luvs2eat

That's great news! We're 2 hours south of Springfield, MO, and would absolutely go there occasionally!!

I posted a while back about eating at Chilis. The manager brought me the gluten-free menu and took my order personally. When I called him back to our table after finding flour tortilla strips in my salad, he was so apologetic. I wrote to the company and actually complimented the manager on how he handled the situation.

Went again a few nights ago (we live in very rural Arkansas w/ few options for dining out and Chilis is the only one w/ a gluten-free/wheat allergy menu). I asked for the gluten-free menu and ordered a salad from our (very) young waitress. I explained why I was ordering off the gluten-free menu and asked her to please take care w/ my order. After ONE bite, I found not just a few slivers of flour tortilla, but the entire salad FILLED with them. The weird part is that the description of the salad I ordered wasn't even supposed to contain tortilla strips in the first place, so it wasn't supposed to be an issue!!

I asked for a completely dry house salad instead. I was so angry and disappointed, but decided that it's really MY responsiblity. IF and when we go back, I'll ask for the manager and explain to him/her that the last TWO times we've been there, I've had to send back my meal. We like going there occasionally, so if I can't get the manager to understand how serious it is... we won't be able to go back.

I'm really hoping they'll be friendly and LISTEN and act accordingly. If not, I'll certainly be in touch w/ the Chilis corporation and back on here to tell people that their gluten-free menu is useless.

Now, in my case, this came LONG before the celiac diagnosis - but like many, I've spent my life developing some serious Potty-Fu skills. I'm the gal to ask where the bathroom is - even if I've never been in the building before. Desperation will point the way. (Weirdly, the longer I'm gluten free and feeling healthy, this skill is atrophying!)

I also, by 17 (30 now) had completely burned out any sense of embarrassment or shame in diving for random lumps of greenery if all failed. (If asked which is preferred - Wide leaves in an open field or hay in a private bush? I always say go for the big leaves, you don't HAVE to ever see that farmer again if you don't want to)

However.

One day about 8 years ago, I was driving home from a long day of work and classes and had THAT moment. That... "Oh... crap!" knowledge that will tell a practiced soul they have 5 minutes to make some VERY serious and precise choices in their life.... or have the choices taken away anyway. And ruin your upholstery.

Busy town street. But no stores. Alllllll private homes. Not one with a soul...wait, wait! In the front yard of one was a tiny white haired old lady (if you read British mysteries, think Miss Marple) tending her lovely rose garden.

Into her life fell a squealing of tires and brakes, as my not too small backside dropped my car into her yard (no doubt tarnishing her golden years a tad. I'm 6'2 and built like a 2nd tier Valkyrie) and I pelted up to her in desperation.

All I could manage was a choked out "Ma'am, I SWEAR I'm not a serial killer. Here is my wallet, my mom's phone number is in the front, it's your call. Your roses... or your bathroom, and we don't have TIME to argue about it!"

She weakly pointed up the front steps, murmured something along the lines of "Top of stairs, left door???" before I bolted past her (Positive I would have a few moments of relief before being hauled away by the police.) 20 minutes of being sicker than I can tell (let me put it this way. Jeans - salvagable. Underware? Double wrapped and pitched. I ended up leaving in my emergency skirt I kept in my bag.) all the while waiting for the sound of sirens. I think I practiced my "Hello, officers. Of course I'll come quietly, but you might wish to put some newspaper down on the seat first" speech a few dozen times. I momentarily considered praying for : death/lightening/the Rapture/dimensional travel... but no. If the prayers in the car hadn't held this off, I wasn't going to be in much luck for any of those.

I cleaned the bathroom. Scrubbed it really. And when I couldn't put it off any longer (and realized the window was sealed so I couldn't just scarper) I went out to face the music...

It was a lovely mug of tea, really. And the cake was nice too. She told me my mother was worried and would see me at home.

8 years later and I can't pass a rose garden without blushing flame red... and giggling just a bit.

That's one of the funniest and sweetest (at the end anyhow) stories I've ever heard!

