Epic Story - Any Advice Appreciated

[kmccormick61583]

Hi all

I have been reading through these forums for the last few days and decided that I should finally post and see what kind of advice pops up from all those with tons more knowledge and experience than I. So here we go....

Since about the age of 24 I have had serious medical problems. Brian fog all the time....lack of energy....not knowing where i was....feeling like passing out....I had many doctors visits...many specialists...none could figure out my problem....At one point I had an ent state i might have had a bone infection in my nose which was not confirmed with a infectious disease doctor yet they both agreed surgery ( for a deviated septum ) and Iv antibiotics ( basically the strongest s$#& available ) was the proper course to correct this problem. I was on Iv antibiotics I believe for 3 months? I dont remember much...that part of my life is a fog. I ended up geting somewhat better to the point of returning to work ( at mcdonalds, ya it was really bad Id work like 20 hours a week and still call in because id have dayz where the fog was too much, lack of energy, probably depression was too overwhelming ). Prior to all this I was a relatively healthy guy who worked 40-50 hours a week at a collections firm. Well, what basically ended up happening was that I got fed up with working at mcdonalds ( i cant make this stuff up ) started working at a pizza joint, somehow became a manager, and then started having badddddddd health problems. Couldnt eat, couldnt sleep, thirsty all the time yet couldnt hold water down.....BOOM diabetic coma time..... ya it was as fun as it sounds..... that was Nov 2010....

Finding out I was diabetic was a blessing and a curse.. I mean if there are any celiacs out there who are also type 1 diabetic they will agree. It can be no fun. However I am a relatively active guy running around a restaurant was good exercise for me and always kept my blood sugars relatively normal....however i had bad habits as a diabetic that i will get to in a moment...

Lets get up to speed and get to why Im posting in this celiacs forum.....

After getting my glucose under control life was better....was working 50-60 hours a week....tryen to make ends meet...but i was still pretty tired.....at the pizza joint I was always itchy all the time...bad allergies.... had been tested previously for allergies at an allergist and had only confirmed ragweed... which was strange becasue id be having these itchy feelings sinus symptoms ( always get sinus infections , at least thats what my doctor would say when he would prescribe yet another course of antibiotics )....yet i would still manage to get through my day....well boss man was stealing from me....( not paying me for hours worked )....so i had to quit and started working as a server at a upscale seafood restaurant. Heres how my dayz usually went.....get up eat breakfast go back to sleep...wake up check glucose if ok stay up eat lunch ...go back to sleep ...get up get ready for work....eat a power bar go to work....work my butt off ( Im a really charismatic guy, serving is easy for me...figuring out how to carry 3 glasses in one hand was harder than controlling my glucose with diet and excersise lol ) then come home...eat dinner...stay up to stabilize glucose before bed

rinse repeat

this went on for 6 months.....i had better dayz where i would actually go out with co workers enjoy myself but those days were few and far between

fast forward to last month.....

horrible lower back pain.....started taking massive amounts of ibuprofen....started to get constipated....then the nausea set in....and i could not keep foods down.....could not take a duece ...and when i did it would be black and like coffee ground looking....i have no insurance because it expired when i was 26 due to current health care laws. So i googled my symptoms ......cancer cancer cancer lymphoma cancer..........off to the er i went....the first of 5 visits in a week and a half.....heres how they went down.....

1st visit- oh your diabetic? prob have slow gut...heres some pain meds for the cramping your just constipated...take miralx all should be fine

2 days on miralx symptoms not improving ....surviving off crackers 1 can of soup and a nutritional shake with just enough carbs to keep my glucose at around 150-200 ( soooo bad )

2nd visit- having really bad lower left abdominal pain.....ct is ordered to check for appendix problems....results...inflamed lymph nodes in groin and intestines ( may be wrong as i was completly out of it but i believable thats what they said)

all the while...all bloodwork coming back fine

3rd visit- was unitentional however i tried to eat a normal meal becasue nausea meds were working and i threw up all my dinner and had just shot insulin....had roomate rush me to er cause at this point im lost and didnt know what to do

4th visit --was still feeling horrible....last doctor on visit three had suggested that i get a sonogram ( is this right ) for testicular cancer because i was having terstical pain yet under physical exam no lumps nothing....i went in this 4th time casue i was scarred i had cancer and this d%$#@#$ put the fear of god in me...well had a very nice women sonogram my testicles at 8am ...results normal....they said they saw something but i dont remeber all i know is that it was not cancer and nothing they seemed concerned about....

