Has Anyone Been Glutened And Not Had Symptoms?

[sleer]

I'm not talking about an on-purpose glutening, but when you ate something you thought to be safe and then learned it wasn't. Only you didn't have any noticeable symptoms. I'm just curious.

[Skylark]

Yes, it happened to me once. I bought the wrong crackers at Trader Joe's. I ate one and thought "these taste different" then checked the box. Whoops. I waited for two days for the bomb to drop but nothing happened other than a little anxiety. That's rare for me. Usually I react with a bunch of GI trouble.

Did you dodge a bullet recently?

[smanta02]

Yes, apparently I've had Celiac Disease for 19 years with ZERO symptoms.

A specialist only found it by accident when he was checking for an ulcer.

It sucks, because now I don't know when I have consumed gluten accidentally, so I may keep eating it anyway.

[mushroom]

Well, may I say that if a doctor was checking you for an ulcer, you must have been having some symptoms.

Eating gluten intentionally when you know you are celiac is a pretty unwise thing to do. You may think you can get away with it because you are not noticing symptoms now, but sooner or later they will catch up with you, in the form of some other autoimmune disease most likely, one that cannot be cured just be omitting gluten from your diet. That is the beauty of celiac, that you just leave something out, you don't have to "take" anything for it. Most other autoimmune diseases require the addition of some medicinal treatment, and some of the side effects of these treatments can be pretty nasty, not to mention the autoimmune disease itself. I hope you will reconsider your statement that you may keep eatiting it anyway.

[plumbago]

I think it happens to a great many people. It does to me. I can't tell really at all. Once I ate Brazilian cheese bread made with wheat, even though it's not supposed to be, for three days straight, about 3 small pieces everyday. If I had symptoms or felt funny, I can't recall. celiac disease is an intolerance, it's not an allergy. Not all reactions are immediate. This is another area where I can't get my hands around it, and become frustrated as I try to understand celiac disease.

[love2travel]

Yes, apparently I've had Celiac Disease for 19 years with ZERO symptoms.

A specialist only found it by accident when he was checking for an ulcer.

It sucks, because now I don't know when I have consumed gluten accidentally, so I may keep eating it anyway.

Mine was discovered through genetic screening. My sister was gluten intolerant so I was tested. Believe me - my shock and surprise threw me into denial until I had my biopsies done, confirming I have celiac. I had no clue. No symptoms. Looking back I can now attribute my miscarriages, at least in part.

When the surgeon told me I could not believe it because I love food too much - not only am I a recipe tester but teach cooking classes! However, I realized that though I was not getting sick the damage inside could be huge. Envisioning my flattened villi and thinking of all sorts of dreadful diseases made me realize pretty darned fast that the gluten-free diet was in my future. So, I have now been very strictly gluten free for a year. Know what? It truly is not that bad. At first it was devastating to me but now it is just so normal that I breeze on by the baked goods sections in the store without a second glance. You can easily replicate so much, anyway, especially if you like to cook and bake. If you don't, you may have to learn pretty fast. Brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins, scones, etc. are all very easy and there is no possible way of telling they are gluten free.

To sum up - my future is too precious. My husband and family are too cherished and treasured to leave them alone, possibly with a dreadful cancer. Not only do I do it for me, I do it for them.

[IrishHeart]

Yes, apparently I've had Celiac Disease for 19 years with ZERO symptoms.

A specialist only found it by accident when he was checking for an ulcer.

It sucks, because now I don't know when I have consumed gluten accidentally, so I may keep eating it anyway.

An ulcer IS a GI symptom (often found in celiac) and if you were to really examine the list of celiac symptoms, related conditions, and associated autoimmune diseases, my guess is you would find you have other symptoms as well. Neurological? muscle/bone pain? skin eruptions? insomnia? Something is going on.

Otherwise, how do you know "you have had it for 19 years?" That is an exact onset date---so what was going on for those 19 years??

Clearly, you need to learn about the damage that is being done to your intestines--and your body--before you continue to consume gluten. Even if you can't feel anything, the damage is being done.

You really need to read about Celiac Disease because your naive statement shows you do not understand why this is dangerous and you may not grasp the autoimmune component.

Best wishes, IH

[IrishHeart]

To answer the original question posed by the OP.

Nope!

Unfortunately, I ALWAYS have symptoms.

Insomnia, agitation, nausea, headache, ramped up horrible muscle/bone pain, brain fog and anxiety and the ever-popular bowel issues. For a week or longer.

Always a fun time.

