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3 Days In Have Some Questions About Withdrawl And Other Things

Applegirl

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Applegirl Rookie
Applegirl
Posted

So I'm 3 days in to being Gluten free and I must say I am having some improvement in how I feel. I was literally sick in bed thought I was dying and today I was able to take a walk and go food shopping. I do have some questions about all of this tho if you could help me out with some of these I'd be wonderful!

1. I seem to have itching, no rash but esp on my face and arms now. Is that a normal sort of "dextox" procedure or has anyone experienced this? I bought some gluten free things like a few cookies and breakfast bars and I'm not sure if maybe I'm allergic to something in that so I'm going to stay away from them completely tomorrow. But till then I didn't know if this could be like toxins leaving through my skin perhaps?

2. Do I need to prepare my food completely away from my husband and daughters? Like I can't cook my things at the same time, use the same counter etc? I know I cant share like a spatula or anything while cooking. What about in the fridge and cabinets do u store your stuff in a different area?

Thats all for now thanks for any help u can provide!

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George Knighton Apprentice
George Knighton
Posted

1) There are many gluten foods that use an alternative to wheat BUT many of them contain milk. Check to see if you're allergic to milk. Also check to see if you're allergic to salt. I was experiencing the same thing today when my mother cooked some veggies and she added salt in them. Felt itchy all around.

2) Yep. Separate plates, kitchen utensils, cooking pot, sponge, dishwasher, etc. What I do is just buy my own disposable plates and forks and I have my own pot(s), cooking spoons, and sponge.

Applegirl Rookie
Applegirl
Posted
  • Author

1) There are many gluten foods that use an alternative to wheat BUT many of them contain milk. Check to see if you're allergic to milk. Also check to see if you're allergic to salt. I was experiencing the same thing today when my mother cooked some veggies and she added salt in them. Felt itchy all around.

2) Yep. Separate plates, kitchen utensils, cooking pot, sponge, dishwasher, etc. What I do is just buy my own disposable plates and forks and I have my own pot(s), cooking spoons, and sponge.

oh crud so i haven't been gluten free at all then if I've been using forks plates etc even if I pull them out of the dishwasher?

George Knighton Apprentice
George Knighton
Posted

Some people aren't that sensitive to gluten so they can share utensils. But there are always traces of gluten in kitchen utensils and kitchen knives. It may not look like it, but IMO the best way to get rid of gluten completely is to isolate your things.

Applegirl Rookie
Applegirl
Posted
  • Author

okay thank u im gonna buy some disposable things tomorrow then to help along. I do feel improvement and today I bought my own scrubby brush for the kitchen and own tubberware so theres a start :) Now if this itching would stop i'd be golden lol

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Most of us use dishes out of the dishwasher in mixed houses. You don't want to use something really scratched or like a colander, that you can't get the pasta out of the holes properly. You do need a separate toaster, jams, PB, butter tub, etc. Things that people put the knife in, touch the bread & get some more ( leaving crumbs in the jars).

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

:) Hi Apple, welcome to the forum...your knives and forks should be just fine after going through the dishwasher. Some of us prefer to have gluten-free households, some get by just fine by being careful (even if they don't have a dishwasher.) It's more important to get rid of the gluten protein that might be lurking in your kitchen, like in your silverware drawer, scratched cutting boards or non-stick or cast iron pans, plastic strainers...a good clean out of the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator is worthwhile. Start fresh.

There will be more good advice to come, I am sure, but don't worry about your silverware.

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Applegirl Rookie
Applegirl
Posted
  • Author

:) Hi Apple, welcome to the forum...your knives and forks should be just fine after going through the dishwasher. Some of us prefer to have gluten-free households, some get by just fine by being careful (even if they don't have a dishwasher.) It's more important to get rid of the gluten protein that might be lurking in your kitchen, like in your silverware drawer, scratched cutting boards or non-stick or cast iron pans, plastic strainers...a good clean out of the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator is worthwhile. Start fresh.

