RE: Re: I didn't know there was such a thing as Gluten Phobia

[Guest guest]

,

I don't think that 'many' people on this board are convinced that gluten is

the end all, be all cause of diseases. I am not one of them either. I know

there are people who suffer terribly from it (one is my best friend and

another is a neighbor's son) and it is a terrible thing.

I will tout folllowing through on allergy testing and hormonal, endocrine

gland function testing as discovering these were MY saving grace, along

with a couple of other things.

I think the problem with this disorder is that is really ISNT just ONE thing

that is wrong with us, it is, instead of culmination of problems, which

eventually come to a head and cause unrelenting pain, in much the same was

as say, a cancer is nutured. First, you are genetically disposed, second

you add insult to injury by ingesting or inhaling or diving into things that

aren't good for the body or which increase the risk for diseases (i.e. in

the case of cancer, smoking, bad diet, chemical exposure, too many xrays and

so on) and evnutally some part of the body just gives in to disease because

it can no longer protect itself. I believe vulvodynia works the same way.

The area takes insult after insult and finally collapses - as in my case of

premature menopause due to premature ovarian failure; wearing Always light

days for several years prior to onset (because of urinary incontinence);

cold turkey cessation of HRT when the Women's Health Iniativie said it would

hurt us; low thyroid function gone undetected for several years prior to

onset (which by the way sets one up for chemical sensitivities) chemical

allergies/sensitivities and then the well meaning intereference of several

docs who prescribed antifungals with allergens (for me) in the products and

a really bad yeast problem which took a long time to go away which was

acquired with the first dose of internal estrace after I was diagnosed with

severe vulvo vaginal atrophy.

It is sort of - for many of us girls in this grou - a number of medical

probelms which slowly were going wrong but which weren't addressed when they

WERE going wrong. Had they been, I don't think a number of us would have

gotten into trouble. Though I had a number of individual problems which

all added up to causing this disorder, I am not Celiac or gluten sensitive

and I believe that each woman should investigate each possible cause

thoroughly before moving on to the next in order to rule out each possible

cause as a contributory factor.

Wishing you pain free days

Dusty

Re: I didn't know there was such a thing as " Gluten Phobia "

Mara, I think you accurately described your feelings on the issue,

and I tend to agree with you. You were still very respectful of those

who suffer from Gluten Sensitivity, not minimizing it at all, but

were still honest about your opinion. I commend you.

My take on your question is that you were trying to ask if anyone

else is skeptical that gluten could be the root of so many problems

for someone who does not have Celiac disease. I wonder that, too. You

clearly didn't deny the effects/severity/existence of Celiac Disease.

While you are obviously not quoting one person specifically, many

people on this board do consider gluten to be the cause of MANY

different health/medical problems.

Does anyone know if there is there hard scientific proof that backs

this up (not Celiac Disease, just general sensitivity to gluten)? I

honestly don't know - does anyone have links to scientific research

or hard data about it? Anything that isn't just a lab/testing or

naturopathic site?

Does anyone know how long wheat has been around? I would think a heck

of a long time?

For those that find relief in a gluten-free diet, keep it up and

congrats. If it works, it is totally worth it.

For me, I know not what to do, because gluten isn't the root of this

awful 'syndrome' for me.