5th visit - i was still survivng off the crackers shake can of soup a day routine....still feeling bloated cramping not pooping and when i do it was a big black smear.....

i went in this time....guy comes right in and says turn over.....found out how very heterosexual I am bloodwork fine....bloodsugars way too high....and got a lecture about how i cant keep coming in cause theres nothing wrong i just have a virus

well i was having very bad emotional problems at this point....after having survived through undiagnosed diabetes for ever and having everyone tell me im crazy i have allergies blah blah blah...i thought this is going to be the end......all becasue i dont have insurance.....

enter friend who has celiacs

a friend of mine came over to see how i was doing....hes a recently new friend of a friend...who enjoys some of the same things i do like xbox computer gaming....not gonna get into the bromance lol but hes a good dude

he tells me he has celiacs and recently found out a year ago....said the same thing happened to him....suggested i start a gluten free diet ...worst case...i throw up and he will take me to er....

run to walmart...cue gluten free cereal soymilk orange....cue all food staying down....cue buying more gluten free stuff...cue finding this website....cue energy levels coming back....fog partially lifting over my head...

cue the biggest blackest turd i have ever seen in my life.....cue doctors visit

done with the cues

i have had acid reflux for a while ....its always been manageable or at least bearable....i think this is due to my over reliance on soda for quick glucose fixes and actgually relying on it to work in a fast paced restaurant...

well doc states ya you could have an ulcer...but since no insurance we really cant check heres some nexium....i talk to him about the research i had done about ulcers being caused by bacteria...he gives me another anibiotic.... ok i lied cue oral thrush.....stopped all antibiotics....got thrush to aleviate through diflucan ppills and nystin mouthwash....i think it has gone away as there are no patches in my mouth anymore....

present day.....lost my job....felt horrible after working shifts....bread warmer when opened first time being back literally burns my nostrils ...getting sinus problems....drainage in back of throat....ate a fry thinking it was gluten free but woops.....it goes in same fryer as everything else....black stool for a day then back to semi normal

heres my current symptoms.....

in mornings i go #2 right after breakfast and its alot.....usually alot of small say marker sized stools....maybe smaller...light brown in color...and i go repeatedly...ill empty..then 20 mins later empty again....and again....before this i used to go #2 alot...like upwards of ten times a day....i just figured this to be normal seeing as being diabetic i eat alot.....well researching that i found out how abnormal that really is....

brian fog is still here, completly depressed...trying to find a good job with potential of benefits but the braing fog is pretty debelitating....

huge anxiety issues about all this...doctor gave me clonazepan but its only good to sleep...ill try taking one today see if it helps during day.....im thinking im getting migraines....idk bout that

vision problems.....not spots or anything but it feels like light is almost bothering me.....this was not the case ever before diagnosed diabetic or after....eyes were screwed up after hospital stay but returned to 20/20 after....but its weird...im seeing slight tracers at night...and its freaking me out man....not in a good way

acid reflux.....its bad...but getting better....was eating alot of citrus but need to change as research online suggests this is bad for ulcers/acid reflux ....going to do some reserach online for better diet choices that are carby yet gluten free ...see what i can figure out....

been losing weight....this is good i think...i was 250 consistent im 6'3...was at 240 then back up to 245 then back to 240 as of yesterday....im pretty sure this is due to my diet change

am completly lost with all of this....

i do not think it coincidence that after starting gluten free some issues have resovled

i do have more energy but my day is preoccupied with thoughts of cancers and other stuff being wrong.

lymph nodes in neck under jaw randomley swell de swell...that freaks me out....but my teeth are messed up lots of cavities in lower jaw none on top...its weird...asloe cracked tooth that i cant afford to get yanked as of yet....

and thats about it i think.... i know this is a long post.....if you have gotten this far thank you for reading...if there is any advice or questions id love to hear them all.....i need info yesterday...so any helps.....

