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Thought some members might be interested in my husbands experience with
oats.
 
As a very young child, my husband, was quite ill and not thriving at all.
After much searching he was finally diagnosed by biopsy as having celiac.
After a few years on a gluten free diet he apparently began to thrive.  At
the time it was believed one could outgrow being a celiac and gradually he
was put back on gluten diet.
 
At age 35 all broke loose.  My husband became very sick with all the signs
of a  celiac:  diarreah, bloting, gas, extreme fatigue etc.  Our family
internist, after months of trying to treat him felt his problem was
psychological. My husband at that time decided to see a gastroenterologist
who immediatley upon taking his history said he was probably celiac. He
said; "once a celiac always a celiac." A biopsy was done to confirm the
diagnosis.
 
He was put on a gluten and lactose free diet immediately and after a few
weeks all symptoms went away.  At that time I became very interested in the
problem of gluten intolerence and began reading all I could find  about
celiac.
 
After about a year I read that oats were considered okay. I believe the
publication was out of England.  My husband began eating small quantities
of oats at that time and increased his intake till the present. He eats
oats at least three to four times a week either in cereal or muffins.
 
He has never had a negative effect.  He has had lab tests every couple of
years and all tests are negative. His health is good except for ocassional
problem with constipation which seem to be okay when he uses metamucil. The
only other problem which he has is keeping his weight down.  Now that he is
absorbing all that he eats his weight is around 165, at age 35 when he
became sick his weight had gone to 135.  At this time he is probably about
1O lbs over where he should be.
 
I might add that when I was doing all my reading I also learned that there
was a belief that in the distillation process of alcohol the gluten
molecules were left behind. He has been able to drink almost all distilled
alcohol and wine.  The only thing that he must be careful of is carmel used
for coloring and of course beer is absolutely out.
 
My husband is a dentist and leads a very active work and lesure life.  When
he was rediagnosed I must admit I read much about celiac and cancer and was
frightened by all I had read.  We have three daughter who were infants at
the time and I really didn't feel there dad would be here for long.