This Is Too Hard!

[Bravie]

i've been doing all I can to stay gluten free. I've been doing this diet since april of this year. I would be feeling perfectly fine. I would read every single label on every single product I buy, do research and call up companies for information, I changed my soap, lotion, and body wash, bought a new toothbrush, bought new rags, new pots and pans, cleaned up my work space, and I still get contaminated?!?!?! I'm furious!

First off, I was feeling GREAT this entire week, until I thought i'd try a product called Nana Banana cookie bar at whole foods, because I have sacrificed snacks for my health. I've been eatting nothing but chicken and vegetables for the past month...Now, I feel pretty fatigue and my stomach is rumbling. WHY is this so freakin' hard?! I'm doing all I can to stay gluten free because I don't want cancer and I don't want any kind of sickness. WHY does this have to be so unfair and difficult? All I want is to stay healthy and live as long as my mom and everyone else in this family! I might as well be eatting gluten. I get cross contaminated too often and i'm probably so damaged, I might as well have eatten a mcdonald's burger. I couldn't even tell you how many times i've been contaminated throughout the entire 5 months of this stupid diet.

As soon as I think i'm doing the right thing, BAM! I get glutened. This is NOT working for me. I just want to live and be healthy...

[Guest kivmom3]

I'm pretty new at this diet myself. I just got diagnosed 7 weeks ago! I have found that I can not eat any of the Nana's No cookies as well. I think there are a couple of people in this fourm that can't eat those either. They are manufactured in a facility that also produces wheat prodcuts and I just can't eat them without having a reaction. I've found that the enjoy life cookies are okay, snickerdoodle is the best.

Are you sure you are not dairy or soy intolerant as well? Maybe it's one of those intolerances which many celiacs have.

I keep a food diary to see if there is a pattern or particular food that causes a reaction to help me find if i cross contaminated or have another intolerance. I figured out I have a soy intolerance by keeping track of what i ate and how i felt afterwards. It's a pain to keep track of everything but it may help.

Don't feel discouraged, hang in there and just stay away from those cookies:). There are other cookies out there you can try that are pretty good.

Gg

[Emily Elizabeth]

I know what you mean. I have been trying to be gluten free since late April as well and it is very frustrating. I went on a business trip and got mildly glutened and just got home and was glutened again. I don't understand it. I bought all new pots, pans and utensils today. What a pain. I'm so tired of this. I'm waiting to wake up from this bad dream.

i've been doing all I can to stay gluten free. WHY is this so freakin' hard?! This is NOT working for me. I just want to live and be healthy...

[Bravie]

Are you sure you are not dairy or soy intolerant as well? Maybe it's one of those intolerances which many celiacs have.

i've cut out most dairy and soy. The only dairy that i can tolerate is cascade yogurt once every other day with no problem. i do not eat straight cheese or drink milk. my diet consists of mainly lean chicken or turkey, some beef, vegetables, fruits, noodles, and kikinikk bread (i do not have any reaction to kikinikk bread btw)

my problems went away when i cut out almost all dairy in my diet. i felt fine until i ate the cookie bar. i just want to live long. celiac disease is destroying my life. im only 20 years old, and im worrying about cancer already. im waiting to wake up from this hellish nightmare as well Emily...

[Emily Elizabeth]

I learned from someone on this forum that Sharp Cabot Cheddar Cheese is okay for me to tolerate. It was really nice to be able to eat cheese again. I get the low fat sharp cheddar and it's wonderful. Supposedly there is no lactose. Of course if casein is a problem then it would not be good. It's so annoying analyzing everything though isn't it? It seems like each week I worry about something else in addition to gluten. This week it's soy. I'm 26, but I feel like I relate more with my almost 80 year old grandmother then anyone else in my family! Haha. I know I've been negative, but I am confident that we will get through this. It's not going to ever be easy, but we will learn to live with it and even live happily with it. As long as we can stay away from gluten (so we don't get so depressed!), and can have a lifestyle that focuses more on fun activities that don't center around food. It's definitely a challenge, but we can do it!