Im only 28 and want to live a life thats like literally just out of my reach...and has been for so long

I hope to hear from someone soon.....

Thank for reading

kyle

[rosetapper23]

Kyle,

I do think that you've probably stumbled onto what may actually be at the root of your problems: celiac. As I'm sure you've read from your research, neurological problems, tooth problems, sinus problems, and digestive problems are very common with celiac. Regarding your teeth, many of us are born with defective tooth buds, so our teeth don't form correctly. As a result, the teeth break from the inside out...and we also have enamel defects. BTW, your symptoms are very close to the symptoms my own son exhibits when he fails to eat gluten free.

I would STRONGLY suggest that you stop ingesting gluten, dairy, and soy (yes, I said soy--a lot of us cannot tolerate it). Once you start feeling better--and I believe you will--try adding the dairy back into the equation. If you can tolerate that, then all is well. Because of the thrush, I'd like to see you eat some yogurt on a regular basis, but because so many celiacs can't tolerate dairy, I'm not inclined to suggest that you eat some until you really start feeling better. As for what to eat, try eating only natural foods at first rather than trying to replace your gluten-laden processed meals with gluten-free processed meals. There's so much yucky junk in that stuff, you're a LOT better off simply going natural. Over time, you can add in the gluten-free soups, stews, etc., but for now--believe me--going natural is going to make a huge difference in how you feel. Try eating meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, rice, potatoes, eggs, etc. Although you probably need supplements, I would advise you to add those later because sometimes they can give you diarrhea or constipation, and you'll need to be able to figure out if they're doing that to you.

I'm so sorry you've had a rough time of it--my son also thought he had cancer and probably was dying. However, a gluten-free diet saved his life. His lymph nodes swelled up repeatedly whenever he messed up and ate even a little bit of gluten.

Hope this helps a little--good luck!

[ciamarie]

Kyle, wow that's a lot! And I'm sorry, some of it was sort of funny (the way you wrote it) though I know it's not at all fun. I can't add much to what rosetapper23 wrote, except to suggest you also try a gluten-free probiotic (acidophilus or similar) if yogurt doesn't agree with you. If you prefer to try yogurt first, then I'd suggest looking for one that has as few ingredients as possible. I used to like Brown Cow, which I may try again in a few weeks.

And, welcome to the forum.

[Kansas]

Sorry you have had such a rough time. I think most of us have experienced the bad doctor part, and most of your symptoms fall right in line with being celaic/gluten intolerant. When I was the most ill, the only thing I could tolerate was Ensure, gradually got off of that and I eat only whole foods that I prepare myself. I can not tolerate any dairy or soy and would recommend you stay away from those as well. If I get hungry for a particular item, I make it, haven' found anything I can't make. This is the only way I stay healthy. You are much too young to not be enjoying life. Try the whole foods, and give yourself time, it takes awhile, and remember there are many ups and downs while healing.

[kmccormick61583]

omg...such quick responses.....

thank you so much......yes i have eliminated the most allergic foods..ie soy eggs etc etc....everything....almond milk is awsome btw....being diabetic its a little more challenging...need so many carbs in a meal....

but thankyou for the responses....

my main concern at this point is the vision changes......anyone experienced that? like ok

so in my youth i experimented with alot of things....with that said i know what tracers look like......

and since going gluten free this has been my only obstacle.....i have vision insurance kicking in on sat and am going straight to walmart first thing for a checkup...until then who knows.....just curious if anyone has had that problem....

i have added supplements

b12 sub;lingual seem to be the only immediate change i have seen....take one in the morning...boom...energy city

towards afternoon...boom 1 more and im good for the rest of the day..

