Too Quick Of A Reaction?

[Ladycates]

Never got a definitive celiac answer ... 6 yr old has been gluten-free for almost 3 years now. Along with his GI, we decided to test him out on gluten for 2 months and then do blood work and scope him. He had a gluten lunch for the 1st time in almost 3 years. Two hours later, vomited for almost 2 hours. Now has tummy ache but not nauseated anymore. Dr. thought it seemed to quick and too harsh of a reaction.

What do you think? What's your experience?

[Darn210]

Never got a definitive celiac answer ... 6 yr old has been gluten-free for almost 3 years now. Along with his GI, we decided to test him out on gluten for 2 months and then do blood work and scope him. He had a gluten lunch for the 1st time in almost 3 years. Two hours later, vomited for almost 2 hours. Now has tummy ache but not nauseated anymore. Dr. thought it seemed to quick and too harsh of a reaction.

What do you think? What's your experience?

Six months after my daughter went gluten free she had an item (accidently) that had a fair (but not majority) amount of wheat in it. She reacted within the hour with nausea and regurgitation (spitting/vomitting up mouthfuls of food for the rest of the day). Her initial doc thought it was further evidence of her gluten problem. Her 2nd doc (not by choice, 1st doc moved away) told me it couldn't happen like that . . . I know what I saw!!! . . . and her teacher saw it . . . as well as the school nurse. By the next morning, it had passed and she went back to school. It can happen that fast and it can be that violent.

[precious831]

Never got a definitive celiac answer ... 6 yr old has been gluten-free for almost 3 years now. Along with his GI, we decided to test him out on gluten for 2 months and then do blood work and scope him. He had a gluten lunch for the 1st time in almost 3 years. Two hours later, vomited for almost 2 hours. Now has tummy ache but not nauseated anymore. Dr. thought it seemed to quick and too harsh of a reaction.

What do you think? What's your experience?

I don't think that's too soon. If I get glutened, I start having symptoms within 30 minutes. So your hunch is correct. I would feel sick up to a whole week after the glutening.

[Benshell]

My 7 yr old was diagnosed with celiac based on bloodwork a year ago, she had almost no symptoms (just not growing for a year and some tummy aches). We also skipped the endoscopy choosing to try gluten-free and see how her #'s went...since going gluten free, her #'s are back to normal. SO that was proof enough for us.

Anyway, she has only been accidently 'glutened' about 3 times this past year. In all three instances, she has had a reaction approximately 1 hr after eating. IN most cases, it was nothing outright with gluten, but more of contamination (food at a restaurant, possibly crumbs in icecream, etc..) We now know when she gets sick, we look for what she ate an hour ago.

It does make sense that your body starts to digest food right away, so a reaction in 2 hrs time sounds normal to me. THink about people who are lactose intolerant, same thing.

[gary'sgirl]

I have personally had sever stomach pain and cramping within 10 - 15 minutes of having exposure to gluten. I think some people just feel it quicker than others.

[brendab]

I don't have a diagnosis but I do know I am at least gluten sensitive and have trialed wheat products this past week and within 30 min. I started having symptoms and pain in my stomach, 3 days later I am still having pain in my intestines.

[Ladycates]

Thanks everyone. We decided to try it one more time since he recovered within a few hours and we wanted to make sure it wasn't just nerves. So far, he's handled it perfectly fine.

I'm so uncomfortable doing this test with him but I feel like I should for his sake. I mean I guess he has a right to a normal life ... it's just after 3 years of gluten-free, this feels not good with me.

[brendab]

Thanks everyone. We decided to try it one more time since he recovered within a few hours and we wanted to make sure it wasn't just nerves. So far, he's handled it perfectly fine.

I'm so uncomfortable doing this test with him but I feel like I should for his sake. I mean I guess he has a right to a normal life ... it's just after 3 years of gluten-free, this feels not good with me.

I think I will have to put my 2 year old through this soon enough and I am not looking forward to it. My heart goes out to you and your little one!

[Ladycates]

I think I will have to put my 2 year old through this soon enough and I am not looking forward to it. My heart goes out to you and your little one!

Aw ... thanks! It means a lot to talk to other parents! Dr. said 2 months should be long enough to get a result on biopsy ... I thought it was 6 months.

[T.H.]

I've usually heard 6 weeks, but I know there are differing opinions on it. Hopefully 2 months should be good!

[modiddly16]

When I was first diagnosed and still not healed, I'd have a reaction within 20 minutes...but I also wasn't technically "officially" dianosed and it was long enough ago that we all still thought Rice Krispie treats were safe (they are not!) so it's not too soon. Now a reaction for me, depending on how much I injest is pretty slow.

[twohokies]

We are new to celiac and going gluten-free. My 3yo just tested positive last week in the bloodwork and had the endoscopy today; GI saw a lot of celiac markers in her instestine (irritation, scalloping). We have been removing a lot of gluten in the past 10+ days but aren't 100% there since school will take a little time to sort through all the art products, etc. My question.........

Once she is 100% gluten-free and her intestine is healed, will she always feel pain if she's glutened? Is she just used to the pain now or will the body be over-reactive to it in the future when it's not an almost-daily occurence?

Thanks!!!

[BRUMI1968]

I didn't read all the responses, but wanted to say that if I eat gluten, I can feel it within minutes. I get anxiety symptoms almost instantly, tingling in my extremeties, can't concentrate on even people I'm talking with, intense fear and panic, and then end up with digestive symptoms w/i two hours. You can feel it the minute it hits your mouth I bet, if you really get in tune with yourself. Since it is an auto-immune reaction, it is happening as soon as gluten molecules enter your blood stream.

No matter what any doctors say - they are aggregators of scientific study information/averages/probabilites, not of life-experiences of their patients - you can react almost instantaneously. (Not to say I don't like doctors for things like broken bones and stitches.)

[BRUMI1968]

We are new to celiac and going gluten-free. My 3yo just tested positive last week in the bloodwork and had the endoscopy today; GI saw a lot of celiac markers in her instestine (irritation, scalloping). We have been removing a lot of gluten in the past 10+ days but aren't 100% there since school will take a little time to sort through all the art products, etc. My question.........

Once she is 100% gluten-free and her intestine is healed, will she always feel pain if she's glutened? Is she just used to the pain now or will the body be over-reactive to it in the future when it's not an almost-daily occurence?

Thanks!!!

It seems like most of us get more sensitive to being exposed to gluten the longer we go without it. I can say that for me, now when I get bloating/constipation pain like I used to, I'm shocked that I could deal with it so well for 30 years. You do get used to constant pain; and once you go without it, it is hard to get it again. But it does help keep us on track.

I hardly ever get pains now from gluten or other dietary factors, so you can be assured that if you get this thing handled, her life is going to be so much better. Good for you for figuring it out and making that effort.

[twohokies]

It seems like most of us get more sensitive to being exposed to gluten the longer we go without it. I can say that for me, now when I get bloating/constipation pain like I used to, I'm shocked that I could deal with it so well for 30 years. You do get used to constant pain; and once you go without it, it is hard to get it again. But it does help keep us on track.

I hardly ever get pains now from gluten or other dietary factors, so you can be assured that if you get this thing handled, her life is going to be so much better. Good for you for figuring it out and making that effort.

Thank you for you for your responses! I am so grateful that we have discovered her celiac so early in her life. It's good to know that *she* will know when she has been glutened and the reliance won't be so much on us and she can become more independent as she grows older.