fisharefriendsnotfood

Karen, I'm also in Toronto.

-Jackie

Jackie--As an older member, I just want to tell you how impressed I was with your advice to Sophie. What wonderful, practical, down to earth solutions you gave. I'm sure this will benefit a lot of people out there. As difficult as it can be to navigate through this Celiac journey that we're all on--it must be all the more trying for people still in school, who have to deal with this disease on top of all that. My hat is off to you!

Ditto what Jerseyangel said! Jackie, you know what you're talking about, and it shows.

It's amazing how many ADULTS aren't even as rational as you are! I especially liked your analogy of cravings...people eating brown blobs.

Awww! I'm so touched . Thanks so much. I hope I can help more people.

I like thinking up analogies hahaha.

-Jackie

HI!

I'm fifteen and I've been diagnosed for 12 years. I thought that by this point everything would be easy, but it's just been getting harder. I keep cheating or almost cheating and then I feel guilty about it. None of my friends understand it, they really enjoy waving bread or pizza in front of my face and going "glutenglutengluten" (or actually gluttengluttenglutten because I can never get them to pronounce it right. They also keep giving me annoyed looks about it when they want to go out to eat and I can't. Also, when my teachers bring in food and I can't eat it I always want to say "hello, theres somebody here who can't eat that, why are you doing this to me?" but whenever I say something, I get death glares from my classmates. I'm used to being the odd one out by now, but it's just getting so much harder as I get older.

I was just wondering if anybody else had the same problems.

-Sophie

Hi Sophie. I'm 14 years old and have also been diagnosed for 12 years, and I'm in the same position as you except for a few big differences:

1. I never cheat;

2. My friends don't wave bread in my face (flying crumbs...)

3. For some reason I am not bothered at all by teachers bringing in food;

4. And, I don't feel like the odd one out.

Don't cheat. Want to know why? Because then you'll know exactly what the food tastes like, and you'll crave it and want it whenever your friends eat it, and be inclined to cheat more. I have never cheated in my life, and I really don't want to. Think about it. If you just moved to an exotic country and they're eating a brown blob (like chocolate cake can look like), would you crave it? No, you wouldn't, because you don't know what it tastes like. Just an example.

Second of all, DON'T LET YOUR FRIENDS WAVE BREAD IN YOUR FACE FOR TWO REASONS. One, flying crumbs can fly into your mouth or on your face or something. Two, if it bothers you, why should they be doing it? It's like going up to your friend and going, "HA HA I'm going to Florida on vacation this year and YOU'RE NOT! Hahahahahahaha!" You wouldn't do that, would you? Exactly. Tell them it bothers you and why. But don't get mad. If they keep doing it, feel free to get mad.

Don't get bothered by teachers bringing in food. They are trying to be nice. And they are! They don't know you can't eat it. Even if you tell them of your Celiac, they don't know about gluten and they may mean well but probably won't remember all the time or do it right. My teacher brought it food a week or two ago, and I just didn't eat it. That's all. I passed the box of cookies onto the next person. Just think about it, they're eating extra sugar and you're not. Good for you. (Seriously!)

Why would you feel like you're the odd one out? Do people with peanut allergies or lactose intolerance feel like they're the odd one out? No, probably not. All it restricts is your eating. Nothing else, unless you CHEAT, so you'll feel sick and may have to miss out on that party Saturday night. I still go out to eat with friends, I just eat before or, if it's not a pizza place or whatever, order a salad or something else safe. It's easy! It should be easier now!

Just think before you feel like cheating. Say to yourself, is this pizza/cake/cookie/whatever worth being sick for a week? Is it worth missing school (and spend all weekend doing homework), potential parties, shopping with friends or movies, just for a slice of pizza? No, I think, is the answer you are searching for.

Please feel free to PM me or whatever, I'd love to help you. It's also great to talk to another teenage Celiac.

Hope I helped!

-Jackie

Don't worry. Usually, in small children, results are seen within a month. He will probably be back to normal in two or three months!

-Jackie

Good job!

-Jackie

Maybe if they used a title like, "Over 3 million Americans have it... two million don't know" or something like that, it would get people's attention.

-Jackie

Hi. My name is Jackie and I'm 14. I live in Toronto, Canada. I love to ski, and dance, and write, and stuff like that.

I've had Celiac since I was 2.

-Jackie

AMAZING idea! I'm sending her an email through the website right now.

-Jackie

P.S. - I will be SO excited if they do a show about it. I hope some of us can fly to Chicago to be on the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry. I agree and hope the best for you.