added an iron pill...daily multivit...2000 iu vitamin d...leutin for eyes...im really buggen about the eye thing...and im sure the only way to figure that out is a doctor...

cod liver as well for the vitamin a....it seems straight vitamin a supplements have some form of gluten or yeast.....so ive been adding carrots to diet daily....idk thats all i have for now

would love a running dialogue with this ..... dont have alot of support other than my awesome roommate whos been my buddy since everything has gone down.....and even he doesnt know what to say..... cause hes blessed with being able to eat pizza all day and survive lol

and for the gal i beleive laughing at my writing.....humor is the only way i know how to deal with this

my parents quit talking to me because they think i gave myself diabetes...its rough.....

again thank you so much for the responses ..... i appreciate all advice or experience with this or any subjects regarding my problems

kyle

[kareng]

my main concern at this point is the vision changes......anyone experienced that? like ok

so in my youth i experimented with alot of things....with that said i know what tracers look like......

and since going gluten free this has been my only obstacle.....i have vision insurance kicking in on sat and am going straight to walmart first thing for a checkup...until then who knows.....just curious if anyone has had that problem....

and for the gal i beleive laughing at my writing.....humor is the only way i know how to deal with this

my parents quit talking to me because they think i gave myself diabetes...its rough.....

kyle

I'm going to comment on a few items. Sometimes we just have to do one or two at a time or our heads explode! I beleive that may, or may not, be a proven Celiac fact.

If you now have Eye insurance, I think you might want to make an appointment with an MD not the Walmart optician. The Walmart optician is great for routine things but you might do better to get an opthamologist (MD) to look at your eyes. You have diabetes so I think that makes it even more important you see a medical doctor for your eyes.

I believe that humor is important. There were days when reading something funny on here or Facebook really helped me feel better. I used to have these funny dogs & funny cats things on FB. Really quite annoying now but great back then when I needed something silly.

As for the parents believing you gave your self diabetes - Then un-give it to yourself or offer it to your parents.

[Bubba's Mom]

You have a lot going on. SO many of your symptoms would fit with Celiac disease, including the diabetes.

It would be hard to get an accurate test for it since you have already gone gluten-free.

The best I can add..is to make sure you are completely gluten-free. Even a very small amount of gluten can keep your immune system upset..and you will have symptoms. Change your toothbrush and check the forum here for the many things to do to avoid cross contamination (cc) from being around anyone that consumes gluten.

I completely agree that you should try a whole foods diet rather than a gluten-free version of junk food.

It will take time for your system to heal, so don't get frustrated and give up on the diet.

It's a good idea to keep a log of the foods you eat, along with noting any symptoms you may have. Some of us find we have additional intolerances, at least at first, and this is the easiest way to figure those out.

Good luck to you!

[kmccormick61583]

def

whole foods is the way im going right now....seems to be working...or at least im able to eat again and things seem to be working the way they should....

i took out everything that was on the top 8 or ten things people are allergic too and its not even that bad....just alot of fruits and veggies.....tryen to get more protien in my diet...if only rice bread wasnt so darn expensive.....

ive only been doing this for a few weeks ...so hopefully after a month or 2 things will get really good....i hope

ya ive been pretty insane about my roomate...thank god he eats out alot.....he never cooks...and when he does its not anything intricate....just pastas and soups soo...idk...i cleaned out my microwave....and bought a dedicated toaster i havtn even used yet causae im not eating butter

i guess we will just see how this goes......

thanks for the responses folks

i appreciate them all

[squirmingitch]

Quinoa is great for both protein & slow carbs. I eat Ancient Harvest brand traditional Quinoa. Here are the values per serving: Carbs - 31g, Protein 6g. It has kind of a nutty flavor & a nice little soft crunch to it. Very easy to cook up. A whole grain that's easily digestible. You can cook up enough for say 3 days worth & just refrigerate it & nuke the amt. you want as needed. You also may want to try Amaranth. Again, good on both the protein & complex carbs, though has less flavor but it's not icky flavored IMHO.

