learning2cope's Blog

Well I was doing great until lunch today.

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Yesterday I decided right after I woke up to go gluten free to see if my mysterious symptoms resolve. I had no gluten yesterday (that I am aware of).

Since we really don't have much in the way of gluten-free foods here, I ate:

Breakfast: Isopure Zero Carb 100% whey protein isolate vanilla powder + water (smoothie)

- couldn't finish it because mom had made it with tap water and our tap water is awful tasting.

Lunch: Isopure powder + soy milk + frozen fruit (checked bag and no apparent gluten ingredients)

- no intestinal reaction at all. Yay!

Snack: 2 Sargento Mozarella String Cheeses

- some intestinal discomfort/bloating/little gas, minor short-lived heartburn.

- That product is gluten-free as per Sargento's website.

Dinner: 2 Omaha Steaks 3 oz Gourmet Jumobo Franks (gluten-free), canned Del Monte Cut Green Beans (gluten-free), with Lawry's Garlic Salt with Parsley (gluten-free), and pepper (gluten-free)

- Felt great! No issues at all.

Snacks prior to bedtime: Pop Weaver Kettle Corn Popcorn (gluten-free per Pop Weaver's website), Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans (gluten-free per label), 2 Sargento String Cheeses (gluten-free per website)

- only mild issues from the cheese as it was the last thing I ate before bed.

All around I felt rather good all day and night. My eye sensitivity was gone for the most part, less blurry than it had been lately, no headaches, no diarrhea, actually had a normal BM yesterday!

Today I woke up feeling pretty good. No light sensitivity noticed with my eyes, vision seemed pretty much back to normal.

Breakfast (before parents got up): 2 Sargento String Cheeses

- no real reaction at all today, which surprised me!

Actual Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with shredded cheddar cheese on top.

- no issues at all with that meal. NONE! YAY!

Lunch: Quaker Quick 5-Minute Grits

- heart burn, intestine pain and bloating, went to the bathroom and am feeling a little better.

- eyes are now quite sensitive to light again. Blurriness seems a little more noticeable.

- face is now red again (rosacea, and full rash reappearing)

DARN IT! I am not happy. But my headache is gone now that I put on my very stylish (not) over-prescription-glasses sunglasses. The kind that blocks light all the way around top/bottom/sides. Hmm well the headache is still there but very minor and it's in my forehead.

So something in the grits or utensils I used had gluten on it.

2 measuring cups (both plastic), pyrex mixing bowl, flatware spoon, grits itself (new previously unopened can), water(?), plastic wrap to cover the bowl in the microwave, microwave (which is admittedly dirty) and the Mortons salt from the original can.

I thought if I used the salt from the can it would be less likely to be contaminated than our salt shaker. Guess not. I don't know which utensil or product it was that glutened me but I have no idea what to do now!

I guess it could have been the pyrex bowl since dad fills the sink with soapy water and soaks all the plates/bowls/utensils in the same water, washes them with a sponge and rinses them off.

I'm just very bummed right now. I was proud of myself for making my own lunch. Yeah I'm 29 years old but mom is the cook in the family.

I'm not sure how to proceed right now. Mom isn't in to the whole idea of creating our kitchen as gluten-free. She is pretty adamant about not doing that. But I don't think she understand how this has to work. obviously I am always going to be glutened now matter how "careful" we are. It will happen all the time. Dad understands and seems quite willing to talk to mom about this and help her come to the appropriate decision. But that means mom will not be able to bake "normal" baked goods in her own home. I think right now she is in a mental tug of war situation.

Is pyrex able to hold onto gluten? Is Corelle? We have 4 or 6 Corelle bowls that we rarely use. I can start using them.

My mayonnaise I know is contaminated. So is mom's. She uses Miracle Whip and I use Best Foods/Hellmann's. Here in NV it's called Best Foods brand.

Strawberry jam is glutened, so is the tub of spreadable butter. Pots and pans I know are, but I didn't have any problem eating the eggs from our skillet today. I won't even touch the toaster. I know that's off limits for me! But really, what would I toast? LOL

Ok I'm done babbling on and on.