THE STORY OF ONE FAMILY'S JOURNEY WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES AND CELIAC DISEASE.
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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

I Have A Canker Sore

Which I realize may be no big deal to you.

Allow me a moment to explain why this particular bugger is blogworthy.

I have been plagued with canker sores for YEARS. They aren't contagious, and are thought to be hereditary (Ummm, thanks Gene Pool - I really freaking appreciate that.)  Here's what WebMD has to say about these most painful little lesions of perdition:

What Causes Canker Sores?

The exact cause of most canker sores is unknown. Stress or tissue injury is thought to be the cause of simple canker sores. Certain foods - including citrus or acidic fruits and vegetables (such as lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, tomatoes, and strawberries) - can trigger a canker sore or make the problem worse. Sometimes a sharp tooth surface or dental appliance, such as braces or ill-fittingdentures, might also trigger canker sores.
Some cases of complex canker sores are caused by an underlying health condition, such as an impaired immune system; nutritional problems, such as vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron deficiency; and gastrointestinal tract disease, such as Celiac disease and Crohn's disease.

Are Cold Sores Another Name for Canker Sores?

No, although cold sores and canker sores are often confused for each other, they are not the same. Cold sores, also called a fever blister or herpes simplex type 1, are groups of painful, fluid-filled blisters. Unlike canker sores, cold sores are caused by a virus and are extremely contagious. Also, cold sores typically appear outside the mouth - usually, under the nose, around the lips, or under the chin while canker sores occur inside the mouth.

Did you, by chance, catch that little ditty about complex canker sores being linked to Celiac?

Yeah.

THAT part.

Which is why, my friend, I'm bringing it to the blog.

It's confession time.

Here goes...

While on our little get away last weekend, I cheated.

Yes.

I did.

Over the course of the weekend, I ate ONE onion ring, ONE hush puppy, ONE piece of baklava, and a few scattered bites here and there of stuff off Jay's plate that just looked too good not to try.

(Which, by the way, I would NEVER have done had Sugar been with us.  She gets SO SICK if she's exposed to gluten!!!  Besides, I do **try** to set a good example for her.  Anyway, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right??  So this is just between YOU and ME -- wink, wink -- I'll deny it to the bitter end!)

You see, I never had any classic GI symptoms of Celiac.

Nothing.

Zip.  Zero.  Nada.

(For leisure reading, you're welcome to check out our Celiac diagnosis stories HERE.)

The ONLY outward symptom I've ever thought **MIGHT** be linked to my Celiac diagnosis are these stinkin' canker sores.

Since transitioning my lifestyle to becoming 100% gluten free a little over a year ago, these little suckers have almost disappeared.  On the few occasions I have noticed, them, I found it difficult to differentiate their cause, because hormonal changes (thank you, Bertha - aka - My Period...sorry, Boys!!), stress, and lack of sleep could be contributory.

(I mean...there's no stress or lack of sleep when raising a child with diabetes, wouldn't you agree?)

That is....until THIS one.

I slept well while we were gone!

I wasn't stressed!

Bertha was nowhere in sight!

But I **DID** intentionally ingest gluten.

Hmmmm....can I **FINALLY** link a physical symptom to my Silent Celiac diagnosis?

Maybe.

This sucker oughta teach me not to eat a random hush puppy again.

Well it SHOULD anyway...
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14 comments:

  1. Canker sores suck! Hope it goes away quickly. I use peroxide on mine & it really helps them go away.

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  2. Funny you mentioned that you cheated!! I was wondering how you would do VEGAS with all that temptation for so many days! Cant say I blame you for cheating.

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  3. cute! And afterall it's a canker sore right? pretty harmless and inside your mouth so no biggie. I don't blame you either. In fact, I bet it was worth it ;)

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  4. Don't blame you for cheating at all! Interesting how you now (possibly) have the proof that Celiac and canker sores go together for you.

    I am sure it HAS taught you a lesson to stay away (maybe!). :)

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  5. That sucks, girl! I think you're a rock star with your no gluten ways. I'm sure I'd cheat every now and then. Interesting how it pops up in all aspects of life.... Dang auto immunity!!!

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  6. Think how many people who suffer from recurrent canker sores "might" eliminate them by eliminating gluten. My 28 yr old daughter (type one since age 9) had them A LOT- none since she became gluten free 7 yrs ago. Proof enough for us!!!...and you unfortunately!!!
    Renee

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  7. Well . . . . . you have mentioned a few times that you were waiting to see the 'benefits' to your health by adhereing to a gluten free diet . . . . right???? ;)

    Is it painful? Have you ever tried placing a wet black tea bag on the sore? My aunt used to do that to help ease the sting.

    Ach. No fun.

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  8. Blah... That sucks! Those buggers are just mean! I hope it goes away soon! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank-you so much for all you're kind words and support. I am so thankful I got a chance to "meet you". I know it's so busy we don't get a chance to e-mail often, but you're in my thoughts! Have a wonderful holiday! :)

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  9. Food sucks! If we were like cars it would all taste the same and we would only fill up when necessary! My large tush disagrees with this statement, but thats why its large!

    Thanks for following me at Teens and a Toddler! Following back, although I thought I was already? Hmmm... I blame my computer skills!

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!

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  10. Wow - I get them too! I've always attributed them to stress. Crazy!

    Hey Friend - I'm with you . . . what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

    I'm so glad you had a great trip. I haven't made my way back that far on your blog but I am slowly catching up! :)

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  11. I still worry about Lovebug, I still want to get her tested. Just that mother's intuition, I don't know why. She has some signs; passing gas, extended belly, unexplained rashes...; maybe I am reading too much into it but maybe I'm not.

    I hate canker sores. I get them too.
    I'm glad you had a good time in Vegas! You deserved it! :)

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  12. We have a friend who is waiting on test results to come back and confirm whether or not he has Celiac... he gets canker sores like CRAZY... very interesting indeed!

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  13. Last weekend I cheated with Bob's icecream, Chocolate Carmel Moose Tracts in the form of 3 bites. Exactly 72 hours later, LEG PAIN big time. This leg pain is so awful that cheating is never easy, but sometimes I do. IT IS NOT WORTH THE LITTLE GOODIE!!

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  14. BAKLAVA!!! I did a search for Baklava canker sore because yesterday I ate a delicious HALF of a baklava and today I have two canker sores, which formed almost immediately after eating the baklava.

    I'm starting to wonder if I have a very mild form of celiac disease? I only get canker sores from really sweet stuff; not from non-sweet things that contain gluten.

    More than anything it's candy.

    Great post

    ReplyDelete

Candy Comment Love!

P.S. (Moderation has been enabled due to mega-spamming sugar cubes.)

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While I'm happy to share our experiences with what works, and what doesn't work, for the management of Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease in our house, please do not mistake anything you read here for medical advice. Decisions regarding your/your child's health care should be made only with the assistance of your medical care team. Use any information from this blog at your own risk.