If you've ever been accidentally glutened

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Mon May 20, 2013 5:26 am

has anyone ever successfully tried a product like this and did it help? http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/ ... uId=878021

ladyathome · Post by **ladyathome** » Mon May 20, 2013 10:16 am

I have used a product called GlutenEase http://www.enzymedica.com/store/GlutenEase. From what I can tell, the ingredients are similar to CVS Glutenaid but I can't find a label online for Glutenaid to compare.
This company also has a product called Digest Spectrum that I have started buying instead of GlutenEase because it's basically the same price and it covers other food intolerances besides Gluten and Cassin. Also, this product doesn't contain contain any corn, rice, soy, potato, gluten, casein or sugar, and our local Earthfare keeps it in stock.
I want to say I would never use any product as a license to eat gluten, but I keep it with me in case I get accidentally gluten-ed when eating out. I travel a lot and I'm more at risk than if I were home. I do think it has helped me during a couple of times that I realized a bit too late that I had consumed gluten. For example I had a piece of cornbread and ask the waiter after if it was all cornmeal and he said no, it was half cornmeal and half flour! I reached in my purse and popped a couple of Digest Spectrum. It's a small thing I can do, but staying GF is a far better option!

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Mon May 20, 2013 1:18 pm

Thanks, we have Earth Fare, too. It's about 40 minutes away. Same with our health food store.

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Mon May 20, 2013 3:43 pm

Thanks all. I will never intentionally eat gluten again but I have gotten caught a few times in restaurants where I've either been cross-contaminated or staff was misinformed. I think it might be worthwhile to have on hand.

Post by **tex** » Tue May 21, 2013 11:52 am

Deb,

You're probably well aware of this, but I thought that I would mention it for the benefit of those who might not be familiar with this. Ideally, of course, such products would need to be taken before a meal, but the next best choice would be to take it as soon as any suspicion arises that something may be wrong, because if the undigested peptides manage to get ahead of the treatment (such as into the small intestine, before a pill is swallowed), it may be too late for the enzyme to prevent the damage from proceeding. IOW, the treatment would have to be initiated before the reaction progresses very far, because it would be unable to undo the damage that has already been done. In that case, the best that it could do would be to prevent the reaction from progressing further.

Tex

ladyathome · Post by **ladyathome** » Tue May 21, 2013 12:25 pm

Thanks for the info Tex! I did know you had to take it before...but I never think it's going to happen...until it does! It would be a good idea for me to take it before going to any restaurant when traveling as an insurance policy. I always have it with me, but in the past, I have taken it immediately after I realize gluten was in something - hoping it would help.

Post by **tex** » Tue May 21, 2013 2:25 pm

ladyathome wrote:I did know you had to take it before...but I never think it's going to happen...until it does!

That's the biggest drawback to products of this type, obviously. As you say, you just about have to take it on a regular basis (when eating out), in order to get the full benefit, and that means taking a lot of pills unnecessarily.

ladyathome wrote:I always have it with me, but in the past, I have taken it immediately after I realize gluten was in something - hoping it would help.

What is the usual outcome? Have you been able to tell if it provides a significant benefit in that type of situation?

Thanks,
Tex

ladyathome · Post by **ladyathome** » Tue May 21, 2013 3:42 pm

Yes, actually I have. My normal reaction when I've been gluten-ed is I start extreme belching, bloating, pain around my heart, and then the next day or 2 I have D. When I've taken the pills, I don't seem to belch, have the heart pain or have D, but I still get bloated, but it's not as extreme.

I don't mind taking 2 pills when eating out..because they are enzymes and do help with digestion, but the negative is, it gets expensive.

I also take a Benadryl if I suspect gluten was in something. That seems to help as well.

Post by **tex** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:29 pm

ladyathome wrote:I also take a Benadryl if I suspect gluten was in something. That seems to help as well.

Hmmmm. That implies that gluten reactions involve mast cell activation/histamine release, which isn't surprising. That may have implications with regard to the development of (or possibly preventing the development of) autoimmune-type diseases.

Tex

ladyathome · Post by **ladyathome** » Wed May 22, 2013 7:31 am

I agree. I definitely itch when I've been gluten-ed around my torso and my arms.

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Thu May 23, 2013 3:08 pm

Thanks again, PP. So glad I read this thread when it was posted. I went to my favorite reliable restaurant for lunch today and ordered what I always order, sweet potato crusted fish. It is so good and the restaurant is extremely consciencious. Everything went well until our waiter got busy and handed off the plates to a server. He told her which plate was mine but I didn't get it. Fortunately, it was only a few bites before we realized we had the wrong kind of fish but I still consumed at least 4 forkfuls of glutened fish. I remembered this thread, borrowed my friends Kindle Fire and found the thread and name of the CVS product. It was at least an hour before I took the capsule and won't know until tomorrow whether it worked or not. Better late than never, I guess.

I have put 2 capsules into a pill container in my purse so I can be prepared when this happens again.

Sheila W

Post by **tex** » Thu May 23, 2013 10:50 pm

Sheila,

I hope it works, because such innovative thinking deserves to be rewarded.

You could probably sell that idea to CVS for use as a commercial, since it's very similar to ads using mobile devices to access the internet for scheduling emergency travel changes, forgotten credit card payments, etc.

Tex

ladyathome · Post by **ladyathome** » Fri May 24, 2013 7:40 am

I'm anxious to hear how you're feeling today! What are your normal symptoms and what have you experienced?

Sheila · Post by **Sheila** » Fri May 24, 2013 9:08 am

So, does the CVS Glutenaid work? I took it at least an hour after I ate the glutened fish and took another capsule before I went to bed together with a Zyrtec. They recommend you take Glutenaid before you eat and that is certainly ideal if not realistic.

I had some gastritis pain during the night and 7-8 trips to the bathroom early this a.m. but NO WD!!! I don't feel particularly well but I am not on-the-sofa-holding-my-tummy sick. I think it is worth the price and the peace of mind to take one of these digestive aids before eating out anywhere. I am also taking budesinide every other day and I think that ameliorates the reaction to gluten, etc. I've never intentionally eaten gluten since being diagnosed and I've been fortunate to have been exposed accidentally only a few times. Not eating gluten is kind of like not taking that first puff of a cigarette.

Tex, you are welcome to pitch your idea to CVS or Kindle. It certainly would have been a perfect advertisement for either Kindle Fire and/or CVS. My friend brought her Kindle Fire to lunch because she made my birthday card on her computer and the printer wouldn't work. She showed me the card she made instead.

Lucky for me her printer was on the fritz.

Sheila W