Repercussions Of Cheating! :(

[a84c72]

So...after my disastrous Thanksgiving, Friday I was hungry like crazy.

Did my normal gluten free cereal but after a few hours, my blood sugar was dropping quickly. Because I am still a novice at a lot of this, because I still have no energy to cook from scratch let alone shop, and because I was depressed and POd from the day before, I cheated. I wanted McDonalds BADLY.

And it was YUM. It was...I only ate the sandwich.

I could tell a short time later I ate the forbidden fruit in the form of some reflux (vanished when I was gluten free).

Today, we went to dinner. Was not impressed with the gluten free menu so I CHEATED again and ordered something I LOVED IMMENSELY before.

It was YUCK.

I had read that taste for all things gluten kind of diminishes after awhile, but only after 3 weeks??

Even my FAVORITE EVER homemade white bread wasn't appealing!

And boy....did I PAY for my cheating tonight. Ugh. Not pretty.

Never did gluten impact me to this extent until I eliminated it.

Cheating is NOT fun. These old foods don't have the yum factor (except the McDs I had) they used to have!!!

But really, this much of a difference only 3 weeks out?

No more cheat for me.... WOW! Who would've thought!?!

[shadowicewolf]

Thats very bad of you, especially since you are dx'd. You gave into a craving now its gonna be a pain to get over the withdrawl again.

Yes, i cheated, three times and then had benifiber for a while (ugh never again). The food tasted like cardboard. I couldn't finish it. I then got "C" really bad. As for the benifiber thing, despite it being labeled "gluten free" my GI insisted i go on it to "become more regular" (mind you at around this time was when i cheated so i was "C"'d bad then and my dx was in question at this point). I had "C" to the point where i'd go every four days with a small amount despite all of the water and fiber i ate.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Glad you worked out no cheating.

Come on in and talk, get advice on ALWAYS having food to hand.

I am not saying it is easy, but it gets easier

PS - ALWAYS!!!

[SMDBill]

Worst I think for anyone with celiac is that even if you don't feel badly due to what you ate, any deficiency you may have (iron, D3, etc.) is just worsened because until the healing happens, the body still will not absorb properly. So then often people seem to go through fatigue again, which makes anything less fun. It just seems like a vicious circle to get into just to have some food that is unhealthy for your body.

I've had those cravings lately as well. Slices of pizza (non gluten-free) just make me want to dive in and enjoy. But the reality is no matter how good they may taste, the repurcussions are just not worth it. I'm not sure how anyone can damage villi on purpose just to eat a food that is literally a poison to your body. There aren't always equivalents to those delicious foods we miss, but I'm thinking hunger is better than sickness every day. Every day that passes makes me feel a little better and to turn back the clock on that recovery is something I can't imagine doing to myself.

Best of luck to you and I hope the results of that eating aren't as bad for you as they are for me when I have been glutened. It's a horrible experience and I think I psych myself out from that kind of eating by imagining the pictures from my endoscopy that showed damage to my stomach and duodenum.

[GFinDC]

Well, you aren't the first person to dip your toes in the cheating pool. I was discouraged from trying it by my reactions to using a cc'd toaster early on. After a few weeks on the diet I made some gluten-free toast in my old toaster and had a bad reaction from just little crumbs of old regular gluteny toast. That was a surprise to me at the time. I started believing the things people on this forum had told me about cc then. Cheating didn't sound like fun at all after that.

Here's a thread about the cheating way of life for celiacs. It's a topic that sometimes gets people all riled up around here. You'd think we were out in the old West and the cheaters were rustlers or something. You aren't a dang rustler now r ye?

How bad is cheating?

http://www.celiac.co...t-periodically/

[a84c72]

LOL! I am not a rustler!!! I am a HUMAN;) With that being said, I don't know the implications of "cheating" at any level (once, twice, once a year, etc)...I would guess it depends upon the individual and their own body.

With that being said, I would probably have to agree that it is a good idea NOT to cheat at all. It is what it is.....it's a disorder....a "disease", so to speak. It is something that is NOT GOOD for your body so why ingest it?? ((said the girl who ate McDonald's the other night...heheheheheee))

[GFinDC]

Well, glad ye ain't no dang rustler there sweetie!

