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

Papa Johns Pizza, Vitamin A, DH...

Bob Jones

Recommended Posts

Bob Jones Newbie
Bob Jones
Posted

I'm a self diagnosed celiac in that I had for several years the common traits of celiac disease(I had no idea about the disease before). It was most likely entirely due taking accutane but showed up gradually over a few years.

In any case once I started cutting out the gluten I stopped getting sick(mainly the s$#&s and stomach aches). It seems any time I eat gluten I can have a rather quick reaction and usually know I've made a mistake.

I've noticed though that I never had much problem with pappa johns pizza. I've been rather gluten free(for the most part) for about 1/2 a year but I'm pretty sure I've had some stuff that was contaminated.

This weekend I ate 2 pizzas 1 per day and had very little if any reaction. This is very surprising to me since even a something mild as a cracker can sometimes send me running. I did drink A LOT of water when I hate the pizzas(about 4 bottles over a 30min period) and I took some vitamins while I was eating the pizza. (I repeated this the next day to see if it was going to cause any problems and it didn't seem to).

From my understanding I should have definitely had some reaction. It is possible I had a mild reaction but wasn't severe enough to cause problems. Also, the week before I was eating nothing but potatoes and apples because I ran out of gluten free products.

While I can't be 100% sure I'm a celiac I would bet the chance is 95%+. All the symptoms are there to a 'T' and obviously removing the gluten seems to solve the problem. What's weird is that sometimes having gluten doesn't give a reaction and sometimes it does.

So I have a few questions:

1. Is there anything "special" about the bread in PJ's pizza that may make it less likely to cause symptoms?

2. What is the normal digestive reaction time when indigestion gluten to cause the intestines to go into shock(the runs!). It almost seems like the intestines are trying to flush out all the material as a normal reaction. (It's almost more like water coming out than anything else).

3. Suppose that for some odd reason I am not having the obvious reaction to PJ's as others. Am I doing harm to my gut if I eat the pizza? Obvious answer is yes but can I splurge every once in a while or am I doing more harm than good. (Gets old eating the same crap because of the limited gluten free foods around)

I'm just wondering if I don't have a physically noticeable reaction if something that is just as serious could still be happening. i.e., the destruction of the intestines just as much as any other case.

4. Has anyone noticed if certain things help reduce the symptoms when eating gluten such as certain vitamins, fruits, etc or if certain "forms" of gluten seem to have less of a reaction?

Since it seems that accutane is almost surely created celiac in most people that use it and it is a vitamin A derivative maybe there is a connection between gluten and vitamin A.

Just curious!!!!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Wow--lots of questions! I may not have the "answers," but I'm going to guess on a couple of them.

I read not long ago that sourdough bread has a component in it that causes some people not to have a reaction to gluten, so maybe Papa John's uses a sourdough-type crust (??). Just hazarding a guess here....

However, I also really missed pizza, so there was a period of time when I ate it once a month...and I didn't seem to have any reaction to it. That said, after about six months, my ferritin level fell and could NOT be raised no matter how much oral iron I took, so I had to go on iron infusions for years. Apparently, even though I wasn't suffering from any symptoms, damage was still being done. Nowadays, even the slight gluten contamination causes illness and horrible nutritional deficiencies. I got glutened in April 2010, and I'm still suffering the effects of that mistake.

Regarding Vitamin A, there was a recent study that showed that Vitamin A is highly inflammatory for people with celiac disease. I've never been able to take Vitamin A because I'd get immediately ill, and when dermatologists (don't get me started on those idiots!) thought I had a severe case of acne rather than Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), they prescribed Retin-A, which completely burned the heck out of my skin. Took years to get rid of the scars.

Are you sure that what you have/had is actually acne? It could be that you suffered from DH. Also, it's possible that a number of celiacs, not knowing they had DH rather than acne, were placed on Accutane....so it might not have been the Accutane that triggered celiac but, rather, a misdiagnosis from the very beginning.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Are you sure that what you have/had is actually acne? It could be that you suffered from DH. Also, it's possible that a number of celiacs, not knowing they had DH rather than acne, were placed on Accutane....so it might not have been the Accutane that triggered celiac but, rather, a misdiagnosis from the very beginning.

This is a very important observation. A correlation between two events does not mean one causes the other.

sreese68 Enthusiast
sreese68
Posted

Are you sure that what you have/had is actually acne? It could be that you suffered from DH. Also, it's possible that a number of celiacs, not knowing they had DH rather than acne, were placed on Accutane....so it might not have been the Accutane that triggered celiac but, rather, a misdiagnosis from the very beginning.

Slightly off topic, but

Lori2 Contributor
Lori2
Posted

Regarding Vitamin A, there was a recent study that showed that Vitamin A is highly inflammatory for people with celiac disease. I've never been able to take Vitamin A because I'd get immediately ill, and when dermatologists (don't get me started on those idiots!) thought I had a severe case of acne rather than Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), they prescribed Retin-A, which completely burned the heck out of my skin. Took years to get rid of the scars.

Could you give us a reference on the Vitamin A being inflammatory. I would like to study this a bit.

  • 3 weeks later...
newyorkyankz Newbie
newyorkyankz
Posted

Why not have the test to be 100 % sure you have it?

  • 6 months later...
AHopewell Newbie
AHopewell
Posted

I'm a self diagnosed celiac in that I had for several years the common traits of celiac disease(I had no idea about the disease before). It was most likely entirely due taking accutane but showed up gradually over a few years.

