Did I Get Glutened Or...?

[CNV2855]

A couple months ago, I made some cornbread, which isn't something I usually eat, and roughly around that time I started feeling poorly. I really wasn't sure what was going on because I didn't notice any GI symptoms so I figured it was just an autoimmune flare. It took me a week to eat the cornbread and I stayed sick for about a week and then over the next couple weeks I bounced back to normal.

Then last week I decided to make some more cornbread. I slowly got sick the first day I ate it, then the second, and I stopped eating it and immediately felt better. This time I did notice very slight GI symptoms and my rash reappeared, something that only happens when I'm glutened. I waited a day or two then ate one more piece of cornbread just to be sure...(and because it was delicious and immediately felt horrible for about two days.

Now I've had partial resolution of my symptoms gluten free but not total. I'm not sure what is going on though, the corn flour I used was BRM from a local health food store, and there's very little risk of CC on my kitchenware because I cook my own food. Bob's Red Mill is supposed to be good with contamination, aren't they?

These symptoms I experienced were exactly the same everytime I get glutened, It just seemed like I recovered from it much quicker - and with much less GI symptoms.

Even the rash which was completely gone (suspected DH) reappeared and started flaring again.

Stopped eating corn since this incident and I'm just now about getting back to normal. Even if corn is completely safe for us, which science tells us it is - and I believe them - then if a specialized corn product that I bought in a health food store is giving me a reaction due to CC, then how do I know the corn used in the manufacture of any generic processed food isn't contaminated? If we're to avoid oats because of possible cross contamination, then what about corn?

Thinking back, I typically remember having some sort of reaction almost every time that I've tried corn chips, and I always put it down with me just being super sensitive or being unlucky with cross contamination. Frito Lay does put out the disclaimer that equipment is shared.

Could I be having a reaction to the corn though? Like oats?

I'm having an endoscopy done monday and I'm pretty anxious to see the results.

[Roda]

Are you sensitive to oats? If so Bob's Red Mill may not be safe for you. They process gluten free oats on shared lines so there is the potential for cross contamination from them. I don't tolerate any of their products anymore. You could have an issue with corn also. I'm not very helpful on the corn aspect though.

[cait]

BRM makes a gluten-free corn flour and a non-gluten-free (presumably the same thing but manufactured in different plants). If you accidentally grabbed the wrong bag, it could be CC from that. But corn affects some people in ways similar to gluten, so it could also be that. Sorry it made you feel lousy. Discovering new problems sucks.

[CNV2855]

BRM makes a gluten-free corn flour and a non-gluten-free (presumably the same thing but manufactured in different plants). If you accidentally grabbed the wrong bag, it could be CC from that. But corn affects some people in ways similar to gluten, so it could also be that. Sorry it made you feel lousy. Discovering new problems sucks.

Well I'd rather discover what's making me ill, than stay ill.

If I'm sensitive enough to react to CC in corn, assuming that's the problem, is HFCS an ingredient I can count on being gluten free or not? If I react to corn CC, I'd assume that I'd have very, very minor reactions to HFCS and other corn byproducts, right?

[cait]

Well I'd rather discover what's making me ill, than stay ill.

If I'm sensitive enough to react to CC in corn, assuming that's the problem, is HFCS an ingredient I can count on being gluten free or not? If I react to corn CC, I'd assume that I'd have very, very minor reactions to HFCS and other corn byproducts, right?

I think it's less likely that you're reacting to inherent CC in corn and more likely that either the corn flour was processed in a factory that also deals with wheat, or that you're reacting to corn in general for reasons other than CC. BRM marks things pretty clearly. If the corn flour says gluten free, then it's probably a problem with corn and you should avoid corn products for a while and then test them to see if you get the same reaction. If the bag does not say gluten free, then maybe that flour was processed in a BRM factory that also processes gluten grains and therefore WAS contaminated. In that case, corn in general might not be a problem. Just corn processed in a plant with wheat, etc.

[CNV2855]

I think it's less likely that you're reacting to inherent CC in corn and more likely that either the corn flour was processed in a factory that also deals with wheat, or that you're reacting to corn in general for reasons other than CC. BRM marks things pretty clearly. If the corn flour says gluten free, then it's probably a problem with corn and you should avoid corn products for a while and then test them to see if you get the same reaction. If the bag does not say gluten free, then maybe that flour was processed in a BRM factory that also processes gluten grains and therefore WAS contaminated. In that case, corn in general might not be a problem. Just corn processed in a plant with wheat, etc.

Yeah, but what guarantees are there than generic corn byproducts like "HFCS" aren't also produced in a facility with wheat?