I had cravings for gluten after starting the gluten-free diet also. It seemed complicated and hard to understand, and kind of frustrating not knowing what was safe to eat. But eventually all that became second nature and it was much eaiser to navigate the diet. And the cravings faded away. Now gluten food is not appealing to me. I remember eating all that stuff and thought it was fine at the time. But now I am used to eating different foods that are actually much better for me health wise and more natural foods also. And I don't miss those easy, junky gluteny foods anymore. But everyone adjusts in their own way and time. Just know that it gets easier and the cows get slower and the horses get faster as your throwing arm improves. It all just takes practice and time to get there.

The immune system reaction can last a couple weeks when kicked off by some gluten,. so it isn't a thing that is one bite a day and gone. It takes time for your body to reset to normal again and stop attacking itself. So that is something to think about when you are tempted. Is it worth 2 or more weeks of ongoing damage to your body for a couple seconds of eating? For most of us the answer is no. I think you feel the same way too.

Some people like to do a gluten challenge after a few weeks on the diet, just to see what their reaction is. I guess you could consider this as your gluten challenge test. Now you know for sure what gluten can do to you. That's good info to have, it can help with your resolve.

[Marilyn R]

It might help to get some really tasty snacks that you wouldn't normally buy because of the expense. Like hint to everyone who buys you holiday gifts that you really love gluten free cashews or dark chocolates or whatever you really love.

And Chebe bread is pretty easy to make. You can pat circles of dough down pretty thin, bake and freeze them. When you're ready to cheat, pop one of those in the toaster, fry up a burger, slice your bun, thow on some cheese, pickle slices and gluten-free thousand island dressing and mayo & a piece of lettuce. You can stick a piece of bacon on to if you want nitrates.

At some poiint you com to a waa laa moment and realize that all of the energy spent replicating some hideous meal you crave could be better spent cooking tasty, healthy whole foods that you can use for additional meals. And you realize how much money Mickey D's spent in advertising so that you'd crave their good, cheap, fast food.

Here's a fast food that's good: Mission corn tortillia chips with grated Mexican cheese, a T. of sliced black olives, some shredded chicken or other shredded left over meat and a nice salsa. You can microwave that on a paperplate for 1 minute at 50 % power and not even waste gas driving to Mickey D's.

Good luck, hang in there....

[IrishHeart]

With that being said, I would probably have to agree that it is a good idea NOT to cheat at all. It is what it is.....it's a disorder....a "disease", so to speak. It is something that is NOT GOOD for your body so why ingest it?? ((said the girl who ate McDonald's the other night...heheheheheee))

I am not sure why you think this is so funny, but I am going to offer you some advice now. Feel free to take it or leave it.

I understand being in denial. I understand being frustrated ---and if anyone is going to give you a "poor baby" mother-hen speech, it would be me.

But that is when someone is newly diagnosed and scared and needs coaching.

I have read many of your posts, hon---and you disregard all the suggestions of veterans who are trying to help you.

It IS a disease (not "so to speak") --a serious, life threatening disease.

I noticed you said "only 3 weeks out"--meaning you have only been gluten free for 3 weeks?

But, you were diagnosed in August. That's 3 MONTHS ago.

You say you "do not have the energy to cook from scratch, let alone shop"---there's a reason for that: it's because you are still eating gluten.

Until you remove the very thing that is damaging your intestines and causing malabsorption, your body will never heal.

Time to get a grip on the reality that is Celiac Disease.

In another thread, you wrote:

I have got to get to the bottom of this because I am THAT debilitated by all of this....and my kids are suffering. I am missing out on so much.

You are the only one who can change all this, hon! . Surely, you must have been preparing meals all along for your family?

Meat, vegetables, rice, potatoes, eggs, fruits, etc?

Just do the same thing. EAT REAL FOOD.

It's not rocket science. It's just a dietary change.

Enough denial and stalling....Time to move forward now.

And I offer these words with all the compassion there is---but I have to add: I just cannot muster much sympathy if you do not take it seriously.

We can help, but you have to do your part. This is YOUR life to save.

And if you have children depending on you, well, they need you to get serious, too.

