medication for allergic reaction?

August 22, 2005

Hello,

One final question. I did the dumbest thing today -- I just keep thinking of it again and again and marveling at how dumb it was! I've managed to avoid gluten for several weeks in a row now. Today, I went to work -- part of my income comes from housecleaning -- and my clients were making a delicious breakfast. They are good cooks, and I've picked up some cooking tips from them. This morning, they were making lovely English muffin sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a sandwich and ate every last bite, and a few minutes later, I realized that I was allergic to the English muffin and would have an allergic reaction. Sure enough, I'm having a full-blown allergic reaction -- nausea and cramping, etc.

I took 2 Benadryl (just to do ONE MORE dumb thing for the day!), before I realized that they only work on upper respiratory allergic reactions.

I'm wondering if there is a medication to take, if you make a mistake and accidentally eat gluten. I was concerned to take the Benadryl in the hopes of minimizing the intestinal damage!

I've been off gluten since about April, and the change in my energy and health is remarkable. It's quite exciting. Though setbacks like today make me feel quite disappointed with myself!

Thanks for any help.

Best,

Sue

August 22, 2005

I don't know of anything that will help if you have celiac disease. If you have an allergy, as opposed to CD, perhaps you should call your doctor. A serious allergic reaction to anything can be very serious indeed.

Someone once handed me an ice cream cone. I checked the ingredients in the ice cream -- and forgot about the cone. Ate it right up. Very nice, too.

Harper

In a message dated 8/22/05 3:20:17 PM, scbozzo@... writes:

they were making lovely English muffin sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a sandwich and ate every last bite,

August 23, 2005

If the reason that you are avoiding gluten is because you have

celiac disease, then your reaction is not exactly an allergic reaction.

True allergic reactions are triggered by a protein and involve

histamines and a trace serum protein, IgE. Because histamines

are involved it is often helpful to take an antihistamine like Benadryl

after exposure to a trigger food. It is often used for people with

violent, life-threatening food allergies, for example to tree nuts.

A reaction to gluten in a person with celiac disease is not an

allergic reaction, no IgE or histamines are involved. I would not

expect an antihistamine to help. It certainly should not make

matters worse, and if it makes you sleepy it might help you

sleep through the worst part of the experience. In this case you'd

be benefitting from what is really a side effect of the medication.

I often have nightmares in which I forget I can't eat bread and

the like and suddenly realize my error after eating such a food.

I can imagine how badly you must feel.

It does get much easier over time, much much easier. The day

will come soon enough when you will not even be tempted by a

piece of bread or an english muffin, well, not tempted much anyway.

Take care of yourself!

Steve

http://sensibleceliac.com/

On 8/22/05, scbozzo@... <scbozzo@...> wrote:

>

> Hello,

>

> One final question. I did the dumbest thing today -- I just keep thinking

> of it again and again and marveling at how dumb it was! I've managed to

> avoid gluten for several weeks in a row now. Today, I went to work -- part

> of my income comes from housecleaning -- and my clients were making a

> delicious breakfast. They are good cooks, and I've picked up some cooking

> tips from them. This morning, they were making lovely English muffin

> sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a

> sandwich and ate every last bite, and a few minutes later, I realized that I

> was allergic to the English muffin and would have an allergic reaction.

> Sure enough, I'm having a full-blown allergic reaction -- nausea and

> cramping, etc.

>

> I took 2 Benadryl (just to do ONE MORE dumb thing for the day!), before I

> realized that they only work on upper respiratory allergic reactions.

>

> I'm wondering if there is a medication to take, if you make a mistake and

> accidentally eat gluten. I was concerned to take the Benadryl in the hopes

> of minimizing the intestinal damage!

>

> I've been off gluten since about April, and the change in my energy and

> health is remarkable. It's quite exciting. Though setbacks like today make

> me feel quite disappointed with myself!

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Best,

> Sue

--

Steve Rider

http://My-News-Site.com/

http://UltraMegaMart.com/

http://SensibleCeliac.com/

http://UnFoxNews.com/

August 23, 2005

However, Benadryl doesn't do a lot for cardiac arrest. If you have an itchy tongue, get to the hospital FAST!!!!! An epi-pen is a good bit of first-aid, but you still need to get to the hospital, as the epi-pen may do no more than disguise problems waiting to re-emerge.

With anaphylaxis, once your throat and tongue become itchy, you may have minutes, or seconds, before breathing stops. I know from first-hand experience. Fortunately, I made it to the emergency room just before I could no longer breathe, and fortunately the hospital, having been warned I was on the way, had personnel waiting for me at the curb. It was a near thing. Don't take chances with serious allergic reactions.

