projectile vomiting when glutened

[Auldtwa]

I asked about this a few years ago.  The only response was "yeah, sometimes you vomit."  I've experienced it again and wonder whether there is any newer research on it.  

I have been diagnosed with celiac disease, after severe anemia. My biopsies were "anomalous"  but my blood work wasn't.  I didn't really have gut issues.     I've been gluten free for about 5 years.  I am not particularly sensitive to trace gluten; I can eat a french fry from McDonalds, for example, without ill effect, and I'm not afraid of "made in a facility that also processes wheat." .  But if I get a real dose, the reaction is REALLY strong.  Projectile vomiting for hours, though no lower gut involvement, nor cramps, etc--I just start vomiting like mad.  It is a very distinctive feeling--not at all like food poisoning.  Once was a "gluten free" dumpling that they didn't mention had soy sauce in it. Once was a muffin when the server though I said "pumpkin."  Once was a piece of pizza my daughter had brought home from a group she belongs to in a box labeled "gluten free."  Looks like someone stuck a piece of regular pizza in the box.   The most recent was a sushi mislabeled as crab but apparently imitation crab--there's a huge difference.  The last one was life threatening since I'm now on insulin.  The vomiting put me in diabetic shock and the whole episode got me paramedics, an ambulance ride, and hours in the ER, though once I got sugar in me and anti vomit meds, I was fine.  Almost instantaneously, in fact. 

My question is: how often is this sort of thing (the vomiting, not the diabetic shock, which I understand) a side effect of a big dose of gluten?   Is it typical result of being 'glutened" , or unusual?  Has anyone else experienced this?   I saw a post from a friend who was talking about some other 'eliminate stuff" diet who said that this kind of vomiting can happen if you suddenly ingest whatever it is you've eliminated.  Does anyone know about this?  Is there any research on the mechanism that causes such vomiting? Again, before I went gluten free, bread and other glutening things did not bother my stomach at all.

I now have anti-vomit meds I can use if I start urping, and a hideously expensive glucagon injection system if I pass out from low blood sugar.  If you are diabetic on insulin  as well as celiac, I  do recommend these precautions.  

Edited February 20, 2018 by Auldtwa

[Ennis-TX]

Yeah, last HUGE does for me was in 2016, i lost motor control and was vomiting collapsed on the floor so hard there was blood in it then kept on heaving for hours. One of my friends thought I was dead since I turned white and my fitness tracker said my pulse dropped into the 30s for the episode. Several minor exposures since then but nothing that bad. >.< It causings my immune system to go after my nervous system and my brain.

Heads up you might do what I did, I wear dog tags, one standard with my info on it. one red medical tag with my disease, blood types, allergies, other medical issues and emergency contact info. That way if I collapse in public people know to check the red tags, they are standard for emergency medical info.

[cyclinglady]

Celiac disease is like a chameleon— always changing.  Like you, I was only anemic before my diagnosis (no GI issues).  But each glutening has been different (and I had only cross contamination issues to my knowledge.  Symptoms so different that I went back to my GI for confirmation each time.  I have vomited.  So much that my capillaries break in my face (leopard look) and I have passed out.    Like you, I have been taken to ER.  But what is more worrisome is that with gluten exposures, another autoimmune disorder can emerge, at least for me.  

I have healed from celiac disease (biopsies normal as of 1/2018), but I have a confirmed new autoimmune chronic gastritis on top of my celiac disease and Hashimoto’s.  

Thanks for sharing your story.  

[ch88]

I don't think throwing up when you eat wheat is a very normal symptom of celiac disease.  You should talk to a doctor about it. Projectile vomiting can happen when there is increased pressure in the brain (like a brain bleed) and probably in other cases. Something unusual is going on but I don't know what. It could be a wheat allergy or another complication of celiac disease. I get immediate anxiety and lots of neurological problems but I don't throw up. If you are allergic to wheat (IGE antibodies) that could possibly why your blood test came back normal (the test for celiac disease is different than for a food allergy). I haven't had any blood work so I don't know what I have. 