Best wishes to you.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Funny, I was going to say something similar after looking back over your posts.

You seem to be finding it tremendously hard to accept your diagnosis, or the good advice here.

Is it possible you need some one to one support to get your head round the changes you need to make? Maybe the diagnosis has brought up some other stuff you need help with.

I am all for sense of humor, but being gluten-free for life is serious.

Remember the condition can do odd things to brain, mood etc.

I wish you well on the next part of your journey

[kareng]

LOL! I am not a rustler!!! I am a HUMAN;) With that being said, I don't know the implications of "cheating" at any level (once, twice, once a year, etc)...I would guess it depends upon the individual and their own body.

With that being said, I would probably have to agree that it is a good idea NOT to cheat at all. It is what it is.....it's a disorder....a "disease", so to speak. It is something that is NOT GOOD for your body so why ingest it?? ((said the girl who ate McDonald's the other night...heheheheheee))

Well...if everyone thinks she is just a person who is having a hard time accepting a diagnosis.....I'll go with that. I thought she might be making fun of all of us who try very hard to be gluten-free.

I guess I don't understand it. My kids are almost grown but I still want to be involved....go to their Lacrosse games, visit at college, fix them food, take them shopping, etc. To me, something as simple as changing my diet a little, allows me to do those things and be a mom to my boys. I realize some parents do not want to be involved in their kids lives much and feel that something is the kids' activity & not the parents' activity. Perhaps that is you? Still, your own activities can't be much fun if you feel like crap. Even a parent that doesn't want to be envolved still has to get kids to events/ games and feed them, etc.

Cooking doesn't have to be complicated. Throwing things in a crockpot can be yummy - chili, stew, etc. grill extra chicken and have a chicken salad for adults and some chicken with BBQ sauce and carrot sticks and apples for kids if they don't like salad. Have a scrambled egg, fruit and bacon dinner. There are threads on here about what people cook for lunch and dinner. Some people cook souffl

[Adalaide]

As Irish put it, celiac is an actual disease. An autoimmune disease that had many people on death's doorstep and many more headed there, me included. It sounds like you are headed there too. Lots of us have a sense of humor but there is nothing funny about eating at McDonalds. I don't think any of us are laughing, many of us are collectively banging our heads off our desks.

There has been much gentle and loving advice given but apparently you don't respond well to that. You are killing yourself. Not that oh, increased risk of cancer kind of killing yourself. No, you can flat out die of celiac without getting cancer and you are headed there and paddling your boat like a mad woman. We all get that it is hard, we've been there. We know how hard it is is to cook but clearly you're already cooking. There isn't anything complicated about putting vegetables and meat in a crock pot.

Who is going to help your children when one of them gets symptoms of celiac? Who is going to tell them "this is a life threatening illness that needs to be taken seriously?" I'll tell you one thing, a mom six feet under sure will. But as long as you are still breathing and eating gluten you are a death sentence to either of them that that gets this disease as well. That is also on your hands. You also promised your husband in sickness and health. You think he wants to take care of you the rest of his life? Does he deserve that? You can be well but instead choose to be sick. Yeah, you are CHOOSING to be sick. You talk about wanting to live life but make yourself sick on purpose.

We are all so lucky to be able to treat an illness so easily. Emotionally it is taxing and difficult to start but it becomes second nature so quickly you hardly know how it happened. It seems that instead of looking for help and support your posts are all looking for excuses and a way out. There isn't one. You need a change of attitude. It is possible that you need more than can be offered here and should seek one on one counseling with a therapist if you continue to eat gluten because it is suicide. This diagnosis is a new lease on life, it is an answer, it is a road to health. You simply need to head down that road instead of stubbornly standing in traffic.

[GF Lover]

I am certainly not laughing. And this next part IS meant to scare you.

I have cancer. My particular cancer has a link to celiac. In the space of 30 days I have had 2 major surgeries to chop cancer out of my leg. I have had extreme pain, put up with a surgical drain and am just now trying to walk again. I now have a full year of putting a toxin in my body in the hopes it might delay a recurrence for, on average, 8 months. Yes, you heard me. I might live 8 months more with the therapy available to me. I have a 30 - 50 percent of surving this disease.

