I'm So Bitter And Sick Of It

[Goof]

I think you and I have been gluten-free for the same amount of time. I just hit 6 months last week. The stages of grief are absolutely true! When I first read that, I laughed a bit, and didn't take that part of going gluten-free seriously. But I went through all 5 stages of grief, including the anger. I have also made some mistakes along the way, been glutened, and been angry about being glutened. BUT you will get through this, I can assure you. Let yourself go through the grief stages. It's ok!!!! You're going through a massive lifestyle change, and it's natural for it not to be easy. Just keep hanging in there!

[Sarah Alli]

I don't really know why someone would miss gluten. I bake and everything I've made tastes as good or better (I love the almondy flavor Pamela's has) as gluteny things. I've made banana bread, oatmeal muffins, coconut cupcakes, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, on and on. All gluten free, and nobody can tell the difference. I have recipes for all these if you're interested.

I don't especially care for bread, so you've got me there. I eat Udi's occasionally but if I lived alone I probably wouldn't bother- it's mostly for my pb&j-loving sweetie.

In fact (and maybe this isn't what you want to hear) I love being gluten free. I do. I had to make changes in my life, totally, but most of them were changes I wanted to make anyway but put off. More fruits and vegetables in my diet. No more icky over-processed, bleached, god-only-knows-what-else carbs. Nothing fried. More organics, making stuff from scratch instead of buying things full of preservatives and carcinogens. Much less eating out (we save so much money). More than all of those things, really, is that I appreciate what being gluten free has taught me: namely, how to cook and really love food. I've morphed into a foodie- what once was a picky bland eater now dwells longer each time in the spice aisle and grows her own herbs. I've churned ice cream and made peanut butter. I spend lazy afternoons simmering chicken stock and I dream of canning home-grown delights and maybe someday owning my own bakery. I have the energy, at long last, to do the things I want to do- being gluten free did all of this for me.

[love2travel]

  On 9/15/2011 at 11:34 PM, Sarah Alli said:

I don't really know why someone would miss gluten.

I am a foodie and as such miss gluten like crazy! When you are as passionate about food as I am, you naturally miss it. The best food (and top quality ingredients) is a gigantic part of my life. I have eaten in some of the top restaurants on the planet so when you have had the ultimate you never forget it. You are right - it is very simple to do a lot of great gluten-free baking that can be superior to things containing gluten but that applies to quick breads, cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, etc. and not yeast breads, phyllo and puff pastry, bagels, English muffins, choux pastry, and so on. I miss the aromas, texture and structure in addition to flavour. The act of kneading dough for bread or buns is (was) an integral part of the experience to me. Now those are the things I miss because they just cannot be replicated whereas the other stuff can. Yes, I admit I am a bit serious about food and am a food snob. There - I said it!

[zus888]

Man, I miss bread. I miss bread something fierce. And, that's the rub. If I had a day to binge, I would first go to Golden Corral and get salad and their dinner rolls. Mostly, the dinner rolls. That would be my meal: soft, buttery dinner rolls that practically melt in your mouth. Really, above all else, THAT is what I think about. BREAD. Yeasty yummy bread. Warm and soft, and chewy. Then, I'd probably have a pizza with a thick crust. Not sure what I'd have for dessert, but I wouldn't waste my time on something that could be decently replicated. The other thing I miss (but not yet) are my holiday cookies. I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be able to replicate one of them, which makes me terribly sad.

[sa1937]

  On 9/16/2011 at 1:05 AM, zus888 said:

Man, I miss bread. I miss bread something fierce. And, that's the rub. If I had a day to binge, I would first go to Golden Corral and get salad and their dinner rolls. Mostly, the dinner rolls. That would be my meal: soft, buttery dinner rolls that practically melt in your mouth. Really, above all else, THAT is what I think about. BREAD. Yeasty yummy bread. Warm and soft, and chewy. Then, I'd probably have a pizza with a thick crust. Not sure what I'd have for dessert, but I wouldn't waste my time on something that could be decently replicated. The other thing I miss (but not yet) are my holiday cookies. I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be able to replicate one of them, which makes me terribly sad.

I hear ya, Suzanna. I think a lot of us miss our old gluteny bread...and that seems to be difficult to replicate, try as we may. I'm not sure I really recall exactly what it tastes like as it's been a long while. Have you tried making gluten-free pizza yet...that is one thing I've gotten pretty good at. The cookies will probably be easier than bread and come the holiday season, I have a feeling you'll find a lot of recipes here on the forum.

[GlutenFreeManna]

  On 9/16/2011 at 11:15 AM, sa1937 said:

I hear ya, Suzanna. I think a lot of us miss our old gluteny bread...and that seems to be difficult to replicate, try as we may. I'm not sure I really recall exactly what it tastes like as it's been a long while. Have you tried making gluten-free pizza yet...that is one thing I've gotten pretty good at. The cookies will probably be easier than bread and come the holiday season, I have a feeling you'll find a lot of recipes here on the forum.

