Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Where Your Contribution Counts!
    eNewsletter
    Support Us!

One Good Thing.


themick33

Recommended Posts

themick33 Newbie

This is my first post, so Hi everybody. I was wondering if anyone else found this one benefit to being diagnosed with celiac. I hope it doesn't sound mean and immature, but I sometimes feel superior to others. I see the long lines at Mcdonalds and constantly hear people talk about how they'd love to lose weight but just can't. Understand that they are eating something completely unhealhy while they say that.

Does anyone else every feel really good about their self control? I can't help it, but sometimes I look down on people who complain about how hard it is to stick to a diet. If you're like me (Celiac diagnosed for two years) you HAVE to stick to the diet; if you don't, the consequences are awful. It helps my self esteem to know that I can do what so many Americans can't: have a specific diet and stick to it. Is it always easy? Of course not, but I'm proud of myself for doing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



burdee Enthusiast

This is my first post, so Hi everybody. I was wondering if anyone else found this one benefit to being diagnosed with celiac. I hope it doesn't sound mean and immature, but I sometimes feel superior to others. I see the long lines at Mcdonalds and constantly hear people talk about how they'd love to lose weight but just can't. Understand that they are eating something completely unhealhy while they say that.

Does anyone else every feel really good about their self control? I can't help it, but sometimes I look down on people who complain about how hard it is to stick to a diet. If you're like me (Celiac diagnosed for two years) you HAVE to stick to the diet; if you don't, the consequences are awful. It helps my self esteem to know that I can do what so many Americans can't: have a specific diet and stick to it. Is it always easy? Of course not, but I'm proud of myself for doing it.

I agree with your view of celiac disease. I have diagnosed celiac and 6 other food allergies, which all cause painful gastrointestinal reactions. So I can easily abstain from gluten and my other allergies. That leaves me almost no 'junk' or 'processed' or even 'fast' food. Avoiding my allergens forces me to eat a healthy diet. Fortunately I prefer to be healthy and painfree more than I want to blend in with other people's eating choices.

Nevertheless, many people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance have difficulty initially sticking to the diet which helps them heal from gluten reaction damage. I suspect one difference is PAIN. People who have painful reactions, not just diarrhea, but long lasting excruciating, gut pain are more likely to obsessively abstain from gluten or their diagnosed allergens. I can look at a piece of bread and recall feeling like bits of broken glass are slowly moving through my intestines for 1-2 weeks. That motivates me to avoid gluten.

SUE

Link to comment
Share on other sites
missceliac2010 Apprentice

but I'm proud of myself for doing it.

Hi! I agree with you. I am proud of myself too. After years and years of being overweight and unable to control my eating, I had gastric bypass surgery. It changed my life. I learned that food is fuel...not my friend, not my confidant, and it doesn't have control over me! I have control over IT! The post surgery diet is very limited, and I did very well sticking to it. I got the weight off and maintained the loss over the past 3 years. I won...food didn't! (Yes, I got help...the surgery....but it still requires will-power and the desire to be successful.)

When I was diagnosed with Celiac, I had similar feelings. I thought, I can do this! Food is fuel. I just need different fuel! I love the fact that people will say "HOW DO YOU DO IT?" Or "I would DIE without wheat!" I always laugh a little inside and think, yes you can, and if you can't...you are weak. Celiac Disease teaches you to be strong. Of course we have our weak days. I cry, I get upset and frustrated...etc... But most of the time, I'm strong! And I'm damn proud of myself.

So all I have to say is "You go Gluten-free peeps!" We rock! Another allergy? Another sensitivity? Bring it on! We can handle anything!

:0)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ravenwoodglass Mentor

Yea I have to agree with the other poster that pain and being sick for a couple weeks is a really strong motivator. Some of us do have trouble sticking with the diet because their symptoms are not as strong so it is harder for them. Sometimes I envy those that can take the risks and not suffer as severely. It is always good to find the silver lining in the clouds though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
danaf617 Explorer

I agree! I am not dx'ed but do feel 100% better off gluten and dairy so far.

Maybe it's because I haven't been doing it that long but I don't find it to be difficult at all. I am actually amazed at my self control. I just have no desire to be in the pain I was in daily for an entire 7.5 month period. My life basically came to a screeching halt because I felt so bad every day.

I say keep your gluten and other junk! I just want to feel good and live my life. :)

And I was totally one of those people that NEVER stuck to a diet. Ever. Until now.

That misery and feeling like my body was at war with itself is a strong motivator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tennisman Contributor

That's a good idea themick33 , avoiding gluten can be very difficult so it's definitely a very good achievement to be proud of :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sb2178 Enthusiast

I am delighted that I know what my health problems were caused by and that I can avoid it without too much effort. And yes, I was someone who had significant pain as well as a constellation of additional issues. So, am I proud that I avoid pain? Not particularly. But it's something I have to do, so I do it faithfully. I think it view it sort of like a type one diabetic views insulin shots, not necessarily convinient but necessary. (Except types ones would suffer much more fatal consequences much much more quickly.)

I have to say that I do not look down on those who have a harder time with the diet-- I mean, we all make mistakes. Sometime this week I must have not washed my hands before eating, or somehow contaminated myself enough with the food of a child I was babysitting and ended up pretty uncomfortable for a few days. And we're talking hints of CHERRIO dust on my shirts, not going out and eating a piece of cake. It's a struggle to find problems like that and work on keeping myself safe.

