How often do you get "glutened"?

[poing]

What kinds of things catch you out?

My biggie this year was when I ate some home made cake that was supposed to be GF, but can't have been. Not being able to trust people to know what they're doing makes me kind of sad, but I suppose I have to accept this.

And how long does it take you to recover from a glutening?

[Penel]

Hi Poing

I am (slightly) paranoid about other people cooking for me! I will eat food made by a friend whose granddaughter has problems with eggs, gluten and dairy, because I know she really does understand. I feel really bad about interrogating people on what they are cooking and tend to opt for just going round for a coffee and not a meal.

We had a discussion on here a few months ago about being glutened, and if it was possible to distinguish it from food poisoning. I thought I had been glutened at a restaurant, but now I'm not so sure.

healthunlocked.com/glutenfr...

[poing in reply to Penel]

Thanks for the reply. I think I've entered the world of gluten paranoia too. My glutened symptoms are quite different from food poisoning, so I've never been confused about the two, which is good I suppose. Things go the other way with me - when I'm glutened, my digestive system pretty much stops. Sometimes this happens in a milder way... and I'm starting to link this to eating out and possible cross contamination. Also, been discovering more and more things are not safe - marshmallows and sugared almonds being the latest ones.

[urbangirl]

I think I have worked it out for me but I know everybody is different. Firstly since doing FODMAPS and sticking to the low fodmap foods I was able to identify the dodgy suspects that although weren't gluten aggravated me. Secondly, In the last 3 months I have had several incidents where I have had violent attacks of stomach pains/cramps and the rest - I am sure I don't need to elaborate! A pattern has emerged, this being the process takes approx 6 hours to complete. Nobody else was ill when I had these incidents and they have occurred in a restaurant, friends places and in my home and tracking back the food I had eaten the culprit was gluten. I also react to food that I introduce and have a similar reaction. It is awful being like this but I know it is going to end after a few hours. I just like to be at home and on two occasions I wasn't and we had a long drive home each of these times which worried me no end in case I needed the bathroom.

I too am very cautious about having people cook for me and the worst thing ever for me was being ill in a friends house where we were staying for the weekend. The list of things I can't eat is neverending these days and people just don't understand.

[urbangirl]

Sorry I was a bit unclear. Tracking back over what food I ate that glutened me the probable culprits were gluten related as I would not eat gluten deliberately eg sugared almonds and other sweets which probably contained glucose syrup, one date that I thought was okay but I think they can be dusted in flour and chick peas which were not organic and I understand that they could be processed in places with gluten.

[Jacks]

I think taking any risk like this is rather like playing Russian Roulette. How many times can you get 'glutoned' and get away with it? Well if you are really young and really lucky your villi might grow back. On the other hand you might be like me and be well and truly "without hope" (not allowed to use other words but you get the drift).

There will be a ton of people reading your question who will want to say DON'T RISK IT, EVER! Our late diagnosis shortened our lives because we ate gluten not knowing we were coeliacs. (It's only recently become a bit of a household word.)

[poing in reply to Jacks]

I'm not talking about knowingly eating gluten, but about the times when it happens despite your best efforts. I've been gluten free for about two and a half years, and things STILL catch me out, even though I consider myself to be fairly well educated about hidden sources of gluten.

I think that villous atrophy is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the damage that coeliac disease can cause... those transglutaminase enzymes are used for cross linking proteins so that tissues grow properly and they are found everywhere in the body!

Even knowing this, I still find it hard to balance the biological need to eat with the importance of keeping gluten out of the diet. Starvation is not an option, especially when you're recovering from a state that involved lots of nutrient deficiencies.

[weee]

I have inadvertently been glutened about 3 times this year, despite my best efforts. I am very wary when eating out and sometimes feel very awkward/anxious that I am holding up my fellow dinner guests with my requests from the chef/waiter etc.

Sometimes, and I hate to admit it and would never recommend it, this makes me just choose what I think will likely be okay and not ask questions and 'hope for the best' . Not good I know..