When you are strictly following a gluten-free diet and you are accidentally CC or eat something that you thought was gluten-free and is not, does it actually take you back to the beginning of your illness? Does it wipe out all the 'good' that you have done for yourself? That is one of my biggest concerns. How can you know if you are doing any damage to yourself if you don't have overt symptoms?

In my almost two years of being gluten-free, I would say it hasn't taken me back to the beginning but it is a set back to some degree.
The way my body feels after an accident it's been from 3 days to 3 weeks in terms of feeling. When I accidently inhale flour in someone's kitchen that as caused the most trouble followed by licking envelops which I dont do anymore.
Wont walk into a bakery anymore. It must be hard if you dont have symptoms, mine show up sometimes within minutes of an accident.
good luck
Ken

if you accidentally eat gluten, it doesnt set you completely back to the begining but it does do some damage, and frequent ingestion of gluten even if it is accidental will put you at risk of complications like anemia, but making a mistake once in a while shouldnt effect you too much as long as you go back to the gluten free diet and cut out the gluten-containing food