Treatments for getting glutened

[Flowerpot108]

Got glutened from an indian last night. They assured me me that they were careful about cross contamination, and had listed which items were gluten-free on the menu but half an hour after eating I had severe bloating and have suffered from diarrhoea since. Here are some things I did:

- Gum

- Peppermint tea

- Hot water bottle

- Anti acid

- Antihistamine

- Iboprufen

- Drinking lots of water

- This morning I'm eating plain white GF toast

Was too full to try eating gluten free carbs to soak it up last night

Going to buy powerade for electrolytes

Thinking about buying an enzyme to take if this happens again, anyone taken one and it's helped? Any recommendations for brand?

Anything else anyone usually does?

[Cooper27]

Enzymes are usually only helpful if taken before the gluten. I have one for lactose intolerance, but it's only useful if taken before or during the meal.

Some recommend activated charcoal, as long as you're not on other medications.

[Flowerpot108 in reply to Cooper27]

Ah yeah I saw about charcoal but I do take other medications

[Cooper27 in reply to Flowerpot108]

I think you might still be able to use it, as long as it's several hours away from your medication. Try discussing with your pharmacist when you're next in, I think they'd be best placed to advise.

They use activated charcoal to treat overdoses, as it absorbs the medication in the stomach. There's a window of opportunity though, after which activated charcoal is no longer helpful, and I think that window extends to prescription medications too. Again, pharmacist is a safer bet to ask about this.

[Flowerpot108 in reply to Cooper27]

Thanks will do!

[happytulip in reply to Cooper27]

Activated charcoal needs to be consumed within an hour of overdose or deliberate self poisoning as it reduces the absorption of medications within that window. There is no certainty that it will completely stop absorption of meds but it is a possibility. It's not nice to take. It is 100mls of nasty black "gunk." If medications are "slow- release or modified release" they may continue to be absorbed as the charcoal can potentially be absorbed faster than the breakdown of the meds. An example would be Morphine slow release tablet which is supposed to take around 8-12 hrs to break down.

Sorry, just a bit of random pub quiz knowledge from my work days. It's not nice stuff to take. Not that I've ever tried it. But looks and apparently tastes disgusting.

[Cooper27 in reply to happytulip]

That does sound a bit nasty! My partner takes capsules from the health food shop/pharmacy which I think is what most coeliac's would use. It's only 2-3 capsules maybe up to 4 times a day? Definitely a smaller dose than 100ml. He's medication free, so has a bit more flexibility with how much/often he takes it.

[happytulip in reply to Cooper27]

Ah, that would be more pleasant than the dreaded black gunk. Well, you now know the initial treatment for a medication overdose. You learn all sorts in these sites. And you've taught me something too.

[Hidden]

I just accept my fate. My understanding is once the glutening process begins, the damage is underway and nothing stops that. I've heard of people using baking soda or charcoal, but not sure if those work. I would lodge a complaint with that restaurant and leave a review on their website/Tripadvisor/similar to warn others. This is the problem - what restaurants believe is acceptable and what coeliacs require is poles apart. If all they can do to assure is going on the ingredients in dishes, then you can be sure that they don't understand cross-contamination and how it works. They need to be demonstrating knowledge not guess work from menus.

[Flowerpot108 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah I absolutely will, and I'll put a note in the find me gf app

[Hidden in reply to Flowerpot108]

Hope you recover from this soon. It is deeply unpleasant to follow a stringent GF diet and then have constant set-backs like this. Very unpleasant.

[Knip]

I use Loperamide wraps...the latter is loperamide removed from the capsule and wrapped in squares of baking parchment which is then twisted at each end. I never go anywhere with these in my pocket, my handbag, the car etc etc. It is so frustrating when cross contamination happens...usually due to the same utensil used to put food on the plates! I can no longer get kaolin and morph, even via prescription in the UK. That used to work quickly...a good evening out followed by a bad night on the loo! How we wish restaurants would double check when providing food to those of us with these problems...!

[happytulip in reply to Knip]

Can I ask why you use wraps? The immodium instants dissolve onto your tongue and get to work straight away with me. Just thought it might be easier than breaking apart capsules?

[Knip in reply to happytulip]

I haven't heard of these Happy tulip. It would certainly be much easier. I will look up the ingredients online and check them out. The wraps don't taste particularly nice but the the active ingredient does get absorbed rapidly! The Loperamide capsules are made from gelatine and I am allergic to anything related to beef including, milk ,cheese and gelatine. Hopefully, my life is about to get easier! Thank you. 👍

[happytulip in reply to Knip]

Immodium is loperamide as I'm sure you know but I don't know any further ingredients. It used to really bother me that I had to take several doses of loperamide in order for the symptoms to go. But then I came across instants. Granted they are more expensive but they are tiny and melt on your tongue. They are very easy to carry in your purse and be very discreet. I was sceptical about how quickly they would work but they worked very fast on me.

Also, I guess there would be no need for explaining away wraps of white powder in your handbag😂. I should say that I don't have celiacs but am gluten intolerant and have AI disease so need something to act fast when the symptoms come on.

It works for me anyway. Hope it's something that might help you.

[Knip in reply to happytulip]

You are right there...the very thought of wraps being mentioned or used in the airport brings on panicky groans from my family! 😀

[Knip in reply to happytulip]

Another blow! I have just looked up the ingredients for melts only to find, unfortunately, that they contain gelatin, as do the capsules. It comes under the 'all dairy connected foods including beef' ban! The only meat that I really enjoyed eating was beef! I shouldn't grumble because I am fine with soya and can eat pork and chicken...probably lamb too, but the smell of it cooking makes me nauseous. I love fish and vegetables and eat a very healthy diet...so I have no reason to complain! Many people with autoimmune issues have it far harder. Thank you for you help, it would have been amazing if I could have used them. Take care, 🙂

[CATRYNA49]

I have found that Baking soda in water helps.

[Donkster]

Try taking good ole Gaviscon Advance works for me every time.

[Knip in reply to Donkster]

For acid indigestion my Rheumatology Consultant suggested that I tried lemon juice in water. I buy a 50% high juice, no added sugar, lemon drink and dilute it with hot water and find it works really well. I used to use up to 3 x 600mls Gaviscon monthly and I now use about 100mls.