i've cut out most dairy and soy. The only dairy that i can tolerate is cascade yogurt once every other day with no problem. i do not eat straight cheese or drink milk. my diet consists of mainly lean chicken or turkey, some beef, vegetables, fruits, noodles, and kikinikk bread (i do not have any reaction to kikinikk bread btw)

my problems went away when i cut out almost all dairy in my diet. i felt fine until i ate the cookie bar. i just want to live long. celiac disease is destroying my life. im only 20 years old, and im worrying about cancer already. im waiting to wake up from this hellish nightmare as well Emily...

[DawnS]

I've found that sometimes it's not really something I just ate either. It could just be coincidental.

I might be totally wrong on this, but my understanding is that toxins are held in our fat cells...for us that includes gluten. When we stop eating gluten, or exercise, or are dieting, or whenever it pleases ;-) our bodies release these toxins. They have to get out somehow for us to eventually have excellent health. Supposedly our bodies release these toxins "when we can handle it" But this doesn't always take into affect when we can handle it EMOTIONALLY. But each time we have a reaction to a toxin release, we should feel better after than we did before it.

[par18]

In the beginning I kept a food journal and gave up "almost" everything that was convenient (eating out and buying something already made gluten-free with alternative grains). Also we made our kitchen basically gluten-free. I know this is virtually impossible for many. The postive aspect of this drastic measure was that I was never accidentally glutened. This has gone on for over 2 years. I am recently thinking about going back to work. I have been semi-retired for the past almost 10 years. In order to accomadate this I am starting to broaden my experience of eating out more often. I am still careful but less hesitant to eat something new in a resturant. I still use the dining cards and often eat the same types of foods (meat no bun or breading, veggies, potatoes, etc) but so far so good. The location I may be working has a cafeteria which prepares naturally gluten-free food mentioned above so I think it will work fine. My suggestion is to find something that works in the beginning and stick to it even if it seems boring. I know you may not believe this but compared to even a couple of years ago there are lot more choices available today. Tomorrow and the future is even brighter. Good luck.

Tom

[oceangirl]

In the beginning I kept a food journal and gave up "almost" everything that was convenient (eating out and buying something already made gluten-free with alternative grains). Also we made our kitchen basically gluten-free. I know this is virtually impossible for many. The postive aspect of this drastic measure was that I was never accidentally glutened. This has gone on for over 2 years. I am recently thinking about going back to work. I have been semi-retired for the past almost 10 years. In order to accomadate this I am starting to broaden my experience of eating out more often. I am still careful but less hesitant to eat something new in a resturant. I still use the dining cards and often eat the same types of foods (meat no bun or breading, veggies, potatoes, etc) but so far so good. The location I may be working has a cafeteria which prepares naturally gluten-free food mentioned above so I think it will work fine. My suggestion is to find something that works in the beginning and stick to it even if it seems boring. I know you may not believe this but compared to even a couple of years ago there are lot more choices available today. Tomorrow and the future is even brighter. Good luck.

Tom

I am over a year into this after waiting 35 years for a correct diagnosis! It IS difficult and although I am VIGILANT and have a food list I could write on my pinky finger, I STILL get sick sometimes! Like right now! And I have NO IDEA what the heck it is. This is coming from someone who lives in a gluten-free house and NEVER eats what I don't cook. I think some of us are more sensitive than others. The advice of keeping a food log is good. I've had a food log for a year and a half and, although sometimes it seems useless, more often it has helped me see a pattern. Be sure to make up some easy code to tell you how you felt that day in the margin. This is second-nature to me now; it's not hard. I'd advise staying COMPLETELY away from baked goods until you get this diet down and feel really better. I eat NONE EXCEPT banana Larabars. (which are not baked- just bananas, dates and almonds, raw) I also am soy, dairy (except for the Cabot sharp cheddar on occasion), corn, legume and nightshade free- rocks are starting to look pretty tasty. The inconvenience is no fun, but it will get better. I can say that after a year, I write down more good days than bad ones. Best of luck and health to you all.

