ohmichael

Thank you both for your input!

trents: yes I completely agree, it's simple anatomy. The walk-in doctor I saw even said to me, "you cannot get exposure or get sick if it only got in your respiratory system" to which I replied, "If I inhaled it, it's in the mucous I swallow that leads to my gut." I was honestly baffled I had to explain that to her. Thanks for your comments!

Scott Adams: Thanks for your advice, yes I agree I think that's ultimately what I have to do especially while times are getting tougher in this current economy! Hopefully I find something new and equitable or better, in a quick manner!

Please send prayers and best wishes for me to find a new job quickly, I wore the N95 masks today and it seems like I'm gonna be okay but I literally have to hazmat wash my clothes and myself when I get home. I think my current exposure will have time to recover while I'm wearing the masks at work. Thank you all again!

formally*, masks*

hey all thank you for your responses.

RMJ: Yes I am going to go and buy some N95 masks for work, and I think my employer will reimburse me. I can't re-use them for the maximum 5 reuses unfortunately because I am very sensitive and when I get home I have to wash all my clothes and immediately take a shower. Thank you for your suggestion!

Russ H: I have never been formerly diagnosed, and I completely understand the possibility of this being a mild viral infection. I went to get tested for Influenza/COVID and both came back negative, my Primary Care Manager told me it could be a cold. That is always a possibility, however, I have been glutened at restaurants before (5 known exposures within the last 7 years) and the way in which my body gets sick, I can kind of tell them apart from one another if that makes sense. For instance, being gluten-sick for some can be described as flu-like symptoms, and when I get sick with gluten it comes on slower than when I have the flu or COVID. Typically starts out with headache, brain fog, and since I believe I ingested it working with flour (airborne) postnasal drip was one of the first to come along after my exposure as well. Another thing is that I have not quite had a fever but elevated temp (99 Fahrenheit) which is typical for me when I get ill with gluten exposure, followed by aches, sore body, stomach Hell, etc. This is the first time I have ever dealt with it in an airborne setting, but the onset of symptoms are all familiar. I think it is also possible that I am more susceptible to a cold now having been exposed to gluten. I don't have/can't afford private insurance currently and the agency I get my healthcare from works in dubious ways to prevent themselves from having to provide disability payments to veterans, as Celiacs/NCGS is a service connected disability. Everything for the state. Thank you for your comment, it has not fallen on deaf ears.

I wanted to thank you all for your concern and time in writing to me; I'm trying to make sense of this because I like this job a lot (very short commute too) and I don't want to quit but constantly exposing myself to gluten is making me more ill, and damaging my immune system. I am still sick writing this. Plan moving forward: I am going to see how the N95 mask work for me, and I will be looking for a job that does not involve handling or being exposed to gluten in the workplace. I truly didn't think this job would be an issue since I was not eating any of the gluten.

Thanks again all! I'm happy that I found this forum.

Thank you. They said I'm gonna be kicked out but I have to find somewhere else to live anyway.

Just got a new job working at a grocery chain, never worked grocery before. Mon (19th) and Thur (22nd) started feeling flu-like, realized I had probably been glutened at work but not sure how, didn't eat it! Found out I probably breathed in loads of it while handling bread and flour products stocking shelves on those 2 dates. I am in pain, but I don't have a back-up plan and I can't keep damaging my body. I tried to ask for a reasonable accom. but the manager says it would be an undue burden because i have to avoid two aisles. I am sad because i liked this job to start but now I'm really going through it. Today I didn't stock bakery or baking aisle and I was just starting to come out of it, now the symptoms are starting up again.

I live w my parents and they don't understand or care to understand. I will be unemployed while I search for something new, but I am damaging my body in this current job and they can't switch me anywhere because I'm part time and a new hire. Should I trust my intuition and quit, and then apply for jobs outside of my home so my parents believe I am still going to work (until I finally find a job that doesn't handle gluten)?