Coughing A Lot

[macallen]

I was just diagnosed with celiac 6 days ago, and have had a cough that seems to get worse in the evenings, and was wondering if anyone else had experienced this. I don't have a cold, and it doesn't seem to be allergies, at least not like any I've ever had before. I have been on the gluten free diet since the day I was diagnosed, but worry that I am being cross contaminated by the pots and pans and cooking utensils that I have been using. The food I've been eating is definitely gluten free, but could I possibly be getting glutened by my cookware? I have been totally fatigued, with absolutely no energy, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. My husband thinks I am just paranoid, but I think he's wrong. Anyone have any similar experience, especially with the coughing.

[ravenwoodglass]

Cookware that is scratched or items made of a porous material like wood or cast iron should be replaced. If you have a cast iron skillet that you love you can put it in a selfcleaning oven and set the oven on the 'clean' then scrub well and reseason. You also need to get a new dedicated toaster and strainers.

Since you are very new to the diet it is quite possible that you are going through withdrawl which would lead to the fatigue and perhaps even some moodiness. I don't know if the coughing is related but celiac inflammation has recently been linked to asthma.

Welcome to the board and ask any questions you need to.

[cO-ol]

I used to cough after eating all the time. There were a few times when I'd cough a lot for no apparent reason and the doc gave me antibiotics and steroids (a short course) when I went to make sure that I wasn't dying or something. Is it a dry cough? At any rate, for me, that was the first thing to go when I went gluten-free. And I don't cough much anymore at all.

So you possibly could be getting glutened still (Dear Firefox: GLUTENED IS A WORD DANGIT ). I always thought the cough was related to my reflux because I almost always coughed aftrt eating, but I still deal with reflux but not the cough. So maybe it was inflammation-related. And maybe yours is too?

[GFinDC]

I cough some lately too. Been on the gluten-free diet for a little over 3 years. I really just think life is inappropriate right now. little Cough cough, Kidding!

Anyhow, I was drinking a lot of peppermint tea over the winter. I had developed (sounds impressive eh?) an ongoing sinus infection since last December. So, it's warm now (kinda) so I stopped drinking the peppermint tea. My sinuses stopped bleeding and my congestion reduced dramatically. I still have this little cough thing but it is spring and I always did have hay fever in spring.

I guess my point is you can be allergic (react) to anything your body decides to be allergic to. Stink about it, and maybe you find something that is possibly a problem for U.

[Sloopy]

Coughing was my only symptom -- I coughed for years for no apparent reason that I could find. It's still my only indication that I've been glutened. I start the dry, gagging cough almost immediately. Otherwise, it's gone -- cleared up within a week of going gluten-free.

[macallen]

Cookware that is scratched or items made of a porous material like wood or cast iron should be replaced. If you have a cast iron skillet that you love you can put it in a selfcleaning oven and set the oven on the 'clean' then scrub well and reseason. You also need to get a new dedicated toaster and strainers.

Since you are very new to the diet it is quite possible that you are going through withdrawl which would lead to the fatigue and perhaps even some moodiness. I don't know if the coughing is related but celiac inflammation has recently been linked to asthma.

Welcome to the board and ask any questions you need to.

So, I really should replace my pots and pans and wood and plastic utensils to avoid cross contamination. I am very overwhelmed by all this. I have been out of work since the beginning of December, when I had a herniated disk and had sciatica so bad that I couldn't walk or sit, and then after I had surgery I started being nauseous all the time, and it never seemed to get better. At first I just thought it was due to the anesthesia, but then after two weeks when it didn't go away I was thinking it had to be something else. I ended up getting a CT scan, and they told me I had gall stones and would need to have my gall bladder removed, so I had that removed exactly four weeks after the back surgery. I thought that would cure me, and yet I was still feeling awful, no energy, and couldn't eat more than a few bites of food at a time. I finally went to see a gastro specialist, and he had me get an MRCP and an endoscopy, because they thought maybe I had an ulcer. Turns out that the biopsy and the blood tests showed that I have celiac. I was not expecting that diagnosis, since I had always been able to eat just about anything before my back surgery and never had any problems. Then all of a sudden WHAM, they drop the celiac diagnosis on me. Told me if I just started eating food without gluten I'd be fine in a few weeks. It's been one week exactly today, since my diagnosis, and I still feel horrible, and was wondering how long it might be before I start to notice an improvement. (if I can keep from being cross contaminated) I have been out of work for three months, and would really like to have my life back.

[ravenwoodglass]

You will get your life back. It has only been a week and it can take some time to heal. Be sure to check any meds you take with the maker and if you take supplements be sure to read all ingredients as they can be labeled gluten free but still have wheat or barley grass and those are not something you want.

Hang in there, I know it is rough right now and the diagnosis may have hit you by surprise but you will feel better. Do stay away from dairy for a little while also, if your not already, as the same areas that are damaged by celiac are the areas that produce the enzymes we need to digest dairy.