Some people can eat a food that they are allergic to, but when the go to exercise, drink alcohol or do something that effects their intestine they get an immune reaction. 

[GFinDC]

Your very quick vomiting does sound more like an allergy than an intolerance.  You could get wheat allergy testing to see if that is part of the problem.

[Byrnezey]

On 2/20/2018 at 9:21 PM, Auldtwa said:

I asked about this a few years ago.  The only response was "yeah, sometimes you vomit."  I've experienced it again and wonder whether there is any newer research on it.  

I have been diagnosed with celiac disease, after severe anemia. My biopsies were "anomalous"  but my blood work wasn't.  I didn't really have gut issues.     I've been gluten free for about 5 years.  I am not particularly sensitive to trace gluten; I can eat a french fry from McDonalds, for example, without ill effect, and I'm not afraid of "made in a facility that also processes wheat." .  But if I get a real dose, the reaction is REALLY strong.  Projectile vomiting for hours, though no lower gut involvement, nor cramps, etc--I just start vomiting like mad.  It is a very distinctive feeling--not at all like food poisoning.  Once was a "gluten free" dumpling that they didn't mention had soy sauce in it. Once was a muffin when the server though I said "pumpkin."  Once was a piece of pizza my daughter had brought home from a group she belongs to in a box labeled "gluten free."  Looks like someone stuck a piece of regular pizza in the box.   The most recent was a sushi mislabeled as crab but apparently imitation crab--there's a huge difference.  The last one was life threatening since I'm now on insulin.  The vomiting put me in diabetic shock and the whole episode got me paramedics, an ambulance ride, and hours in the ER, though once I got sugar in me and anti vomit meds, I was fine.  Almost instantaneously, in fact. 

My question is: how often is this sort of thing (the vomiting, not the diabetic shock, which I understand) a side effect of a big dose of gluten?   Is it typical result of being 'glutened" , or unusual?  Has anyone else experienced this?   I saw a post from a friend who was talking about some other 'eliminate stuff" diet who said that this kind of vomiting can happen if you suddenly ingest whatever it is you've eliminated.  Does anyone know about this?  Is there any research on the mechanism that causes such vomiting? Again, before I went gluten free, bread and other glutening things did not bother my stomach at all.

I now have anti-vomit meds I can use if I start urping, and a hideously expensive glucagon injection system if I pass out from low blood sugar.  If you are diabetic on insulin  as well as celiac, I  do recommend these precautions.  

I'm a coeliac since Aug 2nd 2005 and like you, when I get Gluten-ed I have a terrifying reaction, the vomiting is so intense that i can hardly breathe and then the food is all up, then the Bile and then the blood and when you try and explain to the staff in a restaurant what happens they apologies as if you're being over dramatic. My eye become blood shot, I'm recovering at the moment from an episode where they gave me a full wheat bap instead of the gluten-free one and waiting for an Endoscopy .And you're right it's not like vomiting from a bug or ordinary food poisonoing, i feel like an animal when the whole thing takes over my body

 

[Terry Mangrum]

If I get gluten in my diet the next morning I vomit until I end up in the ER. It took me years to figure it out and because I had eliminated gluten they couldn’t do a test for Celiac. I didn’t even realize I could be Celiac. The symptoms started out vague long ago and each year would get worse. I am thankful people blog about their symptoms or I would most likely still be sick. I used to take Gluten Cutters product when I thought I had eaten gluten accidentally but then my store stopped carrying them. Now I use charcoal capsules and they usually work. 

[Mags one]

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 7 years ago. On the several occasions I accidentally ate gluten (wheat, barley or rye) I projectile vomit until only bile, s$#& myself, shiver and am soaking wet, in excruciating pain with cramps and end up in A&E having a dose of Buscopan (for painful cramps) and sickness shot. It’s just vile.  Now whenever I eat out, I shove a notice under the nose of the chef which gives info on what I can and can’t eat with the warning that I get violently ill. So far, so good.  Just returned from Xmas in Austria and took a warning notice with me in German to show the chefs.  Don’t rely on the waiter/waitress to ‘inform verbally’ the chef. So far, so good........

