I Gave Up Waiting For Insurance Approval...

[Georgia-guy]

(It's a long one, sorry

[cyclinglady]

Wow!  What a relief to know what's wrong with you!  

 

I know that you want to feel good ASAP (and that's your right), but think about the biopsy.  I am sure it will be covered by insurance now that you have positive test results.  It's good to have a benchmark to refer back to in terms of intestinal damage.   But, I completely support you in whatever decision you make! 

 

Beer and pasta.  Ugh!  I was a Bass/Newcastle gal.   Gave up wine years ago as it tends to trigger Rosacea symptoms and I am a vain (not really) person!  I abstained from drinking for a long while in an effort to heal my intestines after my diagnosis.   Then I had my first gluten-free beer about four months into being gluten free while we were camping.  I literally spat it out!  It was disgusting!  

 

So, I tend to drink vodka now.

 

Pasta?  We prefer corn, but like the beer, I would recommend avoiding all your gluten filled favorite foods and beverages until you "forget" what the real thing tastes like.  We have completely embraced yummy homemade baked goods, but we still are not sold on bread.  We prefer to eat rice or corn-based products instead.  

 

Congrats on the health food store being so close to you.

 

I hope the lab costs were not too prohibitive!  I bet it's one of your better investments!  One step towards good health!

 

Keep an eye on your blood glucose......and get some serious rest!

[Georgia-guy]

If they can get me set for a biopsy soon, I will do it. But if it's gonna be more than a couple weeks, I'm not waiting. I'm sure either way there will still be damage present though because from my understanding the villi damage takes a while to heal, unlike the antibodies which can vanish quickly. (Is that correct?)

I myself love Sam Adams, and Blue Moon (especially the fall seasonals

[Georgia-guy]

Another question, is there anything that will help with getting my house gluten free? A how to guide type thing? Like what all do I need to get rid of, what to clean and how, etc?

[NatureChick]

gluten-free soap and shampoo in the bathroom to keep it out of your eyes when bathing. Otherwise, anything plastic, wood, or with a non-stick coating in your kitchen should be replaced. I've heard of people sanding down cutting boards. The toaster oven has got to go too. Mesh colanders have to go, but it you have one of the metal ones with the big holes, you can clean it well enough with steel wool.

Sorry to hear that you insurance was so unhelpful. Watch out. Now that you have a diagnosis, if you are privately insured, there is a chance that they might raise your rates as well. 

Even if they refuse to pay, you may be able to get the insurance-plan rates for the tests, which could drop the costs down into a much more reasonable zone. Just something to think about as you negotiate with them.

Otherwise, the newbie thread is the one you want. It is pinned at the top of this section.

And congratulations on getting a definitive answer. 

[Georgia-guy]

Guess it's a good thing I bought a fancy new pan with a strainer lid the other day. :-) And looks like the only thing I need to throw away is going to be my cooking spoons and spatula (no big deal, they are old anywho), and my real strainer.

My insurance won't be going up, cuz I don't pay it! (Still on my parents til my next birthday) As for the cos for the tests, I've already been assured by my CPA that there is a way to put it on my taxes, so I'm not worrie about it. My property management company is rather cooperative with things, so worst case I will have a late fee (but I'm gonna go talk to them in the morning and explain what's happening).

I will check out the newbie thread then!

[kareng]

On the beer - gluten-free beer does not taste quite like regular beer.  It might be best to wait a few months gluten-free before trying it.  Sort of allow your mouth to forget the taste of regular beer.  Ciders are good - some kinds are sweeter than others. Watch out for "gluten removed" beers.  These are made with barley.  They are "tested" for gluten but there is a lot of debate if those tests work for barley and beer,  

[BlessedMommy]

Congratulations on getting an answer finally! I'm sorry that your insurance company was so ridiculous about it. I have no doubt that that is one reason for the low diagnosis rates of celiac.

 

Here's a guide that may be helpful for you in cleaning out your kitchen. 

 

Open Original Shared Link

[IrishHeart]

Read the book Real Life With Celiac Disease by Melinda Dennis and Daniel Leffler.

 

Don't read a bunch of malarkey on the internet. People have some strange ideas about what to do after diagnosis.

 

New Planet, Bard's pretty good. I drink vodka myself. 

 

Jovial and Barilla gluten-free pastas are good.

 

you got this. Just take it one day at a time, but you really should see a doctor for follow up care.

 

And, I'd get the biopsy done, IMHO because now that you have a DX, they should approve that part. 

 

It's best to have some doctor running the tests and watching your recovery, Imo.

[seejenrun]

Some gluten free products are better than others. I have found it better to avoid most foods that come in a box or can.My son is allergic to corn also so that adds another twist for us. The Tinkyada Pasta Joy rice pasta is good. Make sure to rinse thoroughly after cooking. Udi's brand bread in the frozen foods section is good too. Restaurants don't really 'get' it so I'd be cautious about eating out unless you find one that you feel you can trust. It's just not worth it to lose a day or two being sick after dining out. Take food with you whenever you leave the house. Good luck. It's a big adjustment, but you will feel better.

[psawyer]

Bard's gluten-free beer is good. I like Tinkyada pasta and Udi's bread and buns.

[sweetsailing]

Georgia_guy - you should really look into sending an appeal to the insurance company with your test results and costs and ask them to reconsider coverage.  The worst that can happen is that you are out a bit of time and effort to see if they will reimburse you for the cost of the test.

[cyclinglady]

I was thinking the same thing, Sweet Sailing! After all, in the old days, you would pay up-front and then submit for reimbursement. It would be worth a try.

[IrishHeart]

I triple that idea. Have the doctor's office concur that it is celiac so you have paperwork to show there was justification for the test

and a diagnostic code!  Worth a try!

