Yenni

I feel I am in a dilemma with my husband and my family. At first when I started with a Gluten free diet I thought it was just not eating it, plain and simple…but then when I started reading books and coming here the whole thing about cross contamination presented itself.

Now I feel it isn’t just about not eating gluten it is about making sure the stuff you eat doesn’t get in contact with gluten.

I have gotten new pots and pans, new cutting board, new beauty products, gluten free dog food for my dog.. You name it.

Am I going too far? I feel like my family do not believe in the cross contaminationg thing. That one just can’t be that sensetive that I can’t share a cutting board or a Teflon pan (if it is cleaned).

They keep on telling me that it all depends on how sensetive you are to it. That some handle it better than others. My sister in law says she knows people with gluten intolerans that can get it in them and not feel a thing and that is alright.

Am I being too carefull?

I try telling them that even if you don’t feel anything when getting it in you it is supposed to damage you anyways. Nobody seems to buy that.

My husband is very supportive but I feel he thinks I am taking it a little too far maybe. That not letting the dog eat gluten treats is too far. How big is the risk of getting glutened by your dog?

I am not sure what do do or feel about this all. I don’t want to be too carful and too paranoid.

Anyone else ever find themselves in this dilemma?

Not sure what to do.

I feel I have to defend myself with them. It makes me tired and sad. I feel they do not believe me. Sorta. Hard to explain.

I think this must be the first time in years I am not getting any canker sores in my mouth while using a sulfate containing tooth paste. Maybe it was the gluten.

I found that page a couple of days ago too. Looks good but I am not sure I wanna pay for it right now. I am trying to figure out the cookbooks I have gotten first.

It looks like a nice page though.

So I was reading somewhere on here the other day that it can take something like 3-6 weeks after a glutening for your body to heal. (Please correct me if I'm wrong because I really can't remember. gfp, I have a feeling it was in one of your posts, too...) This includes even just a small amount ingested from CC.

I have been gluten-free for about 2 1/2 months now and I read all sorts of stories about people who don't feel any noticable effects of being gluten-free until 1+ years. I know aside from the first week and a few days here and there, I still feel pretty much like crap.

And I also know I keep making all sorts of weird little newbie mistakes, most of which I'm probably not even aware of.

Could it be that although I've been practicing gluten-free eating for 2 1/2 months now, my body has never truly been gluten-free due to my mistakes and the lag time of a glutening?

I mean, maybe it takes us SO long to feel better because of the combination of us having to figure out all the places gluten hides, and our body having to recover from each of those instances.

Does that make any sense? I haven't been sleeping much this week and that was something I thought of as I laid staring at the clock last nite. Just a thought.

-Courtney

I feel I could have written your post myself. I agree with your theory.

Jenny - it has been really up and down for me also, I am 8 months gluten-free. Initially felt fantastic, then crashed, up again for the longest period of well-being in my life, then a crash again....I have heard that it can take up to two years to completely recover, but can be less time when you're younger.

Are you eating lots of processed/packaged gluten-free foods? I don't think those are that good for us, really (not to mention ridiculously expensive!). I make sure to eat lots of fruit/veggies adn lean meats/fish, limit my sugar, and just try to eat as much fresh food as possible. I gained 15 pounds removing gluten, and have to watch my weight for the first time in my life....certainly don't get to eat the junk I used to - but that's actually a blessing.

When my energy is up I take the dogs for very long, very brisk walks at least 4 times a week...that seems to help, too.

Hang in there, and keep coming back to this board - you will learn so much and not feel so alone.

blessings -

I am trying to eat as much unprocessed food as possible. In fact I don't eat much procesed food at all. Mostly rice, pork shops, ham, potatoes, sallad, hot gluten free cereal, chicken..

My big problem is that my husband and I do not live in our own place (long story short we live with his folks because of money and a move across the world) and it is VERY hard for me to make anything in their kitchen. It is full of crums all the time and I can't use the Kitchen Aid and stuff. And I can't buy my own because there wouldn't be room, probably wouldn't be allowed by my mother in law to have it in the kitchen and it would get cross-sontaminated anyways so...I have problems with getting a varied food intake.

We are hopefully going to be able to build our own little house this spring and then I will be able to start baking and stuff. Eat more different stuff. Made from scratch.

I dunno. It makes me mad sometimes. It is very hard to do this in this house. For example I got gluten, soy and corn free dog food for my dog so I wouldn't get sick being around her. I love my dog so much and spend all of my time with her. Well, and then I told the family not to give her gluten snacks, but they do daily anyways.

