Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gabapentin Has "cornstarch Gluten" In It. Should I Be Alarmed?

Coolclimates

Recommended Posts

Coolclimates Collaborator
Coolclimates
Posted

I am taking Gabapentin (the generic brand of Neurontin) and just had a pharmacist check to see if there was gluten in this medication. She called back saying that there was "cornstarch gluten" in it. I asked her what that was and she said she had never heard that phrase before. Needless to say, she doesn't know whether it's a problem for me to take or not. Does anyone have any idea what "cornstarch gluten" is and if so, should I avoid it?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

What i have seen is that all grain has proteins called "gluten". For our purposes, we call the protein in wheat, rye & barley " gluten". And when we say gluten-free we mean no wheat, rye or barley gluten. The gluten in rice or corn or other grain is OK.

This is not to get into the debate that we should eat no grains, ever.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Yes, other grains besides wheat, barley and rye have gluten in them. It's just that Celiacs are usually not sensitive to the gluten in corn. Only those who have reactions to eating corn would need to avoid cornstarch gluten.

Cornstarch is what it is usually called.

Some people are sensitive to other grains and other glutens and I read that some people advocate being grain free for that reason.

But for what we call a gluten free diet...cornstarch is safe for Celiacs...unless it isn't safe for you.

Only you can tell if you are sensitive to it.

Clear as mud isn't it? Gluten is in other grains and yet we use those grains for the so-called gluten free diet.

gluten-free for Celiacs is only referring to gluten protein in wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

ya, what everybody else said ;)

i got the same answer when i called Advil to clarify what the starch was- "corn gluten". it's not the same as gliadin. unless you have a sensitivity/intolerance to corn products- you should be fine.

Coolclimates Collaborator
Coolclimates
Posted
  • Author

thanks, everyone, for the clarification. I really appreciate it!

  • 6 years later...
Six Newbie
Six
Posted

I have Celiac Disease and it acts really strange. I can’t eat corn starch or anything with it in it. But I can eat corn. I love corn! Those gluten free  corn tamales (I won’t mention the brand because I don’t know the rules about that) are excellent! I also take Neurontim (Gabapentin) in high doses and have never had a problem with it. It’s very hit or miss with things for me. It’s trial and error unfortunately. I’m very grateful to be able to take Gabapentin because it helps me in so many ways. But then I’ll eat something that’s “gluten free” and I’ll be sick for hours. This is a tough disease to maneuver. And I’m still learning what I can have and what I can’t. But yes, there is such thing as corn starch gluten and some people like me can have corn but can’t have corn starch and can still take Gabapentin. 

Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted
2 hours ago, Six said:

I have Celiac Disease and it acts really strange. I can’t eat corn starch or anything with it in it. But I can eat corn. I love corn! Those gluten free  corn tamales (I won’t mention the brand because I don’t know the rules about that) are excellent! I also take Neurontim (Gabapentin) in high doses and have never had a problem with it. It’s very hit or miss with things for me. It’s trial and error unfortunately. I’m very grateful to be able to take Gabapentin because it helps me in so many ways. But then I’ll eat something that’s “gluten free” and I’ll be sick for hours. This is a tough disease to maneuver. And I’m still learning what I can have and what I can’t. But yes, there is such thing as corn starch gluten and some people like me can have corn but can’t have corn starch and can still take Gabapentin. 

Please check post dates, this was a post from 2011. And yes celiac is a odd disease many of us develop different food intolerance issues, some common ones in gluten free foods can be dairy, corn, xantham gum, sugars, certain fruits, nightshade (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers), soy, and Oats is a another major one. Heck I got a random intolerance to lettuce for awhile. Keep a food diary and try to eat a unprocessed foods diet til you get a hang of it. In the food diary keep track of what you eat, ingredients, what you fix it with seasoning/spice wise and even how you cook it. Some of us end up with histamine, lectin, or off food issues that require foods to be prepared in certain ways to remove, break down, or prevent the formation of certain compounds. -_- I miss corn, I grew up in a Mexican family....I am now highly allergic to corn developed a few years ago.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to MoniqueCham's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      4

      Celiac Disease, Lymphocytic colitis and Bowel rupture

      Welcome to the forum, @MoniqueCham, What a challenging journey you've had! Like you, I studied nutrition, but I earned a degree in Microbiology because I wanted to understand what essential vitamins and minerals were doing inside our bodies. I've come across some information that may be of interest to you. I'll post links below. On my journey...
    2. dsfraley
      - dsfraley posted a topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      0

      9 y/o Son Diagnosed with Celiac Disease; Persistent Symptoms: Does this Sound Familiar?

