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

I received many, many responses to geographic tongue and they are
still coming.  Many people wrote to say that they had geographic tongue, but
had always thought it was a personal condition, that had nothing to do with CD.
Many were surprised to find out they were not the only one.  Apparently
there are many people out there with CD that have or used to have this
condition, before going GF.  None that reported the condition had made a
connection with CD until it was mentioned.

Some people, when the tongue had become painful, had tried to get medical help
to clear up the condition.  Most doctors told them that they had no idea what
caused it, two suggested vitamins and one provided treatment. Some people did
not indicate pain with the condition.

There seems to be two scenarios reported in the mystery of the geographic
tongue.  One is a sign of malnutrition that comes from vitamin deficiencies
that are documented in nutritional guides.  These seem to be associated with
particularly vitamin B or C deficiencies. The second side to this condition is
the sudden developing of a sore or stripping of the tongue's coating when
exposed to gluten. This happens when the person is in contact with
something, like licking an envelope, that contains gluten.

I know that I have a combination of the two reactions.  Prolonged exposure to
gluten creates in me, the swollen, red, fissured, shiny or the combined red
edges with coated middle tongue that I consider the indication of vitamin
deficiency.  The other is an immediate reaction to gluten from a single
encounter that alerts me to the fact that I have ingested gluten.

One person mentioned that she had this reaction when eating citrus
fruit.  I also had this citrus reaction, but since going GF, I don't get
it anymore, so I think there is a connection even with the citrus that,
for me, relates to CD.

Well, with all the responses, I believe we may be on to something.  Some
people wrote that they had CD, but had many relatives with a geographic
tongue who did not have CD.  My daughter, who claims she does not have
CD, but has many of the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies, had
geographic tongue as a small child. The doctor had no idea what caused
it and said he saw it occasionally in his patients, but never knew the
cause.   It is also interesting to note that this condition can come and go
without apparent cause.

Perhaps geographic tongue might be a CD marker for some people.  It
doesn't matter if it is nutritional, (because CD causes malnutrition in
a society that claims malnutrition does not exist) or a reaction to
gluten contact.  Each scenario could indicate a clue that might be helped by
checking for CD.

Does anyone from the medical profession check this list?  Who could we
bring this to that might be able to research it further in screening for
CD.

Thanks for all your responses.

Carol NJ