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So I have been gluten free for almost 5 months now and if I didn't believe the blood tests, I am positive now that I have Celiac. I very stupidly had some rice that I cooked for others in the family not thinking to check the back of the box. I completely forgot that rice a roni has pasta in it. I ate 1/4 cup of it and by the next day was deathly ill with the most horrendous pain and bloating and vomitting and other lovely side effects. That was on Sunday and today is Thursday. I am weak and shaky and lost 5 more pounds since then. How long does it take to recover from such an incident, does anyone have experience with this?

Oh dear, I feel badly for you. I have the skin manifestation of this and not the gut. But I've read a lot of the older posts under this topic and it seems everyone heals differently, but they do heal. And because it's a learning experience, everyone says the lessons are painful but they do learn. They also say they have to be a Sherlock Homes with labels to avoid these incidents.

I wish you speedy healing.

Thanks Carol. I never had the skin problems, but do feel kind of sluggish and weak as well as the gut reactions and also my vision has been blurry since Sunday. I hope that this passes quickly I am beginning to think I really do have to be anal when it comes to gluten. As you said a learning experience.

Remember Groundhogg? I think it was Groundhogg that would have lapses and end up with issues lasting a week or even two during her learning journey. But as some stay gluten-free for long periods, some can have a tiny mishap and not experience the severity. With gluten, there just isn't a rule book. Everyone reacts differently.

I belong to my local celiac board (a listserve). But what kills me is how crappy they all eat.....sugary treats, meat, fish, dairy....it's not like they are avoiding unhealthy foods. And when you think of it, celiac disease is an auto-immune disease so you would think they would want to avoid the foods that weaken the immune system. They are obsessed with replacing wheat flour with other flours so they can eat junk food. Sorry if I'm coming across as judgemental, but it does drive me nuts. I also feel that my nutritional education is better.

I too am amazed at the garbage and food subsitutes that people use in order to keep eating the same way. I admit I was in a hurry and hungry and just didn't think about what was going into my mouth when I got glutened, but I stay as far away from processed junk as I can. It's so not worth it to try and get sick...

I haven't eaten a significant portion in a very long time. I have however been exposed to traces and had mild reactions. I just feel crappy in a bunch of ways for about 5 days. Then things get pretty much back to normal. I hope I don't ever eat a large portion again. I have nightmares about it, where I'm eating crackers or cookies. I feel like I could so easily slip up, like when I used soy sauce on my sushi and then had to really think to figure out why I felt so bad 3 days later. Someone recently made me GF bread and I really had sweaty palms thinking that maybe she just didn't get it. But a week later I'm feeling great so it was needless worrying.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

Fern, your post reminded me of a dream I had the other night. Dreams are so bizarre. But anyways, here I was, eyeing this bagel and cream cheese and then going for it knowing that I'm gluten intolerant AND avoiding dairy. So weird.

But as I told my sister, it's a really great way to enjoy all the foods we used to like and can't have. Just dream you are eating them. Heck, that dream was so real it was ......(really tasty).