Tritty

I'm so glad you're feeling better

How can you have a cheery attitude when you're having to live life like that!!

I noticed everything else getting better first - and now my attitude (now that I feel healthy) just in the last few days is coming with it So keep positive - it'll come!!

I really liked Phil, Blake and Gina until this week - still like them, but now I have a new favorite - Jordin!

I thought she had the best performance BY FAR last night...

It may take awhile, but if you see a few different types of pills under the gluten free list - go to each website and check out the ingredients for yourself. They are usually listed under doctor information.

Part of the problem might be that you aren't absorbing your pill. It gets absorbed in the small intestine. My last pill had gluten in it (before I knew I was celiac) and that's how I got kid #3 But that's what could be causing all of the excess bleeding. You might be better off being off it for 2 or 3 months and letting your body figure itself out. Then getting on one that is completely free of what you can't have...

Good Luck

Thanks so much! That gluten-free bakery will be a huge help!!

I haven't been gluten free long either and was wondering the same thing tonight. I play volleyball once a week - I get headaches and just feel blah. My nausea has gotten better week by week - so I'm hoping that eventually it'll be gone I used to run before all of my D started - I'm looking forward to starting that up again as the weather gets nicer. Hopefully all this blah will be gone by then

GOod luck - hope it goes away!

I didn't have a favorite girl until this point - I love Gina!

My GI actually said to me - that it's a shame there is no standard from the NIH for a follow-up endoscopy to make sure your body is healing. She suggested one at 2 years.

I never thought about getting my blood re-tested though to make sure that I'm doing the diet correctly and giving my body the chance to heal...

It would probably help if I list the link, right?

This list includes a LOT of companies, including companies that own other brands. Unilever owns a ton of things, for example. This covers a really good array of companies, and it makes my life so much easier.

Open Original Shared Link

WOW - what a great help!

THanks!!

I tried to have a drink the other night - an ameretto sour. My stomach hurt for a full 24 hours after. I didn't return to the D, just pure pain. The drink was supposed to be OK - I just think my body isn't healed enough to deal yet. So I think I'm going to wait a few more months before I try again...maybe that was the issue as much as anything.

I heard Elizabeth Hasselbeck say something on the Super Bowl view show they did about potato vodka. I didn't know there was such a thing?

Did the link to the list of companies not work? That is one I would LOVE to see....

Thanks!!

OK - so I just went to go and make myself an afternoon snack and then thought of you. I am eating celery and peanut butter. It's a good way to get a veggie in if you don't like them - celery has no taste - especially with pb on top. It's just a nice crunchy base and a great source of protein and fat! Make sure you have your own pb if you dip in and out of your kids with their real bread...Mine just says MOM really big on the outside...

This was on Martha Stewart today, normally I don't care for her show but I had to catch it because they looked so yummy! The girl has a bakery in NYC with nothing but gluten-free & allergy free food in it, could you imagine! She's a fellow celiac.

Cinnamon Toasties

Did she say if she has an online store?

I guess you could really even do the opposite - put a small cake to decorate your table that's just for you -

and a regular cake for everyone else.

The thing I ate the most when I was first diagnosed was a hamburger patty and a potato. Not a lot of flavor - but high in iron and filling. It was easy and not expensive...The other I eat alot is meatloaf and mashed potatos. And chicken and rice. I always have green beans or corn or some other easy veggie. Maybe you'll be able to get used to them And it's all stuff the little ones like....

Have you tried a crock pot? I have a lot more energy in the AM - am able to throw everything in there and then can just eat when I get home....

Good luck - keep us updated...

How exciting! I saw recently in a magazine where a baker made miniature wedding cakes and put them in the center of the table as a decoration. Then they had a very small, but elegant cake for the bridal party.

You could have regular miniature ones for the guest - and yours could be gluten-free on a table all by itself...No one would be the wiser And I would think you could find a person who does it out of their home or whatever to make you a small one to your specification (and with less cc - if you're the ONLY project they're working on...).

Good luck and congrats!!

Hi, and welcome to this board. I am sorry to hear how sick you are, and that you have found no support this far.

You will have no choice but stop being so picky. You need to eat, and you need to eat the things your body wants. Your kids need you.

Stop cooking food filled with gluten for your kids! Meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts are all naturally gluten-free. When you cook supper, cook it gluten-free, so you can all eat it together. You don't have the energy to cook two separate meals, and there is no good reason to. If it's pasta you crave, try gluten-free pasta, there are many choices out there. Tinkyada is one good brand, but I have tried others I like equally well. Your kids won't even know the difference.