I agree with Sylvia! Don't give up on making gluten-free things yet. Pizza is really easy if you can find King Arthur's multi-purpose gluten-free flour and use their recipe on their blog. On the box of flour they have a recipe for popovers that is great! The popovers taste like a small soft dinner roll to me. For your holiday cookies I suggest you post the original recipe in the recipe section here and ask for help converting it to gluten-free. There are some amazing gluten-free bakers here. Just look at what Simona has recently been able to make: (If you search for her posts specifically you will see a bunch of other faboulous treats such as dumplings and cakes, etc.)

[Kim69]

You are very lucky to have a gluten-free household. My family refuses.

My saviours are chocolate and an antidepressant (I was on it before I became Coeliac).

I have serious issues with food and see a therapist who has helped me throughout. I also have fructose malabsorption which really limits my food. I miss apples and pears.

So my advice is to see a therapist and consider an antidepressant. The ad helped me feel normal.

Hugs to you!!

[zus888]

I have been waffling about seeing a therapist and maybe even the antidepressants. I hate the idea of adding more drugs to what I already take (17 total daily). Plus, depression is one of the big indicators for me that something is amiss (either thyroid or getting glutened), so masking it may be masking a valid medical issue.

I would qualify myself as depressed right now, though it's not really affecting my every day living - just tainting my general world-view. I meant to call the doc today to have my thyroid tested again - I can't seem to get is stabilized.

I do have a pizza crust recipe that I got from food.com and it's pretty good. I'd rank it up there with an ok frozen pizza. But I just can't get the dinner rolls out of my head. They haunt me.

Even today, I was talking to someone about the diet, and I really had not one good thing to say about it. I did tell her that some people will say that it's not that bad, but that I hadn't found that to be true at all. I won't lie: I think it sucks. I would love to get out of that mindset because it does nothing but sabotage my whole perspective.

[ravenwoodglass]

  On 9/16/2011 at 11:09 PM, zus888 said:

I have been waffling about seeing a therapist and maybe even the antidepressants. I hate the idea of adding more drugs to what I already take (17 total daily). Plus, depression is one of the big indicators for me that something is amiss (either thyroid or getting glutened), so masking it may be masking a valid medical issue.

I would qualify myself as depressed right now, though it's not really affecting my every day living - just tainting my general world-view. I meant to call the doc today to have my thyroid tested again - I can't seem to get is stabilized.

I do have a pizza crust recipe that I got from food.com and it's pretty good. I'd rank it up there with an ok frozen pizza. But I just can't get the dinner rolls out of my head. They haunt me.

Even today, I was talking to someone about the diet, and I really had not one good thing to say about it. I did tell her that some people will say that it's not that bad, but that I hadn't found that to be true at all. I won't lie: I think it sucks. I would love to get out of that mindset because it does nothing but sabotage my whole perspective.

17 different scripts a day! Yea I would be reluctant to add another into the mix also. Do have your doctor review all of the meds and make sure that your mood issues aren't being caused by a reaction to the mixture. Many drugs can have side effects that can cause irritability and other problems.

[zus888]

Oh, No! Not 17 scripts, 17 pills. Actually it LOOKS worse than it is. I have 4 scripts: Rx fish oil (2 pills, 2x daily - supposed to provide anti-inflammatory effects), something to keep crohns in check (3 pills 2x daily), and another for my liver disease (2 pills 2x daily - although there are no studies to prove that it actually provides any true benefits for the liver disease), thyroid med (1x daily), OTC allergy, and OTC vitamins. So, it's a lot of pills to keep track of even though there's only 4 scripts.

I have a lot of issues going on, just like many of you. Unfortunately, none will be resolved by the gluten-free diet.

[ravenwoodglass]

  On 9/17/2011 at 1:45 AM, zus888 said:

Oh, No! Not 17 scripts, 17 pills. Actually it LOOKS worse than it is. I have 4 scripts: Rx fish oil (2 pills, 2x daily - supposed to provide anti-inflammatory effects), something to keep crohns in check (3 pills 2x daily), and another for my liver disease (2 pills 2x daily - although there are no studies to prove that it actually provides any true benefits for the liver disease), thyroid med (1x daily), OTC allergy, and OTC vitamins. So, it's a lot of pills to keep track of even though there's only 4 scripts.

I have a lot of issues going on, just like many of you. Unfortunately, none will be resolved by the gluten-free diet.

Whew, glad to hear that. Do be sure to have them do rechecks on your liver panels frequently. I don't know what liver issues you have but many of us to have liver panels that are off when we are diagnosed that resolve with no meds after we have been gluten free for a while. I had a problem finding fish oil tabs that were soy free. I don't know if you have issues with soy but if you do make sure they don't have soy in them. I finally found a cod liver oil cap that was just cod liver oil. I hope you are feeling better soon. Your allergies may also calm down. I showed allergies to 98 out of the 99 things I was tested for prediagnosis and felt like I needed to live in a bubble. Within a few months only 4 remained and they are not really severe at this point. Hopefully yours will resolve also. It can be amazing how much celiac impacts our systems and how much can resolve that doesn't seem to be related after we heal.

