Wall3424's Blog

It could be lots of things - perhaps nutritional (your body's going through changes), emotional (you're dealing with losses). Try a multi-vitamin, read lots (I found the Gluten-free Bible very helpful with the emotional stuff), and make time to talk about what you're going through with people close to you. It can be a rough journey at times. The cross-contamination stuff gets much easier fairly quickly.

Best wishes... Baillie

Hi, well cross contamination could be the problem of your mood swings and being so irritable at times. I am on a gluten-free diet in the past 15 month and it's not easy! Every time you eat foods that contains gluten , your body needs 3-5 days to get symptom free but truly the recovery could take much longer for the digestive system. I had a lot of abdominal pain, migraines, signs of a cold, joint pain and other things and I had days when I was sitting on the sofa and couldn't do a thing. I did not feel like cooking or eating or even reading a book. I felt like going into a depression. It was hard on my marriage as well. I went to the doctor and told every symptom I had and all she did is orderd a blood work, but because nothing seemd like out of order she said that my body is more sensitive than others and I should drink more fluids.After this I went online to try to figure out what's going on. Useing my knowledge from school(nurse)and all the information from websites I came down to gluten intolerance. And it worked. I started the diet and after 5 days I felt much better and after 5 month I really could tell the difference!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the symptoms I mentioned above dissapeared. About eating in restaurants. I lived in the States for a few years and just moved back to Europe but while living in NH I found that Outback has it's gluten free menu and it's very good too!!! and there are others who are helpfull when it comes down to gluten-free food. Most well known restaurants have a menu online where you can check it out.
And as Baillie said the Gluten Free Bible is very very good. It has a lot of good information and very helpful even if you are traveling to different countries.It has cards in other languages that explain what is gluten intolerancy and what the cook has to watch when preparing food for you. This book is worth the money.
About dealing with family and friends, it's good to tell them about it!! It can save a lot of confusing situation.
I tought my husband about foods I can't have or mostly what can I have. We both like to cook but after I started this diet I had no desire to cook and my husband did not know what to prepare for me and it wasn't easy but having knowledge made it easy for both of us. My friends started to look up information as well after I told them that I dont feel like going over because of this diet( prepare your own food when they eat something you really like but can't have!! it's not fun) They had always something for me and had asked me about all the seasoning that they wanted to use ( because you have to watch out for that too)
They were really supportive and that helped a lot.You can even ask them to help to find places where you can safely enjoy a meal.
The more knowledge you have and you give to your family and friends the easier it will be for you to stick to this diet!! Now that we moved form the States it was very hard and I felt I have to start all over the lerning process. It takes time but I got help here too, but you have to tell people about your diet!!!!!!

I hope this was some help to you!!!!

Bernadett

[quote name='Bubu' date='Jan 14 2009, 02:45 PM']Hi, well cross contamination could be the problem of your mood swings and being so irritable at times. I am on a gluten-free diet in the past 15 month and it's not easy! Every time you eat foods that contains gluten , your body needs 3-5 days to get symptom free but truly the recovery could take much longer for the digestive system. I had a lot of abdominal pain, migraines, signs of a cold, joint pain and other things and I had days when I was sitting on the sofa and couldn't do a thing. I did not feel like cooking or eating or even reading a book. I felt like going into a depression. It was hard on my marriage as well. I went to the doctor and told every symptom I had and all she did is orderd a blood work, but because nothing seemd like out of order she said that my body is more sensitive than others and I should drink more fluids.After this I went online to try to figure out what's going on. Useing my knowledge from school(nurse)and all the information from websites I came down to gluten intolerance. And it worked. I started the diet and after 5 days I felt much better and after 5 month I really could tell the difference!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the symptoms I mentioned above dissapeared. About eating in restaurants. I lived in the States for a few years and just moved back to Europe but while living in NH I found that Outback has it's gluten free menu and it's very good too!!! and there are others who are helpfull when it comes down to gluten-free food. Most well known restaurants have a menu online where you can check it out.
And as Baillie said the Gluten Free Bible is very very good. It has a lot of good information and very helpful even if you are traveling to different countries.It has cards in other languages that explain what is gluten intolerancy and what the cook has to watch when preparing food for you. This book is worth the money.
About dealing with family and friends, it's good to tell them about it!! It can save a lot of confusing situation.
I tought my husband about foods I can't have or mostly what can I have. We both like to cook but after I started this diet I had no desire to cook and my husband did not know what to prepare for me and it wasn't easy but having knowledge made it easy for both of us. My friends started to look up information as well after I told them that I dont feel like going over because of this diet( prepare your own food when they eat something you really like but can't have!! it's not fun) They had always something for me and had asked me about all the seasoning that they wanted to use ( because you have to watch out for that too)
They were really supportive and that helped a lot.You can even ask them to help to find places where you can safely enjoy a meal.
The more knowledge you have and you give to your family and friends the easier it will be for you to stick to this diet!! Now that we moved form the States it was very hard and I felt I have to start all over the lerning process. It takes time but I got help here too, but you have to tell people about your diet!!!!!!

I hope this was some help to you!!!!

Bernadett[/quote]
I enjoyed reading your comment. It hits home truly it does. I live in NH. I was just diagnosed 2wks ago and it is so difficult yet getting easier. I have a lot of support w/ my husband and his family. Miy family is still unsure of the diagnosis and they want to rely on older outdated information from like 30 yrs. ago. I can't stress enough to them that I can no longer eat gluten and no I can not go off the diet if I want to be healthy. I see my G.I. doc tomorrow to go over the next steps. My blood test were positive for the disease. I didn't know the outback was gluten free. Here in Keene,NH they have the 99 pub and supposedly they have a gluten free menu. I'm still too scared to try. I'm affraid of contamination. I've been vvery ill at times from detoxing the body of gluten and somethings just don't agree. I think I will by the Gluten free bible as well. I learned something new. Thank you! It helps so much to read everyone elses comments and stories. Best luck in Europe!
P.S. Did I mention I have terrible mood swings as well. I have no energy most days and had to force myself to get back to the gym today. I need to nix the moodswings I feel my family suffering. I hate it!