lisa

[Bravie]

god...These forums aren't really helping me either. All everyone does is talk about their positive experiances. I NEVER HAD ANY POSITIVE EXPERIANCES! I slip up too damn much and my life is hell right now. I feel like a 50 year old worrying about my health and getting cancer and all that other bull #$%@. I'm extremely angry because i'm doing everything I can and I still get glutened. I don't even know how my health is gonna be because i've slipped up so often. I'm not even gonna bother going back to work for a very long time because i'm gonna drive myself crazy worrying about cross contamination. So let me think... This stupid disease has ruined my social life, family life, and basically every aspect of my life...THIS IS SUPPOSE TO GET BETTER?! I've been doing this for almost 6 months. It is NOT getting better. It never does get better.

I couldn't even tell you how many threads in different forums i've posted in to seek help. I take everyone's advice, I try it, and things go well for a little while, then, I find myself slipping up. You know what? Why should I even try this anymore? I might as well go back to gluten since I slip up all the time anyway. What's the point? Seriously?

[oceangirl]

you're welcome.

[Bravie]

you're welcome.

THANKYOU. And i'm gonna go break something now. This all seems like a really bad nightmare. I honestly can't live like this any longer.

[Phyllis28]

I have seen several people worry about cancer. I have been gluten free for 29 years. I am now 50 years old. I have had my share of accidental glutenings. over the years. I just had an colonoscopy and an endoscopy. No sign of any cancer.

Athough it may be hard to believe but living gluten free becomes easier overtime. One coping strategy I use is to disassoicate food from my social life. I either eat before hand or bring my own food and enjoy everyone's company.

[jerseyangel]

Bravie,

Here's the thing--being four months into the diet, it's pretty common to have ups and downs. It's not fair or fun, but that's how it sometimes goes.

I wasn't diagnosed until I was 49--after being ill for more than 20 years. It did a number on my jobs and social life, too. I hate that, and will never get that time back.

At four months into the diet, I was just starting to turn a corner and still felt like a wet dishrag most days.

Some peole go gluten-free, begin to see positive changes soon after and as long as they stay true to the diet, they go on from there. I'm not one of those people! No sooner did I get a handle on the gluten-free diet, I discovered I had other food intolerances. (that cookie you had that set you back--I believe those contain soy) It took the better part of the next year to uncover those other sensitivites.

It's not uncommon for us to be sensitive to other foods, and that becomes evident after eliminating the gluten. This is what you may be experiencing.

The most common foods to suspect are: soy, corn, and dairy. Personally, I have those plus tapioca, legumes, and now after 2 years, potato.

I had neuro problems like tingling and numbness and anxiety that took about a year and a half to begin to subside. Not everyone responds in the same way to treatment--just like not everyone has the same symptoms going in.

My stomach basically runs my life. I never eat out, and only eat food I make myself. This, along with identifying my additional food intolerances (key), has finally given me far more good days than bad. It's taken two years to get to this point, and believe me, I felt as you do now many times.

There is light at the end of this tunnel--it just takes some of us longer to get there . Everyone, including me, is giving you their experiences because as we've all come to see--you never know what might strike a chord with someone.

All we have is our own experiences to share--I think we're very lucky to have a place such as this to come to for questions or just to vent. I'm concerned about the possibility of cancer, and my gastroenterologist shares that concern. Getting a baseline upper GI is a good idea.

[gfpaperdoll]

Bravie, with your anger, you might want to get tested for ADHD, you might need medication.

Yes, it is difficult, but a lot of us do it easily. We did have a leaning curve but we made it though it.