Well, I got a bit side tracked there. Sorry.

So I am trying with the food. Feel I eat the same stuff all the time. Bummer thing is I am allergic to almost all fruit. Can only eat Bananas and Melon. Citrus is okay too but it is too strong for my stomach now.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

Thank you for giving me hope.

There is a sadness about this. I know it will go away.

It is just the feeling of never being well that is so hard. Being so tired.

I ended up getting the shampoo, conditioner, premium bar soap and the lotion and I love the stuff!!

I actually just ordered the shaving creme and a hand soap too.

I had to laugh reading the subject name and I was thinking to myself : that is me!

I haven't had these problems all my life but the last 5 years. Nasty nausea almost every morning. Sometimes I wake up at night with it.

I usually force myself to eat and after a while after eating it gets better. I usually have a Banana by my bed and eat it as soon as a wake up.

I try to eat protein too. I am also a night owl and hypoglycemic. So I can relate to all of this.

I can even relate to what ever I eat it never lasts me very long. I always eat two breakfasts.

Have you tried eating hot cereal? I think eating protein is a good thing too, as suggested before.

I dunno. I guess I have no good suggestions really. All I know is that if I make sure to force myself to eat I feel a little better. As the day goes by I feel better too. Some days are worse than others.

I know I am only in the beginning of things. I just got my Enterolab results; Gluten & Casein were both positive. Possibly Soy too. Soy was 9 and I seem to feel icky from it.

I started my Gluten free diet in May, stopped with Casein a while after. Ate Soy up until now. more or less

I have had many changes already but I still feel so tired, my stomach isn't normal. I dunno. I feel I have a very long way to go before I can feel like 5 years ago. Before all of this started.

I feel like a completely different person now. I so long for the day I will have normal energy. Not feel old like I do now.

I guess I fear I will never get well.

Did anyone else feel this way? Was it hard for others to get well? I know I have gotten glutened many times. Things I didn't realize I had to watch out with. Didn't realize I had to be so careful.

Will I get well? Will I get back to normal? Anyone else ever feel this way?

I have adrenal fatigue, or adrenal burnout. I was under a lot of stress in addition to the inflammation from this illness, and it just wore out my system. So, I'm on a special diet and supplements. I'm getting better, but it's a very slow process. Google it, some of the suggestions would help anyone who's struggling to heal. I think most people in our society suffer from this at some level, which is why we're so dependent on sugar and caffeine to keep us going!

There is a book I've read that I really liked, Tired of Being Tired by Jesse Lynn Hanley, MD.

I will have to check that book out and Google that adrenal fatigue.

I just realized I didn't post that link.

Open Original Shared Link

It seems a lot of allergies are environmental. But could there be anything else like mercury toxicity (if you have amalgams). Just wondering, doesn't mean there is actually any other cause. My intolerances my doctor thinks is linked to my amalgams.

Thanks for the link.

I don't have any amalgams so it can't be that.

I think this stuff runs in my family. My grandma had massive amounts of problems with her stomach and my aunt has problems too.

Mom seems to have some problems sometimes, but not enough to bother her.

Many of us around here have had a rough few years ... you're certainly not alone there! I'm still struggling with my health myself!

What stuff are you struggling with? I seem to have this tired feeling that I can't get rid of. Lots of things have changed already from not eating gluten, but I still feel I have a long way to go before I can feel normal again.

I still have slight diarrea too every day.

I also feel I am more worried that I used to be, feeling down. Like I am not me.

Nausea too.

I was tested for allergies as a kid. It showed I am allergic to birch pollen, nuts, stone fruits. Pears I have figured out on my own.

I have been on regular doctors visits and they showed all of my blood stuff is okay.

I did a endoscopi 1993 and that showed nothing but they checked only because of sever heart burn.

My mom gets skin reactions to chemical sun blockers, nickel and latex. And some perfumes/detergens. I have noticed that I have started to react to the same stuff.

Is that what you mean with other stuff?

I haven't had much luck with doctors. They all just let me go home with my Protonix. Which didn't work all that well with my very sever heart burn anyways (the heart burn is almost gone now when I stopped with gluten). I asked my doctor about the Enterolab tests and they didnt wanna have anything to do with it at that office.

I saw a gastro specialist 2 years ago and he just left me hanging with possible gall bladder problems. It showed I had thicker "fluid" in it but no stones and I have never felt anything from it. Well, so they all just left me hanging.

Not sure where to turn now.

