←back to thread

232 points BostonFern | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.218s | source
Show context
throwawaygluten ◴[] No.41856131[source]
Anecdotal, but this (likely) happened to me. For a year, my body could not digest gluten. My doctors tested me for celiac antibodies and all tests came back negative.

A gastroenterologist asked if I had taken anti-biotics at any point. I had: 12 months prior I had gone swimming near a landfill, gotten sick, and my primary care doctor had prescribed antibiotics (suspecting giardia). This final GI doctor asked if I had taken probiotics after my regimen of antibiotics. I had not. He ordered a colonoscopy (I think the prep process for that itself – a hard reset – may have done something therapeutic) and I was prescribed probiotics (viz: over-the-counter refrigerated Natren Megadophilus pills, refrigerated MegaFood MegaFlora pills, and refrigerated Bio-K Plus drinks). After the scope prep, scope, and two weeks of probiotics, I could eat gluten again.

I've shared this story with others but wish I had more evidence so that it might have been written up in a way that helped others like Anders. It was frustrating that none of the many providers I saw during that year tied the giardia incident (in my chart) to gluten intolerance (some instead made mild allusions to psychosomatic IBS) until the final gastroenterologist (my hero! I am forever grateful) but I can't complain. Ever since that difficult year, I have tremendous empathy for those with allergies and intolerances, especially for those with celiac.

replies(1): >>41864733 #
consumer451 ◴[] No.41864733[source]
This is entirely anecdotal, and n=1, but I have seen a sailing YouTuber who claimed that she was unable to tolerate gluten in the USA, but once in Europe there was no problem. She assumed that it was related to agri-chem in the USA.

Does anyone know which grain related agricultural products are used in the USA and not in the EU?

replies(2): >>41865151 #>>41866056 #
1. ineedaj0b ◴[] No.41865151[source]
They use less gluten in Europe