mommyof4

Thanks!

I like the idea of dividing the vitamin in half.  That makes sense...especially until the gut fully heals! 

You have already gotten quite a few great responses.  I'm just going to add a quick response too since we have had several weddings in the past year & I have had the same issue. 

Usually the wedding invitation states who is catering...I have had good success calling the cateror or restaurant myself & just asking if they are familiar with g.free & if they can offer a g.free alternative.  I can tell pretty quickly if they know what they are talking about or if I need to eat beforehand & make sure I have a purse full of food with me.    I get really sick too if I get glutened.

Since I LOVE chocolate, I do bring a piece of chocolate of some sort in my purse...otherwise I feel sorry for myself not getting that wedding cake...ha! 

Hi Laura!

Welcome to this forum.  No question is ever stupid, and this is a great place to get answers from experienced people.    It is overwhelming to figure this g.free thing out at first, but just like some others posted, it will become second nature with time. 

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac in the Fall of 2011, I remember having that fear of constant cross contamination...especially when you live in a household of gluten eaters too.(I have a hubby & 4 kids...only one child has to eat g.free).  I had to figure this out without driving myself & my family crazy.  It has actually turned out to be a great learning experience for all of us...it just takes time.

Make sure you have your own toaster, own butter dish(I keep my butter in a seperate cupboard), & own foods that are jar dipped(like p.butter, mayo, etc).  I use all the same dishes & utensils for eating.  I bake with the same cake pans, muffin tins, frying pans, etc...I just make sure everything is washed well.  I found, with time, that most of my baking is g.free anyways just because I don't want to make 2 different meals or treats.  I like the advice about the colander & teflon vs. stainless steel pans...I hadn't thought of that. 

Anyways, good luck...you will get this down, just relax & give yourself time.          

I'm glad you brought this question up.  I find that sometimes it is difficult to know if symptoms I deal with are related to Celiac Disease, aging, peri-menopause, "normal" woman issues...it's crazy to sift through!

Have you been in to see your gyno just to make sure everything is ok?    

I have had some issues with ovulation & my periods also...I am 41 yrs old & was dianosed Celiac in Fall of 2011...not sure how many years undiagnosed.  What is crazy with me, is my G.I. issues get worse during ovulation & my period.  My paps are normal & I've had my ovaries ultrasounded.

Thank you, Steph, for that link to the webinar about perimenopause.  I've talked to my G.I. dr about my issues with my period.  The main response I get is that inflammation during those times of the month can affect our whole system, but to make sure I am seeing my gyno. also.

Anyways, sorry you are dealing with this...keep us posted on how things are going.

I was diagnosed with Celiac Nov. 2012.  I began the gluten-free diet right off.  I am still having a lot of GI issues and I have to run to the bathroom a lot for a sick stomach (D).  Any recommendations on foods I can eat that are easy to digest and will help with the healing process?  I am keeping a food journal to try and figure out what is agreeing and disagreeing with my body.  Also, I gave up dairy, coffee, and alcohol to try and help promote the healing. I am also taking a special mulitvitamin that has probiotics and digestive enzymes formulated for people with Celiac.  Thanks for any and all help. 

It sounds like you are on the right track.  Healing can be different for each person, so try to be patient with your body...especially on those "off" days.

I was diagnosed with Celiac the Fall of 2011, so I am almost one year ahead of you.  I also had lots of GI issues & pain.  I was really sick & didn't have much of an appetite...had lost 22lbs in a few weeks from malabsoption...undiagnosed Celiac had affected many things in my body.  The first year was a rollercoaster of learning, adjusting, dr. apts, & healing. 

The one meal I lived on for months until I could handle more food was homeade chicken soup.  So simple...I boiled down a whole chicken on the stove for about 2-3 hours(cover the chicken with water in a big pot), took the meat off, added cooked brown rice & frozen veggies.  I froze the soup in ziplock baggies so I would have an easy lunch/supper.  I also ate fresh or frozen fruit...bananas, blueberries,etc.  Chicken breasts, grilled salmon...all easy to digest.  I stayed away from citric, tomato based, & dairy...you may find you have other food intollerances.  I found that I had a tough time with raw veggies, so I bought a juicer & started juicing anti-inflammatory veggies. 

So, here I am almost 1 1/2 years later & I am doing soooo much better!  Before diagnosis, I didn't know much about Celiac Disease.  Now, this lifestyle of g.free living is 2nd nature.  I am learning to be patient with my body.  I still have an "off" day now & then, but not nearly as bad as an "off" day a year ago(where I would be in bed for the day).  Our bodies are made to heal from MOST things (I know, not everything) with time.

The other thing I would encourage is "move" your body...walk, walk, walk...or whatever you can handle without overdoing it.  Find a local support group or connect locally with people that eat g.free when you are ready...it can be fun exchanging recipe ideas, laughing at horrible products you waste money on, etc. 

Keep us posted on how you are doing 

Give your body time to heal...it can takehow long you were Celiac without knowing it & how much damage you have.