kaki_clam

i didn't do it...i didn't cheat...i went out to dinner with my boyfriend's family and had a gluten free salad.

The first year I would wonder the same thing, but this celiac has wreaked havoc on my short-term memory - so I don't worry about back and stomach pain after getting glutened - I can handle that - I worry about small permanent lesions in my brain.  

But on another note, can you PLEASE share any secrets you have with chinese food!!  Every attempt of mine fails miserably.  I tell my husband it's the MSG the restaurants use that makes their food taste better (MSG gives me a headache).  In particular, I really miss the noodles with veggies from Mongolian Woc at the mall.

I have a chinese food cookbook, one that is paperback that i bought by the registar at Michael's Craft store.  It is at home and I am at my boyfriends, but I have made a note to get the name of it for you and will post it as soon as I get home next week.  For noodles I use rice noodles http://www.(Company ...e/dp/B000H27I4C  this brand...i get them at the grocery store for like 1.99..i eat them a lot because they are cheap.  I also add frozen veggies to them, i like the thai blend that I buy at Wal-mart, they don't have sauce on them...just plain veggies, and then you can add any of these sauces also available at the grocery http://www.san-j.com...t_list.asp?id=2 for a quick meal (not sure if they are MSG free).

so.....new boy.....jeez...he's to good to be true...last night he was washing some of the dishes I had brought over to his place for cooking...they had already been washed...so I asked...what in heck are you doing..those are already clean...he says..."well, I accidently set them next to my loaf of bread...(this being a loaf of bread that he hasn't even opened yet)...and I didn't want you to get sick, so I thought I would was 'em again"...really???  Number one...wow....Number two...I wouldn't have even thought to do that!!

He also went through all the shampoo and soap at his place to make sure I was ok with it...

so in love

It's been a few months since I have posted on anything here...so I thought I might write up an update...even if no one reads it...it will chronicle my successes...

If you all remember, my boyfriend moved out shortly after I was diagnosed with Celiac..after about 8 months alone, I met a guy who was kind and understanding of my illness..I got my hopes up, but after a month, my "high maintenance" got to be to much for him and he left. Well, single life isn't so bad right??? So I resigned myself to a life alone....

My mom and I went on a Carnival cruise where I thought I would starve to death...but it turned out that they were AWESOME!! I ate every meal in the dinning room, the hostess came to me every night and helped me pick out my meals for the following day...even if they didn't have something I really liked or wanted, the chef would prepare special meals for me with gluten free sauces, pastas, he made me an incredible corn salsa and a raspberry sauce that made me want to propose marriage!! If you all are gonna cruise, pick Carnival..they took excellent care of me and I didn't starve, I ate like a queen with no touch of illness.

Right before I left on this cruise, I met a guy named Tim. I met him on a dating website where I fully disclosed in my profile my illness and dietary limitations...he was fully informed of what he was getting into and still messaged me. We went on two dates before I left and he made me pine for more the entire time I was sailing in the Caribbean.

When I got home, he asked me out again....we had dinner...and here's the best part...he ordered what I ordered!! He wants to understand....he wants to know how I feel, and what I have to do. He isn't going to go completely gluten free as we looked into it and it doesn't seem overly healthy for a person who isn't Celiac...but he is completely fine with living in a gluten free household and will get his "wheat fix" while at work! I am totally in love.

I feel sometimes that I am jumping in to fast....but I have talked it over with my pals, and they all say...when it's right, it's right...it's not like we are getting married tomorrow or anything, but i do see us expanding our relationship and in my dreams at night...we will eventually marry and live happily ever after.....

feeling good...and crying happy tears.....FINALLY!!!

