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:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Doctor's Note For My Trip?

Celtic Queen

Recommended Posts

Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted

Hi all,

 

I used to post here quite a bit but have been off the boards for a while.  I have a question.  I am leaving for Poland in about a month.  It will be the first time I've travelled overseas since my diagnosis.  I am flying Lufthansa and have ordered my gluten free meal.  I also plan on packing some snacks to carry on the plane.  Do you think I should get a note from my doctor in case airport security gives me a hard time about my snacks?  The rules about what they accept on board seem to change daily and I have seen some personnel be much stricter than others about carry on items.

 

I've heard good things about Lufthansa's gluten-free meals, but I am worried that there could be a mix up.  And I don't want to be stuck on a plane without food.  DH doesn't want me to be stuck without food either, as I become very, very grumpy :(    Do you think having a doctor's note would help me, or should I even bother?

 

I'm not worried about the food when I get over there, as we'll be staying with some friends who can give us the skinny on where to eat. Plus the Polish Celiac Society has a free restaurant card in Polish on the English version of their website for visitors and I've printed a bunch of copies to hand to waiters.  It's mostly the plane ride that worries me.

 

What do you guys think?  Do you get a note from your doctor before you travel?  Or am I just being paranoid? :P

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I have a note.  Its on the prescription pad.  I keep it in my wallet.  I have never had to use it.  I have offered it but never had to use it.  I say - get one.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Mine is just a brief note that I have Celiac and must not eat wheat, rye and barley.  As those can be in many foods, I should bring my own food.  I just get the doc to make a new one every year, so the date isn't too old.  People may think that celiac disease gets healed.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I have a note.  Its on the prescription pad.  I keep it in my wallet.  I have never had to use it.  I have offered it but never had to use it.  I say - get one.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Mine is just a brief note that I have Celiac and must not eat wheat, rye and barley.  As those can be in many foods, I should bring my own food.  I just get the doc to make a new one every year, so the date isn't too old.  People may think that celiac disease gets healed.

 

 

Same here. Note from GI doc..in my wallet. Never had to produce it, but I like to have it JIK.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Same here. Note from GI doc..in my wallet. Never had to produce it, but I like to have it JIK.

Mine is from my primary care doctor. I bet my OB/ gym would write one, too if that was the next doc to see.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Mine is from my primary care doctor. I bet my OB/ gym would write one, too if that was the next doc to see.

 

yes, I would think any one of your regular docs would be willing to write one. 

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Wow!  How fun!  It's been a decade since I've been to Poland.  We have family and they live near Krakow (the village of Lisia Gora near Tarnow).  I'm hoping to take my daughter when she gets to High School.  Just received another email regarding the Wieliczka Salt Mines.  If you haven't  been there, you've got to go!  

 

 

 

Hummm.....I'm going to get a doctor's note to carry too.  

Dugudugu Rookie
Dugudugu
Posted

I think you don't have to worry about your snacks, it's the liquids you should be worried of. Everytime I fly, I travel with my gluten free snacks, and I passed quite a lot of very secure airports. Enjoy your stay!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted
  • Author

Wow!  How fun!  It's been a decade since I've been to Poland.  We have family and they live near Krakow (the village of Lisia Gora near Tarnow).  I'm hoping to take my daughter when she gets to High School.  Just received another email regarding the Wieliczka Salt Mines.  If you haven't  been there, you've got to go!  

 

 

 

Hummm.....I'm going to get a doctor's note to carry too.  

We are going to stay in Krakow and have been planning on going to the salt mines.  My husband saw them last time he was there and said they were a must see.  My must see thing is Auschwitz.  Not a pleasant tour, but I feel compelled to see it, especially since we'll be so close.  And I want to see the Schindler Museum.  Other than that, I'm game for visiting anything or anywhere in Poland.

 

I hope you get to take your daughter when she gets older.  It's great to be able to see family and your heritage.  DH and I honeymooned in Ireland and it was very special to me when I got to see the town my great grandfather was born in, even though it was a tiny hole in the wall with only a pub and a post office :D

Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted
  • Author

Okay, now I don't feel so paranoid for wanting to get a doctor's note.  Thanks for your help everyone.  I'm going to call the doctor's office and get one just to have on-hand.  Better safe than sorry.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

.  DH and I honeymooned in Ireland and it was very special to me when I got to see the town my great grandfather was born in, even though it was a tiny hole in the wall with only a pub and a post office :D

 

Same here!! both my great grandmother and hub's grandparents --both sets--came from Ireland and we spent our honeymoon traipsing all over and seeing the counties they came from. We went back 3 more times, we loved Ireland so much..