-Jackie

When I went to the States, I brought back a lot of Thai Kitchen soups because there they say Gluten Free on the front. But here in Canada (Toronto), it doesn't say gluten-free anywhere on the package. Does anyone know if they're gluten-free in Canada? I already emailed them and they didn't respond.

Thanks!

-Jackie

Ok here is some more information.

I I think that the med's that I am taking are causing the problem more than anything else.  Does anyone think that this is possible.

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No, that is not possible from the extent of my knowledge. Medecation cannot cause Celiac. You have to have the gene, and a trigger. A trigger can be a viral infection, pregnancy (obviously not in your case), stress, and many other things that I'm sure others on this site can tell you. Medication will not make Celiac worse (I think) unless it has gluten in it which is very possible.

Don't worry, you'll get started on the gluten free diet. It is the only way to control your Celiac symptoms. Celiac won't just go away and won't be helped by medication. You'll get a lot of help from this web site and the people on this forum.

Good luck!

-Jackie

Thanks everyone for posting! I'm very excited about this poll and I'm happy everyone else is too!

-Jackie

Interested in seeing the results....good idea.

Lisa B.

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Thanks.

-Jackie

I just wanted to make this poll because I fell like I'm one of the only ones who was diagnosed very young (2 years of age). Okay, Thanks!

-Jackie

If she freaks out, then tell her to come on this site and if she wants to, I'm 14 and in grade 9 so I can talk to her if she wants. I'm on quite a bit so just PM me or whatever, I don't like putting my email address out on the internet.

-Jackie

OHMYGOSH, I have this too. I am pretty thin everywhere except for my belly, I totally look pregnant. I am not thristy "all" the time, though, at least that I have noticed. I have been gluten-free for over 6 months.... I think, I'm no good at it.

Anyway, my Dr. (who knows nothing about celiac disease) ordered two sonograms (in two weeks) to try and find out why so fat ONLY in my stomach. I used to think it was a beer gut, but it way wose since going gluten-free and giving up beer.

What could cause this?

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You probably aren't totally gluten-free. Right before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I was skinny everywhere except my belly too. Make sure you're totally gluten-free.

Jackie

That's terrible! I would have given her a one.

  To have a disease that grown people and even some doctors don't understand when you explain it over and over, and over and over (and over) again, while you're a teenager, takes a lot of strength and a lot of class.

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Why, thank you! I can't believe that everyone is debating about me and my post- how exciting lol! I feel so important.

Thanks very much everyone! I really appreciate everything that you've said and it's helped me alot.

Jackie

If I remember right, in the Jewish tradition (I think?) God's name is considered so holy that you're not supposed to say (or write) it out loud. 

Nancy

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I am Jewish and that is true. We write G-d instead of the full form. G-d in full is too holy.

-Jackie

"Coeliac, gluten intolerance, its the same thing?"

No, they're not. Celiac does major internal damage, while gluten intolerance (I think) does not.

I live in Richmond Hill - I'm 14.

-Jackie

I've had Celiac my whole life, and I'm in High School now. My friends don't usually make fun of me, but they do offer me gluten foods. I'm sure they mostly do it by accident though. I do have one friend, though, who is one of my best friends actually, but every time she's eating bread or a bagel or a muffin or that sort of gluteny food, she offers me some. She'll go, "Oooh, Jackie, want a bagel?" I'll go, "No, thank you." And then we laugh. It doesn't hurt me, but then again I don't remember what a real bagel, etc. tastes like so I don't crave it.

I have met only one other Celiac in all my twelve years as one. So, don't worry. I don't know any other Celiac in my school, but it's okay. It doens't affect me during school that much except for when my friends get fries and popcorn chicken and stuff from the cafeteria. (And I have to say, it looks mighty good.) Keep your head up!

-Jackie

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. For sure get tested for Celiac.

It sounds like Celiac! It's strange that the malabsorption tests were negative, though. Celiacs have malabsorption. BUT, something like three quarters of all Celiacs were previously diagnosed with IBS. You should get the Celiac blood test. Even if it comes back negative, you could try the gluten-free diet and see if you feel any better. If you do, it's probably Celiac, and if you don't, well, you feel better so who cares?

-Jackie

I know what you mean about cravings I guess. Ive had gluten intolerance all my life, it just was tolerable until last summer.  Ive been able to cheat when i was about 4 to 13, sometimes I would have sypmtoms but it was alright. Ever since last summer i havent been able to eat gluten. Im not as sensitive as some.

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If you are Celiac, then you are doing extreme damage to your body even if you're not feeling it. Even the pan thing, don't do it, because you are hurting yourself.

-Jackie