Long COVID and gluten sensitivity

Welcome, @ansimp231. You must be so worried about your young daughter. @jlsn1016 and @smtoia have also mentioned gluten sensitivity and going gluten and dairy free.

Dr. Van, post COVID specialist, Mayo Clinic wrote this blog post and GI issues and COVID:
– A Gut Feeling: Long COVID and GI symptoms https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/newsfeed-post/a-gut-feeling-long-covid-and-gi-symptoms/

Wait times are long everywhere for every specialty. I hope she gets to see a GI specialist soon!

I have 2 sons who had Covid twice. The 15 yr old had the 2nd round in January and shortly after starting have stomach pain and constant nausea along with some anxiety. The 11 ur old had Covid the 2nd time in May and had had pain and nausea since then. They both also have severe constipation. We have done blood work, X-rays and a scope. The scope showed some gastritis. Everything else was normal. They are off of dairy and gluten now for about 5 weeks. Traditional medicines did not help at all so now we are trying some natural supplements and are waiting for stool test results. They do take something for the constipation daily which does help. We all are so frustrated. They constantly are sick.

This is exactly what happened to my 12 yo daughter. All tests came back normal. I am hoping the sensitivity isnt permanent

I just found this while researching gluten issues. My daughter, 19 now, has have covid at least 3 times. Since that time, we have had issues with dairy, gluten and anxiety. We have been on zglut'n since 11/28/22, and have tried to eliminate gluten and dairy from her diet. Zglut'n has worked wonders, but I dont know how long for her to continue on this??? How are your kiddos now?? She is on other supplements as well. Still low on D and Iron, but working on those next.

I understand your predicament. I have been dealing with this problem for over a year. These symptoms are not unusual in Long Covid (LC). How long they will last for your kids is hard to say. I am 65yo so I attribute my year long problems to age. Post Covid there are allergies that I have developed and food intolerances. Recently I have given up gluten and dairy. A food sensitivity can be difficult to identify since it may take a day, or more, to manifest itself. You may want to start carefully recording their diet. It might be one food that is causing the problem on a delayed basis.

You may want to read some articles on MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). Its symptoms closely parallel LC in this regard. Don't panic though. Your kids will likely get past this in a bit.

Good Luck, MGBY

I am a 75-year-old woman, so much older than your daughter. Nevertheless, I have had gluten sensitivity since having COVID five months ago. I first experienced the symptoms when I actually COVID. Two months later, I had the same symptoms and have had them repeatedly, whenever I eat foods such as pasta or regular bread. When I eat gluten-free, the symptoms do not occur. I am hoping this will fade over time, but do not know. Best wishes for your daughter’s health.

I had Covid for the first time in June of 2022. Three weeks later my feet, ankles started swelling. The swelling was not relieved with ice or elevation. The swelling traveled within a month to my calves and eventually my knees. I also gained weight despite no change in diet. I was diagnosed with lymphedema in August. I constantly had bloating after eating. The lymphedema diet recommends eliminating gluten. I recently cut out gluten, and the bloating is gone. I have also eliminated sugar to try to get the weight off. There are a lot of good gluten free foods out there that you can find at your local grocery store.

Having what seems to be Long COVID, I at 76 years, not only came down with sensitivity to wheat gluten, but to most every kind of grain, including rice, rice pasta, corn tortillas, and oatmeal (a favorite). When I get a craving for something close to a grain, I make a flat bread from garbanzo bean flour that goes down fairly well, provided I eat in small doses. Fortunately, I can eat beans and dairy, including cheese, without trouble. I also find that making salad dressings with oil and apple cider vinegar (preferably organic), or even just swallowing one T. of ACV with bit of water, can soothe the gut pain that comes with this troubling LC malady. Good luck to all concerned.

I started taking famotidine about 6 months ago and found it helps immensely with stomach issue. I started with 10 mg at bedtime, but found the best relief is to daily take at least 20 mg in the morning and then another 20 mg again before dinner. Seems to me my lingering long covid symptoms have to do with my autoimmune system constantly being triggered by possible allergens. The famotidine seems to help quell the automatic cytokines. I've also changed most of my gluten items to sourdough ones and that too seems to help.

I had both COVID vaccines in the Spring of 2020 after having what may have been COVID in December 2019. Since having the vaccines, I have experienced major stomach issues that seem to be wheat allergies. Eating any foods with wheat will make me have lots of gas, abdominal cramping, frequent bowel movements, gallbladder like problems, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and IBS symptoms. Wheat seems to also cause flare ups of an autoimmune disorder. I have lost weight without trying. GI and lab tests are normal. So, recently had bad episodes and decided to cut out wheat all together, and now I am free from discomfort.