After So Long...

[josh052980]

I've been gluten free now for 4-months, with only minor hiccups. Friday evening I got some gluten in me, though I have no idea where from. I'm guessing cross-contamination. I felt bad for about 4 hours yesterday, then rebounded, and like a fool ate some spicy food last night at dinner (previously spice hadn't bothered me, so I didn't think I'd react adversely). Boy was I wrong. Overnight my guts felt like they were on fire, I've been on and off nauseous all day today and I just had my first run-in with the Big D since going gluten free. I feel like all my progress over the past months has been for naught, just off of one meal.

My guess is that I've got an issue with nightshades, or at least I do in the aftermath of being glutened. It's so disheartening though... I was doing so well for so long, and now I feel like I did before I went gluten free... I'm not really looking for advice here, just kind of venting. For as hard as my family tries, I don't think they really understand what I go through when this kind of thing happens.

[cyberprof]

I've been gluten free now for 4-months, with only minor hiccups. Friday evening I got some gluten in me, though I have no idea where from. I'm guessing cross-contamination. I felt bad for about 4 hours yesterday, then rebounded, and like a fool ate some spicy food last night at dinner (previously spice hadn't bothered me, so I didn't think I'd react adversely). Boy was I wrong. Overnight my guts felt like they were on fire, I've been on and off nauseous all day today and I just had my first run-in with the Big D since going gluten free. I feel like all my progress over the past months has been for naught, just off of one meal.

My guess is that I've got an issue with nightshades, or at least I do in the aftermath of being glutened. It's so disheartening though... I was doing so well for so long, and now I feel like I did before I went gluten free... I'm not really looking for advice here, just kind of venting. For as hard as my family tries, I don't think they really understand what I go through when this kind of thing happens.

Don't worry. One episode like this isn't going to set back your progress, although I know it is uncomfortable. After a few days, you should be back on track. And perhaps it's useful for your family to see you going through that so that they understand better.

Usually, after I've been glutened through an accident or cross-contamination, I eat bland things, cause that's what my body craves. White rice, rice noodles, mashed or baked potatoes, chicken/rice soup - that sort of thing. Lots of veggies and spices and meat are on my no-no list after gluten.

Hope you feel better soon.

[rosetapper23]

Something that I've learned through experience is that being glutened either by spicy food or food with peppers (sometimes the peppers themselves are canned ones containing gluten) can be calamitous. This has happened three times during the past seven years, and each time I became extremely ill. In my case, a lot of damage was done to my intestinal lining each time....but this may not occur with you. From your photo, I can see that you're much younger than I am; therefore, I have many more years of damage to contend with.

When it comes to eating spicy food or food containing peppers, if there's ANY chance of cross-contamination or not knowing the source of the peppers, simply walk away from the meal. It's better than living a hellish existence for 2-3 days with possible long-term complications. Be especially careful of paprika, which was responsible twice for my suffering (some brands are fine, but others aren't). At potlucks, people bring what appears to be innocuous potato salad, but they oftentimes mix in paprika....and then I'm in big trouble. So....walk away.

[ravenwoodglass]

You said you felt bad for about 4 hrs then a bit better. I could be wrong but I think you would have had D even without the spicey meal. The spicey heat of the meal may have made things worse though.

I hope you feel better soon. If your still having stomach pain some pepto bismal liquid may help a bit.

[josh052980]

Something that I've learned through experience is that being glutened either by spicy food or food with peppers (sometimes the peppers themselves are canned ones containing gluten) can be calamitous. This has happened three times during the past seven years, and each time I became extremely ill. In my case, a lot of damage was done to my intestinal lining each time....but this may not occur with you. From your photo, I can see that you're much younger than I am; therefore, I have many more years of damage to contend with.

When it comes to eating spicy food or food containing peppers, if there's ANY chance of cross-contamination or not knowing the source of the peppers, simply walk away from the meal. It's better than living a hellish existence for 2-3 days with possible long-term complications. Be especially careful of paprika, which was responsible twice for my suffering (some brands are fine, but others aren't). At potlucks, people bring what appears to be innocuous potato salad, but they oftentimes mix in paprika....and then I'm in big trouble. So....walk away.

I didn't get glutened from the spicy food, I got glutened, felt sick, got better enough to function and then ate spicy food.

[rosetapper23]

Yes, I realize that....but when you ADD spicy food on top of being glutened, the response can be much, much worse. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. The bad response can be from spicy food with gluten in it or eating gluten and then spicy food that doesn't have gluten in it. It seems to be the combination that makes the outcome so much worse.

[Jenniferxgfx]

After I get cc'd, I have to eat bland easy food for the next few meals at least because things are SO over sensitive.

I hope you feel better soon!

[PainfulSpaghetti]

I am so sorry. It is difficult on the best days. It's very hard to find foods that aren't laden with sneaky additives, or coated in wheat flour as even nuts are that they give you to sprinkle on your salads. Sneaky, sneaky gluten!

[josh052980]

This may be totally unrelated to how I felt, but maybe some of you folks have had the same experience. Last week, I was off my multi-vitamins (I kept forgetting to run out and by more after I ran out), so when I got glutened, I was without vitamin supplements for 5 days straight, then I ate the spicy food the next day (Saturday), still with no vitamin supplement. Yesterday, I was still feeling pretty crappy, but well enough to basically function, so I went out and bought my vitamins, and took one. Within 2 hours I was feeling DRAMATICALLY better.

Do vitamins have anything to do with this, that anyone knows of?

[cyberprof]

This may be totally unrelated to how I felt, but maybe some of you folks have had the same experience. Last week, I was off my multi-vitamins (I kept forgetting to run out and by more after I ran out), so when I got glutened, I was without vitamin supplements for 5 days straight, then I ate the spicy food the next day (Saturday), still with no vitamin supplement. Yesterday, I was still feeling pretty crappy, but well enough to basically function, so I went out and bought my vitamins, and took one. Within 2 hours I was feeling DRAMATICALLY better.

Do vitamins have anything to do with this, that anyone knows of?

It may just be a coincidence. However, if you're sick and everything is going right through you, you may be low on potassium and magnesium, just to name two. Taking the vitamins might have an immediate effect in that situation. I know that I feel better when I take magnesium supplements regularly, and the B vit sublingual is imperative if I want to have energy.

Glad you're feeling better.