I Think I've Been Glutened

[bartfull]

For the past week I have been having D. My digestive symptoms used to be mild, but this has not been so mild. The only things I have eaten that were different from my usual fare were Udi's, which I have been eating every day for over three weeks now, and a different brand of instant rice (SureFine) that I started using last week.

I used to use Uncle Ben's which I know was not only gluten-free, but corn-free. I was having so much trouble with corn I never even paid attention to which brands were gluten-free. But the store I usually shop at stopped carrying Uncle Ben's so last week I bought the store brand. At first I thought, well, I don't know WHAT I thought. I just pretended it wasn't happenning I guess. But as the week wore on, the D has gotten worse. I went from my old three times in the morning to four times in the morning plus a few times during the day. Yesterday it went on pretty much ALL day and into the night.

I checked on the Sure Fine (Topco) website this morning and there isn't much info except that it does not have the "allergen free" seal. I assume that means it has at least one of the top eight allergens.

So my question is, do any of you think this stuff might be CC'ed at the facility, or am I reacting to corn in the rice? Or is this possibly a slow reaction to Udi's which I THOUGHT would be OK now that I SEEM to tolerate corn starch?

By the way, my psoriasis, which is usually the first indication that I have eaten something bad for me has only flared VERY slightly. I'm wondering if it's possible that the psoriasis only reacts to corn and my digestive system is now reacting to gluten.

SEE? THIS IS WHY I WISH I HAD BEEN TESTED!!

[pricklypear1971]

The only way you'll know is to remove both, wait for it to stop, then add one back at a time.

I know it is mentally difficult to go backwards like that after being do restricted, then having some freedom.

I'm sure, like everyone else, that your intolerance symptoms will continue to evolve. I went from instant headache/flu to indicate gluten to 24 hour delay and stomach cramps.

Overnight.

Sometimes I want to scream. Sure you do, too.

[GottaSki]

Hi Bartfull!

So sorry you are having trouble -- it is awful when you don't know what's causing the problem.

I agree the best route is to remove them both and then try them again separately - but I'd also like to suggest since the D started after the rice and you have only changed the rice and Udi's during recent days, perhaps you should just remove the new rice for two weeks and continue eating udi's -- hoping for you that the problem isn't udi's since you worked so hard to get it back. Worst case scenario would be that your intestines were not quite all the way healed and have been irritated by the Udi's -- have you added any other grain/corn foods back since you realized corn didn't get you?

Hang in there - you know you can figure this out - just sucks that you have to.

[bartfull]

I haven't added anything else except some vitamins. The whole time I was reacting to corn I couldn't find any gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free vitamins. NOW my healthfood store has some. I started taking them at the same time I started eating the Udi's. I doubt my reaction would take three weeks to show up, although maybe it IS cumulative. But I'm thinking it's the rice. I ran out of Udi's yesterday and as hard as it will be, I won't buy any more for a while. And the rice is out of here. I just hope this D is out of here soon too!

[Adalaide]

I suppose it could be cumulative but that rice, against all odds, does sure sound suspicious with the timing and everything. If it were me I'd be giving them a call tomorrow. I don't know how forthcoming they may be over the phone and depending on how confident you are that the person you spoke with was/wasn't a moron you may want to call back and talk to someone else. (Yeah, I've done this a few times.) Anyway, maybe they do wheat in the facility, on the same line, who knows... This is why we really need disclosure to be mandatory instead of voluntary.

(((HUGS))) to get you through in the meantime until you are feeling better. Maybe you know a happy bride to donate that rice to? I know the idea of flinging offensive food at people's heads sure would cheer me up.

[bartfull]

Hmm...I AM going to be the old lady of honor at a wedding next month. (Can't call me MAID of honor because I'm no longer a maiden. Can't call me MATRON of honor because I am no longer married. But I AM and old lady! )

Because I am a lazy and lousy cook, I cook up a bunch of rice at once. So the rice I have left is already cooked. I'd bet Maria will be really ticked at me if I throw sticky cooked rice at her. Tee-hee. It would be pretty funny though.

[IrishHeart]

Maybe you know a happy bride to donate that rice to? I know the idea of flinging offensive food at people's heads sure would cheer me up.

:lol:

only you could have phrased that just right ---and made my day.

BARTIE, my sweet!--sorry you got bonked--- and I hope you feel better pronto.

You were doing fine with Udi's all this time. You are the only person I know who wrote a celebratory email about her joy at eating packaged bread. I teared up a bit for you!

I always go with the most recent addition when it happens to me.

(just a thought)

[Jestgar]

Hmm...I AM going to be the old lady of honor at a wedding next month. (Can't call me MAID of honor because I'm no longer a maiden. Can't call me MATRON of honor because I am no longer married. But I AM and old lady! )

I was the Maid of Dishonor at one friend' wedding.

