Things People Say To Celiacs

[researchmomma]

This is so funny. Go to Open Original Shared Link and scroll down to the video.

It is a quick watch and super funny.

I will add to the ridiculous questions and statements:

My mother said to me "well she can eat white bread cuz it has less gluten, right?".

[Meggielynn13]

That's like my dad telling me I can eat crackers instead of bread. Since he's trying to eat less bread, he's been having low fat crackers or something. People just don't get it. Or they think you are just on a fad diet. I feel like only people that have Celiac get it.

[IrishHeart]

Hilarious and yet, frustratingly annoying as well

Thanks for sharing, honey!

Yes, I have heard similar queries about bread, only it was "WHOLE WHEAT is wrong, but other bread is okay, right?"

another was:

someone, smiling at me, all excited, holding up an ice cream sandwich and asking:

"This is okay, right!? It's just ice cream!!"

When I said (as a celiac), I can no longer can receive communion, I was asked in a hushed tone, "oh, is that because you were divorced?"

Oh well, we were once dumba$ses about this gluten stuff, too.

[researchmomma]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:27 PM, IrishHeart said:

Hilarious and yet, frustratingly annoying as well

Thanks for sharing, honey!

Yes, I have heard similar queries about bread, only it was "WHOLE WHEAT is wrong, but other bread is okay, right?"

another was:

someone, smiling at me, all excited, holding up an ice cream sandwich and asking:

"This is okay, right!? It's just ice cream!!"

When I said (as a celiac), I can no longer can receive communion, a real Mensa candidate I know said in a hushed tone, "oh, is that because you were divorced?"

Oh well, we were once dumba$ses about this gluten stuff, too.

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

[researchmomma]

  On 2/18/2012 at 8:08 PM, Meggielynn13 said:

That's like my dad telling me I can eat crackers instead of bread. Since he's trying to eat less bread, he's been having low fat crackers or something. People just don't get it. Or they think you are just on a fad diet. I feel like only people that have Celiac get it.

The fad diet thing kills me. I heard that today "oh you are doing that too?"

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:36 PM, researchmomma said:

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

Well, he is unusually progressive thinking. For a while, they dragged their collective feet about that, saying the recipe --the amount of gluten in it--could not be tampered with for religious reasons. I read some nuns were busy working on a recipe with low levels of gluten. Maybe it has come to pass.

My first thought was "you darn well better think of something"! The largest celiac populations in European countries---are also predominantly Catholic.

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:37 PM, researchmomma said:

The fad diet thing kills me. I heard that today "oh you are doing that too?"

Quick (sarcastic) reply is....."Hell yes, aren't YOU!!??" and then look at them with a tsk, tsk! and a --- as if they are sooooo hopelessly "ten minutes ago"

[researchmomma]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:43 PM, IrishHeart said:

Quick (sarcastic) reply is....."Hell yes, aren't YOU!!??" and then look at them with a tsk, tsk! and a --- as if they are sooooo hopelessly "ten minutes ago"

That is good!

[Poppi]

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/18/2012 at 10:35 PM, Poppi said:

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

oh Snap! Great comeback!

Not rude--perhaps a lesson in civility he sorely needed. Good for you!!

I know some people "feel sorry" for me and my gluten-free life--but the irony is--my doc says our diet is healthier than anyone else's.

I feel sorry for the ones who SHOULD be gluten-free but won't do it (like my family and some friends). Someday soon, I am going to feel better than I have in my life.

They will still feel like crap.

[eatmeat4good]

Just another story of Stupid Things People Say to Celiacs-

My co-worker who knows I have Celiac served up cake for me...I said, no thank you. She said you can have some...there is no wheat in it...just sugar,flour,eggs,cocoa and butter. I said there is flour in it...she says yeah, but there is no wheat. I said um...Flour is wheat...she says...Oh My God!!...that means you can't have bread or pancakes or cookies or cake like EVER????

Rrrrright I said with a smile.

[pixiestargirl]

One of my favourites is a recurring thing at work.

*while eating chips*

"You can eat chips???"

*while eating popcorn*

"You can eat popcorn????"

*while eating gluten free muffins*

"Are those gluten free???"

...no, I've just decided I really felt like torturing myself

[kareng]

  On 2/18/2012 at 10:35 PM, Poppi said:

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow! I guess it would be a death sentence for you....

[come dance with me]

  On 2/18/2012 at 10:35 PM, Poppi said:

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

Did you tell them you can?

We just made a cake, and will ice it soon. We also have bread rolls to bake.

I will be making pancakes this week for Shrove Tuesday.

