<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Many thanks to those of you who expressed an interest and offered me advice
on this subject.  Unfortunately, due to the complex medical nature of the
query people were floundering a bit but I list here the responses I
received:

1.       Try emailing a few gastro researchers directly. Martin Kagnoff and
Alesio Fasano come immediately to mind. (Not quite sure how to get to
directly e-mail these guys as when you do an internet search on them it
brings up so much stuff but not a direct link to enable you to e-mail them).

2.      I'm a Medical Technologist who has worked in hospital laboratories for 29
years, and in Hematology for the last 22 years.  I know that people take all
kinds of over-the-counter meds and supplements thinking they are doing
themselves good, when they are really doing harm and possibly counteracting
what their doctors are trying to do for them. Does the doctor who gave you
the neupogen injections know you are taking this?  I think you should make
him/her aware of this, and let him decide whether or not it's safe. (Zinc
30mg daily that is).

3.       But now, being gf for 3 years, my body really puts up a fuss when I
ingest gluten and the low white blood count is new.  Seems my body finds
some new way to express it's unhappiness with me for ingesting gluten each
time.  But, I think that vitamin/mineral supplemetation is so important and
when I started giving the kids extra magnesium, lots of bone/joint related
issues went away.  My naturopath suggested elevated zinc intake as well as
selenium and A among some other things to improve my health.  Its all
amazingly complex yet simple...malnourishment does cause so many
complications!!!

4.       friend has been taking immune suppressing drugs for a kidney transplant
for the last 12 years or so. He always had a mass of unsightly warts on his
hands. He read Dangerous Grains and decided to try zinc supplements. The
warts cleared right up (within a week or so) and he has had no ill effects,
that he is aware of, regarding his immune suppressing drugs. If he had asked
my opinion I would have advised him against trying the zinc for the same
reasons that have you concerned.

5.      I had repeated accidental gluten ingestions over a 6 mo. period and by
the end of 8 mos. was wiped out and had low white blood cell count as well
as low platelette count.  I haven't had it rechecked because I'm feeling
better and used a detox tea called Flor Essence.  My doc couldn't understand
why getting gluten would "lower" my immune system. He's not terribly celiac
aware but when I suggested to him that repeated ingestions would hammer my
immune system after putting it on high alert, he seemed to agree that the
low numbers could indeed be related to gluten ingestions.  I'm going to
watch for your summary...I'm going to keep it in mind and I'm being a gluten
Nazi so I don't get contaminated again (I didn't have a classic diagnosis so
I wasn't very vigilant at times...my kids all have Celiac so I'm 100%
vigilant and they are, too).

6.      this is what I know about zinc....what it does for your body is inhibit
viral replication.  to my knowledge it doesn't increase production of white
cells.  I take 75 mg a day, recommended by my cousin who is a pharmacist.  I
have some autoimmune issues and have taken this dose for years without a
problem...it has greatly helped me in terms of fighting disease.  If it
doesn't keep you from getting something (and it often will), it will be much
much milder....that's my experience anyway.

6.      My WBC were in the 2's until I stopped gluten then it jumped to the high
3's. Dr. Green's web site on celiac says celiacs often have trouble with
spleen. Perhaps that is the connection and helping the spleen recover might
restore WBC. I think the spleen makes the WBC or has something to do with
them.


Many thanks once again for everyone's input.

Regards

Carole

* Send administrative questions to [log in to unmask] *