If you make gravy, you can thicken it with corn starch, potato flour or light buckwheat flour (which is what I use, and my gravy is great, everybody loves it).

Also, it is necessary for your doctor to run some tests to find out what your deficiencies are (and believe me, you are likely deficient in several essential nutrients). The ones that come to mind are vitamin D, Calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin B12, ferritin (iron) and hemoglobin. Also, you should have a bone density scan, to see if you have osteoporosis (yes, even children with celiac disease can have it already).

You don't have the energy right now to work out, all it does it exhaust you more and make you lose more weight. At this point you should just do some gentle exercise, until you have gained some weight and have more energy.

Your fingers and toes going numb suggests a deficiency in B vitamins. It would be a good idea to start taking a good gluten-free multi-vitamin, plus a good vitamin B complex on top of that (and after finding out what else you're deficient in, there will be other things you should take).

Here is a link to a website that has a Celiac 'newbie survival kit'. Scroll down to the bottom to find the links to it. It will help you immensely in knowing which products are safe, and which ones aren't. Open Original Shared Link

Please determine to eat right. You may not be able to tolerate anything raw right now, and may have to cook all your vegetables and fruits (I had to for several months). Also, it is likely that you can't tolerate dairy at this point. You need to eliminate dairy as well, for at least six months (after which you can try it again to see if you can tolerate it).

If you're eating gluten-free bread, you need a new toaster, as it isn't possible to clean the old one well enough for it to be safe. You can't use a plastic colander you have used for gluteny pasta for gluten-free pasta, it isn't possible to clean those well enough, either.

Also, you need to go through all of your personal care products to eliminate everything containing gluten. That means shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotions, cosmetics, toothpaste etc. Look for things like wheat germ oil, barley extract, oat bran. Vitamin E is often made from wheat germ oil.

Please take care of yourself, you need to eat the foods your body wants!

That's great advice My dietary supplement vitamin has made a world of difference. This has been my best resource for figuring this whole thing out - the people here know ALOT and are great. For example, this morning I wanted to know if I could have the coffee I always loved to drink. I put in the word folgers in the top of the page and came to a blog by AmandasMommy I think? Wow, she has a huge list there! Check here first if you aren't sure It will make life easier...

I am SO sorry to hear about your situation. It took me 2 weeks to stop losing weight. The next two I stayed steady. In the last month I finally have put back on a lb and a half. I was lucky though - I had baby weight to lose - and they caught it before I was scary thin, like it sounds like you are. So I'm actually only about 2 lbs (I need to gain) from where I would like to be. So hopefully you'll notice a difference soon. Keep with it - it will get better!

As for food - I only feed my kids gluten at breakfast and lunch. I couldn't do the separate dinner thing. The only time I do is for pasta - and that's easy to separate. That way you can taste. I have found that I can make most of the casseroles, etc that I used to with just minor changes. For example - if you use cream of whatever soups - there's a brand called health valley that you can use.

I'm sorry to hear you don't like veggies - do you like peanuts? Trail mix is a great snack and has a lot of protein, calories and fat. I eat Fruity Pebbles or eggs for breakfast. I know how you feel about the money - it's a difficult adjustment in the beginning. It is tax deductible - or you can submit it through your cafeteria plan - hopefully that will help.

Thai food is almost always naturally gluten free -and that has flavor! I love white rice with bbq sauce or sweet and sour sauce (LaCHoy is gluten-free). I also eat a lot of potatos - cheap and delicious...

GOod luck - hope that you get through this difficult time quickly

My sister in law just moved to Siesta Key and we are going to visit her at the end of the month. We are staying at a condo with my in laws - and my mother in law has been great. She said we'd go to the grocery together when we get there - she doesn't want to bring in any gluten to the condo unknowingly (I'm new at this - and so then is she!).

She told my father in law that if he wants a sandwich he can go make one in his car SHe's too funny...

Anyway, while on vacation - my inlaws LOVE to eat dinner out. They love fresh seafood and looking at the beach while eating it. I'm trying to plan ahead and find some restaraunts we can enjoy - since they're being so accomodating. Does anybody know of any?

Also, I have 3 small children - any ideas for snacks for them for the long car ride that are gluten free - since I won't be able to scrub my hands like I do at home...?

Thanks for all of your help!

