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QUESTION:  Do people have the same reaction when they ingest a little bit of
gluten and when they ingest a lot of gluten?


REPLIES:

I am 35 and was diagnosed as Coeliac last September.  I know very
clearly that if I intake gluten, I can react in different ways.  I can
have a small amount or a large amount and the symptoms vary!  I usually
get diarrhea and abdominal pains within 1/2 hour, usually along with a
headache not long following.  If I continue to have gluten (say the next
day as well), I usually get achey legs, and sometimes pain and ringing
in my left ear.  I know that the longer I have gluten, so more lethargic
and 'unwell' I feel.  So although it affects me almost immediately, the
more I have the worse I feel.  I do believe that the more it builds up
in your system, the more the symptoms.  I do know that from reading all
the material sent to me by the Coeliac Society (I am Australian), any
amount of gluten will affect the small intestine, and that all people
react differently to it!

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Depends in what form the gluten is in, probably when gluten free for a while
it would be a small reaction but keep getting gluten and the illness is
longer like the flu and pretty soon she'll have a destroyed intestine

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Yes, even the smallest amount gives me a reaction. First thing I notice is
that my lips swell. Sometimes it only takes 10 minutes, sometimes 12 hours.
I believe it depends on what is in the colon before, and what stage I am in.

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My 11 1/2 yr. old son has been wheat and gluten free since August.
Small amounts of gluten have resulted in immediate stomachaches diarrhea
that last anywhere from two to three days. At the end of January on a
school trip the chinese restaurant didn't do the gluten free meal I had
phoned ahead for and he ate a plateful of gluten (literally!)  within 4
days he had lost 12 pounds and went on to lose 8 more.  Ended up
dehydrated and at the emergency ward.  He has finally now put the weight
back on but it took nearly 2 months to do so. He has had "symptoms" his
whole life, last year before "I" put him on the gluten free diet he
ended up in hospital 4 times, once for a week on IV.  Of course he never
got better because he was fed "posion hospital food"(wheat!) every day.
I am also Celiac and have reacted as fast as a half an hour with
diarrhea, and stomach cramps.  I always seem to have a fast reaction
like my son.  The confusing thing is as I'm sure you know we are always
looking for the gluten answer.  Through my experience now, I realize
that sometimes he's just fighting off a flu bug or virus although at
first I'm convinced we are headed for a gluten attack.  Hang in there it
does get easier.  I will tell you this----my son has become super
diligent now after the January incident.  He had been feeling good for
six months and then had a taste of his old life and decided his new life
was much better.

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There is this other excellent site too:
http://forums.delphi.com/n/main.asp?webtagiliac&nav=messages
You can ask your questions to.

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Yes, a small amount can affect me as much as a large amount.  I usually
react in about 24 hour.  The longer I stay on the diet the stronger my
reactions get.  I also noticed that if I slipped I can sometimes get away
with it but the second time get very sick.

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A lot can really ruin you for three days. Just a touch by accident may only
make you somewhat gassy or feel a little bad, then some diarrhea the next
morning.  Some people do take three or four day to react, some even take up
to two weeks.

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The beratrum alb 30c does stop the gluten symptoms cold...I always carry it
with me

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well, my 3 yr old has reactions within a couple of hours, whether it is
from a contamination issue OR one of her loving inlaws gives her
something gluten when my back is turned! (we do not go there anymore)
so, i would guess this is most likely gluten. i would keep a food diary
on her. have her help youout. write down every tiny thing she eats for a
couple of months, including spices, condiments, medications, drinks,
etc. then also on the opposing page, put down any symptoms like
headaches, pain, etc. keeping a food diary is the BEST way for  you and
any doctor to rule out gluten attacks, hidden glutens and any other food
allergy.  it is rather time consuming and hard at first, but within a
couple of weeks, it will be a habit. i thinkt his will clearly show you
any answers to your questions.

gluten reactions can happen within minutes (for me) to days. it all varies
like people do. some people have major double over pain (like me) others
have mild tummy upset. so.. you can truly be not back to normal within days.
it is a poison taking time leaving all the systems in your body. if you have
not gone to www.celiac.com, then you should go there and really read around.
they have some of the best information.

there is also the BEST help group (bbs) and gf food list at delphi.com it is
abigails site. you have to join, but it is free.    good luck and try the
food diary. it would really help you, your daughter and your doctor find
some answers. (especially since some celiac tests are not always so black
and white)

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Often the older a child gets the milder the reactions will be to gluten
ingestion.  That's why it was believed in days past the celiac disease
is something children can "outgrow."  The truth is, they never outgrow
gluten sensitivity, their bodies just learn to accommodate it & somehow
mask the worst of the symptoms.  With gluten ingestion, the intestinal
damage & malabsorption continues even though the child appears
asymptomatic.  So, as time passes, your child may show less & less
dramatic reactions to gluten ingestion regardless of the amount
consumed.