ALERT: another possible cause of gluten sensitivity/intolerance

[mitchellbarbara]

I have been going thru some things over the last 18 months that led me to be tested for Celiac, 3 blood tests were normal, as well as biopsies....everything I was tested for come out normal, however I also had a chronic cough, that got worse...I changed primary care provider because she just wasn't helping me....unable to even decide what tests to order...I was leading the whole thing, after researching symptoms...anyway, I had an allergic reaction to strawberries and was in the ER for this...the next day, my original primary care provider was out sick and I had an appt at 7 am...I ended up with someone I previously had been seeing....she put me on steroids first, and I reported that the cough was worse, so she ordered antibiotics...this antibiotic did not help...so after a few days I went back to see her...she heard my cough, as well as saw that I had lost my voice...ordered a bunch of tests and a chest xray...the antibiotic was "the strongest available" she said.....

I also had issues with my bowels over the last 30 years or so....after the first tablet....not only my bowel issue but the food sensitivities (gluten as well as all the others) were gone....I no longer am gluten sensitive...apparently I had 2 antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.. causing everything, including the gluten issues....I had both a STREP infection and STAPH infection...both long term and not responsive to any antibiotics I had taken over the last 30 years or so....the strep infection I had 30 years ago was untreated and caused heart damage, this also caused diverticulitis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol...I am yet to find out what other damage I have...the Staph infection was a strain that can cause malabsorption, as well as food sensitivities...UTI's, bronchitis, pneumonia, endocarditis, encephilitis, maningitis, boils, sepsis as well as death...I was infected with this the Christmas of 2008...both of these were latent after the initial exposure, only producing minor symptoms, until I had a severe stress in my life, then my whole body went crazy.....

anyway, I wanted to let you know, that if you have gluten issues (unless you are positive to Celiac, of course), that showed up later in life as opposed to childhood....please go get tested for bacterial infections....I was given LEVAQUIN 500 mg, 1 per day for 10 days.....but you need to be monitored because there can be severe side effects.....this med is used for ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT Strep, Staph, Inhalational Anthrax, plague, UTI's, Acute Bronchitis, Sinusitis, and Community Acquired Pneumonia...after the first dose, I was able to eat gluten again, and after finishing I can now eat anything I want....also my bowel problems are gone...I had chronic diarrhea for years....now I am back to normal...... over all these years...even with 3 colonoscopies NOBODY ever tested me for bacterial infection....the answer came only when this DR, decided to give me this particular antibiotic....she didn't do any testing for any bacteria strain either....found all this by accident...LOL

because I still have muscle and bone pain, my DR is checking for lupus as well as rheumatiod antibodies...will know more about that next week....

[RusticRita]

Hi Barbara, wow, you've been through the mill by the sounds of it! Really interesting to hear of your discovery, although I would err on the side of caution if I was you regards eating gluten again. I say this, because if you do have any auto-immune issues like lupus and thyroid disease, gluten can aggravate the attacks according to the research I've read (do a search for Dr Chris Kresser's website for more info).

I did an elimination diet 12 ears ago and reacted strongly when I reintroduced wheat. After a year I introduced it back in with seemingly no bad reaction. I went on to develop thyroid disease, then hughes syndrome and suspected fibromyalgia. I was also tested for lupus and rheumatoid anti-bodies because of the on-going and worsening symptoms.

Last year I tested as severely gluten intolerant and since being gluten-free so many of the symptoms have eased right back! Bowel symptoms are the most recognised of coeliac and gluten intolerance, but some of the worst side-effects I get from being glutened now are rashes, severe joint pain and general systemic inflammation which causes brain fog and low energy (similar to untreated hypothyroid symptoms). I'm convinced from my own experience and the research I've read that the links between gluten and auto-immune diseases are no coincidence.

I used to suffer a lot of strep throat (or tonsillitis as we call it in Blighty!) so will definitely do a bit of research into strep/staph infections just in case there is a link there for me.

Will be interested to hear of your forthcoming results, keep us posted. Best wishes, Rita

[HiveMind]

I had constant tonsillitis as a child. I went on to develop a rare autoimmune condition and now I'm gluten/lactose intolerant.

There must be more than mere coincidence going on. :-s

[reelingenious]

Barbara,

Very, very interesting, but if you were having all these issues, surely you had blood tests which would have shown anti-body/white cell activity etc..! Not being a medic though, maybe someone would comment. A great deal about your case mirrors my own, but i've had more blood drawn than your average blood bank, very few of which have indicated anything untoward, the most recent being a week ago. Al

[mitchellbarbara in reply to reelingenious]

NOBODY EVER DID ANY BLOOD TESTS FOR THIS...only would give me RX for whatever symptom I had...I had 3 colonoscopies all showing the diverticulitis but they just said to add fiber and never checked to see the CAUSE...all they needed to do was a culture and nobody ever thought to do this...LOL...if I didn't have a 8 month long faaaarely severe cough, I would neve have received this antibiotic...and only AFTER changing to a different NP...both providers were nurses, not doctors...