Many of us around here have had a rough few years ... you're certainly not alone there! I'm still struggling with my health myself!

I just buy Kroger brand natural peanut butter. I also buy natural almond butter, it's so expensive, just whatever brand is least expensive -- I can't have peanuts. Just read the label, it should be nuts and salt.

I know how you feel having verification that you are not crazy!!!

The fact that I am allergic to nuts/almonds, stone fruits and pears do not make this easier.

I used to be able to eat peanuts (which is a bean). I am gonna try it again. I felt sick from eating it a couple of years ago, but it could have been something else.

I am a nutritionally challenged person. I have problems with chemichals and stuff too (beauty products, detergents..). Some times I wonder what is left to eat?? But I know there is lots. It just needs to get figured out.

Luckely I have the most supportive and wonderful husband to help me. He is actually the one that started investigating trhe gluten intolerance thing.

Yeah, it feels so great to know your sane.

Thanks Carla!

With Enterolab you cannot tell definitively if you are celiac or not. Your absorption was good, so you may not have much intestinal damage. Celiac by definition is that they took a biopsy and it was positive. The rest of us are gluten intolerant because we haven't fit the definition (it's semantics). You do carry the celiac gene. Sometimes I say I'm celiac, others I'm gluten itolerant.

The natural butters don't have soy and they're better for you.

Casein intolerance is forever, sorry ...

And they are casein free too then? Can you recommend a brand? I feel so lost about this. Would be great to get something to just look for.

I have been off gluten for 4-5 months now so I guess I might have healed some too. I have had a very long 4,5 years. I have been so sick. I feel today, when I got my results..well it is a big day. I finally know what it is, I got the power back, I know I can get better, I know I am not insane. I have seen so many doctors. It is a great day, and in some ways sad too, but mostly a very good day.

I will miss cheese....

Around the time when I was being diagnosed with celiac disease, I would get really sick (D) in the morning and not have many more stomach problems until dinner. Then I would get explosive gas and severe bloating. This got better with time on the gluten-free diet.

That is exactly the way it is for me. Really bad in the morning and then slowly get better as the days goes by. Then after dinner I get bloated and icky feeling again. The evening thing is better now when I am off gluten.

I think I have a problem with soy. I got some soy into my system on Saturday and my stomach is bad today.

I know I feel nasty after drinking soy milk. I am gonna cut ot out and see what happend later.

What do you do with "butter" on a sandwich? Sems so much of that stuff has soy in it?

Thanks for the input Andrea.

So am I a celiac or a non celiac with those genes??

Can I maybe eat milk later when I have healed or is this for ever too?

Basically, you are sensitive to both gluten and casein, but have no autoimmune reaction (you are the high end of normal). You have one celiac gene and one gluten intolerant gene.

The rest of the things you were tested for were negative. Your soy was at the upper limit of normal, so you could stay off it for a while, then later consume some for a test and see how it goes.

Thanks so much!

I get really bad that way. I can relate very much. I haven't been off Gluten more than like 4-5 months so I still feel sluggish pretty much always, but I do get worse the times I have gotten glutened.

These are my test results. I can see I am intolerant to Casein/milk and Gluten.

What about the soy? I have a feeling my body do not like soy..so I am wondering if I should skip soy too? Do they recommend not to eat any egg, soy, yeast for a year even if they are negative?

Can anyone say anything about the gene I have? Did I have one or two..?

Sorry. That text is very rich to me and I know you are all so good with this stuff. I was hoping someone could tell me in plain english. (English is also my second language.)

Thanks!!

A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 12 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 9 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 102 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody 11 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0502

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,1 (Subtype 2,5)

C) Egg, Yeast, and Soy Food Sensitivity Stool Panel

Fecal anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA antibody 6 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (dietary yeast) IgA 6 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Anti-Soy IgA 9 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Interpretation of Fecal Antigliadin IgA: Intestinal antigliadin IgA antibody was elevated, indicating that you have active dietary gluten sensitivity. For optimal health, resolution of symptoms (if you have them), and prevention of small intestinal damage and malnutrition, osteoporosis, and damage to other tissues (like nerves, brain, joints, muscles, thyroid, pancreas, other glands, skin, liver, spleen, among others), it is recommended that you follow a strict and permanent gluten free diet. As gluten sensitivity is a genetic syndrome, you may want to have your relatives screened as well.

Interpretation of Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA: The level of intestinal IgA antibodies to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase was below the upper limit of normal, and hence, there is no evidence of a gluten-induced autoimmune reaction.

