advise

[Mikeila]

Hi guys, i really need your advise on this..I've been to Pizza Hut in Birmingham today and I have eaten a GF pizza. After half an hour I had excruciating tummy pain and diarrhea, so I've been expose to gluten.This is the second time when is happening in the same place.First time it was few weeks ago and I thought it was an accident.Now is gonna take me a week to get better.I'm really concerned because if it happened to me it can happen to anyone else for that manner.If they can't provide a safe environment for this they shouldn't sale it. I really need to make someone from Birmingham aware about this problem but I don't know who. I'm a member of UK Coeliac .Thanks

[Mia1057]

You should phone the restaurant and ask to speak to the manager and explain what has happened. They obviously have issues with cross contamination. Plus send an email to head office.

[Regalbirdy]

Please, please do all Black Country and Brummie coeliac's a favour.... go back and tell the restaurant!

I live in the same area as you. If you keep quiet it will keep happening and it could be a young kid that gets sick next time....

[Mikeila]

I will go back tomorrow..Now unfortunately a have to stay closer to the toilet but I've sent an email to head office..

Many Thanks..

[mitchellbarbara]

Hi...over the last 1 1/2 years I have been "gluten intolerant".. for some reason after a lifetime of no problems... I was noticing, however, that I could eat TWIZZLERS but nothing else with gluten... (was biopsied as it got THAT far, which was negative) last week we had a Thanksgiving luncheon at work, and I ate stuffing as well as cake.. both made from scratch, with no negative effects) I have just realized it is the preservatives or other additives that is my problem!!! maybe this is the issue you are having... worth watching out for... good luck and hope you feel better..

[Mikeila]

Believe me, after 12 yr of GF diet I know what are the symptoms when I've been expose to gluten..Thanks for your suggestion.

[Mikeila in reply to Mikeila]

and what happened today is first time in 12 yr when is that bad..

[tassie in reply to Mikeila]

You may well be right but so might mitchellbarbara. Being intolerant to one food can also make you more suceptible to intolerances of other things in food. Since going GF I have had multiple food intolerances show up. Life is not always simple.

[Henbur]

I think mitchelbarbara means it might not be gluten this time many coeliacs are sensitive to other things especially complex additives and things that they use to try and mimic gluten xantham being a major one. You did say in your first post it happened to you twice but in a more recent one you said first time in 12 yrs? If it's the former I imagine something else in the base could reasonably be the issue as I would expect a major contamination issue to be well know in coeliac community as I'm hearing loads of positive hype about Pizza Hut and pizza express at my local coeliac meetings so loads of folk are going - did you eat same thing both times, did they advise on toppings to avoid? did they seem knowledgeable about coeliac and cross contamination etc. use different cutters/ serving boards as my Pizza Hut do all those things? I think emailing ho is correct I would also telephone manager when you are off the loo!

[Regalbirdy]

I just want to add that I think you should go with your gut feeling as to know what to do....

[barny]

hiya do hope you are well soon i dont go there cus never trust them i come from near birmingham not same but went to a toby caravry last week took my own gravy ask about veg ect low an behold 10mins after was ill mot nice when you ar out took 2days to get right phoned them they said they glaze veg grrr why oh why dont they tell you right away wont go there again x

[pickletastic]

I have had no trouble at Pizza express in Cornwall but like above have had problems after glaze .What is in it ?

[Thurgolady]

hi there Mikeila - the problem with getting 'glutened' is that you reactivate your immune system so its as though your body goes back on alert mode - so anyone with any autoimmune gluten sensitivity needs to be careful never to get glutened - your symptoms can come back with a vengeance - so you might only have had a teeny bit but your body has reacted more violently than it did before - the Gluten Summit is providing a lot of great information about this sort of thing so I hope you have managed to catch some of the fantastic talks there - last day today I think though.

You know that it was gluten. I dont believe that these places can be gluten free (unless they do the same as Chuck E Cheese where GF pizza comes in its own bag which its cooked in and served in) - there is too much gluten flying around and it only takes one of the cooks to forget and dust in wheat flour or put down on a floured worktop or use a chpping board or a cutter, or someone dips their floured hand in a gluten free topping -too much potential for cross contamination and I would never eat there, I really dont think its safe so follow your instincts, complain to the manager, do a review on trip advisor or somewhere, and make pizza at home and eat somewhere safer when you're out!

Pizza places are gluten fests and great that they are trying to do GF but iits going to be about the hardest place to do it safely I think.

[zoombie]

I agree wuth barbara my son works at PH and I know they have had intensive training re cross contamination suggest you go back and ask to see the manager and get a list of ingredients used. Hope you are on the mend now.

[Mikeila]

thank you guys for your answers. i will avoid PH from now on ..i'm sad coz it was the only place that i knew to go with my friends and family.

[Gfmom]

I've eaten at Pizza Hut in Bentley bridge w'ton and was fine after that, I've also had gf pizza delivered from dominos and that's been fine. It may be a problem with that branch in particular so it's definitely worth letting head office know. Have you eaten gf pizza from other places and been ok?

[Penel]

Hi Mikeila

It seems a real shame to not go out for a meal with your family. Have you had a look on your local Coeliac website for alternatives? I am finding more and more places serving gf food, although it's always going to be a bit of a lottery.

My reaction to xantham gum is faster than my reaction to gluten, the xantham acts as a laxative within a couple of hours.

[makzine]

same happened to me in Ashford town centre branch Kent I complained via their web site and they assured me that they were holding an investigation, they gave me a voucher to use and I spent it in Kendal branch when visiting friends. sorry but I now avoid Pizza Express, I think that they use the same utensils, to spread sauce etc and that's how I got glutened

[Hidden in reply to makzine]

"I think that they use the same utensils, to spread sauce etc and that's how I got glutened"

Comments like this always worry me - it sounds like it is based on belief rather than evidence. The whole chain is dismissed on what evidence? Interestingly, I've heard opposite stories about the same chain but that's all they are, stories. If you've seen them using the same utensils, fine - but if it is just a guess, it doesn't help anybody at all.

[makzine in reply to Hidden]

OK - all I saw in the restaurant I was in was one set of tools hence the hypotenuse I didn't see them use separate utensils, I got glutened - I also got on this site to warn people, my brother in law was glutened recently and ended up in hospital, it all depends on how the reaction takes you - I now trust no one but if I find a restaurant that understands about cross contamination and goes out of their way to understand then I also go on Gluten Road and recommend them - do you do the same?????

[Lexy]

Hi Mikeila, I have not tried Pizza Hut, but I only once ate at one of the Edinburgh branches of Pizza Express and despite it being a very quiet time (there were only a very small number of customers in) and getting what appeared to be good and concerned service from the waiting staff (pizza served on the 'gf' slate) I definitely suffered what I can only describe as 'gluten exposure symptoms' (I have Dermatitis Herpetiformis so I get itching all over then followed by itchy blisters and the lovely stomach/digestion problems). I have never eaten so-called gf-pizza again at a restaurant since. I definitely get 'gluten reactions' to xanthan gum (which is in so many gf products) so I speculate this may have been the culprit. Interestingly, so far I appear not to react to gf-pasta sold in various Italian restaurants as I have eaten this on various occasions and never had reactions. Not sure this helps, but just thought it may be of interest. I hope you recover soon. Take care.

[Jessiepup]

Just seen ths post, I have suspected being 'glutened' at a Pizza Hut in Southampton - I don't have severe reactions (more lethargy, constipation, headache ) so I can't quite pin it down completely but I suspected this a couple of times.

Pizza Hut have clearly not trained their staff properly when it comes to preparing GF food