I wouldn't go back on. Especially when you've only been off two weeks. I felt great after two weeks - but still had plenty of damage to show the doctor 3 weeks later...It's not worth risking your health over.

I would call and get put on his cancellation list - maybe you can get in quickly and get it done. Or go without the test at all.

Good luck in whatever you decide

I actually am glad that I had my biopsy done. It was not a big deal and they did find some answers to some other questions. I have a small hiatal hernia and now that I know about it, I can try and keep it small

I also have some erosion in my esophogus that explains some issues that I have with getting food to go down.

I KNOW I would not have gone back to gluten for it though. I was way too sick and loosing WAY too much weight...

How long have you been off?

Yes, she does. It makes it hard to watch. THey are all just rude to each other, with the exception of Elizabeth. Hopefully, they'll actually let her talk during the segment. She usually doesn't get a word in edgewise...

I went to Texas Roadhouse for my first night out since my gluten free diet and the manager came out to talk to me. His mom and aunt are celiac. To say the least my food was excellent and I felt great afterwards!

I will definitely return!

Ok...I'm new at this too, but I think he should have done a ttg too?

How long have you been off of gluten? My doctor didn't make me go back on for the diet - I was gluten free for almost 5 weeks and there was still plenty of damage to see...

WOW! I didn't realize just how lucky I am. I was just diagnosed in January though, so I'm sure things could change. I have a very small department in my company - all women. THey are a big group of bakers! I only work two days a week - so they have moved any "food days" as we call them, to days when I'm not there. That way I don't have to look at their food all day - and they don't have to worry about me. I stocked my desk with yummy treats - so that if there is a "food day" somewhere else I can treat myself to something yummy too.

When my husband's work found out what I had (and I was still terribly sick) - one of them actually bought a gluten free recipe book and they each made a dinner from it for me - which my husband brought home frozen for later - and gave me the book. How sweet is that! Now, granted - he works at a hospital....

I was a little nervous about cc - but since I was still in the beginning stages and still sick - I figured gluten light was as good as it was going to get for a little bit!

I'm so sorry to hear that they're not supportive

Dear Tritty,

Really, it is tax deductible? How do you do this? My parents are having a hard time financially with this. Due to my other health issues that still need worked out, it would be good to know.

I have not been able to work a regular job. I have been trying to start a company, but was recently defrauded. Digiworld Technologies has cost me everything I had. I would really appreciate it if you got back to me.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

I'm sorry to hear about your job. Hopefully this will help

This is exactly what the paper says that I got from Wild Oats. I haven't tried it yet - since I just found out in January...

Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as Medical Expense\

1. You may deduct the cost of Gluten-Free (gluten-free) products that are in EXCESS of the cost of the gluten-containing product that you are replacing.

2. The full cost of special items needed for gluten-free diet may be deducted. An example is the cost of Xanthan Gum (methyl cellulose) used in gluten-free homebaked items, which is completely different than any ingredient used in an oridinary recipe.

3. If you make a special trip to a specialty store to purchase gluten-free foods, the actual cost of your transportation to and from the store is deductible. If you are using your vehicle for the trip, you may deduct $.10 per mile each way.

4. The full cost of postage and/or other delivery expenses on gluten-free purcheases made by mail order are deductible.

If you are audited, you will need a letter from your doctor indicating that you have celiac disease and must adhere to a gluten-free diet for life. You will also need substantiation in the form of receipts, cash register tapes, or canceled checks for your gluten-free purchases. And a schedule showing how you computed your deductions for the gluten-free foods. Keep a worksheet to track your gluten-free purchases. The amount of medical expense you my deduct is the sum of items 1-4 above.

The total amount of your deduction for gluten-free foods should be added to your other medical expenses, reported on line 1 of Schedule A of your form 1040. Do not include your doctor's letter, your receipts, or your schedule showing how you computed your deduction for gluten-free foods. Save these documents, which should only be submitted if you are audited by the IRS or your state's taxing authority.

If you are audited and the auditor tell syou that these items are not deductible, refer the auditor to:

*Revenue Ruling 55-261

*Cohen 38 TC 387

*Revenue Ruling 76-80

*67TC 481

*Fleming TC MEMO 1980 583

*Van Kaib TC MEMO 1978 366

When talking to my local support group here, I also found out that you can submit it like you would a prescription to your cafeteria plan and they'll reimburse you. That's a lot easier - so I think I'm going to go that way...

Good luck!