New Here...feeling Stuck

[Laurenskii]

I was diagnosed with celiacs last week. While I'm completely devastated about this life change I'm also happy to FINALLY have a reason to why I feel so terrible. And let me tell you, most of my medical problems in my life can be tied back to celiacs.

I wasn't given any real info by doctors just that I need to start following a very strict gluten/dairy free diet. I'm learning quickly that eating out is pretty much not an option and most of my favorite foods are no longer "allowed"

I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement or for people who understand. My significant other has decided not to go gluten-free with me so I'm paranoid about cross contamination. Help?

[kareng]

Welcome.  It gets easier as you go along.  I live with gluten eaters but they are committed to keeping me safe. Here are a few places to get started.  You don't have to learn it all at once.  I have to go get the links so I will be adding for a few minutes here.

 

 

Newbie topic:

 

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

 

See what people are eating:

 

 

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/75238-the-whats-for-dinner-tonight-chat/page-469#entry893069

[1desperateladysaved]

Bread use to be my favorite food, but now I can't wait to have a sweet potato, kidney beans, or almond granola.  You will be able to find news foods to really like. When you start feeling better, it will be worth the trial of learning.

 

Get well,

 

D

[ItchyAbby]

Welcome! You have arrived at the right place even though no one really wants to be part of this club at first.

 

I am fairly newly diagnosed - been about 4-5 months - and I remember the feeling you are talking about all too well. Suddenly the whole world of food seems closed off to you and it feels terribly unfair and scary at times. It's okay. Allow yourself to be pissed and mourn a bit - this is no small thing you are doing. It's a major life change. It's a completely new food reality. Really, it's okay. And I can tell you that it does get better. All I could think about for the first month was all the restaurants that I could no longer visit. Now I do not think about it much at all. Instead, I dream up fun recipes to try out. You are changing habits and that takes time and patience - some days you may feel inspired and other days you just want to cry in front of the open refrigerator. And then, at some point within a month or maybe two, you may start to realize that the way you are eating feels "normal" now. That's what happened for me.

 

You will find new favorite foods, I promise! There is SO much good food that is naturally gluten free. You may even find yourself trying strange vegetables or foreign cuisines that you had previously ignored. Try to stick to a mostly whole foods diet, instead of the many processed gluten free foods flooding the market now.

 

Regarding sharing a kitchen with a gluten eater: I do not have experience with this as my SO is gluten-free but there are plenty here that do successfully use a shared kitchen. There is a lot of info here about that as well: https://www.celiac.com/search?cx=partner-pub-2870123369516656%3Ae1y9um-mqfh&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=shared+kitchen&sa=Search&siteurl=www.celiac.com%2F&ref=www.celiac.com%2Fgluten-free%2F&ss=4366j1279592j26

 

Make sure your significant other understands just how important it is that the gluten containing items are kept strictly segregated and that their teeth MUST be brushed thoroughly after eating anything with gluten before kissing you.

[WinterSong]

What is wonderful about this board is that we all are in (relatively) the same boat. It's a wonderful, supportive community. I found a lot of comfort here when I was first diagnosed, and I still do. 

 

Browse around the boards for a bit. It may seem overwhelming at first, so just keep taking one step forward at a time. Focus on the positive aspect of finally having a diagnosis, and be proud that you are taking charge of your health! 

 

Welcome to the community! 

[GF Lover]

I was diagnosed with celiacs last week. While I'm completely devastated about this life change I'm also happy to FINALLY have a reason to why I feel so terrible. And let me tell you, most of my medical problems in my life can be tied back to celiacs.

I wasn't given any real info by doctors just that I need to start following a very strict gluten/dairy free diet. I'm learning quickly that eating out is pretty much not an option and most of my favorite foods are no longer "allowed"

I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement or for people who understand. My significant other has decided not to go gluten-free with me so I'm paranoid about cross contamination. Help?

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Like so many of us, it has also been a lifetime of problems getting to this point.  Trust me, it gets so much better from here. 

 

I have a shared kitchen and it is completely doable.  When talking to your hubs, use words like "protocol" and "regimen" to explain the needed procedures to keep you safe.  Take a few days to deep clean your kitchen cupboards, drawers, pantry and refrigerator.  Use the top selves for gluten free foods to avoids spills on to them.  Get separate condiments that have been double dipped as they are contaminated and label them gluten-free.  Avoid sponges and wash clothes and use paper towels.  The counter tops must be cleaned after anyone uses them.  Use a separate butter dish.  Buy a new toaster designated gluten free, new cutting board.  If you have Teflon cookware, get separate for gluten-free use.  Try to replace anything plastic with glass or stainless.  If it can scratch, it can hide gluten.  Check all you medication/supplements for gluten and any make-up, lotion, lip balm that may get in your mouth.  Tell hubs he has to brush before kissing on lips.  Remember, your hubs will pick up the attitude that you convey. 

 

This all gets really easy after some practice, don't worry.  The Forum is packed with real life practical advice.  Read the Food Threads for great meal ideas. 

 

Good luck with your transition. 

 

Colleen

[Laurenskii]

Thanks everyone! I have the day off and I think I'll get to that "deep clean" of cabinets and the fridge. I think I went a through my mourning stage when I was told I can't do dairy (before I was diagnosed with celiacs) now I'm ready to start feeling better!

[mbrookes]

Your SO will catch on, too, if he is a good guy. My husband is not gluten free. He keeps a loaf of bread and hamburger buns in a closed bread box. When we go out he eats all the gluten he wants. He has become more phobic about cross contamination than I am, because he has seen what it does to me. What I'm saying is, he doesn't have to be gluten free, just aware of the situation.

[eers03]

Hi!  Welcome.  This forum is fantastic.  You are in the right place.  Congratulations on finally getting an answer to your medical questions.  I recommend the following resources:

 

1. Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide 2012/2013 Edition Matison & Matison.  Its a small 500 page shoppers guide of all the foods/brands that you CAN have.  When in doubt, this book is a holy grail.

 

2. Shopwell app for iPhone-In a pinch or if pressed for time, this is a pretty reliable app that you can use to scan a barcode and it will tell you if gluten is in the item you scanned.  I have seen it give me false positives but no false negatives so its pretty good.

 

3. Myfitnesspal app-if you need to change your caloric intake goals to suit your new diet better, this app is a great tool for entering and tracking your daily nutrient intake and even create goals based on your height/weight.

 

4. Be patient. 

 

5. Most of the questions you have, someone in this forum probably has an answer to it.  Just ask.