[Maddy1]

Diagnosed Celiac by biopsy 12 years ago. I also projectile vomit when I am “glutened”. I didn’t have this symptom until I was gluten free for a few years. It is horrible. I feel like I am going to die. It happens exactly three hours after I ingest even a small amount and it lasts for hours. It is almost always a mistake by a restaurant. Last week it was Thai food that was guaranteed to be gluten free. A few months ago it was gluten-free pasta that was cooked in the same water as wheat pasta. I am becoming terrified to eat anything I didn’t prepare myself. 

[Krid]

My daughter (diagnosed Celiac age 5yo, now 14yo) has vomiting as her primary reaction when glutened, 2-3 hours after ingestion, and only with large amounts of gluten as you mentioned.
 

We see it as a good thing as it gets the “poison” out quickly and completely. We don’t use any antiemetics for that reason. 

I think there are a lot of different ways people react, so hard to say what’s normal. 

[beebs]

Last time I ate a full gluten meal, 6 wreks after going gluten free, this was 9 years ago, within 45 minutes I was projectile vomiting, then bile, exrutiating belly pains, cold sweats etc, taken to ED. 

I am very careful with gluten now as I react badly to CC, but don't have that kind of severe reaction to it. 

[DebJ14]

I have been glutened 3 times in the past 5 years, all on cruise ships.  In each case I was assured it was my gluten-free meal, even after questioning the waiters.  In all 3 cases I barely made it back to the cabin before projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea started.  The last episode, in early November 2019, had me in the bathroom for 4 hours.  After the first hour, at least they took turns so I was not trying to puke in the sink, while sitting on the toilet. My husband sat in the cabin listening to my moaning and cursing.  He had never been in such close proximity before and did not understand just how awful the impact was on me.  When I finally made it to my bed I was soaked in sweat, shaking uncontrollably, and had to wear one of his tee shirts because I had puked down the front of all of my nightshirts.  The next day he pitched a fit with the Maitre'D and waiter.  I had never seen him so angry over anything.  Sadly, we are now in mid-January and I am still not back to normal.  I get terrible pain and gas no matter what I eat.  The only days I feel OK are the days I fast.  This is the longest time it has taken me to recover from being glutened, so I suspect it was a huge amount compared to the other 2 incidents.

Over the weekend were at the deli counter at Kroger picking up lunch meat and the woman working behind the counter started slicing the wrong brand.  We always buy Boar's Head and have never had a problem.  She was slicing the store brand and asked if it was OK?  My husband asked if it was gluten free.  She checked the label and it did not say, so my husband told her we had to have Boar's Head.  She asked if we could tell the difference by smelling.  He said no, but he could get me to taste it and if it wasn't gluten-free that I would be puking all over her deli counter.  The shocked look on her face was priceless.  Here she was selling this stuff every day and had no clue.  She asked a few questions and seemed genuinely interested and said she would talk to the store manager about training for the deli staff so that they did not accidentally harm anyone.

 

[MDS]

I also suffer from violent reactions if I unknowingly ingest gluten. Unfortunately it has occured about six times since first going gluten free, and exclusively with eating out / take out food. Within an hour to two hours the continuous vomiting starts, closely followed by the explosive and uncontrollable diarrhea, and then the sweating, shakes and chills. This acute stage usually lasts several hours, followed by total exhaustion lasting 1-2 days. I do not experience such severe reactions from cross contamination - but do know that I have been exposed and usually takes a day to recoup. I strongly empathize with anyone who experiences the severe reaction.... It is like nothing I have ever before experienced in my life! 

