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by S_A_P 3225 days ago
Thanks for this- it sounds like I need to do some more research to completely understand whats going on, but this is very helpful. If you dont mind my asking, are your symptoms mostly GI related? Ive heard others can have symptoms that manifest in things like sinuses getting plugged up or skin rashes. Also sounds like a drug similar to Humara may be something that could provide at least some relief to the immune response.
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No. Mine were mostly cognitive. I mean, when I was a kid I had no tooth enamel (had to have surgery to install fake teeth) and puked up everything I ate that had wheat in it, but somehow no one diagnosed it until later. I just assumed it was normal but my symptoms were migraines, anxiety, stomach bloating, joint pain, hair loss, stunted growth, constant fatigue, sleep apnea, nutrient deficiencies, malabsorption. It took about a year to feel better. It used to be cross contamination would mean 3 days of pain, gluten 7 days. Now cross contamination is a worthy trade off for occasional meal out, and gluten is 2-3 days in small amounts. I shudder to consider eating a full bun or something but I haven't tried in years. I know within 10 minutes because the skin inside my mouth peels off. So I kind of have systems for managing it. I have a normal job and would say it has not really hindered me outside of eating a very strict diet. Having support from my partner also helps a great deal. It's good you caught it early.
"I shudder to consider eating a full bun or something but I haven't tried in years."

I have it nowhere near as bad as you (which is why it went undiagnosed until I was 30... although it's still pretty bad). But for about 5 years after I found out I would have recurring dreams where I would be eating a hamburger and realize after swallowing "Oh, crap, that's a normal bun!" I suppose in some sense that might qualify as a nightmare the first couple of times, because it would fully wake me up.

I also have Celiac disease, somewhat less severe than nibstwo, and I also have recurring dreams where I eat something (usually pizza) and midway through realize it is made with wheat dough. This was further compounded when once I ate a package of vegetarian chicken wings (made of wheat gluten) which was mislabeled at the grocery store (gluten free tag on the price label) and next to veggie burgers by the same brand with the same packaging where ARE gluten free and I had eaten before without a problem... I was sick for about a week, couldn't work or think straight. I won't make that mistake twice!

Another funny angle--I also have Type 1 diabetes (diagnosed when I was 9) and for a long time after diagnosis I had dreams about drinking a 64oz soda only to realize it wasn't diet, and panicking since I would probably be in DKA soon after!

Maybe there is some immune system disease/nightmare link that has gone undiscovered :)

Thanks for sharing. Those symptoms sound quite horrific. My daughter had some similar symptoms as well. She had 4 cavities when she was 3. I think she was too young at the time to articulate how she felt but I know she also had some cognitive difficulties(and is only now just getting caught up to grade level despite being a VERY EARLY talker and having a large vocabulary for a toddler)