All the brands I've ever seen contain wheat. Maybe someplace like Whole Foods might have some gluten-free, soy free?

Homemade risotto SHOULD be gluten free, but you never know how a restaurant may choose to change the recipe.

I ordered rice pudding in a restaurant once (assuming it was gluten-free... we can NEVER assume) and as I was putting the spoon to my mouth, our server, who also had celiac disease, just about knocked the spoon out of my hand. The rice in the pudding was really orzo pasta!!

Why are you eating gluten???

I'd bring my own food every time you get together... w/o fail. The risk of CC and loving good intentions are just too great. Just practice saying, "I'm so glad we can all be together and I don't have to bother anyone or worry about getting sick because I bring my own food." Say it over and over again to them.

Maybe they will embrace your challenge (and even find out it's their challenge too), but it seems like a lot of people here who post about family who doesn't or won't understand end up sick and unhappy. Don't give that scenerio a chance... just keep repeating, "I'm so glad........"

Good luck!!

LOVE me some Chik-fil-A fries!! There are none where we live, so when I see one in our travels... I always have to stop!!

I don't eat them anywhere else tho. I've heard that McD's are gluten-free and have enjoyed them twice w/o problems in the past, but I don't trust 'em at all!

I can't stand the taste of mixers... but we make our own whiskey sours and margaritas at home w/ fresh ingredients. What a difference it makes!

To have that kind of frustration piled on you when you're in excruciating pain is inexcusable! I hope you can get in touch w/ someone "higher up" in the Walgreens company and tell them your whole story!

Its glutenfree.

I guess if you're planning to open your own bakery... you don't want to share the recipe, huh?

I'll bet we ALL have stories like this. I went to a friend's and she was proud to tell me the soup contained NO wheat. There was a ton of pasta floating in it.

I went to an Applebees and ordered shrimp on a spinach salad. I went thru the whole "wheat" discussion... no croutons, etc. and enjoyed my salad until I got to the bottom and found a layer of fried chinese noodles. When I pointed it out to the waitress, she said, "THOSE are made from wheat??"

Arrrggghhh!!!

I found the Namaste crust mix in the health food store. It's delicious and the mix makes 2 crusts. I spread out the dough on parchment paper on a pizza pan and then slide the paper off the pan and onto the pizza stone that's preheated in the oven. The resulting pizza has crispy crust and is awesome!

I often do a white pizza w/ a little ranch dressing and broccoli, peppers, and cheese. It's my once-a-week treat!!

Not that I would wish celiac disease on anyone (I WOULD NOT), but if this particular teacher had a child w/ celiac disease... her attitude would be SOOO much different.

I didn't have that much trouble going gluten free... I liked to cook and bake and finding GOOD gluten-free alternatives hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. That said, I don't bake much anymore, except for weekly bread, because I can't reconcile myself to the different tastes and textures of gluten-free baking rather than wheat flour baking, but I don't NEED cookies or cakes anyhow!

But, recently discovering that it may be dairy that's causing glutened-type symptoms is doing me in!! There's NO alternative to good cheese... none. So, while I understand your dilemma... we don't really have a choice, do we? Not unless we're prepared to feel like crap.

Is that gluten free bread? It sure looks pretty.

Edited to add... I don't know what to say about the flour. I made gorgeous round crusty country loaves of bread for 25 years in a "cloche," a sandstone sort of thing that I got from Williams Sonoma many years ago. I broke that one and got another (at about twice the price I'd spent 25 years earlier) and haven't been successful ONE TIME with it. Same recipe, same everything... but rather than a big, high round loaf, I always get a short, squat round loaf. I can't eat it anyhow... I made it for my husband and friends... I've given up!

I'm so sorry. It's no wonder your poor body is in crisis! You've been thru more than some people go thru in their whole lives!