Interpretation of Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score: A fecal fat score less than 300 indicates there is no malabsorbed dietary fat in stool indicating that digestion and absorption of nutrients is currently normal.

Interpretation of Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody: Levels of fecal IgA antibody to a food antigen greater than or equal to 10 are indicative of an immune reaction, and hence immunologic “sensitivity” to that food. For any elevated fecal antibody level, it is recommended to remove that food from your diet. Values less than 10 indicate there currently is minimal or no reaction to that food and hence, no direct evidence of food sensitivity to that specific food. However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test.

Interpretation Of HLA-DQ Testing: HLA gene analysis reveals that you have one of the main genes that predisposes to gluten sensitivity and celiac sprue, HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8. Each of your offspring has a 50% chance of receiving this gene from you, and at least one of your parents passed it to you. You also have a non-celiac gene predisposing to gluten sensitivity (DQ1 or DQ3 not subtype 8). Having one celiac gene and one gluten sensitive gene, means that each of your parents, and all of your children (if you have them) will possess at least one copy of a gluten sensitive gene. Having two copies also means there is an even stronger predisposition to gluten sensitivity than having one gene and the resultant immunologic gluten sensitivity or celiac disease may be more severe.

Interpretation of Fecal anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA antibody: Levels of fecal IgA antibody to a food antigen greater than or equal to 10 are indicative of an immune reaction, and hence immunologic “sensitivity” to that food. For any elevated fecal antibody level, it is recommended to remove that food from your diet. Values less than 10 indicate there currently is minimal or no reaction to that food and hence, no direct evidence of food sensitivity to that specific food. However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test.

Interpretation of Fecal Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (dietary yeast) IgA: Levels of fecal IgA antibody to a food antigen greater than or equal to 10 are indicative of an immune reaction, and hence immunologic “sensitivity” to that food. For any elevated fecal antibody level, it is recommended to remove that food from your diet. Values less than 10 indicate there currently is minimal or no reaction to that food and hence, no direct evidence of food sensitivity to that specific food. However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test.

Interpretation of Fecal Anti-Soy IgA: Levels of fecal IgA antibody to a food antigen greater than or equal to 10 are indicative of an immune reaction, and hence immunologic “sensitivity” to that food. For any elevated fecal antibody level, it is recommended to remove that food from your diet. Values less than 10 indicate there currently is minimal or no reaction to that food and hence, no direct evidence of food sensitivity to that specific food. However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test.

I use their body lotion and both hand and bar soap. I like the products and I think its really funny that my soap says gluten free on it.

miamia

So how long have you use it for if I may ask? Just to know if they work in the long run. Some beauty products are great at first and then die on you kinda. Just curious.

Yes, it is kinda funny with the gluten free on the soap bars. I was thinking of that.

It says the shipping is 3.99. Is that a flat rate or does it go up with the amount you buy?

Looks like they have a good business going on there from the service and stuff...

I signed up for their newsletter. I guess this month one gets a free bar soap wit the order.

I can't wait to get the stuff. Have to wait for the pay check though.

I've tried their shampoo, conditioner, soap, cocoa butter, and handsoap. I was happy with everything. There's something reassuring about using stuff that's in a dedicated gluten-free place. The only thing is that the shampoo doesn't lather much since it doesn't have any of the additives. But, it's all good stuff!

Yeah, I agree that is feels reassuring. I feel that way with food products too. Very much so.

The cleanser in the shampoo is a milder one and doesn't lather much because of that. I have heard lather doesn't mean cleaner though. (I am in to hair products )

I am definitely gonna try some of their products.

I have problems with a sensitive skin too so that will be even better.

Thanks for the reply!

Where did you find that Barking at the Moon dogfood??? My dog is allergic to soy, and this way cheaper than the prescription Science Diet stuff we feed him now! I could order online, but shipping is high...wonder if I can find that locally!

I found it a local pet store here in Anchorage, Alaska. It's called Animal Food Warehouse.

They have a big variety of good dog foods. Maybe there is a place like it in your town.

Open Original Shared Link

I think I wanna try these products. Has anyone tried them? If so did you like them?

Oh, good. I was using that one.

They ended up being out of the Bil-Jac brand but we found another that actually said Gluten Free on the bag.

Barking at the Moon is the name of the food. In a sparkly bag (there were others that didn't have gluten free on them). This one:

Open Original Shared Link

My dog absolutely loved it. She went for it right away and seemed to like it much better than her Wellness.

It is also soy and corn free.