I suggest you sober up and stop killing yourself with gluten.

Colleen

[Gemini]

I am certainly not laughing. And this next part IS meant to scare you.

I have cancer. My particular cancer has a link to celiac. In the space of 30 days I have had 2 major surgeries to chop cancer out of my leg. I have had extreme pain, put up with a surgical drain and am just now trying to walk again. I now have a full year of putting a toxin in my body in the hopes it might delay a recurrence for, on average, 8 months. Yes, you heard me. I might live 8 months more with the therapy available to me. I have a 30 - 50 percent of surving this disease.

I suggest you sober up and stop killing yourself with gluten.

Colleen

God Bless You, Colleen! As if IrishHeart's post wasn't enough to convince people not to cheat, which I will never understand because there are SO many excellent replacements for gluten food out there, along comes

the mother of all reminders in the form of our hero Colleen! Look at what she is going through and you are whining because you miss McDonald's? You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Visit a cancer treatment center and that will put Celiac in perspective. This dietary change is not hard.....cancer is hard.

My best wishes and prayers to you, Colleen, so you can get throught the next year intact. Make sure you keep posting so we can lend moral support!

[Chiana]

The Italian study (someone can throw a link up if they like, though it's been posted sooo many times here) stated a 20% chance of celiac-related cancer as cause of death in non-compliant celiacs. As in, if you are not compliant with your diet, you have a 1 in 5 chance of *dying* of an aggressive, not-very-treatable cancer.

*Hugs Colleen!*

I went to a restaurant on Friday and they brought the wrong BBQ sauce on my ribs. (All BBQ sauce looks the same...I'll order without any sauce if I ever get dragged back by relatives.) A couple of bites in, I got this strong urge to stop eating. I had a slab of ribs in front of me, and it didn't look or taste good anymore. I experienced the same phenomena with Panera when I first went on the diet almost two years ago. Whether it be psychological or part of the immune reaction - I have developed an aversion. It's not food to me anymore. It's good to know that my body is trying to back me up on this, and warn me. It sounds like your system is going in the same direction.

I'm still constipated, and I had a 48-hour migraine...from BBQ sauce.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Hugs Colleen

I only just heard your full story. Thank you so much for taking time to come here and help us folks out

Mw x

[GF Lover]

Thanks for your hugs. There are others on this forum who are also fighting cancer, debilitating diseases and fighting for their lives. We are all warriors and not eating gluten is easy when you consider the consequences. At least it is for me.

Hugs to you all.

Colleen

[GFinDC]

....

Never did gluten impact me to this extent until I eliminated it.

Cheating is NOT fun. These old foods don't have the yum factor (except the McDs I had) they used to have!!!

But really, this much of a difference only 3 weeks out?

No more cheat for me.... WOW! Who would've thought!?!

OK, see, the anti-rustlers have come out on their white horses. Got 'em all-riled up ye have. (Nothing against the anti-rustlers I luv yuhs!)

Celiac disease really is a serious disease. It is also the only autoimmune disease we know how to mostly stop, and the prevention is avoiding gluten. Since you already decided not to cheat anymore, hopefully the advice from the anti-rustlers will help with your stick to-it-ness.

It's a great and wonderful thing to have the power to prevent yourself from getting sicker every day and eventually dieing a slow, painful and unnessecary early death.

It does take some will power at first, and some stick-to-it-ness, kind of like hot tar on an old tennis shoe. And there are lots of reasons to stick to it (the gluten-free diet), your kids, your hubby, yourself too.

Giving up gluten is a minor thing compared to what you get in return.

Eventually you wil be able to join the anti-rustlers, get your own white horse, and pound on newbies like yourself. Some of us have had very serious situations because of gluten and celiac disease, and some still do too. Not every issue resolves after going gluten-free for some people. Sometimes additional auto-immune diseases develop and don't go away when gluten is removed. That's another risk we face if we keep eating gluten. Did you read the linked thread in the cheating thread by the woman who had to have a colostomy after cheating? You sure don't want that to happen. It's not fun, my younger brother had one too. Your gut becomes so damaged they have to cut parts of it out, and temporarily re-route the gut to a pouch on the outside of the abdomen. So you empty that pouch instead of using the toilet. And have to carry it around strapped to your body all day and while you seleep. Not pleasant at all.

