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I m relieved that the subject of  the sensitive celiac  has come up. I
am interested in hearing from celiacs and/or the gluten-allergic who
experience respiratory symptoms after ingesting gluten. My GI reactions
are less dramatic than when I was a  wheat-eater,  but the sinus
congestion and scratchy throat are now my most apparent signs of gluten
contamination, and they linger and can become a an infection, sometimes
becoming bronchitis or pneumonia. A seemingly related symptom is my
 gooey  eyes. My GI doctor would also be interested in whether
respiratory congestion is anyone else s experience.

I once had hay fever symptoms (which occurred in the sinuses and throat,
rather than the nose and eyes), but they are almost nonexistent since I
refined my diet after learning about the hidden glutens from the celiac
support systems. [I still have to avoid cigarette smoke, wood stove
smoke, moldy basements, compost heaps and strong chemicals (including
cologne).] I remember going through a battery of tests for asthma, and
then for airborne allergies, each time with initial signs that they were
on to something, but finally a negative end result and an expensive
prescription drug regime. Like I said, when I refined my diet, I was
able to set aside the antihistamines.

Recently, when my respiratory symptoms returned, I blamed them on LA
air. When my elimination habits changed for the worse, I blamed loose
bowels on my mucous build-up. Then, I got sick of feeling sick and went
on the  BRAT  or  BART  diet for a couple of days and got dramatically
better. (BART=bananas, applesauce, rice, tea.) My head and throat
cleared; my bowels calmed down. [Disclaimer: This is not medical advice;
consult your celiac doc/dietician.]

Now, I m logging my diet and symptoms, and slowly testing my favorite
foods. I hope to either find a food type that has become forbidden for
me, or a gf manufactured product that isn t gf enough for my body. From
what I ve learned from and about celiacs, the primary suspects are: soy
and canola (I m already lactose- and milk-free, and I gave up
restaurants last year). From research among family members, the
secondary suspects are: corn, eggs, chicken, and again, soy. Then I ll
test onions, then citrus, then potatoes. Finally, my manufactured foods.
I ll let the hypersensitives know if I find a manufactured product
suspicious. Any other suggestions?

Again, I d like to hear from those with respiratory symptoms.

All the best,
Mary Courtney
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