[Takala]

This is why I go boinky-boom on my dear sweet spouse when he comes home with a "generic" brand of pre packaged manufactured grocery item, which is different than what we have been previously consuming.

I had a really mild reaction the other day to a house store brand condiment that I had been okay with before, and the label indicates that I really should be okay with it. But the COLOR of the stuff, in the jar, is different. This was the second condiment reaction in two weeks, as the other one was the sea salt with added dextrose, which was easy to test because I just stopped eating anything with it for five days, and the symptoms never came back. If someone else hadn't posted, I may never have looked at the label and seen the difference.

So I asked him to pick up some different salt, and he came home with the same brand.... aie yee yee yeee.

I can't eat the UDI's, either, (flax) but I don't care if my spouse gets it, as it can not be snuck into other recipes secretly.

Bartfull, can you talk the store into carrying the Uncle Ben's for you ? That's a pretty standard rice brand, that's like dropping Betty Crocker or something. Sigh. I guess there's mail order.

[bartfull]

I'm going to ask them today. They carry the long cooking Uncle Ben's, but it's so much easier to just microwave the instant. Not only that, but I like the taste of the instant better. If they can't do it, I can always get it at the OTHER grocery store. I never shop at that one because their prices are a lot higher and their meats and produce are even worse than the place I usually shop. But I'll do what I have to. For this week though, I'm only eating potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Since I first posted this morning, my psorasis is getting worse. New spots popping out all over both hands. < That "angry face" is far too mild looking. GRRR...

[IrishHeart]

This is why I go boinky-boom on my dear sweet spouse

Takala I'm loving this phrase right here...."going boinky-boom".

I'm stealing that one!

I have to say, I try not to get too upset with hubs if he ever comes home with anything "suspicious". He tries so hard, he is willing to grocery shop (I hate it) he is gluten-free, too (voluntarily) and he is really good at reading labels.

As long as he remembers to bring "the cheaters" into the store... those labels can be very tiny.

[FruitEnthusiast]

Sorry you're having a hard time after so much recent success Bartful!

Could it be that adding new foods back in, would work better a little at a time? Once or twice a week at first maybe. I'm not even close to where you are yet, so I'm taking mental notes on all this stuff at this point. Can't even look at rice yet. I have this feeling that after it takes so long to be able to add new foods, it makes sense that the cumulative theory might be at work, or maybe you're still sensitive inside. Just an idea. Either way it completely sucks! Hope you're feeling much better soon.

It really shouldn't have to require so much concentration to just eat each day... for any of us. Sheesh! I hope you continue to check back in with your progress, and hope it happens quickly.

[squirmingitch]

bartful, doesn't the store have the instant Minute rice?

So sorry you got got. Especially after you had been doing so well. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[eatmeat4good]

I don't know if it helps or not but I wash and rinse my rice until the water runs clear. Then I cook it in the microwave...the regular rice....it just takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Or go with certified gluten free....if there is such a thing in rice.

[1desperateladysaved]

Hmm...I AM going to be the old lady of honor at a wedding next month. (Can't call me MAID of honor because I'm no longer a maiden. Can't call me MATRON of honor because I am no longer married. But I AM and old lady! )

Because I am a lazy and lousy cook, I cook up a bunch of rice at once. So the rice I have left is already cooked. I'd bet Maria will be really ticked at me if I throw sticky cooked rice at her. Tee-hee. It would be pretty funny though.

You can dry the rice slowly in the oven. Atleast, I did that once accidently. I was trying to make rice cakes, but instead of being puffy, the rice went back to its small dry state. I think that might be nicer for the wedding!

[squirmingitch]

You can dry the rice slowly in the oven. Atleast, I did that once accidently. I was trying to make rice cakes, but instead of being puffy, the rice went back to its small dry state. I think that might be nicer for the wedding!

[IrishHeart]

This poor bride...doesn't know what's coming....Barty winging dried up ole rice cakes at her head......

[bartfull]

Rice CAKES! Now there's a thought. I have a package of really stale rice cakes in the cupboard. I have been using them on top of pork chops and boneless chicken when I cook them in the oven. Helps keep the meat moist and then I just throw them away. I DETEST rice cakes! For a while they were the only thing remotely like bread that I could put butter on and eat, and to me it was like eating buttered styrofoam.

I really LIKE the bride and groom, but you just gave me another use for rice cakes. There's no way I would consider them as FOOD, but now instead of just using them as disposable meat tenderizer, I can use them as a WEAPON!

[IrishHeart]

I do not think that's such a good idea, hon, if you want to stay friends ---but you can donate the rice cakes to some small business near you for use as packing materials perhaps? So nice and styro-foamy.