[zus888]

That's actually quite interesting. It's ragweed season up here and normally (even with shots) I'm completely miserable, but I'm not having any more of a problem than a slightly runny nose. I don't know if the pollen isn't that bad or what. I thought it had more to do with the shots and my allergy meds, but maybe I'm wrong. I have tried going off the allergy meds, and have had no luck at all with it. But, in a normal year, I'm miserable with the shots AND the meds - that's how bad I reacted. So, maybe gluten-free IS actually making a noticeable effect?

Oh, and I have been diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. A study showed no difference between those who went gluten-free and those who didn't. Apparently it has no effect on the progression of the disease. I try not to think about it, though.

Going to Outback tonight for my birthday dinner and then having an almond torte from Gluuteny. Man, I really hope it's good. If not, I'll just have to make my own cake for myself tomorrow. But today, I'm NOT cooking!

[Zaphryn]

I thought at first relief when I was told what was wrong, and the diet didn't bother me much other than it's so damn costly and there are close to no products in my country.. but at least you can make alternatives and some are better than the originals.

But gotta say, it depresses me so when I go downtown and I can't go to a restaurant with my boyfriend and he doesn't wanna be limited by me. I said before I went on the diet that I was worried how it'd bother him cause in a way it'd restrict him too, but he said it'd be no problem. It's just not how I felt lately. And when people make homebaked cakes at work and I gotta say no.. man, it kills you socially. Who knew food brought people together as much as it does. This diet basically restricts you in all sorts of food and makes you hypersensitive towards other food too .. No wonder it makes a lot of us bitter.

[mushroom]

Yeah, you have to develop a new outer skin that both makes you impervious to the dubious delights of gluten, and at the same time allows you to be super nice to people who offer it to you, and not bore them to death with why you can't eat it You also have to learn that it is the social part that counts, not the food, and focus on that, otherwise you run the risk of being ostracized. There's nothing that will turn you into a good cook more than a diagnosis of gluten intolerance. Blow them away with your gluten free goodies. Sorry I can't help with the boyfriend part. Either he gets it and will be supportive, or he doesn't and won't.

By the way, welcome to the forum

[Marilyn R]

  On 9/17/2011 at 4:22 PM, zus888 said:

That's actually quite interesting. It's ragweed season up here and normally (even with shots) I'm completely miserable, but I'm not having any more of a problem than a slightly runny nose. I don't know if the pollen isn't that bad or what. I thought it had more to do with the shots and my allergy meds, but maybe I'm wrong. I have tried going off the allergy meds, and have had no luck at all with it. But, in a normal year, I'm miserable with the shots AND the meds - that's how bad I reacted. So, maybe gluten-free IS actually making a noticeable effect?

Oh, and I have been diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. A study showed no difference between those who went gluten-free and those who didn't. Apparently it has no effect on the progression of the disease. I try not to think about it, though.

Going to Outback tonight for my birthday dinner and then having an almond torte from Gluuteny. Man, I really hope it's good. If not, I'll just have to make my own cake for myself tomorrow. But today, I'm NOT cooking!

I used to get a serious cold or bronchitis twice a year. Now I haven't had a cold in almost two years. It used to be a big problem, because all of the OTC cold remedies make me break out in hives. So I just sufferred through the 1-2 weeks I had the cold with homemade remedies. (Chicken soup, Vick's Vaporub.)

You're going to get some weird blood tests if you have secondary food intolerances going on. I've been dx with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and a weird lung disease. I insisted that they repeat my blood tests and they came back normal. My guess is that something else is bugging you, like soy. Soy's in everything, like mayo and all processed foods. I'm just guessing though... could be completely wrong.

The only reason I mention this is that I noticed from previous posts that we've shared quite a few symptoms.

Hope you have a really happy birthday, and wish you the very best.

[Zaphryn]

  On 9/17/2011 at 5:26 PM, mushroom said:

Yeah, you have to develop a new outer skin that both makes you impervious to the dubious delights of gluten, and at the same time allows you to be super nice to people who offer it to you, and not bore them to death with why you can't eat it You also have to learn that it is the social part that counts, not the food, and focus on that, otherwise you run the risk of being ostracized. There's nothing that will turn you into a good cook more than a diagnosis of gluten intolerance. Blow them away with your gluten free goodies. Sorry I can't help with the boyfriend part. Either he gets it and will be supportive, or he doesn't and won't.

By the way, welcome to the forum

Thank you =D! And good point with the social part which is what counts instead of the food. And I think you're right about becoming a good cook cause you learn to make everything from the bottom.