Wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity are not the same thing. And neither is the same as Celiac disease.
Dear everyone, please – just stop.
I am allergic to wheat. There is a test for that, and I failed it. Spectacularly.
Because of that, I cannot eat ANY food that contains wheat. I break out in hives within a few minutes, my esophagus swells, and if I inadvertently eat enough of it, my throat swells up until it pinches off my trachea and I can’t breathe. A histamine response
If I’m lucky, it’s just hives, a bloody nose, and 24 to 36 hours of Benadryl until I can pass the offending allergen out of my body.
As I understand it, Celiac disease causes a person’s body to have an abnormal immune system reaction, which can cause the body to attack it’s own large intestine.
Gluten sensitivity seems to be a milder form of Celiac that can result in vomiting and diarrhea.
All three are bad. This isn’t a contest.
However – they are different things.
Gluten is a component of wheat. It is also present in rye and barley, and in some other grains to a lesser extent. People who have Celiac or gluten sensitivity need to avoid those things that contain gluten.
With my wheat allergy, I need to avoid wheat. Not gluten. I can eat rye and barley all day long.
Wheat Allergy and Gluten Sensitivity are NOT the Same Thing
The problem is that everyone seems to believe (and some *insist*, for some reason) that when I say I am allergic to wheat, what I mean is that I am Celiac or gluten-sensitive. The thing is, there is a process where gluten can be removed from wheat, and the remaining wheat protein is used in many processed foods.
So I can use a “gluten free” label as a proxy, or starting point for evaluating whether a product is safe for me to eat, but I still have to read every label.
But all of that is strictly background. I hope that it helps to understand the differences. Here’s what sticks in my craw, though:
People constantly (and condescendingly) “correct” me when I tell them that I am allergic to wheat. “Oh”, they say, “you mean Celiac?” No, I don’t mean Celiac. Celiac will send you to the hospital a week from now. Or a month. Or more. Celiac will make you very uncomfortable and might cause violent “tummy turbulence”. My wheat allergy will send me to the hospital today. Now. Or maybe to the the mortuary.
Here’s what the Mayo Clinic has to say about the difference: Mayo Clinic
It’s like telling someone that I wear glasses because I am nearsighted, and having them tell me that THEY wear glasses too, but they have astigmatism. Therefore, I must have astigmatism too – because I wear glasses like they do.
It’s illogical!
It’s completely illogical, and I can’t imagine having a conversation like that if I had told them that I was allergic to peanuts, or shellfish, or tree nuts.
And here’s the kicker: There is no test for Celiac or for gluten sensitivity. The doctor tests you for a bunch of stuff, and if it all comes back negative they tell you to try being gluten free for a couple of months. If you improve, it’s Celiac! (or gluten sensitivity).
There *is* a test for wheat allergy. I have had that test, and I saw the positive result with my own eyes.
So, thank you for your concern, but keep your diagnosis of my condition to yourself. Or mind your own business and leave me to mine.
Ok? Thanks!
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