2 replies to this topic

[tarnalberry]

One thing to keep in mind - if you have celiac, you are not allergic, you are intolerant. Meaning not that your body goes through an IgE antibody mediated process to produce histamine and inflammation, but that your body goes through an IgG and IgA (if you're not deficient) mediated process that destroys the lining of your intestines. One molecule of any substance your body reacts to is enough to trigger the immune system. In the case of allergies, the majority of the time the reaction is limited enough that a small histamine production is not an issue. In the case of intolerances, the reaction still causes damage.

(And if you're mom thinks that it's just an allergy and you can still have some, ask her to talk to someone who grew up with a mild allergy to something (say, latex, it's notorious for this issue) and then one day ended up in the hospital with anaphylactic shock because the "mild" allergy got major REALLY fast.)

But, more happily, congratulations on being finally diagnosed! Knowing what the problem is can be SO helpful! Search around this site for a LOT of useful information. My MIL got me (per my request) the Gluten-Free Diet: A Resource Guide (http://www.amazon .com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1894022793/qid=1075414579//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl14/103-9153272-5155801?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for Christams, and I find it a good basic reference that is generally useful. I hope that you find yourself feeling better quickly.

As for the food - it gets much easier to stick with it and stay on it without much hassel with practice. You might have to get cooking, but with practice, cooking your own meals can be a simple process that need not take a lot of time or effort. (Plus, if you cook in larger batches, you can keep some in the fridge or freezer for days you REALLY can't cook.) As for college, ask if any of the dorms at the places you're interested in going to have a kitchen. My dorm had a kitchen the whole dorm shared. You'd need some of your own supplies (pots that aren't contaminated, your own food, cutting boards, knives, etc) but I got all that stuff myself even though I wasn't (knowingly or symptomatically) celiac disease during college. And most colleges will allow you to opt out of the dining plan for medically necessary reasons if you present them with a plan to make sure you do get enough food.