Accidentally Ate Gluten/wheat But No Reaction?

[speedy2056]

I've been on the gluten/wheat free diet for 12 days, although I did go gluten/wheat free a couple of days before my blood test (which was negative) before going back on it since I was told to in case I screw up the results.

Anyway, today I went to a family bar and had chicken which was coated. I didn't realise until I began to eat it! I guess I'm still getting used to noticing what foods contain gluten/wheat. I have noticed that one of my main symptoms of being infected is bad fatigue and mind fogginess within a half hour, but all I did was let out a few yawns which could have been psychological. I felt okay apart from that. After, I had chocolate sponge cake. I did that really for testing reasons. Again, I didn't really notice anything.

Now I'm wondering if I don't really have any such intolerance. If the intestine has already healed substantially (which I doubt since I read that it can take up to 2 years) then can this reduce the negative effects?

I gather there are many knowledgeable people on here about gluten free foods, so is all coated chicken guaranteed to contain gluten/wheat? And what about chocolate sponge cake? I thought that was often made with wheat flour. The people who worked at the bar had no clue about what their foods contained.

It's really screwing with my mind right now! I'm in two minds whether to order a pizza hut tomorrow for even more further testing!

[kareng]

If you are going to do a gluten pizza, go for a good one!

[cahill]

I've been on the gluten/wheat free diet for 12 days, although I did go gluten/wheat free a couple of days before my blood test (which was negative) before going back on it since I was told to in case I screw up the results.

Anyway, today I went to a family bar and had chicken which was coated. I didn't realise until I began to eat it! I guess I'm still getting used to noticing what foods contain gluten/wheat. I have noticed that one of my main symptoms of being infected is bad fatigue and mind fogginess within a half hour, but all I did was let out a few yawns which could have been psychological. I felt okay apart from that. After, I had chocolate sponge cake. I did that really for testing reasons. Again, I didn't really notice anything.

Now I'm wondering if I don't really have any such intolerance. If the intestine has already healed substantially (which I doubt since I read that it can take up to 2 years) then can this reduce the negative effects?

I gather there are many knowledgeable people on here about gluten free foods, so is all coated chicken guaranteed to contain gluten/wheat? And what about chocolate sponge cake? I thought that was often made with wheat flour. The people who worked at the bar had no clue about what their foods contained.

It's really screwing with my mind right now! I'm in two minds whether to order a pizza hut tomorrow for even more further testing!

how long has it been since you ate it???

With wheat I get an almost instant "high" and then in about 26 hours MAJOR D.

[kledford]

I have asymptomatic celiac....I have only been gluten-free since may 1, 2011 but I accidently bought and ate gluten cookies and have yet to have a reaction. I have had a positive blood test as well as a positive EGD with extensive damage but apparently my only symptoms are anemia and low protein levels.....You don't necessarily have to have symptoms but I know that the only certain test for is a biopsy, since you were neg on your bloodwork has your dr. decided not to do a biopsy? Good luck and I hope you ARE negative!!!

[cahill]

If you are going to do a gluten pizza, go for a good one!

agreed

[Coinkey]

If you are still in the testing phase and have still to get a positive (test or reaction), I say enjoy your gluten foods whilst you can! You may find the reaction appears a couple days later. I had suspicious food this weekend (one or two bites then I noticed a strange "flavor" and stopped), I'm still waiting for a reaction but I know my own reactions have been known to appear 4 or 5 days later and are normally rather obvious in their appearance.

[speedy2056]

I think the majority of ppl misunderstand.

I already had the blood test which came back negative so I diagnosed myself as gluten/wheat intolerant, as eating wheat/gluten normally makes me fatigued, anxious along with some physical symptoms. But yesterday I accidentally ate gluten/wheat (well, I think so!) because the chicken was coated. And I ate chocolate fudge cake after, which NORMALLY contains wheat flour. The workers at the bar had no knowledge of what goes into their foods, so I have no idea if the foods DID have wheat/gluten, but from what I have read coated chicken and fudge cake normally do. I just yawned a couple of times after eating the chicken but it may have been psychological from expecting symptoms? Energy wise I felt okay.