Harper

Celiac disease is something quite different from an allergy; it's equally serious, but not in the same ways.

In a message dated 8/22/05 8:56:36 PM, heythere_heather@... writes:

"True" allergies normally don't manifest in GI symptoms like you describe (though possible), and are more likely to have reactions such as: vomiting, diarrhea (the way the GI tract may be affected), flushed face, tingling tongue, itchy tongue or throat, feeling like throat is closing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, increased heart rate, and in anaphylactic results, cardiac arrest. That is the kind of reaction for which Benadryl will make a difference, and for which epi-pens (epinephrine injectors) are prescribed.

August 23, 2005

Harper,

I'm thankful for the ice cream cone story!

Harper and all,

I am definitely allergic to gluten -- I have a noticeable reaction each time I eat it (nauseous and cramping stomach, cramping intestines). My health has improved a lot since I removed it from my diet this spring. (I all of sudden started to be nauseous all the time a few months ago -- so I figured I was allergic to something that I was eating at every meal -- first I removed wheat, but that wasn't enough -- then I removed gluten, and the nausea went away.) I immediately know when I'm eating something with gluten in it, because the allergic reaction is my stomach is almost immediate.

So I ask you, does this qualify me for celiac disease or not? I assumed, when my health improved so drastically, that my intestines were probably healing and I was getting my nutrients again...

I am a graduate student, and I work part-time. I have no health insurance. How urgent would you say it is, for me to get tested for celiac disease? Can one have an allergy to gluten and NOT have celiac disease? What does one gain from getting a celiac test done? Are there low-cost clinics that provide it?

I'm full of questions today. Thanks for any help.

Best,

Sue

----- Original Message -----

From: flatcat9@...

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:44 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

I don't know of anything that will help if you have celiac disease. If you have an allergy, as opposed to CD, perhaps you should call your doctor. A serious allergic reaction to anything can be very serious indeed.Someone once handed me an ice cream cone. I checked the ingredients in the ice cream -- and forgot about the cone. Ate it right up. Very nice, too.HarperIn a message dated 8/22/05 3:20:17 PM, scbozzo@... writes:

they were making lovely English muffin sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a sandwich and ate every last bite,

August 23, 2005

With your reactions, it's likely that you either have celiac disease, or an intolerance to gluten. "True" allergies normally don't manifest in GI symptoms like you describe (though possible), and are more likely to have reactions such as: vomiting, diarrhea (the way the GI tract may be affected), flushed face, tingling tongue, itchy tongue or throat, feeling like throat is closing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, increased heart rate, and in anaphylactic results, cardiac arrest. That is the kind of reaction for which Benadryl will make a difference, and for which epi-pens (epinephrine injectors) are prescribed.

It's not impossible to be having an IgE-mediated allergy and have symptoms like you describe, but in adults it's not very likely. The testing for that is a skin prick test, or SPT, or a RAST test, which is a blood draw. You don't have to be consuming gluten in order to get accurate results.

Celiac disease is NOT an immune system response. It is the inability of the system to digest gluten. As far as I know, the only way to get a diagnosis for celiac disease is to be consuming gluten regularly (from 3-6 weeks at least, if you've stopped), and get a blood test for it. If the blood test is positive, then most doctors would want to do a scope, to check for damage. And then you would have a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease.

The rest of your questions, I can't answer. I am only myself suspicious of celiac disease. My baby has food allergies, so I have to avoid what he's allergic to, since I'm breastfeeding. And I've found my life drastically improved without gluten... and any mistakes have been very painful. But going back on gluten to check for celiac disease is not an option for me, since I can't eat gluten without making my baby sick. So I continue with just avoiding for now (and I hope in a few years, by the time he's weaning, there will be new tests that don't require me to eat gluten again... one can hope!

----- Original Message ----- i

From: scbozzo@...

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 8:08 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

Harper,

I'm thankful for the ice cream cone story!

Harper and all,

I am definitely allergic to gluten -- I have a noticeable reaction each time I eat it (nauseous and cramping stomach, cramping intestines). My health has improved a lot since I removed it from my diet this spring. (I all of sudden started to be nauseous all the time a few months ago -- so I figured I was allergic to something that I was eating at every meal -- first I removed wheat, but that wasn't enough -- then I removed gluten, and the nausea went away.) I immediately know when I'm eating something with gluten in it, because the allergic reaction is my stomach is almost immediate.

So I ask you, does this qualify me for celiac disease or not? I assumed, when my health improved so drastically, that my intestines were probably healing and I was getting my nutrients again...

I am a graduate student, and I work part-time. I have no health insurance. How urgent would you say it is, for me to get tested for celiac disease? Can one have an allergy to gluten and NOT have celiac disease? What does one gain from getting a celiac test done? Are there low-cost clinics that provide it?

