Cc Or Withdrawal?

[AnnieInItaly]

I've been off gluten for 12 days...before that I was off for 2 weeks, and then on for two weeks, to see how my body reacted. The first week or so weeks when I was off, I was horribly ill (dizzy, nausea, insomnia, headache, irritability) and then started feeling great, and when I went on gluten again I had horrible cramps, vomited, bad diarrhea, dizziness, nausea.

The withdrawal and getting glutened honestly feel pretty similar to me. Given how strongly I reacted when I ate gluten, I don't doubt that I'm sensitive to it (and tomorrow I get my celiac blood panel results), but I feel horribly ill today. This early on, how can I tell if I got glutened or if my body is still adjusting? I have stomach cramps, D, headache, nausea, my hands are numb, and am so dizzy I can't stand up. The only thing I can think of that could have potentially glutened me is some cornmeal I cooked with. The package doesn't say that there could be trace amounts of gluten (aren't they required to, legally, if there is CC? It's a small producer or stone ground cornmeal), but it doesn't say gluten-free, either. But if it is CC, is it possible for my body to react so strongly to small amounts this early on?

[gatita]

Sorry you're feeling bad! I can't answer your withdrawal symptom questions because I never experienced any withdrawal at all.

I got hit with CC pretty soon after going gluten-free, so I don't think there's such a thing as being too early.

I have gone through the "glutening" experience with a few products whose ingredients didn't list anything containing gluten or wheat -- but they weren't marked "gluten free" either. One was a wonderful Indian dish I bought at the supermarket that hit me bad.

So now I just stay away from most packaged foods that aren't specifically marked Gluten Free. Even whole grains like cornmeal, if I can buy them from a brand that has an exclusive gluten-free factory, I will. It's hard, though!!!

Also, in the US, labeling is required to state if a product contains wheat, but not barley or rye.

[eatmeat4good]

Yes, you could be dealing with Cross Contamination and/or withdrawal.

No, companies are not required to label for the possibility of cross contamination.

They are required to list if wheat is included in the ingredients...meaning intentionally put into a product. (In the USA)

But this says nothing at all about cross contamination, or if they manufacture wheat products in the same facility, or whether the products are made on shared lines. Both of these are voluntary statements by manufacturers. Therefore products that say Gluten Free on the front can have a statement on the back that says Made in a Facility or on Equipment that also processes wheat. Some products do not have any gluten ingredients nor a statement saying they are made in a facility that also processes wheat. One might assume this would be safe to eat, but it may well have been made in a facility with wheat products and it may be contaminated but you would not know it until you ate it and got sick.

Some people choose to only eat Certified Gluten Free products that are actually tested for the presence of gluten. Some people only eat from gluten free products that are made in a dedicated gluten free facility. And some people go by trial and error. If a product is made with no gluten ingredients, they assume it is gluten free and eat it...if they don't get sick, they consider it safe...if they get sick, they consider it contaminated. Some people go by word of mouth from other Celiacs who have not reacted to a certain product. This is the reality of trying to eat Gluten Free with the current standards we have in the US, from my own experience and from reading how others handle the issues of CC. Italy may be totally different.