[Patty harrigan]

Two hours after accidentally ingesting gluten, and only after I have eaten out, I start to vomit for hours. It’s like clock work. Then I get hypothermic With bone breaking chills. My temperature dropped to 95. I get so weak I can barely lift my head up to vomit.  With this last episode I passed out behind the wheel of a car. I have no idea how my husband got me out of the car and into the back seat. I ate at a  coffee bar that claimed to be gluten-free but the people running it are not trained and missed something....health food type of place where the owners just decided gluten-free was healthier. I have had 2 reactions like this in two years as I rarely eat out or eat food I haven’t made myself. And the next day I have severe joint pain which was how I was diagnosed. I’m heading to allergist Tuesday to make sure this isn’t an anaphylactic wheat allergy. My primary doctor has armed me with an epipen  What a life! 

[Zenith]

On ‎2‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 3:21 PM, Auldtwa said:

I asked about this a few years ago.  The only response was "yeah, sometimes you vomit."  I've experienced it again and wonder whether there is any newer research on it.  

I have been diagnosed with celiac disease, after severe anemia. My biopsies were "anomalous"  but my blood work wasn't.  I didn't really have gut issues.     I've been gluten free for about 5 years.  I am not particularly sensitive to trace gluten; I can eat a french fry from McDonalds, for example, without ill effect, and I'm not afraid of "made in a facility that also processes wheat." .  But if I get a real dose, the reaction is REALLY strong.  Projectile vomiting for hours, though no lower gut involvement, nor cramps, etc--I just start vomiting like mad.  It is a very distinctive feeling--not at all like food poisoning.  Once was a "gluten free" dumpling that they didn't mention had soy sauce in it. Once was a muffin when the server though I said "pumpkin."  Once was a piece of pizza my daughter had brought home from a group she belongs to in a box labeled "gluten free."  Looks like someone stuck a piece of regular pizza in the box.   The most recent was a sushi mislabeled as crab but apparently imitation crab--there's a huge difference.  The last one was life threatening since I'm now on insulin.  The vomiting put me in diabetic shock and the whole episode got me paramedics, an ambulance ride, and hours in the ER, though once I got sugar in me and anti vomit meds, I was fine.  Almost instantaneously, in fact. 

My question is: how often is this sort of thing (the vomiting, not the diabetic shock, which I understand) a side effect of a big dose of gluten?   Is it typical result of being 'glutened" , or unusual?  Has anyone else experienced this?   I saw a post from a friend who was talking about some other 'eliminate stuff" diet who said that this kind of vomiting can happen if you suddenly ingest whatever it is you've eliminated.  Does anyone know about this?  Is there any research on the mechanism that causes such vomiting? Again, before I went gluten free, bread and other glutening things did not bother my stomach at all.

I now have anti-vomit meds I can use if I start urping, and a hideously expensive glucagon injection system if I pass out from low blood sugar.  If you are diabetic on insulin  as well as celiac, I  do recommend these precautions.  

Hello I experienced this too when my body first told me  NO MORE GLUTEN on Sept 6th,  2019. (but I did not figure it out yet)    It still took me  2 months to figure it out = (Nov 17, '19  why I vomited on Sept 6) . My test was positive for celiacs in 2017. Although she did not say celiacs. And I did NOT believe my  N.D. doc.

She said  u "borderline can't handle gluten" .     I had eaten 4 pieces of Panera bread sandwich  and  two huge gluten cookies from Barnes N nobles that evening (Sept 6). At 10PM,  and 7PM  I took in all this. Then I had projectile vomiting by 11PM!!!  But the craps first so when I vomited hardly anything came up!!!     Also the funny thing is  I took   1tsp  of bentonite clay like  at  10PM too, so I believe the bentonite clay ALSO had a help in making me DETOX all the gluten so fast!!!!!    It detected GLUTEN as  POISON!! 

I went to the  N .D.  doc in 2017, and that is when she gave me hormone test which also tested for antibodies to the two  wheat proteins. (AgI test)    15 was highest on the scale as far as how you are allergic to gluten.