      Hello all, I am writing here in hopes of hearing from the community as to whether the issues my son is facing are relatively common for individuals suffering from Celiac Disease. He is 9 years old, has the HLA2 gene, tested high for the gliadin IgG antibody (not the primary one, but still on Celiac panel), and biopsy of the duodenum came back as Marsh...
    3. MoniqueCham
      - MoniqueCham replied to MoniqueCham's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      4

      Celiac Disease, Lymphocytic colitis and Bowel rupture

      Thanks for your reply Scott! A long time ago I realized I didn’t fit neatly into uncomplicated celiac disease. Over the years I’ve been diagnosed and treated for SIBO, pancreatic insufficiency and diagnosed with Stage 2 liver fibrosis. I think all the complications occurred because of the refractory celiac disease. When I hit menopause my gut issues seemed to ...
    4. HelenH
      - HelenH replied to HelenH's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Malt vinegar

      Thank.you both
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to HelenH's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      3

      Malt vinegar

      Yes, unfortunately malt vinegar can definitely trigger a strong reaction in people with celiac disease. Malt vinegar is typically made from barley, which contains gluten, and unlike distilled white vinegar, it is not considered gluten-free. Even a small amount — especially if you’ve been strictly gluten-free for years — can cause a more intense reaction becau...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,552
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    dsfraley
    Newest Member
    dsfraley
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Celiac Disease, Lymphocytic colitis and Bowel rupture

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @MoniqueCham, What a challenging journey you've had!  Like you, I studied nutrition, but I earned a degree in Microbiology because I wanted to understand what essential vitamins and minerals were doing inside our bodies.   I've come across some information that may be of interest to you.  I'll post links below.  On my journey, I suffered from malnutrition due to the malabsorption of Celiac disease.  I regained my health by supplementing with essential vitamins, especially Thiamine B1.  Thiamine is needed by every cell, so a low level of thiamine can cause many problems over time.  I was put on some medications that aggravated my thiamine deficiency.  Many medications can cause interactions with vitamins resulting in deficiencies. Methotrexate causes folate deficiency, but can also cause thiamine deficiency because folate and thiamine share some of the same cellular transporters.   Notes on Folate Carriers, Anti-Folate Medications, and Thiamine Deficiency https://hormonesmatter.com/notes-on-folate-carriers-anti-folate-medications-and-thiamine-deficiency/ Thiamine deficiency can affect the health of the digestive tract.  Thiamine helps regulate the intestinal microbiome, and keeps SIBO in check.   Thiamine, gastrointestinal beriberi and acetylcholine signaling https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12014454/ Thiamine deficiency aggravates experimental colitis in mice by promoting glycolytic reprogramming in macrophages https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39890689/ Other organs can be affected by thiamine insufficiency.  The thyroid, gallbladder, liver and pancreas can be affected by low thiamine. High-dose vitamin B1 therapy prevents the development of experimental fatty liver driven by overnutrition https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7988776/ Thankfully, I found that Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine can improve gastrointestinal dysfunction, as well improve liver function, and thyroid and pancreas health.   Benfotiamine can improve harm done by Methotrexate... Protective effect of benfotiamine on methotrexate induced gastric damage in rats https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33325753/ I was deficient in other vitamins.  I had skin issues that improved with niacin.  Perhaps niacin can help your skin problem if it comes back.   Response of generalized granuloma annulare to high-dose niacinamide https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6225398/ I'm very curious as to what you did to correct your nutritional deficiencies caused by refractory Celiac disease.   Refractory Celiac Disease: What the Gastroenterologist Should Know https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11477276/ Tests for Serum Transglutaminase and Endomysial Antibodies Do Not Detect Most Patients With Celiac Disease and Persistent Villous Atrophy on Gluten-free Diets: a Meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28545781/ Hope this is helpful!
    • dsfraley
      9 y/o Son Diagnosed with Celiac Disease; Persistent Symptoms: Does this Sound Familiar?

