Smaller Amount - Faster Reaction?

[llama3]

I have noticed a pattern lately that when I get clear cross-contamination, I get sharp, stabbing burning pains usually in my lower left side or around the navel region. This happens quickly, within 10-15 minutes. I have tried eating small amounts of gluten-containing foods a couple times and got the same reaction, but an hour or two later. Now I just ate a bagel (I'm not diagnosed and still trying to figure out for sure what's going on) and it's been a couple hours and all that's happened is I feel dizzy and tired and I'm bloated ... vague symptoms. No pain. Huh?

I don't know how I could have been misinterpreting this pattern as it has seemed so consistent. Why would eating more gluten cause a delayed reaction? I don't even know at this point if there will be more of a reaction or if the dizziness is really from the gluten. I'm so confused. Maybe I should eat more gluten ...

[llama3]

On a side-note, at least this would seem to explain my mysterious dizzy spells. This is the worse vertigo I've had in a while ... the room feels like it's moving and I can't focus my eyes properly.

[eatmeat4good]

Yeah, that is a pretty clear gluten reaction.

I think you got your answer from your challenges.

The testing is up to you, but you do have to keep eating gluten to test positive.

Bloated, abdominal pain, sharp stabbing pains in the gut are gastrointestinal problems.

The dizziness, tiredness and confusion are neurological symptoms. Gluten is toxic to the brain for some people.

This is an analogy I use for my son to understand what happens. The gut-wrenching pain is the villi being mowed off by the gluten. And the neurological problems are from gluten passing directly into the bloodstream from the gut and effecting your brain. It has an opiate effect.

There are wide ranging symptoms and your reactions may not be the same each time you are glutened, but the main thing is you feel unwell it seems every time after eating gluten.

Some people's reactions are delayed for days then last for days or weeks. Some people report the reactions are over in like 24 hours.

[llama3]

OK, this morning I feel like I got hit by a truck ... but it is all neurological and inflammatory stuff, not gastrointestinal. So I guess that small amounts cause me to get more GI symptoms (sometimes including D) and larger amounts cause more neurological symptoms. That seems ... odd ... but OK. I'd be interested to know if anyone has an explanation, or even a theory, on why that would be.

[llama3]

The testing is up to you, but you do have to keep eating gluten to test positive.

Yeah ... I think I'd rather feel better. Especially because I suspect I'd be one of those people who, after months of misery, would test negative anyway.

Thank you for your reply! It was really helpful.