Glutened

[tetloww]

I have been glutened on holiday. On Wednesday night I was got by a White Russian drink. Apparently the khalua has wheat in it. I alway know the next day if I have done something wrong and with being extra careful since being here I knew exactly what had got me. My stomach inflamed and became painful spreading to my back. I’m a constipated gluten sufferer. Since realising I drank plenty of water I rested ( easy when you not in work) I read up that the inflammation can take about 48 hours to improve. I ate all the things that say it help the inflammation. Tuna with lots of olive oil and tomatoes. Yoghurt to help digestion and took laxatives. I can honestly say this morning the swelling is easing the pain has gone but I still have to keep an eye on the constipation side of things. It normally takes me 10 days to go to the toilet without the overflow but finally I think I’ve done it in 3 👍😁. Hope this helps anyone xx

[Penel]

Glad you’ve managed to sort yourself out Tetloww. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

[tetloww in reply to Penel]

Feeling much better today so back out and about doing our beach hopping 😊

[Mathri]

Glad you are now OK and can enjoy the rest of your holiday, but I doubt of gluten was the problem. Although vodka can be made by fermenting any cereal, including wheat, the gluten from these would be lost during the distillation process so that, apart from water, vodka is almost pure alcohol. Khalua does however contain cream, to which you may also be allergic.

But the greatest problem is likely to be the alcohol that can irritate the gut to cause inflammation and make the gut more permeable to other potential allergens. It is also a diuretic, which will remove water from your body and gut to give you harder poos, which can in turn lead to constipation.

Sadly, I have found from personal experience that the only way to avoid these sorts of gut problems is to give up alcohol completely. You can also add coffee to the list since it contains caffeine, which is also a diuretic. It's a shame, because I like both and I guess you do to. My compromise is to have one cup of strong coffee in the morning to wake me up but to give up alcohol completely.

Best wishes

Mathri

[Rmichelle]

Glad you are feeling better but I gave up drink when diagnosed, I read somewhere the only safe drinks for Celiac's was either pure white rum not flavoured or you can have gin, anything else is a no no, even wines can be dodgy as its the barrels it is kept in because of the coating in the barrel, I used to love tia maria and baileys but being celiac has taken that enjoyment away. Enjoy your hols😀😀

[tetloww in reply to Rmichelle]

I drink wkd blue or pink gin and lemonade when I’m at home. On holiday I have Smirnoff vodka based cocktails. This holiday I have managed to eat 3 times a day small potions. So when I have the White Russian made with Smirnoff vodka I knew it had to be the khalua. I googled it and it confirmed that it contained wheat and advised to stay away from it. My main struggle when I am hit is constipation ( it can take 10 days for me to go properly) and I feel inflamed inside with pain within 12 hours of having. So this time I have taken laxatives to keep soft and live yogurt and this has worked much better for me. I am still on colon cleansers to try and keep regular and so far so good. When I first started illuminating alcohol was my first thing I stopped (no better) then dairy ( a bit better) by the time I got to see the gastro I had been illuminating 18 months. After a few years of debating with him he agreed for me never to eat gluten/ wheat ever again but as he can’t do the definite diagnosis no dietician can help me. I have all the other regular check up bloods dexa scans and B12 injections. The rest I work out myself xxx

[Rmichelle]

Well it looks like you know what you are doing tetloww, I've never been a real drinker anyway so going without was easy for me really but being celiac as taken the pleasure of going out for a meal etc with family and friends but hwy there are worse things to moan about. Good luck to you and keep well.😊

[tetloww in reply to Rmichelle]

If I go out it depends of the waitress/ waiter. If they know what they are talking about I put my trust in them. If not I have a chicken salad 😂 again this has taken a long time to do as I didn’t always want to be the one at the table holding everyone up xx

[Rmichelle in reply to tetloww]

You are very trusting you see it is what happens after the waitress if the person preparing your food uses a knife with gluten on or a work surface with contamination on, my trust has gone!! Maybe one day, I do think there should be restaurants especially for Celiac's so it will wipe out any cross contamination then!!😊

[tetloww in reply to Rmichelle]

If the waiter / waitress understands fully what I am talking about it normally means that they have had proper training. The good ones go and speak with the chef and then come back and let me know if what I have ordered is ok. Them are the only ones I trust. And so far I have been ok. Xx