 

BabsV--a member on here--lived in Poland for a while. 

She has not been very active lately, but she may see a PM if you send her one! She's a doll and may have some tips.

Just a thought!

 

Have a wonderful trip! :) 

Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted
  • Author

Thanks IrishHeart, I just sent her a PM.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Thanks IrishHeart, I just sent her a PM.

 

you bet, hon!

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

We are going to stay in Krakow and have been planning on going to the salt mines.  My husband saw them last time he was there and said they were a must see.  My must see thing is Auschwitz.  Not a pleasant tour, but I feel compelled to see it, especially since we'll be so close.  And I want to see the Schindler Museum.  Other than that, I'm game for visiting anything or anywhere in Poland.

 

I hope you get to take your daughter when she gets older.  It's great to be able to see family and your heritage.  DH and I honeymooned in Ireland and it was very special to me when I got to see the town my great grandfather was born in, even though it was a tiny hole in the wall with only a pub and a post office :D

Yes, you must visit  Oswiecimiu.  My husband's family is there.   They lived just outside the walls of the original camp.  If you tried to help you were killed.  To hear their account was horrifying! In Tarnow, my Great Aunt's husband was in the resistance and "disappeared" early on.  Her parents hid her in the cellar, along with her baby, since the Nazi's were rounding up young women to work as housekeepers in Germany (aka slaves).  

 

We plan on going to Great Britain in two years (daughter is a fan of Harry Potter).  We'll visit Ireland.  Both my hubby and I  have a little Irish in us, but I don't think there is any family that we can trace.  

 

It's been fun chatting about this!

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

My doctor's note has never been used, either. I use restaurant cards in the language of the country as well as memorize words in that language for things such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, gluten, etc. This comes in handy with label reading in the shops. We travel internationally regularly and have never had problems with snacks.

Lufthansa does not have the greatest gluten free meals. They are sort of alright. My last one was in May. Let's just say I had to pull out my snacks. Just be prepared for that possibility as well as flight delays which always happen to us at Frankfurt. I have not been to Poland yet but have been to tons of other European countries and have always eaten safely. Don't worry about it much - go and ENJOY!!!

Contact Lufthansa again the day before you leave. A few trips ago they did not have my special meal on a very long flight. Thankfully I was prepared.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I'd have some GoPicnics with me on the flight.

Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted
  • Author

Yeah, I was going to pack some GoPicnics and a bunch of Larabars and Kind Bars.  Plus I was going to lurk on the "Favorite Emergency Food" thread to get some ideas of a few other things.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Jif to go cups and crackers are good too !!  yes, go check that thread!!  :) good stuff!!

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

I have a dr note and had to use it once on a flight from Washington to idaho (can you believe that!!).  Handy to have.

julissa Explorer
julissa
Posted

I just flew El Al to Israel and got stopped both ways due to the food in my carry on. they were going to take it away, I got out my note, and they let it go. I am so glad I had the note with me.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,421
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    ChristinaS16
    Newest Member
    ChristinaS16
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.1k
    • Total Posts
      70.9k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • glucel
      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      By glucel · Posted