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

I needed unsalted cashews for snack mix I was making...4 stores later, I finally found some in the bins like you are talking about. All the bins were labeled with nutritional information and on the label it clearly stated that this product was packaged in a facility that also processes wheat, soy, dairy, etc....I found the manager and asked if he new why it said that, he didn't but he called the main distributor and basically it was explained to me that they arrive to the warehouse in HUGE container and then are repackaged in the warehouse for distribution to the stores...with no regard to cross contamination...I wouldn't say that this happens everywhere, I just know i can't buy out of the bins at my grocery store.

Hidden Valley Ranch has gluten in it. I don't remember where I read it, but in a cookbook that gives you recipes to recreate recipes from many different restaurants and well known products, I read that you have to crush saltine crackers to recreate Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.

Hidden Valley states that they will clearly label their products and that their original ranch dressing is gluten free.

I second Skylark's suggestion about fish oil. I have a friend who is diagnosed bipolar, along with several ambiguous autoimmune diagnoses, and the only time she's had relief has been from fish oil. I'd think about looking into Skylark's second suggestion as well. When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia years ago before it was really considered a "real" condition, I turned to holistic solutions and recovered without the intervention of Western medicine. Nowadays, the strategies I used (exercise, yoga, whole foods, a restrictive diet) are suggested by Western doctors to fibromyalgia patients.

In that vein, I'd also suggest acupuncture, if it's available where you live. Some people respond to acupuncture really fast, and it could give you some relief right away. Chinese medicine is really good at targeting multi-factoral conditions that Western medicine can't adequately handle.

Finally, try to be patient. You haven't been off gluten for that long. Full recovery can take up to 2 years. And know that you're not alone. Most of my nights are sleepless (after 4 months). Sometimes in the deep of night, my apartment feels like some celiac version of hell. I have to remind myself that I'm getting better, but it's week by week rather than day by day, and progress hasn't always been steady.

I do take fish oil, Vitamin D, a B complex vitamin, Kava Kava and 5-HTP
My doc's office does offer acupuncture, but I am DEATHLY afraid of needles, so um...no
I am so grateful for this forum. My mom is awesome to talk to but she doesn't live this life and you all do. You all are the knot at the end of my rope.

Actually, my doctor talked to me about taking something stronger for a sleep aid...I told him to get out of his office. I am terrified to take something as it did not work for me and drove me almost straight into madness. My mom sides with Doc and also thinks I should let him prescribe me something. Doc said that I wouldn't have to take it every night just when it got past 4 days or like every Friday or something. My mom is willing to come stay with me on the weekends in case anything goes wrong and I still won't do it! Mom and I are going on a cruise at the end of September so I am going to keep on keeping on for the next two months. When we get back, I will reassess and consider the drugs.

I do eat a lot of soy, but I have my whole life and never had any problems. My doc thinks all my problems are stress related as they are really raking me over the coals at work..for example, today I got a WRITTEN warning for "appearing to not be paying attention during a training session" really???? there was no test! I had been out sick for 4 days and it was my first day back. I was still sick but felt well enough to go to work. Oh and for what it's worth...I PAID ATTENTION!!! Good thing for the union, they will take care of this for me as this is borderline harassment.

I forgot to mention that I eat this AWESOME snack mix that I make with cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. It has a sweet and spicy chipolte pepper seasoning on it (that i make myself) I am eating it right now

and you all can come to dinner anytime! I love to cook and I love when people tell me what a good cook I am. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I really am a good cook.

I consider myself to be quite the foodie! I have been allergic to shellfish for most my life, so I steer clear of seafood and shellfish, other wise, I will eat most anything except beets. I pride myself on being able to recreate some of my favorite gluten filled dishes with a gluten free alternative..so here is a sample list of what I dine on...

tonight I am having pot stickers: cheebe bread mix filled with ground chicken, garlic, carrot, watercrest, scallion, fried in sesame oil and steamed in gluten free chicken broth. All dipped in a sauce of gluten-free soy sauce, chili garlic and sesame oil.