[pricklypear1971]

Try bean stews, soups. For me, they are the perfect mix of proteins and slow carbs. I ate the Moosewood Cuban Black Beans for a long time when I was hypo (induced by a hyper session of sugar binging) and I swear it was the perfect food - leveled me out every time. Open Original Shared Link

Try recipes for red beans and rice, etc., too. Lots of veggies and proteins. Freezes well.

Start roasting/cooking veggies of all types and freezing them so they are fast to thaw and eat with a protein. Personally, I make a "nest" of veggies and crack an egg over it - for breakfasts. Great, easy way to add another veggie serving to your day.

The fact that you have T1 means you are at elevated risk of Celiac. Idiot doctors should have tested you.

The least expensive gluten-free bread will be one you make yourself. Try a gluten-free bread mix and make it at home. Follow the directions.

Good luck and keep going. I hope you find a low-cost dentist to fix your teeth.. They can make you pretty miserable. Celiac is known to cause vision issues (my vision has improved gluten-free), so get your eyes checked by a doctor who is knowledgeable about Diabetes/Celiac/autoimmune issues if you can.

[kmccormick61583]

wow

thankyou for the further responses :)

i am very happy i joined this site atm

ok...so i was doing bean chilis....but realized its not helping with the acid reflux...potential ulcer i had/have

so ive been eliminating spices heavy citrus etc etc .....

gluten free rice pasta or whatever its made out of is actually better tasting than regular pasta in my opinion....so tonight im trying an olive oil based sauce garlic parsley....easy peezy

one thing im hating is that i cant address specific individuals without having to backtrack and lose my thoughts here sooo

to the individual suggesting the foods ive never heard of....the person who gave me the carb counts....what the heck are those foods? fruits veggies? beans lol idk ...ive never heard of them...please respond

also in regards to my eyes.....i havnt had an eye exam in ages...so ima go to walmart...see how my vision is...i imagine if something is horribly wrong they will be able to see it...i mean they are still doctors right? I really dont have time to waste sitting around waiting for an appointment that could be weeks away...but i agree...i do need to see some form of specialty doctor who knows whats up with individuals like myself/ourselves.....

again this is really helping me through this folks......the information is amazing..on this site and the feedback im getting from yourselves

knowledge is power

keep the info coming im so happy there are actually people out there who have dealt with these same issues....

ive felt so alone with all this for a long time

again thanx and hope to hear from someone soon

kyle

[kareng]

About the eyes & Walmart : No! They are not doctors. That was what I was trying to say. They may call them doctors but they are opticians. I believe that's a 2 year degree. Some are very good but they are not MDs ( doctors). The fact that you have diabetes and odd eye symptoms makes it a very very good idea to go to an actual eye doctor - an ophthalmologist.

[mushroom]

Just a hint on using the features of the board -- If you want to reply to several different posts, click the MultiQuote button on the right at the bottom of each post you want to reply to. Then when you have selected each post, click on Add Reply at the bottom, and each of those posts will come up in the reply box. You can then delete all but the particular part you want to respond to as you go through each post (be sure to leave the quote /quote with the square brackets at the beginning and end of the part you're quoting, and type your response. Then do the same with the next post and and so on, and when done click Post at the end as usual.

If you do that it will come out like this

material quoted from the post

[pricklypear1971]

wow

thankyou for the further responses :)

i am very happy i joined this site atm

ok...so i was doing bean chilis....but realized its not helping with the acid reflux...potential ulcer i had/have

so ive been eliminating spices heavy citrus etc etc .....

gluten free rice pasta or whatever its made out of is actually better tasting than regular pasta in my opinion....so tonight im trying an olive oil based sauce garlic parsley....easy peezy

kyle

Beans don't have to be prepared with spicy seasonings. Cuban black beans are notoriously bland. As with all thing cooking, adapt. Just browse popular recipe sites for bean recipes. If beans in general bother your reflux that's another story...