It just depends on how careful you want to be starting out. I think you know what to do if you do not want to be sick. Cook your meals at home & freeze portions to take with you places. Have fruit & veggies at hand all the time, etc. Can you eat nuts? Those make good snacks...

[neesee]

Bravie,

Maybe your diagnosis isn't correct. How were you diagnosed? Did you have a biopsy? If it was blood tests, which one was positive? EMA and tTg are the most specific. Anyhow,if I were you, I would check back in with my Dr. Maybe he missed something

neesee

[alamaz]

We were both diagnosed about the same time and I'm in the same boat as you. Since we got back from vacation at the end of June I pretty much felt crappy and knew I had been glutened on vacation repeatedly. Then July took me to heal. Two days last week I had beautiful BM's - freakin' perfect - Saturday not so perfect and today it all went out the window. I'm surprised I made it out of the house in fact. It seems now my days are judged on how well I do in the bathroom in the morning. It is so frustrating. I have eliminated soy and casein and can tell when I'm eating too much soy lecithin which some people say is okay but if I eat too much of it I break out. I'm trying to give myself a year to really feel better. Right now I feel best when I eat at home and limit snack foods including snack foods I make at home. My fav. snack right now is a banana with almond butter and a half a bar of chocolate. The combo. fills me up and satisfies my sweet tooth. Beyond that I don't eat much junk food cause when I do my stomach hates me. I know it sucks and I"m right there with you. Do you have local support group that you can join? Mine hasn't done much for me but I am trying to get more involved and maybe that will change.

BTW- those Nana Banana cookies are nasty aren't they? I tried them a long time ago and was crunching on something that was not appetizing at all.....ugh!

PM me if you want. Maybe there is some way we can help eachother get over this bump.

[Bravie]

Okay. Everyone is saying that I need to go back to a doctor and get things checked out. But I can't. Do you understand that I can't go back to a doctor? My medical coverage has run out a few months ago and so im screwed. The last job I worked at did not give medical insurance for some strange reason. I was diagnosed before insurance ran out. I tried going to free hospitals for check ups, but they all ended in disaster. Two of the hospitals I went to did not help me, whatsoever. I was there each time for atleast 10 hours. At the first hospital, 10 hours past. I went to check on the people at the desk and noone was there.

My dad had work that afternoon (we went like at 8 pm the day before and were there till around 6 am in the morning, THE NEXT DAY)

AND, I know the diagnosis was probably not inaccurate. I sometimes eat processed foods and I found that when I don't eat them, I feel much better. My skin breaks out every time I come in contact with gluten and my stomach starts to rumble like crazy. I decided to take a chance on some cookies, which I probably will never do again. I feel like im back to normal when I don't eat the stuff.

And no. I'm sure I DO NOT have ADHD...These words are coming from a sad, frustrated and confused woman, who feels helpless because she cannot get public help no matter how hard she tried. Who has rich family members who won't even do so much as to ask how she's doing sometimes, or ask if she needs help with food...I'm a statistic. I'm one of the 50% of americans who doesn't have health insurance...

I guarantee you, this is not how I am normally. I used to be the happiest person you would ever meet, regardless of the lack of money I've always dealt with.

So this is why im so upset...I feel like if I had just gotten the symptoms years before my insurance ran out, it would have made worlds of a difference. Well, my faith in doctors and hospitals is gone. All I have left now is god.

[Lisa]

Bravie,

You have had some wonderful giving people here offering and extended hand to help you cope with the diet. You don't appear to be very accepting, but more comfortable in the place that you find yourself.

As Patti says, it is common to have ups and downs, but you have to be a player here. You are sabotaging your own health by some of the food choices you make.

I can assure you, if you take one full month to be totally gluten free, you will see and incredible difference in how you feel. It CAN be a new beginning for you, but you have to want it.

Doctors can't do it...only you can.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Bravie, it DOES get better. Really and truly. I know you're in a very tough situation right now, and it seems pointless and endless and frustrating, but please try to hang in there.