We also have apple turnovers, donuts, waffles, crepes, all sorts of yummy treats! Not only gluten free but also vegan

[Adalaide]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:36 PM, researchmomma said:

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

For my religion, the sacrament is passed by Deacons. Our bishop assigned an entire section for celiacs because there are so many of us. The first Sunday back to church after my surgery I almost choked on the most awful cracker I've ever put in my mouth. I was like omg, I'm gonna burst into flames if I choke on this.

It's unbelievable how many people just say the dumbest things. I do try to be patient but I agree that the worst is the "I'd just kill myself." Thanks... you're a jerk.

[lc1333]

me at taco bell: gimme just a sec, i'm trying to figure out what i can eat...

girl behind the counter: oh, no problem, take your time

my sister in law: she just found out she has celiac disease, so she can't eat wheat

girl: oh, well she can have a soft taco with a tortilla, they're made out of flour, not wheat

me: yeah, but the flour is made out of wheat

girl: oh, really? that's interesting

my sister and i just look at each other...

[IrishHeart]

A member on here recounted a story of a co-worker who would taunt him by eating donuts, bagels, etc. in front of him and LAUGH and say

things like: "Too bad you can't have this. It's awesome. Too bad you have that celia-thing, huh? I feel sorry for you, man. wow, that sucks, dude"

And the poor guy was devastated.

I suggested the next time that jerkwad said something rude, he should smile and say:

"Hey, celiac is treatable. I'm going to get well. But I fear your ignorance is incurable. You'll always be an a$shat."

[Strawberry-Jam]

someone once told me that he would cut himself if he had celiac ("no offence, but...")

then I told him that I used to cut myself all the time before diagnosis, but after diagnosis I never did.

seriously, my ribs are covered in scars, as well as my upper arms.

anyway, a really awkward silence followed. I hope he learned something.

[melikamaui]

My favorite is "I would DIE if I couldn't eat (insert gluten-filled food here) again!". Really??? You would literally die? Like kill yourself...because you couldn't eat your favorite food anymore? What a pathetic, sad life you must lead. Yeah it sucks sometimes, but I have so much more to live for!

[Avalon451]

  On 2/18/2012 at 9:36 PM, researchmomma said:

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

We're Lutheran (not so picky about what the host is made of) and I ordered some Ener-G gluten-free wafers to use; we arranged with our pastor to put them in a little dish next to where we walk up to the front for communion so me, DH and DD could grab one on our way. He's totally cool with it. Today was the first day we tried it. The host totally tastes like a potato chip or corn chip.

I was reading about the Catholic host controversy; what's with that anyway? The Bible doesn't say in the original Hebrew or Aramaic that the grain used in the unleavened bread was necessarily wheat. Such a fuss.

[Lisa]

  On 2/20/2012 at 2:18 AM, Avalon451 said:

I was reading about the Catholic host controversy; what's with that anyway? The Bible doesn't say in the original Hebrew or Aramaic that the grain used in the unleavened bread was necessarily wheat. Such a fuss.

Yes, such a fuss.

[psawyer]

The debate about the Eucharist is a topic in and of itself that has been discussed many times before. It is not relevant to the topic here. Google Eucharist or Communion in the search bar to find prior discussions about that.

[WinterSong]

  On 2/18/2012 at 10:35 PM, Poppi said:

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

Haha. My first trip to Trader Joe's being gluten free, I told the cashier as she was scanning my Udi's bread that it's so great that they carry gluten free options. She said "Well, you know it's just a fad diet. So many people are doing it these days. It's ridiculous. No one really needs to be gluten free."

I said something like, "Well actually I was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. So if I eat gluten I'll probably start throwing up and could get cancer and die."

She shut up after that. :-P

But yes, I've also gotten the "Oh man, if I had to be gluten free I'd just DIE." Come on people. Sigh....

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/20/2012 at 1:39 PM, WinterSong said:

But yes, I've also gotten the "Oh man, if I had to be gluten free I'd just DIE." Come on people. Sigh....

I just say: "Well, I have Celiac Disease and when I was still eating gluten, I almost died." If they keep being snarky or say "that's not possible" or some other nonsense, then I show a pic of myself when I was chubby with lots of "oomph" to me. Then, I show them what I looked like when I hit bottom. I look like the walking dead. It's pretty bad. Someone told me I look like I have been in a prison camp. Major muscle and hair loss. Bones protruding. My eyes look vacant and hollow, just staring into space. I looked like I was 10 years older than I am.

Very effective for stopping that kind of talk.

[IrishHeart]

I am thinking these stories are both funny AND sad and that unfortunately, there are still so many misconceptions about Celiac and gluten.

We need to do more educating!

It serves no purpose for us to just get angry.

Some people just do not know what celiac or gluten IS--because no one ever explained it to them. If they do know, and then make fun of you or treat your cruelly, that's different. No excuse.

I take every opportunity to educate. But not everyone wants to hear it.