You can take most any legume or veggie and turn it into a soup or pancake, btw. I like to take leftover veggies, especially potatoes and herbs, and smash them together and pan fry them. Squashes work well, too. Cauliflower is a good base to use for a veggie pancake. You can add flavor to any veggie by roasting it, then finely chopping or pureeing. Google vegetable pancake for ideas.

Ive found the more veggies I eat (and I thought I was eating adequate amounts before), the more stable my blood sugar stays. Also, if you eat sweets, try naturally low carb ones like cookies made from nut flours. Visit elanaspantry.com. She has great recipes that are also low or zero refined sugar.

Raw veggies and fruits will probably irritate your stomach/system more than cooked, but just do what works for you.

[kmccormick61583]

About the eyes & Walmart : No! They are not doctors. That was what I was trying to say. They may call them doctors but they are opticians. I believe that's a 2 year degree. Some are very good but they are not MDs ( doctors). The fact that you have diabetes and odd eye symptoms makes it a very very good idea to go to an actual eye doctor - an ophthalmologist.

damn......i mean i knew it was walmart....home of 2 dollar shirts and cheap everything else.....i didnt expect much...just thought they might have some fast answers.....guess ill be looking at making some phone calls tommorow....its just my vision insurance kicks in on Saturday....and they would be the only place open....ya know? but i def agree i need a professional.....i almost think my bodies detoxing ...hoping is more the right word im looking for....because of the thrush thing...maybe had some yeast in other places and my bodies fighting it....read there can be some extreme symptoms of that...i also quit smoking drinking smoking pot etc etc....total reversal on how i had been living my life up to this point....

I imagine that can be a pretty big shock to the system as well as the extreme stress/anxiety i have been having over all this....

again thanx for the info folks

also....in regards to my posting lol...im a newbie....ill try to post more appropriately

kyle

[kareng]

Guess what? For glasses prescriptions you would use the eye insurance. For flashes or physical injuries or illness to the eyes, you could use your health insurance. Having both when you go to the eye MD, should get you fixed up. The doctors office can figure out which pays for what parts.

When you make an appointment, make sure you tell them it's not just for glasses. Many eye doctors have opticians to do basic eye glass exams. Insist on an MD ( ophthalmologist).

[pricklypear1971]

damn......i mean i knew it was walmart....home of 2 dollar shirts and cheap everything else.....i didnt expect much...just thought they might have some fast answers.....guess ill be looking at making some phone calls tommorow....its just my vision insurance kicks in on Saturday....and they would be the only place open....ya know? but i def agree i need a professional.....i almost think my bodies detoxing ...hoping is more the right word im looking for....because of the thrush thing...maybe had some yeast in other places and my bodies fighting it....read there can be some extreme symptoms of that...i also quit smoking drinking smoking pot etc etc....total reversal on how i had been living my life up to this point....

I imagine that can be a pretty big shock to the system as well as the extreme stress/anxiety i have been having over all this....

again thanx for the info folks

also....in regards to my posting lol...im a newbie....ill try to post more appropriately

kyle

Goodness, I would have lost my mind by now with all of those adjustments.

My advice: find a crutch and lean on it. Whether its a food or drink or new hobby. It helps a bunch.

[squirmingitch]

Hey Kyle, I'm the Quinoa, Amaranth girl. Those two things you never heard of which I quoted the protein & carb stats? Okay, so far I have only used them as breakfast foods. Like you used to have oatmeal or cream of wheat --- you know, hot cereals. I don't have diabetes but I have problems keeping the blood sugar in line. I have found since going gluten-free that first thing in the a.m. I NEED the protein levels as well as the amt. & type of carbs in these foods. They are both whole grains & not gluten grains.

I was having real problems in the morning with what I call "the dropsies". I just couldn't get enough fuel to keep me going for more than about 30 mins. at a clip. The good people here on this board pointed me in the right direction & explained that I needed more protein & fat & complex carbs to start my day. It has worked! I will drizzle a little olive oil in them to add the fat (good fat).When you go gluten free your body CRAVES protein seemingly in massive amounts. And you'll find yourself eating like a gladiator. But that's normal starting out.