Many here have no other support system than this board. Families usually just don't "get it," unless they have celiac themselves, and "friends" often simply aren't real friends--they take off the moment they think there is anything different or wrong with you--which simply means they weren't worth anything to start with.

For now, see if you can stay with the chicken, rice and vegies that you have found work for you, and for munchies, what worked for me in that awful beginning phase (where all I wanted was a good piece of French bread) was Fritos (yes, they are safe!!!!!) and dark chocolate chips. I bought them in bulk at Costco. I spent a month stuffing my face with those--and still lost 20 pounds (I was happy about this as I was overweight)!!!!!

When things have calmed down a bit for you and life seems a bit more bearable, let me know--I've got a gazillion good, EASY recipes for things like pizza crust, pancakes, cakes,, cookies, etc, that all taste as good or better than anything gluteny. My gluten-eating kids scarf down everything I make. The prefab stuff is nasty, but the homemade stuff is as good as anything gluteny. I even have a recipe for amazing European-style crusty peasant bread. But wait til your tummy is on an even keel--I had problems digesting any of the gluten-free flours for a few months until my gut healed. I would try them happily, and then feel like I'd swallowed a brick. Not fun.

In the meantime, be aware that many celiacs have neuro issues that seem to be caused or at least exacerbated by gluten. Bipolar is one, and so is epilepsy. I'm not suggesting you have either; I just mention it because I think you might still be in "withdrawal mode," and that can affect how your brain is functioning! Most of us felt like we had major brain fog, but I 've read some posts here from people who say that they have anger/frustration issues that appear when they've been glutened.

One nice thing about this board is, whenever you need a cyber-hug, there are lots of them here. Everyone here either is going through what you are, or they already did, or they are about to. When we joined, the experienced ones supported us , and when you are one of the experienced ones, you will be supporting the next round of newbies!

[neesee]

Bravie,

You aren't the only one with problems! My son has no health insurance either. He has a posterior fossa subarachnoid brain cyst, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hashimoto's thyroiditis , elevated liver enzymes, and he has passed 6 kidney stones. He does have a local county plan that pays for office calls and generic Rx. That's all! He can't go to the hospital for anything. I pray he doesn't need his shunt replaced for a long time. Oh, I forgot his extreme high blood pressure and high heart rate. 200 beats pre min. without his lopressor.

Guess what his gut hurts too! Because I am a biopsy dx'd celiac, He went gluten free. His belly is better now. Way less bloated, less diarrhea.

You aren't the only one who has it tough! Maybe you should straighten up and try to figure something out for yourself.

neesee

[DawnS]

One nice thing about this board is, whenever you need a cyber-hug, there are lots of them here. Everyone here either is going through what you are, or they already did, or they are about to. When we joined, the experienced ones supported us , and when you are one of the experienced ones, you will be supporting the next round of newbies!

That's definitely true. I've had days when I could hardly move that people encouraged me that it would be eventually over. Before I was dxd, I thought I was dying...for years.

It does stink. Nobody is trying to take that fact away or push you beyond what you want to do. And my health insurance's deductible is so high and my dr out of network so I also understand the financial strain of it. But, as far as the slip ups go...it is most assuredly NOT easy to eat gluten-free, but every time I fix food I have to make a decision. Do I want to feel good today or not? In fact I'm not just gluten-free. Like a lot of people on this board I'm gluten-free, Egg free, dairy free, soy free and LOTS more. I can't even eat potatoes or strawberries. I'm allergic to chemical versions of Magnesium which is in nearly every medication known to man, so I get a sinus infection and have to get shots. I love good food, I love bread, I love eggs and milk. But I love my life more. I've experienced nothing worse than the depression, the anxiety, and the pain that comes from these problems. And I've experienced nothing better than figuring out what was causing it and being able to make a CHOICE as to whether or not it would improve. It's not a week long commitment, it's for a long time and for most of us it's for forever. But it is your CHOICE. You might feel out of control of a lot of things, but if gluten is the bulk of your health problems, you ARE in control of this. Just ask yourself if you want to feel good or not. Sometimes I've been stuck in places where it was better to be sick and miserable than to venture into something I don't know much about or don't think I've got the energy for. We all want better than that for you!! :-)