      hey knitty, thanks for the follow up. I did buy the benfotiamine before I saw a couple of the side effects that concerned me esp bracardia. I already have irregular heart beat and have had elevated liver enzymes before. I lowered the count by taking milk thistle in case anyone interested. I realize that many side effects are simply for legal protection but at my age and as a recovering heart patient can not take risk. Anyway, been strictly gluten-free since we last talked. I did add 200 mg of vit b1 in addition to the b complex. Not as much b1 as you suggested because of my conservative nature but at least an attempt. I still have substantial bloating which unfortunately is probably not caused by gluten, as I was hoping that gluten-free would clear it up a bit.  I wish that I could report a major benefit from going gluten-free but I can't. But I never got desperately ill as many have reported here and my poor brother who was completely overcome til diagnosed.  Take care  
    • knitty kitty
      How many people here are aware that there are 9 types of gluten that Celiacs should be aware of?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Since lectins occur in almost everything, it's pretty unrealistic to avoid them all.  I didn't understand the rationale behind Dr. Gundry's lists either. Many fruits either contain high histamine amounts or are histamine releasers.  Histamine is made by our body, but we can also consume it in foods, because plants and animals make histamine, too.  Histamine is a neurotransmitter, that results in alertness.  That cup of coffee in the morning?  Releases histamine, so we wake up more.  But histamine is released as part of the immune response in Celiac and other illnesses, causing inflammation.   Our body can clear histamine, but if the body can't keep up with the histamine we are making ourselves as well as the histamine we're eating, we can have serious problems, digestive problems, insomnia, depression.  Some fruits can have high levels of fructose, one kind of sugar in fruits.  Some intestinal bacteria can ferment fructose, resulting in gas, bloating, diarrhea.  So, yes, Fructose Malabsorption can occur in Celiac.   Your dont list...Honey, maple syrup, lectins (and their attached carbohydrates), sugar... ....bedridden...These are all carbohydrates, sugars.  We need Thiamine to turn carbohydrates into energy.  Without sufficient thiamine, we can develop Gastrointestinal BeriBeri which has the classic digestive symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain. Tannins in tea and coffee cleave thiamine in two, making it nonfunctional.   Your do list...hazelnuts, pistachios, pressure cooked potatoes, and yogurt, butter, cheese.... These are foods that contain thiamine.  Pressure cooked mashed potatoes have more thiamine than boiled potatoes.  Those nuts are high in thiamine.  Dairy products are a good source of thiamine.   I can't diagnose, I'm not a doctor.  You read these articles and let me know if anything rings a bell with you.  Yes, I see thiamine deficiency everywhere because it is unrecognized by doctors.  I recognize it because I had it. Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8533683/ Thiamine deficiency disorders: a clinical perspective https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8451766/ Refeeding Syndrome https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564513/ Refeeding Syndrome (a different article...) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33232094/
    • knitty kitty
      Abscesses on legs

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      The AIP diet restricts carbohydrates for the first few weeks.  Excluding carbohydrates changes your microbiome.  The bacteria that live in the intestines that feed on carbs get starved out when you don't eat carbs.  Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs frequently in Celiac Disease.  SIBO can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea, symptoms similar to Celiac symptoms.   When the digestive system is feeling better, then additional foods are added back slowly to look for reactions.  I did not consume carbs for a several months because I felt better without them.  Currently, a "Modified AIP diet" has allowed rice, but doing this won't starve out the SIBO that occurs in celiac disease. I took vitamins and minerals throughout the day and felt great improvement because those essential nutrients were finally being absorbed. Thanks for letting me share what made my celiac journey better.
    • knitty kitty
      Headaches / Migraines and Hypoglycaemia

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello there!  Just wondering how things are going for you.  Did you try the Benfotiamine?  I'm always curious how others fare after taking thiamine.  Hope you can post an update. Hope you're doing well!  
    • Liquid lunch
      How many people here are aware that there are 9 types of gluten that Celiacs should be aware of?

      By Liquid lunch · Posted

      @knitty kitty maybe I’m a little out of touch with fashion having been pretty much bed ridden for so long but this seems ridiculous to me.. ‘As a result of their potential for toxicity and their “anti-nutritional effects” it is almost inevitable that lectin exclusion could well become a big food fad‘ I just can’t imagine anyone avoiding lectins if they didn’t have to. When I first looked at the gundry avoid list I couldn’t understand why so many things were on it that are not high lectin (fruit ect.) and assumed high sugar items must’ve been added because people use the diet for weight loss so I tried eating them and got sick. He’s recently added honey and maple syrup to the approved list by popular demand but I can’t eat them. For me it seems to be almost all lectins, sugar, and possibly tannins because I can’t have tea and not sure what else could be causing the nausea. I’ve had some luck with pressure cooked mashed potato but pressure cooking white rice as gundry recommends didn’t help. The aip diet doesn’t match the foods I can tolerate as well as the gundry list and it seems to be mostly the high sugar things, also some of the aip avoid foods I’m fine with, hazelnut, pistachio. Yogurt and butter is on the aip avoid and again my guts agree with gundry on this, cheese yogurt and butter fine, milk not so much. Now it’s possible to get an igg test it seems an unnecessarily painful and slow process to attempt aip or total lectin avoidance and reintroduction, I wish I’d known about these tests before, it’d have saved me a lot of bother.  
×
×
  • Create New...