Can This Happen?

[TigerVonTiger]

I have been diagnosed with Celiacs for almost one year. I am the only one in my family, and the only person that I know with the disease.

My boyfriend and I have been living together since before the diagnosis. Lately (the past 2 months or so) he is starting to show some of the symptoms I used to have (headaches, gas, diarrhea, etc) When we are at home I eat gluten free 100% of the time and he eats gluten free about 90% of the time, when we go out I eat gluten free 100% of the time and he eats gluten free 0% of the time( we eat out maybe 2 times a month). Is it possible for him to become intolerant to gluten because he eats gluten-free things at home, so his body likes it more? Every time he eats something with gluten in it lately, he doesn't feel good for the rest of the day, but when he eats gluten-free he feels perfectly fine.

Thanks for any help!!!

[sa1937]

Is it possible for him to become intolerant to gluten because he eats gluten-free things at home, so his body likes it more? Every time he eats something with gluten in it lately, he doesn't feel good for the rest of the day, but when he eats gluten-free he feels perfectly fine.

Welcome to the forum! Unless he has an intolerance to gluten, he should be able to go back and forth between consuming gluten and eating gluten-free without any problem. If he's showing signs of celiac, perhaps he should be tested although it may come back negative if he's eating gluten-free a good bit of the time. It sounds like his body is trying to tell him something.

[Takala]

I agree with Sylvia. It sounds like his body is trying to tell him something. My spouse eats gluten free at home but can switch over to eating junk, er, gluten when we go out, sometimes, (other times he orders off the gluten free menu with me) and does not seem to have a problem with it.

A lot of people think heartburn and indigestion are "normal," because of the clever marketing of the antacid industry.... nope !

[lilu]

Even if he is not celiac, his developing symptoms do suggest gluten intolerance. Since this condition has only recently even been recognized, there isn't any information (other than anecdotal) that gluten intolerant people are doing permanent harm to their bodies (like celiacs do if the eat gluten). I wouldn't be surprised, however, if research down the road determines that this is the case. The bottom line, whether you are celiac disease or are otherwise intolerant, is that YOUR BODY DOESN'T LIKE THIS STUFF!!!

[rosetapper23]

This has always been an interesting topic for me: Are people with celiac attracted to people of the opposite sex with celiac? Please don't laugh--there's scientific evidence to back this up. At a celiac conference that I attended two years ago in Seattle, Dr. Peter Green, a leading expert on celiac, discussed a study that was done in Italy. It showed that the faces of celiacs are somewhat different (our bones don't line up the same way). From that data, I came to realize why so many people with celiac end up marrying other people with celiac--even before either one knew they had the disease. Well, since other studies point up the fact that people tend to be attracted to members of the opposite sex whose faces mirror their own, it makes sense that celiacs would, in fact, be attracted to other celiacs. I've always thought it was strange how many celiacs show up at conferences and say, "It's weird...but we both seem to have celiac."

This is a possibility...

[Taylor Paige]

It's quite possible that he has developed a gluten intolerance. I know that my brother had eaten gluten, dairy, and eggs for his entire life, up until a few years ago when he was diagnosed with celiacs, a wheat-allergy, dairy allergy, and egg allergy in addition to his treenuts and nut allergy. In my personal opinion, it would probably be best that he tries to remain gluten-free 24/7 when eating out and eating at home and see if that alleviates the problem. If not, I would suggest that perhaps because he eats gluten-free 90% of the time, that his stomach might be sensitive to particular oils and or fattier foods. I know that my mother thought she had a celiacs or a wheat allergy, but once she stopped eating out, her stomach problems went away. It's very much possible that his stomach cannot handle the oily food and/or ingredients that are being used. Hope this helps.

[Skylark]

I doubt his intolerance is new. My guess is that his immune system is no longer under constant gluten assault. Now when he gets into gluten, instead of a suppressed, chronic reaction, he has a big one. It happens to almost all of use. Our sensitivity to gluten increases once we start the gluten-free diet.

If you are not intolerant to a food, you can eat it on and off at will. Think of seasonal foods like asparagus or peaches. You go without them for months and you don't suddenly react when they come into season and you get some at the store. Or you suddenly decide a food you don't usually buy looks good -- it doesn't make you sick. Wheat is the same for people who truly tolerate it.

[T.H.]

If you are not intolerant to a food, you can eat it on and off at will. Think of seasonal foods like asparagus or peaches. You go without them for months and you don't suddenly react when they come into season and you get some at the store.

I think that may be the best explanation I've heard to illustrate why it's not an issue. :-)

[Februaryrich]

Try him on a gluten-free diet for a while and if he doesn't get the symptoms then you have your answer. This celiac thing probably lingered to his immune system during the "intercourse"..haha..good luckk

[viviendoparajesus]

i do not think he would develop an intolerance to gluten because he ate gluten free. i think it could be that since he limited gluten at home and has it when he eats out it makes the symptoms more noticeable. i would talk to him in a loving way about it. let him know you care and want the best quality of life and what you observed and how he might benefit from staying 100% gluten-free. best wishes!