I hope you feel better soon but we can have some ups and downs at first, especially moodwise. It will get better.

[glutenfreesavvy]

macallen,

Bless your heart! I can see how frustrating it is for you right now. It will get better, even if it doesn't seem likely at this moment. Do you have someone or a group of support nearby? It's so much easier to take the first steps of your gluten-free journey with a supportive friend/spouse or group.

Imho, you should replace most, if not all of your kitchen cookware, utensils & such. I did keep some glass & stainless steel bowls & such but cleaned & sterilized repeatedly, then threw away the cleaning cloths. Also, I cleaned every square inch of my kitchen - cabinets, drawers, etc. Don't forget your oven & dishwasher. Over the first few months of eating gluten-free, I learned how VERY sensitive I am to any gluten cross contamination, so I ended up cleaning everything out of my kitchen. There were lots of sentimental things in my kitchen, so giving up my grandmother's cast iron skillet was kind of a bummer.

If you think something has glutened you & it's supposedly gluten-free, listen to your body. Don't eat it. Gluten cross contamination is a real issue & it's far more prevalent than most realize. Trust your body & listen to its' cues. It's usually right on the money.

I can relate to wanting your life back. I've felt that way too. While this road of healing is tough right now, you can look forward to improved health in the future, no matter how dark it seems now. Be prepared though, your life will be forever changed & for the best, in my opinion. You'll eventually get your life back, in a new & improved version. I'm thankful the doctor found the issue when he did. Having celiac disease symptoms surface after severe stress, like surgery, is not uncommon. I'm so glad you now know! That's a blessing. It sounds like your doctor acted quickly.

If you're not physically able to do a lot of the sorting & "gluten cleaning", do you have friends or family that can help you? Just take each moment, each step, each day at a time - easier said than done sometimes - but vital if you're feeling overwhelmed.

I wish you all the best!!!

Warmly,

Faydra

So, I really should replace my pots and pans and wood and plastic utensils to avoid cross contamination. I am very overwhelmed by all this. I have been out of work since the beginning of December, when I had a herniated disk and had sciatica so bad that I couldn't walk or sit, and then after I had surgery I started being nauseous all the time, and it never seemed to get better. At first I just thought it was due to the anesthesia, but then after two weeks when it didn't go away I was thinking it had to be something else. I ended up getting a CT scan, and they told me I had gall stones and would need to have my gall bladder removed, so I had that removed exactly four weeks after the back surgery. I thought that would cure me, and yet I was still feeling awful, no energy, and couldn't eat more than a few bites of food at a time. I finally went to see a gastro specialist, and he had me get an MRCP and an endoscopy, because they thought maybe I had an ulcer. Turns out that the biopsy and the blood tests showed that I have celiac. I was not expecting that diagnosis, since I had always been able to eat just about anything before my back surgery and never had any problems. Then all of a sudden WHAM, they drop the celiac diagnosis on me. Told me if I just started eating food without gluten I'd be fine in a few weeks. It's been one week exactly today, since my diagnosis, and I still feel horrible, and was wondering how long it might be before I start to notice an improvement. (if I can keep from being cross contaminated) I have been out of work for three months, and would really like to have my life back.

[etta694]

I had a chronic cough for about 5 months before going on a gluten free diet. I would erupt in coughing after I ate any carbs. It has taken a while to disappear but it has. Sometimes I still cough a little if I eat a lot of carbs now but it is a miniscule problem and goes away quickly.

[IrishHeart]

I cough some lately too. Been on the gluten-free diet for a little over 3 years. I really just think life is inappropriate right now. little Cough cough, Kidding!

Anyhow, I was drinking a lot of peppermint tea over the winter. I had developed (sounds impressive eh?) an ongoing sinus infection since last December. So, it's warm now (kinda) so I stopped drinking the peppermint tea. My sinuses stopped bleeding and my congestion reduced dramatically. I still have this little cough thing but it is spring and I always did have hay fever in spring.

I guess my point is you can be allergic (react) to anything your body decides to be allergic to. Stink about it, and maybe you find something that is possibly a problem for U.

Hi DC

I had developed this sinus/throat.burny mouth thing --back in July '09 (pre- Diagnosis)..always feel like I am in a "histamine" response 24/7. It's awful! I had a dry cough, even my lungs feel sore. I was drinking peppermint tea for nausea and took a ton of herbal supps over the course of 3 years, like tumeric, willow bark, etc....(lots of "helpful" advice from an ND and an MD)

Turns out, someone on here suggested that you can develop a sensitivity to salicylic acid (great, I love grapes, dates, honey--bummer!!) and I am guessing maybe that's what it is??

Don't know if that's why giving up the pep tea stopped your symptoms? Just a thought! I gave up all foods with SA--as was suggested (I'll try anything to feel better) and in a few days, it is a bit less!!...here's hoping.

You are right--seems as if anything can bite us on the butt.....sigh....