There will be more good advice to come, I am sure, but don't worry about your silverware.

okay thank you. I actually washed all my silverware and the holder thru the dishwasher this am it was one of the first things I thought of and tomorrow I want to do a much more detailed clean of cabinets and such

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

When I finally got around to cleaning out my utensil drawer, I was amazed at how many crumbs were in there. I 86'd toast at our house because of all the crumbs. They can have gluten-free bread toasted in a dedicated toaster or no toast, or eat it with a meal in a restuaraunt. That worked at my home without much of a dilemna.

The other thing most people recommend is tossing out all your spices and buying new. I never understood that. But this weekend I was making gluten-free bisquits and rememembered a time or two that I used the same measuring spoon to measure several dry ingredients for a recipe... which equals double dipped gluten... or maybe I had trace amounts of wheat flour on the T. and stuck the 1/2 tsp. into the baking powder or soda.

Regarding the itching, it would be good to get your Vitamin D level checked, or itching can be a signal of food allergies. I wish you well, it can be a mystery trying to figure it out and the first months are tough.

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    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

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    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

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    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome, @catnapt! The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of a minimum of 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for a minimum of two weeks. But if possible stretching that out even more would enhance the chances of getting valid test results. These guidelines are for those who have been eating gluten free for a significant amount of time. It's called the "gluten challenge".  Yes, you can develop celiac disease at any stage of life. There is a genetic component but also a stress trigger that is needed to activate the celiac genes. About 30-40% of the general population possesses the genetic potential to develop celiac disease but only about 1% of the general population actually develop celiac disease. For most with the potential, the triggering stress event doesn't happen. It can be many things but often it is a viral infection. Having said that, it is also the case that many, many people who eventually are diagnosed with celiac disease probably experienced the actual onset years before. Many celiacs are of the "silent" type, meaning that symptoms are largely missing or very minor and get overlooked until damage to the small bowel lining becomes advanced or they develop iron deficiency anemia or some other medical problem associated with celiac disease. Many, many are never diagnosed or are diagnosed later in life because they did not experience classic symptoms. And many physicians are only looking for classic symptoms. We now know that there are over 200 symptoms/medical problems associated with celiac disease but many docs are only looking for things like boating, gas, diarrhea. I certainly understand your concerns about not wanting to damage your body by taking on a gluten challenge. Your other option is to totally commit to gluten free eating and see if your symptoms improve. It can take two years or more for complete healing of the small bowel lining once going gluten free but usually people experience significant improvement well before then. If their is significant improvement in your symptoms when going seriously gluten free, then you likely have your answer. You would either have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity).
    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      after several years of issues with a para-gland issue, my endo has decided it's a good idea for me to be tested for celiac disease. I am 70 yrs old and stunned to learn that you can get celiac this late in life. I have just gradually stopped eating most foods that contain gluten over the past several years- they just make me feel ill- although I attributed it to other things like bread spiking blood sugar- or to the things I ate *with* the bread or crackers etc   I went to a party in Nov and ate a LOT of a vegan roast made with vital wheat gluten- as well as stuffing, rolls and pie crust... and OMG I was so sick! the pain, the bloating, the gas, the nausea... I didn't think it would ever end (but it did) and I was ready to go the ER but it finally subsided.   I mentioned this to my endo and now she wants me to be tested for celiac after 2 weeks of being on gluten foods. She has kind of flip flopped on how much gluten I should eat, telling me that if the symptoms are severe I can stop. I am eating 2-3 thin slices of bread per day (or english muffins) and wow- it does make me feel awful. But not as bad as when I ate that massive amnt of vital wheat gluten. so I will continue on if I have to... but what bothers me is - if it IS celiac, it seems stupid for lack of a better word, to intentionally cause more damage to my body... but I am also worried, on the other hand, that this is not a long enough challenge to make the blood work results valid.   can you give me any insight into this please?   thank you
    • trents
      Accuracy of testing concerns

      By trents · Posted

      The biopsy looks for damage to the mucosal lining of the small bowel from the inflammation caused by celiac disease when gluten is ingested. Once you remove gluten from the diet, inflammation subsides and the mucosal lining begins to heal. 
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