There are people that come around and don't take the gluten-free diet seriously at times, probably thinking it is kind of like a weight loss diet. But gluten-free is a medical diet like for diabetes or heart disease or something. And there is no quick fix like shooting up with insulin or running another mile.

Well, I am not trying to beat you up here, I hope it doesn't seem that way. But forewarned is forearmed as they say. I guess my horsey is kind of off-white.

You've gotten a lot of advice now, hopefully it is helpful and you understand the disease issues a little better. Three weeks is a short time to learn all the things about celiac disease that we have picked up in years of living with it.

I am really enjoying this rustler analogy tho. Can you tell?

Colleen, much success on your situation, prayers are being sent.

[a84c72]

SERIOUSLY????????

........ First of all, yes, I was diagnosed in August....but I knew NOTHING about this and it was a HUGE learning process. There is nothing about DENIAL here. I didn't sit there the other night and eat McDonald's because of DENIAL. I didn't toss it off like "oh hell, there is nothing going to happen to me". Quite honestly, I was scared as HELL, in tears during all of my trips to the grocery store. I was off gluten, back on......off again...back on....etc......it didn't mean I ignored it since August. How dare anyone make these assumptions about me!!!

My jest at "said the girl who ate McD's" was in reference to the irony. And when I put "disease" in quotes, it wasn't meant as a "joke". It was due to the fact that I didn't know HOW to classify it. I've read disease..I've read disorder...I've read MANY different things that it's been classified as.

I ate gluten because I had nothing else.

I am on food assistance. I NEVER like to admit that. My husband's bonuses and incentives have gone down the CAN since 2008. He works full time at the same job for 15 years and there you go.......the income dropped as of 2008.

I am hurting with joint pain...10 hours of sleep is not enough...and I have yet to go into a grocery store without tears trying to figure out my own food needs (do I REALLY want to pay $2/pound for grapes?) and make decisions to pick things for my kids to eat or me. It's easy for many of you to just criticize me and tell me how easy it is to eat gluten free when you've done this for way longer than myself and probably on a little more of a budget than myself.

My family isn't gluten-free. I can't replace pots and pans ($$). I can't even find a cheap toaster at this time of year (Christmas) to call my own (yes, some shelves are BARE in their slot).

IT IS WHAT IT IS. It's not excuses. IT IS WHAT IT IS. I am doing the best that I can do with what I have monetarily and what I have knowledge-wise.

But if you read this initial post, you will see that I LEARNED my lesson. And if it means eating Chex cereals for the rest of my life...so be it.

I think it's great that most of you have an easy time with this. I am not.

Where are the "YAY! You "get it"" Posts? Or the "Good for you for realizing the repercussions" posts?

instead, I am met with the critical posts making my experiences about everyone else but me??

So much for support.

What a negative environment WOW.

If a white horse means treating others THIS way, I'd rather do without, thanks. I left high school 22 years ago.

**POOF** Color me out.

[IrishHeart]

I was off gluten, back on......off again...back on....etc......it didn't mean I ignored it since August. How dare anyone make these assumptions about me!!!

You did not really read what I said. I did not judge you.

You cannot go off gluten and then, back on.

It does not work that way. You will not heal that way.

That's the whole point.

My grocery bill does not cost any more because I am gluten-free

My grocery bill is actually less because I buy PLAIN FOOD, not gluten filled crap.

We ALL had it rough at DX.

Do you think you are the only one who struggled and had to figure this out?

I went through a learning process, but I never would purposefully cheat.

My brain was so affected and my body was so debilitated and I had trouble thinking straight..

None of us are rich. We do understand this is difficult.

And I live in horrible pain every single day. It is better, but it takes a long time to stop.

If it stops at all. There is only one way to stop the progression of the disease--NO gluten.

You do not have to replace all your pots and pans, unless they are teflon and scratched.

I want you to feel better sooner than I have. There's only one way. Stay off gluten.

For the same amount of money it costs to buy something at McD's--you could have purchased

burger meat at the store.

I think you are simply not hearing what we are saying.