I came up  #14!!!!  She told me I could not eat gluten anymore and  I  thought she was full of crap,  till  Nov  17, 2019 when I ate 3 pieces of pumpkin bread with extra vital wheat gluten added. THEN I had horrid horrid stomach pains!!!!! . ( I KNEW I HAD TO GIVE UP GLUTEN AT THIS POINT). The pain was horrid!!

Then I finally connected the dots back in Sept  6, WHEN I PROJECTILE VOMITED.

   Good luck. Don't  trust any food unless it is certified gluten free and don't be just guessing.

I just got glutened  on  Wal marts  corn chips and I just ate them previously for months just fine.

The  new batches are contaminated.   They were  the  Scorchn' Hot,  Galic-Chili, and salsa verde .

They say gluten free but they are NOT.  THEY do NOT say CERTIFIED gluten free.

[Fenrir]

Old topic but yeah, projectile vomiting and other strong gastric reactions are definitely part of celiac disease.

Last time I got mega glutened was about two years ago. I ate two sandwiches (4 slices of bread). I vomited so hard blood vessels in my eyes broke and filled the whites of my eyes with blood.  For about a month the whites were solid, bright blood red. People probably thought I was possessed or had ebola or something. ?

[Patty harrigan]

I just don’t eat out anymore...ever. Sad but keeps me safe. Nothing is worth the reaction.

[knitty kitty]

I've found several articles that explains that thiamine deficiency can manifest as vomiting and gastrointestinal symptoms, especially when there's a heavy carbohydrate load.  Here's one...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4175961/#!po=70.0000

And diabetes is connected to thiamine deficiency......

http://www.hormonesmatter.com/diabetes-thiamine-treatment-opportunity/

Celiac Disease causes malabsorption which results in malnutrition.  You can have subclinical vitamin deficiencies which worsen during stress or illness.  

Hope this helps!

 

[Zenith]

19 hours ago, Patty harrigan said:

I just don’t eat out anymore...ever. Sad but keeps me safe. Nothing is worth the reaction.

Yeah I know what you mean. Just bananas, beef, cheese, advocados,  almonds, blueberries, and Amys meals.  Am I the only one with low blood sugar problems due to non diabetes and of course when I get GLUTENED makes it a million times worse? I heard some diabetics on here and celiacs. I guess it made their blood sugar go low. But with me my numbers DONT go low. But I  have all the symptoms of LOW . IT is called "adrenal fatigue".  But I have  "pituitary hyper", and doctors are programmed to NOT acknowledge " A F". I had to figure all this out on my own.  One of the symptoms is  GLUTEN I./CELIACS.   Dr.  Lam is an expert on it.  

[Zenith]

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2020 at 3:45 PM, Patty harrigan said:

Two hours after accidentally ingesting gluten, and only after I have eaten out, I start to vomit for hours. It’s like clock work. Then I get hypothermic With bone breaking chills. My temperature dropped to 95. I get so weak I can barely lift my head up to vomit.  With this last episode I passed out behind the wheel of a car. I have no idea how my husband got me out of the car and into the back seat. I ate at a  coffee bar that claimed to be gluten-free but the people running it are not trained and missed something....health food type of place where the owners just decided gluten-free was healthier. I have had 2 reactions like this in two years as I rarely eat out or eat food I haven’t made myself. And the next day I have severe joint pain which was how I was diagnosed. I’m heading to allergist Tuesday to make sure this isn’t an anaphylactic wheat allergy. My primary doctor has armed me with an epipen  What a life! 

I'm sorry honey you had to go through that. I guess with me the more gluten I injest, the more hardcore symptoms. I got glutened last Friday and am still feeling very low blood sugar-ish. I have a PIT issue too.

But was well enough that I still felt like going to bookstore on Saturday.  I injested very little. I hope I don't ever injest a lot. I was gonna try to eat at the india restaurant but after having the reaction o the chips that said gluten free i will NEVER eat out now. Never  or ever travel again.