In any case once I started cutting out the gluten I stopped getting sick(mainly the s$#&s and stomach aches). It seems any time I eat gluten I can have a rather quick reaction and usually know I've made a mistake.

I've noticed though that I never had much problem with pappa johns pizza. I've been rather gluten free(for the most part) for about 1/2 a year but I'm pretty sure I've had some stuff that was contaminated.

This weekend I ate 2 pizzas 1 per day and had very little if any reaction. This is very surprising to me since even a something mild as a cracker can sometimes send me running. I did drink A LOT of water when I hate the pizzas(about 4 bottles over a 30min period) and I took some vitamins while I was eating the pizza. (I repeated this the next day to see if it was going to cause any problems and it didn't seem to).

From my understanding I should have definitely had some reaction. It is possible I had a mild reaction but wasn't severe enough to cause problems. Also, the week before I was eating nothing but potatoes and apples because I ran out of gluten free products.

While I can't be 100% sure I'm a celiac I would bet the chance is 95%+. All the symptoms are there to a 'T' and obviously removing the gluten seems to solve the problem. What's weird is that sometimes having gluten doesn't give a reaction and sometimes it does.

I have figured out the same exact thing. For some reason Papa John's pizza does not affect me like others when I am brave enough to try it. Wish we knew the WHYs.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 3 weeks later...
Ryniev Apprentice
Ryniev
Posted

I have figured out the same exact thing. For some reason Papa John's pizza does not affect me like others when I am brave enough to try it. Wish we knew the WHYs.

I always tried to avoid Papa John's in particular when I still ate gluten because it hurt my stomach worse than anything. My stomach would swell up to three times it's normal size and along with the diahrea, cramps and never-ending gas!

I know I'm not your mother (or your doctor) but I'm throwing this out there as a life lesson. Five years ago I suspected I had celiac disease. I finally got a dr. to do a blood test and it was negative. Went back to eating gluten gradually and for a while it was okay.

It eventually caught up to me in spades. I got to the point where if they told me all I could eat for the rest of my life was bananas to feel better I would do it. At this point, I don't even mess with "trying just a little". Please don't take this as a lecture, I just truly want to spare people what I've been through.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I've noticed though that I never had much problem with pappa johns pizza. I've been rather gluten free(for the most part) for about 1/2 a year but I'm pretty sure I've had some stuff that was contaminated.

This weekend I ate 2 pizzas 1 per day and had very little if any reaction. This is very surprising to me since even a something mild as a cracker can sometimes send me running. I did drink A LOT of water when I hate the pizzas(about 4 bottles over a 30min period) and I took some vitamins while I was eating the pizza. (I repeated this the next day to see if it was going to cause any problems and it didn't seem to).

From my understanding I should have definitely had some reaction. It is possible I had a mild reaction but wasn't severe enough to cause problems. Also, the week before I was eating nothing but potatoes and apples because I ran out of gluten free products.

So I have a few questions:

1. Is there anything "special" about the bread in PJ's pizza that may make it less likely to cause symptoms?

2. What is the normal digestive reaction time when indigestion gluten to cause the intestines to go into shock(the runs!). It almost seems like the intestines are trying to flush out all the material as a normal reaction. (It's almost more like water coming out than anything else).

3. Suppose that for some odd reason I am not having the obvious reaction to PJ's as others. Am I doing harm to my gut if I eat the pizza? Obvious answer is yes but can I splurge every once in a while or am I doing more harm than good. (Gets old eating the same crap because of the limited gluten free foods around)

I'm just wondering if I don't have a physically noticeable reaction if something that is just as serious could still be happening. i.e., the destruction of the intestines just as much as any other case.

4. Has anyone noticed if certain things help reduce the symptoms when eating gluten such as certain vitamins, fruits, etc or if certain "forms" of gluten seem to have less of a reaction?

Do you believe in magic? I don't.

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

The OP only made one post on the forum on July 9...so it's doubtful that he'll even see these last responses.

For anyone else reading...it is NOT okay to eat Papa John's pizza on a gluten-free diet!!!

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Thanks for pointing that out Sylvia. Makes one wonder if someone was pulling a prank doesn't it?

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

Thanks for pointing that out Sylvia. Makes one wonder if someone was pulling a prank doesn't it?

It sure does or they simply don't want to deal with the answers they get. We also have a number of people come on and post once or twice and then simply disappear never to be heard from again.

Ryniev Apprentice
Ryniev
Posted

It sure does or they simply don't want to deal with the answers they get. We also have a number of people come on and post once or twice and then simply disappear never to be heard from again.

I didn't even look at the date, I just saw the topic and thought, "wow! Papa John's doesn't make someone sick". :blink: I was one of those people that posted 5 or 6 times several years ago and left. Some of us come back. When my blood test came back negative several years ago, I didn't think I belonged. Come to find out, I do.

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

I didn't even look at the date, I just saw the topic and thought, "wow! Papa John's doesn't make someone sick". :blink: I was one of those people that posted 5 or 6 times several years ago and left. Some of us come back. When my blood test came back negative several years ago, I didn't think I belonged. Come to find out, I do.

We can dream, can't we! tongue.gif Hopefully everyone reads past the first post when a title like that catches their attention!!! If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

And welcome back!!! Now you know that you belong here with us! smile.gif

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,549
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Blough
    Newest Member
    Blough
    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

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.