If You Had No Gluten Issues.......

[thegirlsmom]

If you had no intolerance to gluten would you be able to go on and off gluten at will? Or would you need to slowly introduce your body to it?

I have celiacs. Since I rid my home of anything gluten, my husband would only eat gluten out of the house. One day he had Sun Chips on an empty stomach and before he finished the small bag he felt nauseous. This continued with flu like symptoms and every other GI symptom for the next 3 days. The following 2 weeks he said he wasn't thinking right and he seemed very irritable and sleepy. We debated a bug but no one else got sick. Needless to say, he is convinced that he has gluten issues also and hasn't touched the stuff since.

This all happened after I put my children on a strict gluten free diet for 4 weeks and I did a gluten test on them for a week. Within an hour of having gluten one daughter(8yo) came in crying uncontrollably, saying she didn't know why she was crying.

The week that followed I heard tummy aches, the big D, horrible gas, and behavioral changes.

Between my husband and my reactions, we decided they were best off gluten. Now all of my family, both sides, are telling me "their systems just need to get used to gluten again". When I asked them if they have a reaction to strawberries if they only eat them in season they responded with "yea if I eat too many!"

I am getting a LOT of crap from them and would appreciate any info you have one way or the other. Has anyone known someone who is fine after reintroducing gluten? Are we being over sensitive here?

Thanks

[psawyer]

Your family are wrong. If you are reacting adversely to something, that speaks for itself.

[ravenwoodglass]

People that don't have gluten issues have no problem with eating it only occasionally. What you have done with your family is basically a gluten challenge and your husband and children reacted. There is nothing wrong with listening to your bodies and staying away from gluten. Do be aware though that if you do need a diagnosis, for example to keep the children safe in school, that a gluten challenge will need to be done for at least 3 months before testing.

[Takala]

My guess is that you have family members who suspect they might have a gluten intolerance, but they've accepted the fantasy that everyone can expect digestive upset when eating gluten, as normal, because they think it's easier to be in denial.

Normal people can switch back and forth, at will. The rest of us can't, without consequences. Remember the majority are still undiagnosed.

[ilikepie]

It sounds like your extended family is being insensitive. It also sounds very clear that your immediate family are all having reactions.

[chrissyinnj]

Since I rid my home of anything gluten, my husband would only eat gluten out of the house.

However, if you husband was still eating gluten, why would he react to it?

[thegirlsmom]

However, if you husband was still eating gluten, why would he react to it?

Thanks for all your responses.

Why would he react?? I don't know. We have tried to figure this out many times. The only thing we could think is that it was because it was on an empty stomach. His diet before was very low gluten comprising of maybe 1 taco bell burrito a couple times a week. Everything else was gluten-free. Eventually I am sure he will test this gluten theory but he is scared to right now. His bowels are still not regular from the incident that happened Sept 24.

[Familytradition]

I can relate to the family thinking it is no big deal. Like a previous poster said, it is SO much easier for some people to be in denial than it is to recognize an issue and take action like you have. Stick to your guns! It is tough going 'against the grain'!

[carecare]

I agree with everyone. I say the same thing....and tell family who say you just need time for your body to readjust to eating gluten again. I tell them what other food do they have to "readjust" to being able to eat.

Interesting enough...a few years ago my husband went on a gluten free diet for 2-3 months. I was cooking all dinners gluten free but during the day was eating pretty normal for myself. However, I started having more GI symptoms at this same time. It almost seemed like I was starting to react to gluten...but yet I was still having it daily...just much less of it and weekends even less because every meal would be pretty much gluten free. For the rest of that year I was bothered like never before with D. Went to the dr who said I had IBS. Fastforward to now. My husband went back on a gluten free diet and is now healthier than ever. I know myself I have issues with gluten...and when I'm gluten free for an extended time period when I do ingest gluten I feel horrible. My husband never got tested but I am going in December for a biopsy...along with 3 of my 4 kids. Actually should be all 4...but we'll wait on the 4th. All 4 have health issues that could be related to gluten.

[T.H.]

Has anyone known someone who is fine after reintroducing gluten? Are we being over sensitive here?

[AVR1962]

I've heard this too. I have heard some people say that they took their child off glutens for 2 years and once the yeast was out of their system they were able to return to gluten without issues. Hum? Really? Maybe it does work for some people but I tend to think not. I have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren who do not eat gluten at all, not because they were diagnosed with celiac, because they were having digestive issues related to gluten. Quite honestly, I think more of my family would have less health issues if they would go off gluten. Dr Oz says that something 88% of people cannot tolerate gluten yet people live on the stuff. How much damage it does to each person is questionable. However, if you start reading on what all gluten intolerance is connected to, it is very scary that wheat was ever allowed into the human diet. I beleive it is making us all sick.