20 hours ago, Fenrir said:

Old topic but yeah, projectile vomiting and other strong gastric reactions are definitely part of celiac disease.

Last time I got mega glutened was about two years ago. I ate two sandwiches (4 slices of bread). I vomited so hard blood vessels in my eyes broke and filled the whites of my eyes with blood.  For about a month the whites were solid, bright blood red. People probably thought I was possessed or had ebola or something. ?

DO you also get low blood sugarish? that is terrible. Did you think the bread was gluten free?  Or was that before you knew you were celiac?

[Fenrir]

5 minutes ago, Zenith said:

I'm sorry honey you had to go through that. I guess with me the more gluten I injest, the more hardcore symptoms. I got glutened last Friday and am still feeling very low blood sugar-ish. I have a PIT issue too.

But was well enough that I still felt like going to bookstore on Saturday.  I injested very little. I hope I don't ever injest a lot. I was gonna try to eat at the india restaurant but after having the reaction o the chips that said gluten free i will NEVER eat out now. Never  or ever travel again.

DO you also get low blood sugarish? that is terrible. Did you think the bread was gluten free?  Or was that before you knew you were celiac?

That was after I was diagnosed and I never had that happen before I went gluten-free and I'm not diabetic. I thought I bought bread that was gluten-free but it wasn't. It looked a lot like the packaging of the gluten-free one I usually buy but it wasn't the same. I don't know what my blood sugar was at the time but I know I'm not diabetic, I got tested for that. 

[DebJ14]

1 hour ago, Fenrir said:

That was after I was diagnosed and I never had that happen before I went gluten-free and I'm not diabetic. I thought I bought bread that was gluten-free but it wasn't. It looked a lot like the packaging of the gluten-free one I usually buy but it wasn't the same. I don't know what my blood sugar was at the time but I know I'm not diabetic, I got tested for that. 

After I was diagnosed I had a gluten reaction after eating eating gluten free bread. I knew it was gluten-free because I made it myself.   It turns out that I am highly allergic to yeast, both brewers and bakers.  So, nothing that contains yeast for me.

As for other comments about a thiamine deficiency - after I was diagnosed I underwent the Spectracell test for micronutrients every 6 months for 3 years. In the beginning I was deficient in everything.  After about a year of targeted supplements my only issues were with D, antioxidant function and B 12. Most supplements were discontinued, except for those, which were increased every 6 months.   I had genetic testing done after the 3rd years tests still showed serious deficiencies in those 3 areas.  They  turned out to be genetic in nature, so I take massive doses every day to try to keep them in the low end of normal.

[Fenrir]

Luckily, I don't have an issue at all if I eat gluten-free bread. 

[Zenith]

On ‎3‎/‎5‎/‎2020 at 9:48 AM, Fenrir said:

That was after I was diagnosed and I never had that happen before I went gluten-free and I'm not diabetic. I thought I bought bread that was gluten-free but it wasn't. It looked a lot like the packaging of the gluten-free one I usually buy but it wasn't the same. I don't know what my blood sugar was at the time but I know I'm not diabetic, I got tested for that. 

Yea, the dumb stores keep having the gluten-free bread with that cinnamon looking bread that I keep thinking gluten -free too but it is not.  They should NOT be putting  refrigerated gluten free bread with the refrigerated non gluten free bread but they do and pizzas too. The Freshetta gluten-free  pizza is double the cost of the wheat pizza but it is good,  and if you kinda burn the cheese it is even better.  Have you tried it? I have only tried the 4 cheese one. Wal mart carried it and Target, then I saw it at Hyvees' too.  By reading the box It pretty much looks like that pizza  is  0  PPM.  I did fine with it.

[Fenrir]

That's exactly what happened. I thought the frozen bread I grabbed from the section for gluten-free items was gluten-free but it wasn't and looked to be in similar enough packaging I didn't notice.