Celiac vs wheat allergy

Nikster57 · Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 66 Location: Houston, TX

Sorry guys, I haven't been on in several days. I think I asked Al for a response on this one and don't remember where it was.

My question is: If my allergist says I have a wheat allergy, do I actually have celiac? Done the gastro guy and came back inconclusive. I just was tested for food allergies, again, and they called me and told me that many of the food allergies they tested me for were very very high. They origianally told me back in 2002 I had a wheat allergy but I didin't know what that meant and until several months ago, was fine but got sick a lot and thought it was just an allergy to who knows what.I'm going Friday for the dreaded "needles in the back" test. Been gluten free since June 12. Thanks in advance.
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Nikki from Texas

Andi · Guest

From what I understand, they are separate. But, you could have both.
From what I've read, the symptoms are different - wheat allergy would be more respiratory symtpoms, hives, etc. and gluten intolerance is digestive and/or neurological. I would be interested to know how many times they cross over - what percentage of people have both!
My mom definitely has wheat allergy with hives, itchy throat, etc. right after she eats wheat, but isn't very inclined to be tested for gluten intolerance at this point, even though she does have a very "sensitive" stomach and nerve damage...too bad I can't experiment on my own family...hehe...I mean that in a nice way! My mom finds that she doesn't get a rash or hives when she eats white bread though...
Andi

Nikster57 · Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 66 Location: Houston, TX

I get the hives and the respiratory from allergies. Can't do antihistamine until after they do the test tomorrow. Can't wait to pop that Zyrtec. HEHEHEHE. I'll find out more tomorrow. Thanks,
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Nikki from Texas

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8130 Location: WI, USA

Hi Nikki,

Here's one of those posts (I think there is another one....but can't find it LOL! I do have a hard time with loosing stuff here)

Many times Wheat Intolerance (Gluten Intolerance) is considered the same as CD.

Wheat Allergy is often used to describe CD. But in reality they are 2 different things.

Here are some sites that do a pretty good job at explaining the difference

http://www.grandtimes.com/Gluten-Free.html (this has a bunch of other interesting stuff in too).

http://www.foodintol.com/wheat.asp

I hope this helps!
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Nikster57 · Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 66 Location: Houston, TX

Thanks Al. Must be gluten intolerance becausemy allergist says I am no longer allergic to wheat but I am still allergic to buckwheat. Also, what I thought was true; is. I AM allergic to soy and all legumes for that matter. Thanks for the websites. I kept them as favorites. You are my walking encyclopedia for the internet!!!!!!!!
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Nikki from Texas

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8130 Location: WI, USA

bump
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8130 Location: WI, USA

bump
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

sarahceliac · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 189 Location: MA

When I was told that I had celiacs, the Dr. had checked the gidian count (sp.) My count was a little above a normal persons. I had constant bloating, a lot of nautia, and that was the cause to run the test. I wasn't having other signs. So I wonder if I have CD? When I eat gluten it goes quickly through my system, luckily that is the only thing I experinece with bloating. I follow a GF diet and most times am fine. Gluten will sneak in sometimes and I know immiediately. I was told I have a mild case and that celiacs can come about all of a sudden at some time in your life, something triggers it. Or you can be born with it. When i was diognosed I was under a tremendous....... amount of stress and wonder if that set it off. The nuerological symptoms are deffinetly there, I have MS. I am 2nd guessing if I have CD. Any comments??
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Sarah

Kathie · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 696 Location: Florida

Noatak · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 486 Location: Massachusetts

From reading posts on this forum it has convinced me that people with CD know so much more about the disease than doctor's do! We live it every day and learn all the nuances of the disease and get to know things a doctor or person without CD would never be able to fathom.

Mine was sent into high action mode by menopause but I had symptoms all my life....hindsight is 20/20 and that couldn't be more true. I had GI problems all my life, off and on, and I am convinced it was the reason I needed an emergency appendectomy when I was 8 years old. It was so inflammed, it nearly burst.

Sarah...right before the big blow-out a year ago, I was experiencing the worst nausea ever. I've never been pregnant but I could imagine it was like a bad case of morning sickness. Plus I was very bloated so your symptoms sound very much like CD. I would not be surprised in the least if CD was connected with MS.....CD can also involve nerve damage so the two are similar. One thing that I found interesting from having my gene testing done was the fact that if a person has 2 markers (one from each parent), the degree of severity from CD can be worse than a person with one marker. Maybe that explains why some get severe villi damage faster than others do or some do not have villi damage showing on an endo. I do agree with you on the fact that CD is CD and whatever the background, get rid of the gluten! Very Happy

Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1455 Location: Portland, OR.

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8130 Location: WI, USA

CD has been mis-dx'ed as MS due to the fact that brain lesions caused by CD look similar, plus a host of other things that I have not actively looked into.

You can find more info here: http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?p=26417#post26417

It's definitely something that should be considered. Heck...what is there to lose?
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1455 Location: Portland, OR.

Thanks Al,
I'll send this info to her as well and maybe she'll see some improvement? I hope so - and will try to keep you all posted of her health if the GF diet works.
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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
http://graindamaged.blogspot.com/

sarahceliac · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 189 Location: MA

So I wonder if MS makes the gidian (sp.) count high too? I only had the blood test for CD and only the MRI for MS. My meds for MS help and I have known about the MS since 99. Celiacs just became known a year ago. My nuerologist said the two are not linked???? I had asked about that. And he is a very... well known Nuerologist. The ones that suffer from these diseases tend to deffinetley know more than the Dr.s sometimes.
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Sarah

Deb · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:49 am Post subject:

Just wanted to add to this theory--I am totally gluten free now for over 5 yrs and I do break out in hives if wheat touches my skin.
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You can't discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore!