luvs2eat

I saw my GI doc to be diagnosed... he did blood work and a colonoscopy (cause I was near the age to be needing the first one). My blood work was so positive that he didn't see a need for an endoscopy. The next time I saw him was several years later when I was having terrible heartburn and acid reflux. That time he did an endoscopy and said he saw evidence of celiac disease, but that I was doing well w/ my gluten-free diet. I've not seen him since and don't see a need, as long as I don't have any unusual symptoms and keep on keepin' on w/ my gluten-free diet.

I like Pamela's bread mix and baking (pancake) mix. I also like all the Tinkyada pastas. There aren't many other products I buy. Kinnikinick pizza crusts are pretty good, but I don't eat them often.

There are too many foods to even list!!

TONS of all the different kinds of homemade bread I make

Subway hoagies

PIZZA w/ the cheese in the crust

Pepperidge Farm stuffing

croissants

anything made w/ puff pastry

toll house cookies (not gluten-free ones)

ravioli and gnocchi and manicotti

a whopper or a big mac

non gluten-free beer

all sorts of things made using cresent roll dough

chinese food at a buffet

biscotti

Walker's shortbread

... sigh ...

I was a fairly normal weight when I found out I have celiac disease. I was diagnosed very quickly ... only 2 months after symptoms (unrelenting diarrhea) showed up. I GAINED about 40 lbs. after going gluten free!! It's my own fault... I made up for all the things I could no longer eat by eating way too much of what I COULD eat!

I'm dieting now ... rather, I'm eating less but really well ... lean proteins, lots more veggies and fruit, and less bread/carbs. I've been carrying that extra 40 lbs for WAY too long!!

I was the ONLY one in an extended Irish family of about 20. Thankfully, I was diagnosed very quickly... only 2 months after developing unrelenting diarrhea. 3 or 4 years later, my 25-year-old daughter started exhibiting the same symptoms. She's been gluten-free since.

Recently, my youngest daughter was diagnosed and wasn't too upset about it, having been thru it w/ me and her sister. Plus, she lives in Portland, OR, where there are gluten-free bakeries and entire restaurants! But now she's taking it even further, by having to deal w/ interstitial cycstitis, which is making a gluten free diet look like a piece of cake!

I told my oldest daughter to enjoy gluten while she can. I'd say the chances of her developing it are pretty good.

Older sister has many food allergies, but has been tested negative for celiac. She lives in France and just isn't willing to give up the amazing breads there. Older brother had episodes of eczema on his hands and noticed they lessened or disappeared when he simply cut down on wheat, but he's not been formally tested.

I've polled first cousins and no one else has it!

You have so much going on... trying to stay gluten free... weak-ass boyfriend... job stress... winter blahs... it's no wonder you're flipping.

I'd like to recommend staying w/ the counseling. I'd stress to my therapist that dealing w/ day-to-day problems and longer-term goals is where you're headed.

Good advice here... this is a GOOD place to vent!

I lived in Miami many years ago and every time we drove past the Holsum Bread factory, this bready yeasty smell would almost overwhelm you!! It took a long time to get used to the smell, but we eventually did.

As far as situational illness goes... I know I sure feel like barfing when I have to spend any time in the same room/ ANY room w/ my jerk of an ex-husband... does that count? ha ha

Also check out www.dwlz.com online. It's a site made by a lady named Dotti (dwlz = dottie's weight loss zone) who lost a bunch of weight on WW and it's got TONS of information about restaurant points and recipes and forums.

Gearing up for WW...

I'm jealous! I keep hearing about Udi products and there are NO Whole Foods anywhere near me (the closest is 4 hours away!!).

All my kids were born many years before my celiac diagnosis. The family joke was that all my husband had to do was PHONE HOME and I got pregnant!! ha ha

Sounds like a wonderful experience!

When I was diagnosed, my doc told me celiac was most common in those of Irish descent. My mom was "right off the boat," but I'm the ONLY one in a fairly small Scots/Irish family to have it!

I packed on about 35 lbs after going gluten free and I know exactly why!! I was diagnosed very quickly... only about 3 months after developing unrelenting diarrhea, so I wasn't losing any weight!

People always ask me the signs and symptoms of celiac disease and I tell them one is unexplained weight loss... then I look down at myself and say, "Um... I didn't GET that one." ha ha

Plus, I was so upset over the things I could no longer eat, that I chowed down mightily on all the things I COULD have... like rice (risotto is awesome) and brown rice pastas.

I totally did it to myself!! Now I'm trying hard to eat better... and LESS... and exercise more.

I've been called 3 times. The first two, I had pretty new infants at home and nursing them got me exempted. When I got called the 3rd time, my employer said he'd write me a note to get out of it! I was shocked and told him I wanted to go... it was my civic duty. He laughed at me... he was a real jerk. I told him that if I ever found myself in front of a jury, I'd sure hope there were people like ME and not like HIM on the jury!!

It was a one-day call. About 100 of us sat in a big room... and when a jury was called... they took about 20 of us. I got called ... and so did the woman who checked in and then left, thinking there was no way she'd be called... not a good idea!! Anyhow... it was a case involving an accident... pain and suffering kind of stuff... and when they found out I was a nurse, I was dismissed.

We all hung around, playing cards (my mom had served before and told me to throw a deck of cards in my bag) till they excused us all at about 2 pm.

I just finished a dinner of hot dogs with lonewolf's Soft Flat Bread. It whips up fast and is very good. I halved the recipe since it's just two of us. I did not have almond flour, just used Pamela's. I cut it into six pieces once finished. It's very good. Will be making this again. Next time I think I'll put some dried onions in the mix.

Did you use Pamela's baking mix? Does Pamela's have a basic flour mix? I use her bread mix all the time and love it!!

I REALLY miss a soft hot dog roll.

I was gluten free for years before finding Bob's Certified gluten-free Oats. Tried 'em and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!! They take a while to cook, but they are delicious. I only have them occasionally.

I tell them, if I'm asked, and make some joke about being high maintenance, or a pain in the @ss or something. Just enough so people know I'm not snubbing their dish.

Jestgar... I am CRACKING up at your photo!!!!

I used to say it sounded like wolverines were trying to fight their way out of my intestines!! I was lucky, in that I was diagnosed very quickly... only about 3 months after developing unrelenting diarrhea. I never had any other issues... no tummy aches, no nausea, no weight loss (dang... I could have used a little of that one!).

I will tell you that it took an entire year for my bowels to be back to what I considered normal. I made mistakes in the beginning of my gluten free adventure, but I sure don't make mistakes now, as my "glutened" symptoms are much worse the longer I'm gluten free. But, it's not hard to be gluten free!!

As the previous poster said... this forum is my sanity. I can find an answer to ANY celiac-related question here from all those who suffer exactly what I do. I hope your husband finds his way here.

Perhaps an appt. w/ a gastroenterologist who's really versed in celiac disease might help... or finding a celiac support group in your area?

I'm not understanding why you don't want to tell them about your gluten concerns? It might seem kind of fussy or snobby, when people offer you cookies or things you can't eat and you continually refuse... but it's really a serious health issue!

I remember feeling like people thought I was being fussy when they'd ask me, in sort of an impatient voice, "Oh geez... can't you just eat a LITTLE??" I used the old "rat poison" adage I read on here... "That's like me asking you if you can eat just a LITTLE rat poison. Eating a LITTLE gluten will make me very sick."

I am the same way when people say they'll make something gluten free for me. I thank them profusely, but explain that if I don't see it made, I just can't take the chance that I'll get glutened because it's really more involved than not using wheat flour and I'm more than happy to bring my own food. I laugh when they give me the pained look ... as if to say, "Oh you poor thing." I tell them it's not as hard as they think, although I've been doing it for years, and I NEVER starve... one only has to look at my body to see that!! ha ha

Like another poster said, I'd hand him the food responsibilities a few times... w/ you watching closely... so he can understand what's really happening. How many friends have said to me, "Can't you just eat a LITTLE??" He wouldn't let the kids poison themselves at a fair in the name of "enjoying the experience," would he??? That would be a disaster.

What does it say on the ingredient list?

After I'd been gluten-free for about a year, I chowed down on a huge hunk of delicious homemade bread and suffered NO symptoms. I actually thought I might "plan" a monthly cheat... pizza, a Subway hoagie, that homemade bread. I never ended up trying it tho. Because when I was accidentally glutened not long after that ... my symptoms became severe.

Never been tempted again... it's SO not worth it!

If there's one thing I've learned here... it's that if you put 100 celiac in a room you'll have 100 different sets of symptoms!

Ha ha... I think I'd avoid that town!

Sorry, no suggestions.

My brother (not celiac) noticed a dramatic improvement in his eczema when he simply REDUCED his gluten intake. My sister, who lives in France, has been plagued w/ eczema her whole life but as she's tested negative for celiac (blood work) she's not willing to give it up, even as an experiment. I'd be hardpressed too... their breads are the best in the world!

No big disasters this year, as opposed to last year when I made a gluten free pie crust (eggs, xanthan gum, etc) and accidentally used regular flour and spent the rest of the night trying desperately not to barf!!).

I'm giving up in cornbread dressing. It came out better this year than others, but I'm just not a huge fan. I'll continue to try to use my good gluten-free bread and recreate the Pepperidge Farm stuffing I grew up on.

I made a green bean casserole this year using a recipe w/ sour cream and crushed cornflakes (I used corn chex). There is no Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup in any of my stores. It wasn't any good at all and the casserole dish was hardly touched.

The best parts were that I made my pies a week ahead, wrapped them up tightly, and froze them. They were delicious! I also made mashed potatoes ahead and they were good too! I made a few cheese balls that were yummy.

I guess the only real disaster was that we put all the leftover turkey in a big container and put it in the cabinet on the porch. It was cold out there and where we'd put the turkey to brine in a big pot the day before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately... or fortunately, depending on how you look at it... the next day was sunny and 70