[mamaw]

Hi

Sorry you are having such a hard time with this. I too think you should check out other allergens as they also may be toying with you. And alot of people get worse before they start to feel better. Your body has to make for so many changes. this usually doesn't appear over night nor will it get better overnight. It takes some a few years before their bodies decide they have it figured out others it goes fairly easy & quickly....

I just met a person who has lived on eggs & rice cakes for 2 years because she didn't know what else might put her over the edge. She now thinks I'm her guardian angel because I've helped her introduce a few things into her diet.

I think you are truly scared & that is normal but you musn't dwell on this . Take it slower & perhaps a more calm approach will help alot.. I know that isn't easy as you are very young.... give yourself positive feedback not that you can't or hate this diet. I know you can do this & you will..... remember to be stronger than the demon you must face & you will succeed . Just like high school I'm sure your were faced with many difficult situations & you made it through that , right?? You can do this.....being positive will be your first step to recovery. Don't stress your body more with negativity...

Do you have a support group near you that you can attend? That will help you to have someone else is going thru the same steps as you......

I realize you just want to be "normal" but I can tell you we all would love to be like that too.

I'll be praying for you .....

mamaw

[gfpaperdoll]

Bravie, I do not have health insurance either. I have not had health insurance for 7 years. I just paid about $400.00 for labs, dr visit & antibiotic for a bladder infection. I am sure I got it from being glutened big time when I ate out about 6 weeks ago & then a couple times at Pei Wei, I think they have not been cooking my veggies in plain water, or maybe I was just sick from the original glutening & just never got over it. Anyway, it is hard for me to tell I have a UTI until the dang thing is really bad, as I have almost none of the usual warning signs, since I used to have them constantly for 20 years before going gluten-free. The docs wanted to put plastic urethers in me but I would not let them or I would be dead by now.

Be glad that you have rich relatives & that you do not have to worry about supporting them. I wish I was so lucky...

Before I realized I was so sick, I had a quick temper etc & just felt really crummy all the time. Anger is a sign of something that is wrong, if you do not have ADHD then it could be something else. I just mentioned the ADHD because it is common with the celiac stuff & my cousin was dxd with it in his 50's. He was so thrilled with the results on medication, his wife said it was like night & day. I can only imagine the frustration that he must have suffered his whole life. His wife is gluten free for the past 40 years but he still eats gluten when not around her. I think he is making a big mistake but...

At least you have your wits about you enough to be angry, so maybe you do not have the brain fog so many of us have suffered with Now if you can turn that around to do you some good then you will better off. & no there is not a government program that is going to help with medical care, unless you research like crazy & get on a million waiting lists & contact your state representatives... or if you are in this country illegally then the hospital will automatically accept you, maybe you could renounce your citenzenship, leave the country & come back as an illegal alien then you could qualify.

Each day is about choices. For some us the first choice is to eat safe food. I keep myself healthy, because I cannot afford to be sick. That means that I am gluten free, grain free except for rice & corn, dairy free, corn syrup free, beef free, potatoes only rarely when out traveling like this weekend with the grandkids. In addition to that I have a few allergies to split peas, mushrooms, tea, coffee, sodas, grapefruit, and a few other things...

I eat a very nutritious diet. I learned to like broccolli last year because it is so good for you. So we can all do something to improve ourselves...

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I just wanted to add that maybe you don't need to stress over the medical coverage too much at this point.

If celiac is your biggest problem, then you don't NEED bloodwork or a biopsy to figure things out. Dietary response is the most accurate diagnostic tool., especially if y ou've already had bloodwork indicating a problem with gluten.