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

What strain of Staph was it, Barbara... S. aureus?

[mitchellbarbara in reply to DartmoorGuerrilla]

I think so...it can cause any number of things including the boils, UTI's, bronchitis, pneumonia, gastritis, all kinds of intestinal distress, encephalitis, menengitis, sepsus as well as it can lead to death...it also can lay latent only causing minor symptoms, annoyances, and then all hell break loose when the body is stressed....Feb of 2012 is when it hit me hard...it is the most awful experience I have ever gone thru....the reason for this post, was to alert those of you with these sensitilvities, that maybe there is another reason and to check on this...maybe this is also yor problem...as for me, I finally have my life back....I found this connection while resarching the medication, checking the particular bugs it is used against...and then following up on these particular bacterial infections and their symptoms...as for the particular strain, NOBY CHECKED so whar]t I am reporting is based completely on my symptoms as well as what this antibiotic did...only after one tablet...I was a new person...

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

P.S. I'm sorry to hear you had such poor quality medical care all those years, that's appalling.

[upnabout]

Hi Barbara,

I've been having severe gut problems for years. My problems came on suddenly, from one week to the next. I often wondered if it was a parasite/gut flora issue, but found no proof Didn't really get much help from the medics, got the usual it's IBS/psychosomatic line! None of the IBS treatment helped, but antihistamines did.

I have a weakened immune system and have to take 'experimental' drugs to keep me alive. I wonder how they affect my digestive system, diarrhoea is a usual side effect, but who knows long term? In the past I have taken powerful antibiotics as a prophylaxis (TB, pneumonia, etc.). I also had years of the medics thinking I had contracted a tropical disease, because my liver function tests were always abnormal. 15 years in and they are now 'normal' and the abnormalities could be genetic.

I found going gluten free helped a lot. My 'toilet-going' is now mostly regular. It's not 'normal' but compared to the past it is manageable. I still have inexplicable bouts of toilet trouble - maybe I inadvertently ate gluten, maybe it was something else!

At the end of this month I am seeing the GI specialist again, after a lapse of several years. It's the one who told me I had IBS - it should be interesting! Because of your post I will bring up possible infections. Thank you for letting us all know that 'simple' explanations can be missed by the medics - even for years!

[mitchellbarbara in reply to upnabout]

no problem..this was my reasoning....maybe help someone else get their life back....I can't tell you how this has realeased my stress level and anxiety....It is awful when you have health problems and don't understand what is going on, and get no help to figure it out...I know I have spent a fortune on Immodian over the last 15 + years...can only use the chewable ones and they are getting harder and harder to find....have to drive about 80 miles to find the nearest stores that carry them and then maybe they don't have any..one time I had to resort to Amazon.com and spent $68.00 for a box that usually costs $13.49...LOL....have a ton of them right now, and no longer need them...LOL (found them on sale in January for $4.99 per box of 42 chewable tablets at Target)

[pretender]

There is another condition that is exactly the same as Coeliac Disease that can be treated with the antibiotic Tetracycline and it is called Tropical Sprue. This is caught in the tropics of course and should also be considered if you have lived or spent time abroad where this infection can be found.

[daisyellen]

Hi Barbara,

I too have food intolerances all brought about after having serious bouts of gastroenteritis, after each episode I had to add more foods to my "Can't Eat" list! I was just wondering what the possible side effects of the medication you took could be. I am definitely mentioning this to my doctor next time I see her because as the years go by my diet gets more and more restricted.

[mitchellbarbara in reply to daisyellen]

I found a huge amount of information on the internet...just search for LEVAQUIN... this is HOW I FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON...nobody EVER checked before for bacterial infecitons...tis was prescribed simply because I had a cough for the last 8 months that was getting more intense...DR treated bronchitis with an antibiotic that didn't work, so gave me this...and EVERYTHING was over almost immediately...even bowel issues I have had for 30 years!!! I know what you mean about restricting the foods...I was down to eating out of cans with the ONLY GF food that I didn't have problems with, was RISOTTO!!!! I just tried to find the info I looked at, and don't see it...if anyone would like to see this document, it's 20 pages and has EVERYTHING including bacteria that it is used against, let me know and I can email to you...I did save it to my desktop...

[aaron4]

How did they go about testing for the infections? What kind of culture did they take?