[xjrosie]

Neither of my kids who were diagnosed has ever had symptoms. The only time I know they could have been glutened is when my youngest tests her blood sugar and it is lower than 70 (she's type 1 diabetic).

[smanta02]

Well, may I say that if a doctor was checking you for an ulcer, you must have been having some symptoms.

Eating gluten intentionally when you know you are celiac is a pretty unwise thing to do. You may think you can get away with it because you are not noticing symptoms now, but sooner or later they will catch up with you, in the form of some other autoimmune disease most likely, one that cannot be cured just be omitting gluten from your diet. That is the beauty of celiac, that you just leave something out, you don't have to "take" anything for it. Most other autoimmune diseases require the addition of some medicinal treatment, and some of the side effects of these treatments can be pretty nasty, not to mention the autoimmune disease itself. I hope you will reconsider your statement that you may keep eatiting it anyway.

Oh, I was taking medication for Ulcerative Colitis that is REALLY hard on the stomach three days prior to the scope, so I started to have some serious heartburn. They were about to do a colonoscopy to verify the colitis, so I just asked for an endoscopy to see if the medication did any damage since I was going under anyway! No celiac symptoms whatsoever.

[IrishHeart]

Oh, I was taking medication for Ulcerative Colitis that is REALLY hard on the stomach three days prior to the scope, so I started to have some serious heartburn. They were about to do a colonoscopy to verify the colitis, so I just asked for an endoscopy to see if the medication did any damage since I was going under anyway! No celiac symptoms whatsoever.

You keep saying you have no celiac symptoms, hon---but an ulcer and colitis--are SYMPTOMS. UC is an inflammatory AI bowel disease and it is not surprising you also have celiac disease. Not to me, anyway.

Open Original Shared Link

Why did they say it was Un-DXed for 19 years???? Where did that specific date come from?

[smanta02]

You keep saying you have no celiac symptoms, hon---but an ulcer and colitis--are SYMPTOMS. UC is an inflammatory AI bowel disease and it is not surprising you also have celiac disease. Not to me, anyway.

Open Original Shared Link

Why did they say it was Un-DXed for 19 years???? Where did that specific date come from?

Oh, I apologize. They told me that colitis is rare with Celiac.

I really appreciate the article link! (I'm really new at all of this)

I said 19 years because that's my age and they told me I've apparently had it all my life.

Long story short, I got C. Difficile from taking an antibiotic for a throat infection.

While investigating what was causing the diarrhea, and fevers (which was in fact the C. Difficile), they stumbled upon the Colitis then the Celiac.

However, based on my biopsy and how it developed in the lab, they determined that it was there before to the C. Difficile infection, and not by the C. Difficile.

I was told that I'm 'lucky' I got C. Difficile or I'd have never known about the colitis/celiac until I did a routine colonoscopy when I'm older.

Prior to the C. Difficile, I had no colitis flares, never had an ulcer or no heart burn, no anemia or any abnormal gastrointestinal symptoms. I didn't have any noticeable reactions to foods before either. This is why I felt that I had no symptoms.

Back to the original topic question, I still don't feel anything or have bathroom issues if I accidentally consume gluten, although I do understand that there is great damage being done.

[IrishHeart]

Oh, I apologize. They told me that colitis is rare with Celiac.

I really appreciate the article link! (I'm really new at all of this) I said 19 years because that's my age and they told me I've apparently had it all my life.

Long story short, I got C. Difficile from taking an antibiotic for a throat infection. While investigating what was causing the diarrhea, and fevers (which was in fact the C. Difficile), they stumbled upon the Colitis then the Celiac.

However, based on my biopsy and how it developed in the lab, they determined that it was there before to the C. Difficile infection, and not by the C. Difficile.

I was told that I'm 'lucky' I got C. Difficile or I'd have never known about the colitis/celiac until I did a routine colonoscopy when I'm older.

Prior to the C. Difficile, I had no colitis flares, never had an ulcer or no heart burn, no anemia or any abnormal gastrointestinal symptoms. I didn't have any noticeable reactions to foods before either. This is why I felt that I had no symptoms.

Back to the original topic question, I still don't feel anything or have bathroom issues if I accidentally consume gluten, although I do understand that there is great damage being done.

Since Celiac is not diagnosed by a colonoscopy, they told you the wrong thing there. but this is true, you are lucky to know about the celiac disease now and start the diet and stop the autoimmune attack on your body.

BTW, my good friend has all three--microscopic colitis, C. diff AND celiac. These are not exclusionary bowel diseases; in fact, they often go hand-in-hand.

The most important thing, however, is that you start educating yourself now about celiac disease, avoiding all gluten and getting well--so you can live a long, healthy life!