      By dsfraley · Posted

      Hello all, I am writing here in hopes of hearing from the community as to whether the issues my son is facing are relatively common for individuals suffering from Celiac Disease. He is 9 years old, has the HLA2 gene, tested high for the gliadin IgG antibody (not the primary one, but still on Celiac panel), and biopsy of the duodenum came back as Marsh 3A classification. He has been dealing with severe nausea (no diarrhea/vomiting), muscle achiness, and flu-like malaise for over 2 months (and he has not been to school during this time -- he has been truly bed or couch-ridden, and to the extent that he can watch a show but does not want to read an easy book or play video games... which he loves). He had a very low-grade rolling fever of about 100.0 that the doctors wrote off because it was very low, occasional, and would only last a couple of hours at a time. Before the onset of this, he struggled with severe weekly migraines that sometimes led to vomiting, or at least not functioning until after sleeping it off (which we thought was associated with too much screen time in school). In any case, given those lab results above, he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a few weeks back. He has been on a gluten free diet for 3 weeks now. When I say a gluten-free diet, I mean: we have sterilized the house as much as possible (e.g., throwing away everything from the kitchen and replacing unless it was stainless steel, and washing that thoroughly, eliminated all gluten-containing foods from the house except for a few pre-packaged snacks for our other child that she can eat outside of the house such as at school, etc.), we have only given him foods that are certified gluten free unless it was something like meat (not seasoned), have not given him oats (even gluten free marked ones) to be safe, we have purchased new products such as shampoo and toothpaste, etc. He does not have any food not prepared in our house. In other words, if there is cross-contamination, it must be at exceptionally low levels. Despite this, he: continues to have off and on bloating and nausea, continues to have flu-like malaise (though he hasn't had the occasional low-grade fevers for the last 2 weeks, struggles greatly to get to sleep and sometimes wakes up miserable in the middle of the night, cries frequently and constantly expresses how much he doesn't feel good, most often now describes a general feeling of "ickiness" that we cannot pinpoint. The gastro has nothing more to say other than stick with it; the pediatrician says we should try a rheumotologist (if we want) or a psychologist. The former seems unnecessary, and the latter suggests to me a complete lack of understanding of just how miserable he is (and I am highly disappointed by the suggestion and now frustrated with the pediatrician). And so I am looking for support/thoughts:  For those of you who have Celiac Disease, or know those affected by it, does this sound accurate? Is there hope? Or do you think we are on track of needing to get more opinions? Thank you.  
    • MoniqueCham
      Celiac Disease, Lymphocytic colitis and Bowel rupture

      By MoniqueCham · Posted

      Thanks for your reply Scott! A long time ago I realized I didn’t fit neatly into uncomplicated celiac disease. Over the years I’ve been diagnosed and treated for SIBO, pancreatic insufficiency and diagnosed with Stage 2 liver fibrosis. I think all the complications occurred because of the refractory celiac disease. When I hit menopause my gut issues seemed to calm down and because I was stable I made the mistake of not following up with my gastroenterologist. Then other autoimmune problems flared and I tried the methotrexate. It worked like a charm for my skin condition… then my sigmoid colon ruptured. Strange but my autoimmune skin condition remains in remission after 6 months off the medication. We have a very long waiting list to get back into see my GI doctor… I was an emergency referral but am still waiting 6 months after the perforation. I need more surgery to fix a fistula that has formed and to reconnect my colon… I have a colostomy at present. I became a dietitian who specializes in bowel diseases but have never met anyone who’s had so many complications with celiac disease. I have a brother and son who also have been diagnosed. My mother had 4 autoimmune diseases including a vasculitis that eventually resulted in her death and it was my father who had the HLA DQ2 gene. Think I inherited some tendencies from each of them. Thanks again for your response… it feels a little lonely dealing with GI issues when I work so hard to remain gluten free.   
    • HelenH
      Malt vinegar

      By HelenH · Posted

      Thank.you both
    • Scott Adams
      Malt vinegar

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Yes, unfortunately malt vinegar can definitely trigger a strong reaction in people with celiac disease. Malt vinegar is typically made from barley, which contains gluten, and unlike distilled white vinegar, it is not considered gluten-free. Even a small amount — especially if you’ve been strictly gluten-free for years — can cause a more intense reaction because your body is no longer accustomed to exposure. Many people report significant symptoms after accidental ingestion, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, or flu-like feelings. You’re not alone in that experience. It may help to be especially cautious with salad dressings, chips, sauces, and restaurant foods, where malt vinegar is sometimes used.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.