I identify with 100% of the above, except for 2 things: Sporadically, and i eat bread several times a week..never have a problem from it. oh, hirdly, i dont get nausea but a major major lighteadhnss like there is zero bloon in my head ..and the sweating is amazing. of course, can't sit up straigh when taking care of this..so am leaned over...and talking myself through it: "fight..stay awake..don't pass out..count to 3...then do it again...breathe ..make noise..stay conscious". This happens to me only sporadicaly...maybe once every 6-7 months....maybe even longer like 10-11 months: about 2-3 a.m., i'll be sound asleep ..then a small sensation in gut,.sense of something moving through intestines/colon whatever . including the internal gurgling...til the sensation levels in mid gut near belly button. can't describe it as a cramp though..just a sesnation of sorts but that's where it's centered. I know what's about to happen..so i get to the restroom just before it starts. but then the sweatss starts...and i deliberately make a bit of noise when exhaling...but it dounds like a moan...but it seems to help for reason...no idea why. but it does i don't even bother going back to bed. I'm actuallya very healthy adult male otherwise..I know it's not going to go away in 5 minutes, so it's easier to lay down almost fetally on the bathroom floor rather than even attempt to stand as standing will make me even more lightheaded: I'm 100% out of energy, zero strenght...and just thinking to myself "wtf is this all about i feel like im dying here!" and fa,mily is thnking im just whining. Tried to explain to dr 2-3 years ago...but ...went nowhere with it.

my diet is okay...but i do eat breads..wheat breads someitmes...but honestly have foudn myself at a loss now..i identify with the symptoms in the thread,...except that mine happens only sporadically...but when it does..holy cr*p...it's nasty as everyne else has described. However, today...id have no problem making a chicek sandwish right now on any kind of bread. i eve neat bagels ..maybe 1 every other week...but I never had any idea this bread stuff cold actually be causing this?

but if its the bread..the nwhy this happen only sporadically ? thoughts? thanks.

Thoughts??? You're damaging your small intestine every time you eat even a tiny piece of bread!! Are your experiences related to eating bread even occasionally? I'd think SO!! Bread seems to be one of the easiest things to replace anymore... even gluten free bagels are good... so do yourself a favor!!!

I went thru the nighttime diarrhea too. After going gluten-free, it went away. It returned recently, and I've come to the sad conclusion that it's dairy causing it this time. I'm finding going dairy free more difficult that going gluten-free was!!

I'd even take it a little further and say that things w/ REAL foods as ingredients aren't processed. As soon as you start adding preservatives, stablizers, etc., it becomes processed.

I wouldn't consider 100% juice or bread made only w/ flour, water, salt and maybe eggs and oil or ice cream using only cream, sugar, and nuts/chocolate, etc., as processed food... like the Larabars thought.

I don't know how old you are, but I didn't exhibit ANY symptoms till I was 48 years old and was diagnosed just a few months later. The fact that a gluten-free diet worked makes me wonder if you're not reacting to another food, like dairy. I've been gluten-free for 9 years and only recently started having diarrhea again... and all signs point to dairy!

Just read some of people's info space and see just how many foods celiacs can be sensitive to! You might go back to some real basics... lean meats, fruits, veggies, and rice and then start reintroducing foods slowly... only a few at a time... to see if something specific isn't zapping you.

My middle daughter is very interested in this subject. She was FINALLY diagnosed bipolar about 5 or 6 years ago and has been doing a lot better w/ the help of awesome doctors and a good medical cocktail. She was diagnosed w/ celiac about 4 years ago. Now she's really wondering what being gluten free and bipolar might have to do w/ each other. It's a subject that's under study, according to her doctor. With the help of her doctor, she's VERY slowly weaning herself off of bipolar meds (w/ babies in mind, I'm thinking) to see if celiac and bipolar are related in any way. Thank GOD for good docs and good med cocktails.

I've sent letters (I always write a letter when sending sympathy thoughts) to one cousin and asked that they share my letter w/ their siblings as I'm thinking of all of them, rather than sending each one a separate but similar letter. But they all live close to each other and see each other often.

I understand your hurt, tho.

My husband makes wheat pasta all the time. I've never had a problem w/ it.

What are the ingredients?? Malt (barley) flavoring is the one that's in most cereals that make them no good for us.