OR perhaps like many of us, you have a "gluten head" that makes you feel overwhelmed, anxious. unable to cope and just plain irritable. Been there, done that! WE GET IT!!

I wish you well and that is where all of these comments come from--my desire to see

YOU feeling WELL. .

[IrishHeart]

Eventually you wil be able to join the anti-rustlers, get your own white horse, and pound on newbies like yourself. Some of us have had very serious situations because of gluten and celiac disease, and some still do too. Not every issue resolves after going gluten-free for some people.

I know you are probably just kidding here, but I did not write my heartfelt post with the intent of "pounding on a newbie".

I wanted her to see that she has to eliminate gluten once and for all so she can feel better --not keep dabbling in it --and it does not help the situation to have it characterized that way.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

I'm sorry this hit you so hard. Reading your posts it really seemed you weren't getting it.

I think we (I) wanted you to have the chance of stopping short of some of the rubbish we went through. We have been where you are too.

I am SO glad you really really get it now.

I hope you find you can stick around. I have been at it about as long as you. I can't tell how much I have got from these guys.

Good wishes

[GF Lover]

Choosing to take the appropriate steps to control a disease IS easy. Would you take a pill everyday to control your blood pressure? Would you avoid donuts if you had a heart attack? Sure you would. Choosing to eat gluten free does not have to cost more if you choose the right foods. These same foods can be enjoyed by your whole family. Why? It is still food. There are no judgements in these replys. There are opinions, suggestions, and experience. This disease has no economic bounds, does not care if you work or not and does not care about your family portrait. It is what it is, a disease.

I wish you well.

Colleen

[JNBunnie1]

To the original poster, there is something I would like to share with you.

Some time ago I attended a work function where they showed videos of the

'higher ups' talking about the state of the company and blah-de-blah. Go, team,

yeah we get it. There is one thing that the vice president (now president) of the

company said that has stuck with me ever since, and that I try to apply to

everything I do, especially here on the board.

He said, "If you don't understand me, it's not because you didn't hear it right.

It's because I didn't say it right."

Too often, we forget that we are only able to see things through our own eyes.

We are not capable of seeing things the way other people do, so sometimes it

is hard to understand why we're not getting through, when it seems so clear to

us.

Please accept my apologies on behalf of the other members of the board, if you

feel that you have been mistreated or trod upon in any way. Their intent is to protect

anyone else who comes along and sees careless messages about 'I can't stay gluten

free', because really, you can. If all you eat is plain ground beef and white rice, you

can. It is possible. I understand that your brain isn't working properly right now, and

that this is very hard to wrap your head around. I am glad that you understand the

consequences of not complying with the diet and I hope that the next time you are

this hungry, you will go to the grocery store and get plain ground beef and white rice

instead of a burger at McDonald's.

Like Colleen, I speak from a place of understanding the consequences, as I watched

my father die of leukemia when I was 22 years old. It is fear FOR you that prompts

all of the replies you see, and I hope you can see it as such.

[notme]

i am poor, too. (husband has worked the same job for 15 years too! and is now *back up* to 2/3 of his pay/work schedule. for now. who knows what this wonderful economy will bring??) it sucks and blows at the same time. but, mcdonalds came 'off the table' when i was diagnosed - out of respect for this wonderful man who watches me spend his hard earned cash on a six-dollar loaf of bread and boar's head lunchmeat while i buy the cheap stuff to feed him. you can adjust your food bill (i can buy 6 loaves of 'regular' bread or one loaf of udis - i get it) he insists i do not go back to work because he is so worried i won't eat right (i was 97 lbs i am 5'7" tall - he was watching me starve to death pre-diagnosis) or that someone will cc me and i will be sick sick sick again. if you need cheap ideas, pm me i'm so tight i squeak!!

i am so surprised by how things smell to me now that have gluten/unhealthy for me things in them - i am also surprised that you could have the appetite to eat it - honestly, it smells like puke to me anymore!! the kids were home for thanxgiving and they got some fast food and it smelled absolutely disgusting. i thought somebody threw up or a dog puked or something - i looked all over the house until i realized what it was (sonic. eewww) good for you for realizing it's not worth the cheat. stay healthy - i try extra hard for that guy who worries so about his wife. he must like her a little.