[Georgia-guy]

I am going to the doctor next week to get a battery of blood work done (CBC, metabolic panel, etc) to see where I'm at with that stuff so I can work with the nutritionist and continued monitoring to ensure they get back to a normal range. My doctor is also concerned about medication levels for my current Rx's, so those will be monitored very closely. While I'm there, I will discuss what I would need from them to submit a request for the insurance to reimburse me. What I did not realize is that since my doc uses the same testing facility as the private lab I went to, my doc is able to request a copy of the blood work directly, so I should have a copy of that tomorrow or Monday without driving back to the private lab. The doc office told me today that they will call the Gastro to try and get me in for an "urgent" endoscopy and biopsy (hopefully within the next 2 weeks). In the meantime, I am going gluten-free, unless someone can convince me that 2 weeks will allow too much healing for a positive on the biopsy.

As far as restaurants go, I do have a place I've become a regular at since moving that I fully trust to handle my food correctly. It's just gonna get me some weird looks from the employees who know my usual habits (ie, a couple beers and a burger).

[june27]

i was a beer snob prior to diagnosis as well.  i gave up alcohol for the first year making exceptions once every month or two for special occasions.  now, i drink mostly wine or hard cider.  i have tried a few beers:

redbridge - i was not a fan of this

greens and glutenburg - i really like both of these.  even my boyfriend thought they tasted good (and he still drinks gluten-filled beer)

dog fish head - i wouldn't really call it a beer.  was interesting and fruity - more like a wine cooler.  a good change of pace, but not something i would want more than 1 at a time

 

pasta - i find i eat more pasta now than i ever did before going gluten-free.  in general, i find that i prefer the ones that are made from a blend of flours best.  however, i do like the tinkyada rice noodles in a soup.  i am not loyal to any brand - i pick whichever one has the shape that i am interested in at the time.  

 

good luck!

[notme]

Bard's gluten-free beer is good. I like Tinkyada pasta and Udi's bread and buns.

 

yeah!  i also like rudi's original bread.  and new planet beer/ale is good but they don't sell it around here  maker's is safe  i use it all the time.  (LOLZ we put it in a spray bottle to spritz a ham w/gingersnap glaze and now, if i walk by it, i spritz my mouth,  it's kind of a joke if i'm discussing something serious, i'll go over and take a spritz.  "go on..........."  )  

[IrishHeart]

yeah!  i also like rudi's original bread.  and new planet beer/ale is good but they don't sell it around here  maker's is safe  i use it all the time.  (LOLZ we put it in a spray bottle to spritz a ham w/gingersnap glaze and now, if i walk by it, i spritz my mouth,  it's kind of a joke if i'm discussing something serious, i'll go over and take a spritz.  "go on..........."  )  

 

  mouthwash with some kick....I LIKE it.

[upsilamba]

I was a beer snob too - although I had mostly stopped drinking it for the free years before I was diagnosed cause it always made me feel sick (mystery solved now, haha)

Congrats on the diagnosis and on finding the health food store! Ordering online is also a great way to go for products you come across or hear about and want to try - often prices are better too. Amazon and vitacost both have lots of gluten-free products.

I don't drink much at all these days, but mostly wine and cider (the aversion to beer from all the sickness it used to trigget is taking time to get over). Redbridge is terrible IMHO, no offense to those who enjoy it. Celia saison and St Peters sorghum ale are the two that are my favorites - even my non celiac beer snob boyfriend enjoys them. Tweasonale (by dogfish head) is pretty interesting if you come across it, though not something I would just knock back with a burger. Greens is pretty respectable, and I also like New Planet and Bards.

I'd caution you against any beers like Omission that are made with barley and claim to be "gluten removed" - I tried Omission and was briefly in heaven thinking I had found a "real beer" again (seriously near tears of joy), but then spent the next day with the most violently ill glutening symptoms I've ever had. There are enough decent options out there made with alternative grains that the risk is just not worth it, for me! And explore ciders - there are a lot of craft cideries springing up over the last few years that make really great, interesting ciders, and getting pushed to explore them more had been a genuine upside of losing gluten : )

For pasta, tinkyada is good, as are quinoa pastas. But my favorite are the bean pastas by explore Asia (mung bean linguini especially). They're a bit different than traditional pastas, but in a way that seems more intentional instead of like it's trying and any failing to be normal, haha : )

Good luck with everything! I hope you feel better, and find some great gluten-free meals soon! You might want to wait on the restaurant until you feel really confident on all the precautions you need them to take for you from your own experience in cooking, so that you know you're giving them good instructions. But we all find our own balances of risk that we're comfortable with : )

[Georgia-guy]

Thank you all for the recommendations! Now I have some feedback on what others like, which gives me a starting place to begin exploring the world of gluten free products.

You might want to wait on the restaurant until you feel really confident on all the precautions you need them to take for you from your own experience in cooking, so that you know you're giving them good instructions. But we all find our own balances of risk that we're comfortable with : )

Upsilamba- I spent 6 years managing restaurants having to listen to all kinda of different requests from "no salt" to celiacs. I've had experience in cooking the allergen requests myself. :-) That makes me feel comfortable with eating out and knowing what to tell the kitchen. And I just found out today that one of the cooks has a family member who has celiac, which boosts my confidence when he is back there.

[Azenka]

New Grist makes a light beer from sorghum I like a lot.

[Georgia-guy]

So I couldn't fight my craving for pasta...I tried some Rozinni gluten-free pasta today, and it tasted pretty good! Getting the right tenderness was tricky, but I managed. And I am happy to say, it's the first time in idk how long that I have eaten pasta without feeling like crap afterwards or passing out in 30 minutes!!!!