Second of all, of all the medical problems to have, celiac is THE BEST! We don't need expensive medications, we don't need surgery, we don't need to destroy our bodies with chemo, we don't need doctor's appointments!

And the way medicine is practiced today, you go to the doctor, and he orders expensive tests (if you're lucky, he orders the right ones), usually doesn't know how to read them correctly, orders invasive, risky, and often unnecessary surgery that has a very high false negative diagnostic rate, gives you a handful of prescriptions for drugs that MASK your symptoms (because he hasn't the faintest idea what's actually causing them and has no intention of looking for the cause) and cause side effects that prompt him to write MORE prescriptions to mask THOSE symptoms.

I have learned more from people on this board than I have learned from any doctor I have seen.

BTW, are you on any medications? Apparently, there are quite a few that contain gluten, and others that cause neuro side effects. Many people here (myself included) also have major reactions to caffeine, especially coffee. In fact, I found quite a bit of research linking coffee to bipolar--but you can bet your boots that 99% of the doctors would prefer to write you a nice expensive prescription, complete with major side effects, rather than ask you to taper off of caffeine.

Gee, can you tell how I feel about the pharmaceutical industry?????

Hang in there, okay?

[little d]

Bravie welcome to the board

I just wanted to say please don't give up on the diet, I know that it is hard, frustrating, sometimes it is nasty, but don't give up. I get flack from my husband when I am eating my gluten free food, but it is in fun, I do sacrafice sometimes for him because he likes to go out to eat and I want to go with him and I will chose meals like salads, veggies, grilled chicken of fish, I will choose the Resturants that I think that I will be ok with. He eats gluten free meals with me at home, he does not like some of the foods like the pasta for spegetti but the regular noodles are cheap enough that I can slit for left over for another time, I don't want to make two differant meals that can get expensive. It is easier for you in some ways because you have a dignoses, I do not, it gets harder i believe because if I had a diagnoses then my husband will defiantly help me more on food choices and I know that it helps him as well because he has tummy issues that he does not want to address because he doesn't like needles and stuff like that so getting him to do a scope that is not gonna happen. Anyway I guess what my point is that I feel better on this diet, I have lost weight 8 - 9 lbs when nothing else worked especially diet pills that just made me gain even more weight, yes I do slip up everybody has heard how I have slipped. I was tested last year and everything was negative and so I got mad, and ate glutne foods again felt horrible gained wait again but I can say that I was testing the waters I guess you can say and the waters sucked I gained the 14lbs that I had lost on gluten free plus some more weight, I don't want to go through that again. With dairy I started using Lactaid Milk, and using cheese that was lactose free, Soy I know that I have a hard time with. And now I think that I may have discovered that I may have a hard time with chocolate. I am defaintly not someone that is an expert on the diet others here are they have been at it for longer than me and you put together. So what I'm saying is please don't give up don't go anywhere we want you here longer to get to know you. Maybe you can post for daily foods, your activities, If you have a boyfriend and ya'll are active together I think you know what I mean Look at the foods that he may eat, if you have a dog and you are the one that feeds him look at the ingrediants my dog his food has wheat in it, and i know that I may have cc by his food the other day because I was folding and trashing his old bag and i had some particles fly into my eyes and mouth. Ok you may not want to here the stories from other people, because you are mad that It doesnot seem to be working for you right now but I have heard that some people can't seem to get better but do after a while on the diet, I have faith that you will too, this diet has a learning curve you have to know what works for you. just like everybody is differant with this disease and everybody will be differant on the diet. You just have to find you learning curve on the diet. Don't give up we are here for you and we want to help.

donna

I know this could be a long shot but maybe you could file for Medicare that will cover some of you medical, I know that you just might get the run around but you do have a right to get some kind of insurance, it might be crappy but it will be there when you need it.