Hi All,

I have a question. I thought last weekend that I might have been CC'd by a salad at Applebees or Arby's as I "thought" I was eating safe all weekend but then felt like crap Sunday afternoon. Not sure if it was from the salad Friday night or Sunday at lunch.

All week though, I have felt exhausted and kind of "brain Fog". I am so tired I can't hardly make it to bed, but then once there, I can't sleep at all and I itch so bad I can't stand it. I ended up getting up at 2:00 am last night and took a shower hoping that would help.


Is this normal? Does anyone else experience this if they have been glutened? Maybe it is just seasonal allergies, but I don't know what to do. I NEED SLEEP AND I CAN'T STAND THE ITCHING ANY LONGER!!!!!

any suggestions or thoughts?

I have noticed that if I accidentially ingest wheat - I itch, itch, itch, then terrible D - and no sleep. I know right away it was wheat with the severe itching. It almost feels that you have bugs creeping. I have itched so bad that I caused black and blue marks.

When I ingest barley, I get a brain fog first, almost feel like I have an overdose of something. I had some nacho cheese that had malt barley in it awhile back, wow, did I react so differently than when I had wheat.

If I had whole wheat, that was the worst....I would bloat, and bloat, until I felt like I was going to burst, severe constipation to the point of vomiting because of the constipation. I did have other symptoms, but they came in different order and different strengths per different glutens.

The only way I knew what I had, my little girl found it in the ingredients, for some reason I read right over them, but that was in the beginning when I could hardly function let alone read, or think.
If you can figure out what kind of gluten that you accidentally had, keep a journel, you will be suprised that you can have such different reactions to the specific gluten you had.

p.s. I react with the slightest amount of gluten...just a speck will set me off.

I am the same way. The itching drives me nuts and I can't sleep. Your itching on the outside but it feels like it's inside. Have you tried to take some benadryl. It does work on itching and will help you sleep.
Yellow Rose

I get the same itching problem when I get glutened. I think the Benedryl suggestion is great - that's what I do. A cold shower to calm the hot irritated skin or a cool bath w/ black tea bags helps too (the tanic acid is very soothing).

I would also suggest avoiding Applebee's and Arby's at all costs. Those two restaurants are not friendly to Celiac diet.

Hope you feel better soon!

have you had bad experiences with them? Applebees are usually very helpful and willing to go the extra mile to cook my food. I always give the manager there, Christy, a big tip. This is the first time I have had trouble. Also, have you had problems with Arby's? I guess I like to eat out so much that it is hard for me to think I have to avoid places. So anyone's ideas and suggestions are beneficial to me.

Thanks,

My story is similar and my heart goes out to you. I am waiting for blood tests, which may be negative, because i have started the diet. I actually went to my primary care with the panel of blood work I needed to test for Celiac. I went to him with a rash on my feet, elbows, thigh, A rash I used to get as a child back in the sixities. he did not even bother to look at it. I am trying to convince my 13 year old daughter and hope she will eventually accept this disease as a way of changing not only her diet, but her life. I am up tonight to see if benedryl is safe to take, I do not ingest anything until I find out. It looks like it is and I can go back to bed. I am trying to get an Aunt and others in my family with autoimmune diseases to get tested. Right now, I think they believe, I am crazy and have to lay back and help myself, since I have only been gluten free since Sept 19 07 keeping a food/video diary. I believe I do not have MS/IBS that i was diagnosed with in 1996. I may have to go for a endoscopy to prove to myself and others. It looks like I need the correct test for the antibody. I do not know if that is the test the doctor's office requested. I live in Jackson, TN, a town very unfamiliar with celiac disease. take care. lynda lube

Bathing in bath salts is a good choice and may help you with what you're feeling right now. It will not only help your sleeping problems, but It might also help you of your itching.

Bathing in bath salts can help lower stress and tension, and makes the body feel relaxed and restful. The aromatherapy essential oils that these bath salts are combined with, will relax your mind and helps clear out any worries These salts can also help with the itching, if it is caused by an external allergen.

I don't really have any wonderful suggestions to offer past what others have already said - but I wanted you to know that I feel for you. My DH flared up in a big way right after I delivered my sweet baby (I'm talking the same day, after no rash all through my pregnancy.) At the time I was undiagnosed. It was the intense itching waking/keeping me up at night after my baby had started sleeping through the night that prompted me to go to the doctor for a second opinion. GL - I hope you feel better soon!