I don't know what to make of this. I definetely did get irritable moods, bloating, anxiety, etc when eating wheat before. I keep typing "wheat/gluten" because I don't know if I am allergic to one or the other.

Coinkey, that's what I also read, that symptoms can appear a few days after. Mine normally appear within a half hour of eating. Surely just 12 straight days of being gluten free cannot change the timing of symptoms? That would be just weird!

I'm clinging on to the hope that the foods didn't contain gluten or wheat after all. By the way, the chicken was fried!

[love2travel]

Chances are very high that both the chicken and chocolate fudge cake contained lots of gluten BUT that is not always the case. It is possible to use rice flours for crispy chicken (i.e. cooking at home) but family restaurants like that would almost certainly use wheat flour. It is also possible to make chocolate fudge cake without gluten but that is also unlikely at such a place. Not only that but the fryer for the chicken is probably not dedicated for only gluten-free things. So, in addition to ingesting obvious gluten you most likely were contaminated from the fryer. I am very leary about eating out and always speak to the chef and/or management prior to eating out.

When I went back on gluten after being off for four months I had absolutely no reactions of any kind. But now that I am far more knowledgable I realize that I did have gluten during that time on a few occasions. Now I am painfully strict especially since I do not have GI symptoms so I do not know whether I have been accidentally glutened or not. Our home is gluten-free and I am extremely cautious when eating out (I have not yet been to any social gatherings at homes because I am not absolutely assured of safety there).

You literally need to scrutinize every single thing you ingest and be very careful re cross contamination from crumbs, airborne flours, etc. Not easy at first but after awhile it becomes a natural part of daily life!

[Cara in Boston]

I went gluten free after a positive blood test and immediately felt better. Then, I got an appointment for an endoscopy much sooner than I thought, so after about 14 days gluten-free I was told to start eating LOTS AND LOTS of gluten. I was so worried about having a reaction, it was actually hard to start eating it again. I already felt so much better.

Anyway, on day three of eating lots and lots of gluten, I still felt great, better than I had in years. My endoscopy ended up being negative and I was told to continue eating gluten for three months at which time they would test again (in case the short time being gluten free caused the negative result? My blood test was very positive so the MD was a bit confused.)

I felt great for about a week and then my symptoms gradually started coming back. After about 3 weeks I was right back where I was before the first blood test. I ended up stopping after about 6 weeks - MD diagnossed me with gluten intolerance and I have been gluten free for about three months now.

Now, after three months, when I get glutened I can really tell. Starts with headache and joint aches, ends with D and brain fog about three days later. Weird.

Your situation sounds similar. I really began questioning if I was sensitive at all in the beginning. Now it is very, very clear.

Just stay gluten free and be as careful as you can.

Cara

[kareng]

I've been on the gluten/wheat free diet for 12 days, although I did go gluten/wheat free a couple of days before my blood test (which was negative) before going back on it since I was told to in case I screw up the results.

I just re-read this. You have only been "gluten/wheat free" for 12 days. Going to a bar that can't tell you what is in the food & then actually eating it, tells me you haven't really been gluten free for the whole 12 days. When you are ready, really try the gluten free diet for a few weeks and see if you feel better.

The problem with this gluten light approach is, if you are Celiac, you are producing the antibodies from the gluten so you haven't healed anything. I would think that gluten intolerants wouldn't really heal & feel thier best either.

[speedy2056]

I agree with Cara in this thread. I just read on a website after doing a bit of Googling that symptoms can occur after an accumulation of gluten/wheat food. I think that may be the reason why I didn't feel much.

Karen, it wasn't my intention to be "gluten lite." As I am new to this, it was simply an accident that I started consuming the chicken. I had the cake after for testing reasons, not because I really wanted it.

[krystynycole]

12 days isn't necessarily long enough to know. It make take a bit for you to really feel a dramatic difference since gluten has been consumed for a long time. It may take longer for your body to feel a striking difference. I know thats how it was for me. After a month or so I could feel a dramatic difference after eating gluten, but it took that whole month for me to feel it.