I made Chimichurri (pureed parsley, orgeano, cilantro, garlic, rice wine vinegar, olive oil and cumin. This will be eaten over flank steak, marinaded in olive oil, garlic and salt.

i eat mini burgers using slices of fried polenta as buns, and top these with mayo, bbq sauce, pickles and onions.

I make a lot of chinese food like orange beef, orange chicken, general tsos, fried rice and spring rolls

Nachos, tacos and empanada's made with cheebe's bread mix

for lunches I eat left overs, or salad ( I eat a lot of salad as I CRAVE fresh veggies) with either hidden valley ranch dressing or italian dressing or my own homemade russian dressing.

Oredia French Fries (they say gluten free on the bag), amy's gluten free frozen dinners and some gluten free chicken nuggets are about all i eat for processed foods.

I live alone and my entire house is completely gluten free to my knowledge. I check all my soaps and shampoos and I don't wear makeup. All my lotions, etc..all gluten-free.

Any ideas where I might be going wrong?

These made me giggle Especially the one about pie!

Dear Pie:

I wish you loved me as much as I loved you!

Love,

Cathy

my favorite conversation that occurs at least once a week....

co-worker: wow, you always have the best lunches. I thought you couldn't eat wheat.
me: there is no wheat in here, I made all this myself
co-worker: wow, you have to cook all your own food, I could never do that, your life really sucks!

seriously? Are Celiac's or other people with food allergies the ONLY people that cook????

Why is it that watching Angela Lansbury solve ridiculous murders make me feel better?  Is this an unhealthy obsession?  I have been home sick for the last 6 days and have watched 4 seasons in their entirety.  Back to work tomorrow...I will miss you Jessica Fletcher!

I had a date last Sunday...after going gluten free, I lost a ton of weight..so armed with a pretty new dress, freshly manicured toes and some super hot strapy sandals I felt pretty confident! I informed said date of my food allergies...he told me to pick the restaurant so I would feel more comfortable about my meal choices (insert fluttering eyelashes and little heart bubbles here).  

I picked a local Mexican place that I frequent..prayed to all the gods....and ordered chicken tacos.  The waitress asked me twice if I wanted flour tortilla's with my tacos...three times I told her hard shell corn....meal arrives....it's delicious..date going well....all of the sudden..out comes the rash...all over my thighs (short dress, totally noticeable) around my mouth, and all over my hands and forearms....I have never had such a rash in my life!!!  Tears forming in my eyes, I excused myself to the ladies room...what the heck was I going to do?  My stomach was cramping..I scrubbed my face and hands...that helped. but seriously..the thighs..what is a girl to do?  I wiped up my tears..feelings of disorientation started..the paranoia...I couldn't find my table.  Assisted by Miss Flour Tortilla herself..I was escorted back to my table where I informed my date that I needed him to bring me home.

I managed to hold it together long enough to get home..only to walk into my apartment and find my dog..who needed to go out.  Being the gentleman that he was..even on a ruined date..he offered to walk the dog while I slipped into my jammies (not sexy ones..more like ones designed to cover the rash).  Light rapping at the door notified me the dog walk was over, the date ended with him handing over the leash and saying "I guess I'll let you go lay down".

UGH....I thought we were really connecting..my first date since my diagnosis...and one simple taco ruined it!  I called the restaurant that next day and was informed that they had switched chicken vendors and the chicken was now injected with a wheat filled bullion, they were very sorry that they had not updated their menus.

Every good story needs an ending..and thankfully mine was happy!  The next day around noon, my cell phone chirps it dueling banjo's text message notification..it was him!  He said I looked amazing in my dress, and he was so sorry that I got sick.  He asked if he could come over the following weekend and if he could help me make a dinner for us..he didn't dare to take me out again..and he isn't familiar enough with the no-no's to attempt making dinner alone for me!!!  So dinner and a movie tomorrow night!

Yay for second dates and understanding guys!!!

for a quick pick me up...I find a Snickers really satisfies!  I read somewhere that the mini's contain wheat, so i stick to the full size bar..never had a problem