Oh, & I would mention that unless you get the kind of Quinoa I mentioned then you MUST rinse the grain before cooking it or it will have a bitter taste. The kind I mentioned is already pre-rinsed.

Others will undoubtedly chime in but Amaranth is also made in a flour form for use in baking. I'm not sure about the Quinoa.

You can add fruit to the cereals. Experiment with them! I find I still need to have an apple or orange afterwards & with those items am able to get to lunch time.

If you can eat nut butters (peanut, almond, sunflower) then you can have those on brown rice cakes for a good protein/carb mix anytime of day. Make sure you get gluten-free rice cakes. NOT Quaker rice cakes. There are cross contamination issues.

There is a steep learning curve to the gluten-free diet & you will fall off the wagon. SO much to learn & remember --- details, details! I don't think there's a person on this board who didn't make a mistake or two. I have made more than that!

[rosetapper23]

It sounds as though you're taking the right supplements, but if your eyes are sensitive to light, you may have a Riboflavin (B-2) deficiency. Since you respond well to B-12, perhaps one or more of your other B vitamins are also deficient. Here's a good website to look up the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies:

Open Original Shared Link

I've also had eye problems in the past, but in my case it turned out to be a zinc deficiency.

BTW, if your eye problems are due to nutritional deficiencies, the eye doctor will be clueless.

[kmccormick61583]

Guess what? For glasses prescriptions you would use the eye insurance. For flashes or physical injuries or illness to the eyes, you could use your health insurance. Having both when you go to the eye MD, should get you fixed up. The doctors office can figure out which pays for what parts.

When you make an appointment, make sure you tell them it's not just for glasses. Many eye doctors have opticians to do basic eye glass exams. Insist on an MD ( ophthalmologist).

kareng...i dont have health insurance due to the diabetes.....they would only aprove me for vision and dental......so my options are limited......but your advice is merited and i will get on that asap.....i have found a plan that will accept me....apparently obama care is working in some forms...but its expensive...250 a month if i want a good plan 200 if not.....and i just quit my job.....so money is tight...hopefully ill be in a better spot next month to get it....its very frustrating....if money grew on tree this would be easy lol

so im basically relying on advice from the community and what i can figure out on my own through trial and error....

[kmccormick61583]

Hey Kyle, I'm the Quinoa, Amaranth girl. Those two things you never heard of which I quoted the protein & carb stats? Okay, so far I have only used them as breakfast foods. Like you used to have oatmeal or cream of wheat --- you know, hot cereals. I don't have diabetes but I have problems keeping the blood sugar in line. I have found since going gluten-free that first thing in the a.m. I NEED the protein levels as well as the amt. & type of carbs in these foods. They are both whole grains & not gluten grains.

I was having real problems in the morning with what I call "the dropsies". I just couldn't get enough fuel to keep me going for more than about 30 mins. at a clip. The good people here on this board pointed me in the right direction & explained that I needed more protein & fat & complex carbs to start my day. It has worked! I will drizzle a little olive oil in them to add the fat (good fat).When you go gluten free your body CRAVES protein seemingly in massive amounts. And you'll find yourself eating like a gladiator. But that's normal starting out.

Oh, & I would mention that unless you get the kind of Quinoa I mentioned then you MUST rinse the grain before cooking it or it will have a bitter taste. The kind I mentioned is already pre-rinsed.

Others will undoubtedly chime in but Amaranth is also made in a flour form for use in baking. I'm not sure about the Quinoa.

You can add fruit to the cereals. Experiment with them! I find I still need to have an apple or orange afterwards & with those items am able to get to lunch time.

If you can eat nut butters (peanut, almond, sunflower) then you can have those on brown rice cakes for a good protein/carb mix anytime of day. Make sure you get gluten-free rice cakes. NOT Quaker rice cakes. There are cross contamination issues.

