I had a biopsy which was normal but have stopped eating wheat .I tried a croissant the other day and my stomach bloated up like a balloon .

[pickletastic]

Could i have a wheat intolerance and can i get any tests for this ?

[Mango1]

Hi there. I too have had blood tests over the years to see if I am a coeliac which come back unproven. I was told that to have the test done properly you need to eat gluten for several days before taking the test. As it would be impossible for me to leave the house I have declined having any more tests in this regard. I have recently been diagnosed with lactose intolerance and was told by the dietician that it often goes hand in hand with gluten intolerance.

Good luck with any tests you may have and let me know how you get on.

[poing]

Wheat apparently can be digested into opiate-like substances that paralyse the smooth muscle of the intestine. That means bloating and constipation. At least this is what happens to me, and that's why I no longer eat gluten. Someone told me that once although the scientific paper they referenced was on rats in vitro not live humans. It was kind of nice to find a possible explanation.

I think there are comprehensive tests for gluten sensitivity, where they do every single possible test including the genetic markers for coeliacs (which can rule it out rather than rule it in) and anti-gliadin IgA (I think the NHS doesn't do that one because it has poor predictive value for coeliacs, but it may be a marker of gluten sensitivity).

But is it worth spending on the test if it won't change the outcome? You have already ruled out coeliacs, but know that you don't want to eat wheat...

[slightspirit]

I have come across this many times of late, I suggest that you google a site called 'Wheatbelly'

it is written by an American cardiologist. It is quite illuminating.... I am Ceoliac so I understand the feeling! However my wife is not but she was suffering increasing amounts of IBS for which the GPs could find no cure or cause for. After reading this particular site (after a suggestion by my daughter) I suggested she give up wheat. The results were quite astonishing, after less than two weeks her IBS symptoms were in retreat and now, several months later, she rarely has problems.

She now longer eats wheat in it's normal form, but for sandwiches, toast and the like she uses bread made from spelt which is an old form of wheat that is unadulterated by modern farming...

Hope this is useful... :o)

[RusticRita]

Hi, Yes you are likely to be wheat intolerant by the sounds of it! Do you also suffer from hayfever and urticuria by any chance? I tested negative for coeliac antibodies but positive for an IgE wheat allergy blood test. The immunologist then did skin tests which reacted to wheat but not enough to be considered a true allergy, although grass allergy result was off the scale. The immunologist said it was likely I was wheat intolerant due to cross reactivity: basically the body mistakes wheat for grass (they belong in the same family). I also react to corn (also in the grass family).

Wheat intolerance is becoming more common, but standard medicine lags in research. Google "the University of Maryland wheat intolerance" for best science based info on this. I suffered lots of other bad symptoms that are now clearing since I cut out wheat, oats and barley including urticuria, chronic joint pain and fatigue, IBS and brain fog!

[pickletastic]

Thanks for all your replies i do have asthma and get headaches if exposed to strong perfume .At the moment i seem to be OK with a small amount of oats but certainly feel healthier for not eating wheat products .I used to get alot of headaches and feel tired all the time as well as frequent trips to the loo in the morning !

[Mango1]

That is strange, I too have asthma and suffer from migraines and will react badly to strong smells of any kind. Are you saying that you think they are connected to gluten intolerance ?

[poing in reply to Mango1]

I react badly to chemical smells like cigarette smoke, paint fumes, and artificial perfumes of any kind. I'm also allergic to cats and dogs. I had heard that poor tolerance of chemicals might be connected to a sulphur deficiency, but I am not sure if that is true.