I already cooked 95% of my food from whole foods (if we count bread and cheese as whole foods), so the cooking at home transition has been very easy. Dealing with the outside world has been harder. It's still an effort to not accept a taste of someone's food at dinner, or to not grab a tortilla chip out of a basket because it was probably fried in contamination oil. Some of me wants to just not eat outside my apartment, but eating and socializing are closely intertwined. I also live in a city where there are gluten-free options in numerous restaurants, so it also seems paranoid to not eat out ever. And hey, I LIKE to eat out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



burdee Enthusiast

I already cooked 95% of my food from whole foods (if we count bread and cheese as whole foods), so the cooking at home transition has been very easy. Dealing with the outside world has been harder. It's still an effort to not accept a taste of someone's food at dinner, or to not grab a tortilla chip out of a basket because it was probably fried in contamination oil. Some of me wants to just not eat outside my apartment, but eating and socializing are closely intertwined. I also live in a city where there are gluten-free options in numerous restaurants, so it also seems paranoid to not eat out ever. And hey, I LIKE to eat out.

Good point. It's easier to stay gluten free if you already prepare or cook most of your foods from whole foods, rather than relying on processed or fast foods, which often contain gluten. Also preparing your own foods is less expensive than relying on gluten free processed products. Many people who have difficulty with gluten free dietn have never really learned to cook.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
txplowgirl Enthusiast

I don't look down on people. I just feel sorry for them that they are making themselves sick.

As for motivation. I have hurt since I was 7 years old from suicidal thoughts, feeling like someone was sticking my muscles with white hot pins or pokers, as well as flu like symptoms, major fatigue, dealing with alternating D and C. Allergies, chronic athmatic bronchitis at least twice a year, severe anxiety. You name it I just about had it. ALL of that has resoved. That is my motivation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jodi2010 Rookie

I absolutely agree that becoming so ill is a huge motivator in our way of eating..But it has also opened my eyes to how people eat and shop for their food.I have caught myself many times looking at people grocery shopping and glancing in their carts and thinking to myslef "You have NO food in there!! Its all junk, processed horrible stuff!!"...Being a celiac has definately educated me on healthy living and dieting and i honestly wish more people could realize how damaging their eating habits can be. If anything good has come out of this disease it is that my friends and family really took notice of their own eating habits and many have turned to whole foods after watching all that i have been through.

jodi

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kaki-clam Enthusiast

I have lost 48 pounds since going gluten free! I am super proud of that! I feel great about that aspect of my life :) I can't wait til I get to the point where I feel sick more than I feel well, but I am still trying to figure Celiac's out

Link to comment
Share on other sites
notme Experienced

wow! I feel EMPOWERED for the first time in my life, THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!!!! and I can control it :) I am still not even all the way healed, but I feel better than I have since I was diagnosed with 'colitis' 25 years ago. I had no idea how much I planned around/skipped things/compromised my life because I felt like krap or was waiting to feel sick. I am eating gluten-free and find myself waiting for that intestinal 'shift' that hasn't happened in TWO WHOLE DAYS. this is a record for me! yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      120,507
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    AngieMu
    Newest Member
    AngieMu
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • McNish
      If you're ever in the Peoria IL area - Queen of Squash is 100% gluten-free.   Pekin (just outside Peoria) Whiskey Taco is 90% gluten-free.  The owner's mom is Celiac so they get it!   Just let your server know.   https://thequeenofsquash.com/ https://whiskey-taco.com/
    • trents
      Do you have online access to your celiac panel test results such that you could post them? tTG-IGG is kind of a secondary test. A weak positive in that one could indicate celiac disease but since it isn't as specific a marker as the tTG-IGA it is not real convincing. You could also have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) for which there is no test. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. It is 10x more common than celiac disease and shares many of the same symptoms. Some experts believe it can be a precursor to celiac disease. The antidote for both is the same: total avoidance of gluten.
    • powerofpositivethinking
      I haven't been on this forum for a long time, but it was absolutely wonderful during the diagnostic process!  My path for celiac disease diagnosis was the following: -Had normal IgA level, and my only serology positive test was the DGP IgG -Deficiencies in both Vitamins D and K that did not increase at first despite massive supplementation -Diagnosis of fat malabsorption both total and neutral -Diagnosis of severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) -Testing was completed to rule out causes of EPI, and the only one not ruled out was celiac. -Both traditional endoscopy and pill capsule endoscopy yielded negative results for biopsy confirmation, but my GI doctor said that both procedures simply could have missed the damaged spots. -EPI and fat malabsorption resolved after taking Creon for 6 months since my EPI was caused by celiac -23 and Me said I don't have either of the two prominent genes for celiac disease   Remember that you might not have 'textbook' symptoms, but you still may have celiac disease.   Also, I am SO incredibly grateful for this site for all the learning it has allowed me to do. I have a senior dog, and these last few weeks with her were very scary! After two hospital stays, she finally received an IBD diagnosis after having gastroenteritis and pancreatitis. I know that celiac disease is not IBD, however, through reading this site, I learned more about it. I was relieved when I found out she had IBD and not cancer this past Wednesday. I know IBD can be managed thanks to what I've learned here!  So celiac.com, not only did you help me, but you helped my pup too! Thank you ❤️  
    • SuzanneL
      It was tTG IGG that was flagged high. I'm not sure about the other stuff. I'm still eating my normal stuff. 
    • cristiana
      Thank you for your post, @Nedast, and welcome to the forum. It is interesting to read of your experiences. Although I've not had TMJ, from time to time I have had a bit of mild pain in my jaw, sharp stabbing pains and tingling in my face which appears to have been caused by issues with my trigeminal nerve.  I read that sometimes a damaged trigeminal nerve in coeliacs can heal after adopting a gluten free diet.  I try to keep out of cold winds or wear a scarf over my face when it is cold and windy, those conditions tend to be my 'trigger' but I do think that staying clear of gluten has helped.  Also, sleeping with a rolled up towel under my neck is a tip I picked up online, again, that seems to bring benefits. Thank you again for your input - living with this sort of pain can be very hard, so it is good to be able to share advice.
×
×
  • Create New...