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My questioned concerned getting a reaction from gluten in the blood supply
if I needed it as a result of surgery. Also, if I had a corn intolerance
could corn derived sugars in the IV solution be a problem? I posted the
question on the Delphi celiac discussion group as well, so I'm summarizing
from both sources.

Some suggested saving my own blood ahead of time if it were necessary. But I
was most persuaded by the arguments that one cannot get a reaction from the
blood supply since gluten must be ingested. So there should be no concern.
Perhaps the issue of skin contact products with gluten involves DH or
something else since only ingestion triggers a gluten reaction.

Corn intolerance may be an issue if IV solutions have it and one is
extremely alergic to sugars derived from corn.

Below are some sample quotes that capture the discussion.

"I dont think it matters if it gets in your blood, because what is in your
blood would be antibodies not actual gluten, and celiacs are eligible to
give blood so these antibodies must not be harmful I would say, it would not
make you sick because the intestine is what is harmed forming the antibodies
in the blood, the antibodies themselves do not actually make you ill, at
most they may make you feel run down. ,..."

",.. Apparently most dextrose  drips are corn-derived, & are used in the ER
for folks w/anaphylaxis, even if it's caused by corn.   So we did experiment
cautiously w/ DD & she was  able to tolerate small amts of corn sugars w/out
incident,..."

" Our celiac daughter is also soy and corn allergic. When she had a bone
cyst taken off her toe, the surgeon agreed to use a sterile saline IV
instead of the glucose one.  There are also ringers/lactate IVs but I don't
know what the source of the protein is.,..."

",.. people who are *highly* allergic to peanut products dont't seem to have
reported any reactions to blood transfusions. Realistically, the amount of
protein that crosses a leaky gut is fairly small in terms of parts per
million in whole blood. Blood is "mixed" into large batches and then
repacked into units for blood banks, so any potential small amount of gluten
would be further diluted. ..."

" As a nurse who retired from the blood collection team at the American Red
Cross a few years ago, and then was diagnosed a few months later, I can say
that the blood supply is indeed safe for celiacs.  People with D.H. have to
be concerned about what touches their skin, so they may have a problem with
gluten touching any part of their tissue, inside or out of their body.  I
can't answer that one.  Perhaps that's one for a doctor.  However, I wonder
just how much gluten would be in the blood of a donor from just topical
application.  Celiacs, on the other hand, only have to be concerned with
what travels through their small intestine via the digestive tract, not the
blood supply to that organ.  Anything that enters the body via a needle is
safe for celiacs.  I've heard that many times at my support group meetings.
 I would imagine the same thing would apply to corn if yours is a G.I.
reaction, but have to admit I've never researched that..."

I thank all for their assistance.
Bob

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