I'm full of questions today. Thanks for any help.

Best,

Sue

----- Original Message -----

From: flatcat9@...

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:44 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

I don't know of anything that will help if you have celiac disease. If you have an allergy, as opposed to CD, perhaps you should call your doctor. A serious allergic reaction to anything can be very serious indeed.Someone once handed me an ice cream cone. I checked the ingredients in the ice cream -- and forgot about the cone. Ate it right up. Very nice, too.HarperIn a message dated 8/22/05 3:20:17 PM, scbozzo@... writes:

they were making lovely English muffin sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a sandwich and ate every last bite,

August 23, 2005

Thanks, . You make distinctions that I didn't know about.

I can't digest lactose very well -- as soon as I've had too much of it, my stomach changes -- I think it hardens more than me feeling nauseous...

And the Benadryl -- 2 capsules, no less! -- had no effect on my symptoms today.

Is that really so, about the test for celiac disease? I would be so miserable, if I had to go through 3 to 6 weeks of constant nausea and cramping again!

Thanks again,

Best,

Sue

----- Original Message -----

From: heythere_heather

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 8:56 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

With your reactions, it's likely that you either have celiac disease, or an intolerance to gluten. "True" allergies normally don't manifest in GI symptoms like you describe (though possible), and are more likely to have reactions such as: vomiting, diarrhea (the way the GI tract may be affected), flushed face, tingling tongue, itchy tongue or throat, feeling like throat is closing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, increased heart rate, and in anaphylactic results, cardiac arrest. That is the kind of reaction for which Benadryl will make a difference, and for which epi-pens (epinephrine injectors) are prescribed.

It's not impossible to be having an IgE-mediated allergy and have symptoms like you describe, but in adults it's not very likely. The testing for that is a skin prick test, or SPT, or a RAST test, which is a blood draw. You don't have to be consuming gluten in order to get accurate results.

Celiac disease is NOT an immune system response. It is the inability of the system to digest gluten. As far as I know, the only way to get a diagnosis for celiac disease is to be consuming gluten regularly (from 3-6 weeks at least, if you've stopped), and get a blood test for it. If the blood test is positive, then most doctors would want to do a scope, to check for damage. And then you would have a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease.

The rest of your questions, I can't answer. I am only myself suspicious of celiac disease. My baby has food allergies, so I have to avoid what he's allergic to, since I'm breastfeeding. And I've found my life drastically improved without gluten... and any mistakes have been very painful. But going back on gluten to check for celiac disease is not an option for me, since I can't eat gluten without making my baby sick. So I continue with just avoiding for now (and I hope in a few years, by the time he's weaning, there will be new tests that don't require me to eat gluten again... one can hope!

----- Original Message ----- i

From: scbozzo@...

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 8:08 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

Harper,

I'm thankful for the ice cream cone story!

Harper and all,

I am definitely allergic to gluten -- I have a noticeable reaction each time I eat it (nauseous and cramping stomach, cramping intestines). My health has improved a lot since I removed it from my diet this spring. (I all of sudden started to be nauseous all the time a few months ago -- so I figured I was allergic to something that I was eating at every meal -- first I removed wheat, but that wasn't enough -- then I removed gluten, and the nausea went away.) I immediately know when I'm eating something with gluten in it, because the allergic reaction is my stomach is almost immediate.

So I ask you, does this qualify me for celiac disease or not? I assumed, when my health improved so drastically, that my intestines were probably healing and I was getting my nutrients again...

I am a graduate student, and I work part-time. I have no health insurance. How urgent would you say it is, for me to get tested for celiac disease? Can one have an allergy to gluten and NOT have celiac disease? What does one gain from getting a celiac test done? Are there low-cost clinics that provide it?

I'm full of questions today. Thanks for any help.

Best,

Sue

----- Original Message -----

From: flatcat9@...

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:44 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] medication for allergic reaction?

I don't know of anything that will help if you have celiac disease. If you have an allergy, as opposed to CD, perhaps you should call your doctor. A serious allergic reaction to anything can be very serious indeed.Someone once handed me an ice cream cone. I checked the ingredients in the ice cream -- and forgot about the cone. Ate it right up. Very nice, too.HarperIn a message dated 8/22/05 3:20:17 PM, scbozzo@... writes:

they were making lovely English muffin sandwiches, and they offered me one. I did not hesitate -- I took a sandwich and ate every last bite,

August 23, 2005

Pepto Bismol will help with the stomach

cramps somewhat. Pascalite clay is another help. Nothing I have found helps

with the headaches.

Connie Hampton