Can a Wheat Allergy turn into a Gluten Allergy?

[DixxieB]

I was diagnosed with a Wheat Allergy about 8 years ago; I stopped eating wheat bread and my legs stopped swelling. I occasionally had a pc of white bread with little effects over the yrs. Well, now it seems whenever I eat something with gluten I swell up. I tried wheat grass, thinking it was something like Chlorophyll, but sadly today I read it is not. Yesterday after consuming my smoothie I immediately started swelling and the stomach discomfort came on. So, that's out, even though it says it is gluten free; but I also noticed the same type of problem when I eat ice cream, just not as severe, so I stopped that too. I am going for testing next week, the itching is constant and now the sneezing today. Does this type of allergy get worse with age? I am asking b/c I used to be able to eat a wide variety of things, I just avoided wheat containing products most of the time.

[kareng]

There isn’t really a “ gluten allergy”. Some people call Celiac a “ gluten allergy”.  It isn’t actually an allergy but that seems like the easiest way for people to understand.  A wheat allergy is a totally different thing.  I am not an expert on allergies but I would think that if you are allergic to wheat - you shouldn’t eat any part of wheat.  

 

Also, gluten is not just wheat - it is also found in barley and rye. Even “ white bread” has wheat flour in it.

[GFinDC]

Hi Dixie,

White bread is made from wheat flour.  So you have been eating wheat whenever you ate white bread.

That may not be all bad though.  If you are going for celiac disease testing, you need to have been eating a normal gluten (wheat, rye, barley) diet for 12 weeks before blood antibody testing.

The other main test is an endoscopy with 4 to 6 biopsy samples taken.  The endoscopy can be done after 2 to 4 weeks of eating gluten.  But often the GI won't schedule an endoscopy until after getting a positive blood antibody test.

If you get the blood antibodies testing, ask them to do the full celiac disease panel.  There is a screening test that doesn't include all the types of antibodies.  So it doesn't catch some people.

[DixxieB]

10 minutes ago, GFinDC said:

Hi Dixie,

White bread is made from wheat flour.  So you have been eating wheat whenever you ate white bread.

That may not be all bad though.  If you are going for celiac disease testing, you need to have been eating a normal gluten (wheat, rye, barley) diet for 12 weeks before blood antibody testing.

The other main test is an endoscopy with 4 to 6 biopsy samples taken.  The endoscopy can be done after 2 to 4 weeks of eating gluten.  But often the GI won't schedule an endoscopy until after getting a positive blood antibody test.

If you get the blood antibodies testing, ask them to do the full celiac disease panel.  There is a screening test that doesn't include all the types of antibodies.  So it doesn't catch some people.

Oh no...well I will not be getting that done I don't guess b/c I couldn't stand to eat the stuff everyday. I have not eaten bread since we got a Muffaletta in NOLA 2 weeks ago and the same thing as with the wheat grass, swelling. I guess I'll ask her about it and see what she says. Thank you both SO much, this is all pretty new to me, I fig if I stayed away from bread I would be okay, but this intermittent swelling has me wondering.  

[GFinDC]

Well, that's ok, and probably a good choice.  If you do have a wheat allergy, you should be careful not to eat any wheat.  Allergies and celiac disease are not the same thing.  Allergies are typically IgE immune responses along with histamine response.   Celiac disease is typically an IgA and or IgG immune cell response.  The different types of immune cells tend to affect different areas of the body and cause different symptoms/damage.

The thing that is dangerous with true allergies (IgE response) is that they can suddenly become much more severe reactions.  Sometimes resulting in anaphylaxis and difficulty breathing or death.

If you don't know for sure which you have, it would be wise to find out if possible.  Some people with allergies carry an EPI pen to prevent death from anaphylaxis when exposed.

While celiac does not tend to cause immediate death. it does create lingering health problems and symptoms that can lead to death.  Over time these symptoms and body damage tend to add up and are sometimes irreversible.  Another thing that happens sometimes is that people who continue to eat gluten may become sensitive to other foods besides gluten.  So you might lose the ability to eat additional foods beyond just wheat, rye and barley.

[kareng]

2 hours ago, DixxieB said:

Oh no...well I will not be getting that done I don't guess b/c I couldn't stand to eat the stuff everyday. I have not eaten bread since we got a Muffaletta in NOLA 2 weeks ago and the same thing as with the wheat grass, swelling. I guess I'll ask her about it and see what she says. Thank you both SO much, this is all pretty new to me, I fig if I stayed away from bread I would be okay, but this intermittent swelling has me wondering.  

If you have a wheat allergy - you need to stay away from all wheat- not just the obvious bread, pasta & cookies.  Wheat is used in sauces and soy sauce. You get some with your fries if they fry flour battered chicken or onion rings in the same oil.  

For someone with Celiac, one exposure usually won’t kill us.  For an allergy, one exposure can kill.  That’s why you have an Epi pen.  Perhaps you should get some more info from your doctor.  Sounds like he/ she didn’t explain it well.