnosis of arthritis twenty years ago. However, as no tests or x-rays were taken I'm beginning to wonder if this could be a misdiagnosis and my pain is actually due to be coeliac.

[mushroom]

There are two ways to go with osteoporosis - medication route with Fosamax and/or I think Actonel??? or Vitamin D (which you are probably quite deficient in and needs to be checked), calcium and weight-bearing exercise. My husband chose the latter and his bone his improved naturally (he is 72), and I think you build better quality bone naturally than with taking the bone-building drugs. But first, do get the DEXA scan. My bones were fine although my D was very low. (Yes, we are both gluten intolelrants)

I do, however, have psoriatic arthritis (essentially RA with psoriasis) which has not responded to gluten free unfortunately, although for many it does But many posters have joint pain which is not arthritis. What was your diagnosis based upon? Do you have sero-positive disease or are you talking about osteoarthritis?

[navigator]

Hi Mushroom,

My G.P. is doing blood tests for Vitamin D,B12,calcium, iron and thyroid. My diagnosis of osteoarthritis(by different G.P - current one is new to practice and is great) was based on nothing more than be going with pains in neck, shoulders arms and hips. I told me that I had an accentuated curve at the top of my spine asked if there was any family history of osteoarthritis (there is)and made his diagnosis based on that. I went to chiropractor two years ago who disagreed with diagnosis.