There is a steep learning curve to the gluten-free diet & you will fall off the wagon. SO much to learn & remember --- details, details! I don't think there's a person on this board who didn't make a mistake or two. I have made more than that!

thankyou girl!

i will google these foods and see whats up....i actually can tolerate the oats that are made in a gluten free factory...or whatever it is thats sold in the gluten free aisle...

but i will def check these out...thankyouuu!

[kmccormick61583]

It sounds as though you're taking the right supplements, but if your eyes are sensitive to light, you may have a Riboflavin (B-2) deficiency. Since you respond well to B-12, perhaps one or more of your other B vitamins are also deficient. Here's a good website to look up the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies:

Open Original Shared Link

I've also had eye problems in the past, but in my case it turned out to be a zinc deficiency.

BTW, if your eye problems are due to nutritional deficiencies, the eye doctor will be clueless.

I will look into this and experiment....thankyou so much

i really am just worried that my vision may have changed...now as far as tracers and all that im not sure if a vision change can cause that but im not a doctor..

thanx for the good info

kyle

[mamaupupup]

Hey Kyle! Welcome! And, I'm incredibly impressed with how much you've achieved already. This is a big puzzle and you're taking on a huge responsibility to take it head-on. It's definitely the way to go, but not everyone does what you're doing. You can be incredibly proud of yourself. And, as a parent, I'd be proud to have you as my kid! Keep up the hard work! There will be ups and downs--and you will tackle it.

I'm not much of a cook (you sound much more food-oriented than I am). Tonight I threw in a pot: the leftover carcass from the Costco rotisserie chicken (note: ours says gluten free on the packaging, but double check!), two gluten-free packages of chicken broth from WF, some chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped onion, salt and turmeric (supposedly good for digestion). You might want to cook up rice and/or rice pasta on the side so you can add some in for lunch and something else for dinner. We have enough to feed our family of four two giant dinners from this. You could also freeze some.

On another note, I'm sure you've read that for accurate testing for Celiac you need to be consuming gluten. Try to keep that in mind...maybe test soon?! We've had a bit of a rollercoaster on testing because I pulled one of our kids off gluten before testing...it's NO fun to turn back.

Start saving receipts for all the food your buying...there's a chance you may be able to deduct some of this from your taxes as medical expenses: look at the Celiac Disease Foundation website for the tax info.

Your sense of humor is great! Hang in there! We're cheering for you!

[kmccormick61583]

And, as a parent, I'd be proud to have you as my kid! Keep up the hard work! There will be ups and downs--and you will tackle it.

first you made me cry with the 1st above quote....thankyou.....i mean it in a good way....Ill just accept you folks as my interim family for now

....theres no way im going back.....i was sick for too long to have to deal with it again....i feel everything now...and i mean everything....pains..what my bodies telling me...this is good i believe....and im still just on the first few steps to recovery....whatever that is going to look like idk....but it will get there

i forgot to repost your advise about taxes.....i just started doing that for my diabetes this year....hopefully if i can get some insurance and get my doc or any other doc for that matter behind me....ill do a blood test and look for the antibodies of whatever...if it shows up it shows up...if not so be it....

it would be nice to write off every box of gluten free food though lol

again thanx for the support and advice folks....really nice people on this site

i am a very grateful individual for all the responses and feedback given

thank you so much

kyle

[mamaupupup]

hope you're having a good day Kyle! I too feel like people understand me, my worries, my concerns, my psychoses here better than anywhere else! I personally feel like this is the best online community I've ever encountered.

On the parent note, I have one stellar parent and one despicable parent...we don't (unfortunately) get to choose our parents or our genes (bummer!)...I spent plenty of time in my twenties and thirties upset about the parenting (or lack thereof) I'd received (somehow I purged that from my system in my thirties and I'm glad I did!). I was (am) an awesome kid! I get the sense from you too that you are a gem! It's hard to be so grown up all the time, but all the hard work you're doing and all the responsibility you're taking in finding your own path to health will serve you well in the long term.

I think you're impressive!!! Cheering for you!