Jump to content

  • 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

First Thanksgiving Since Diagnosis...feeling Anxious

icelandgirl

By icelandgirl
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted

Tomorrow is my first Thanksgiving since my diagnosis. I feel so anxious about it. We will be going to my mom's for dinner. I'm making several things to bring. But I still feel anxious. I don't want to get sick. I trust my mom...she has separate cutting boards, etc to use for when I'm there...but it's such a big meal. So many opportunities for something to go wrong. I also have been eating only meat, fruit and veggies for months but would like to at least try the dessert I'm bringing. But I'm scared to eat something else and get sick.

And I'm also completely annoyed with myself for feeling this way. For being afraid of food. For not feeling like I can just go and enjoy.

Thanks for letting me vent. Any encouragement is welcome.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Maybe they would let you get all your own food first, before it is set out for the others?  To avoid someone dropping a gluteny roll or spoonful of dressing into the safe mashed potatoes?  That is if you believe the food is safe.  

 

Do bring an emergency back-up food - just in case.

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted
  • Author

Hi Karen...I'm fairly sure I can go through first and I know my mom will do everything she can to keep things safe.  My step dad on the other hand doesn't get it.  For example, 2 of my kids have severe peanut allergies...diagnosed years ago...and he's more than a few times offered them peanuts.  Seriously!  So, I'm just worried that he will somehow have gluten on him and somehow touch something.  I realize I'm overthinking.  I do.  And I remember how sick I was last year at this time and it's so much better.  But I don't want to get sick.  One meal isn't worth being sick for a week.

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

It always  is  scary  eating  at  someone else's  home....as we  all know we  can get  ill from  grandma's cooking...but  the  nice  thing  is  your Mom  got  it & she  will give  it  her  best  shot to keep you  safe.....&  another good  point  is  you  know mishaps  happen  so  serve yourself  first & pass  on foods  you are not sure of....maybe  take  your  own stuffing  , dessert  is  a  wonderful way to introduce  non-believers  that  celiac  food  is  not  yucky &  tasteless....

maybe  take  a  gluten ease  or  one  of the  ones  for  accidents (gluten) before  you eat  so  if  a mishap happens  that  may  ease  your  pain....

I'm hoping  you have  a  wonderful holiday &  all goes  well.....

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted
  • Author

Hi mamaw...I agree...Part of my fear is just eating at someone else's house. I've been pretty much eating at home and doing all the cooking. I am bringing the dressing, corn bread and 2 desserts. I think know everyone will enjoy them. I'm going to try to just enjoy the company. Thanks for the well wishes!

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

Pile your plate with lots of your own dressing, corn bread & desserts and be sure you go first. Even if it means scooping out your portions as it comes out of the oven. My first year filled my plate first I hid my plate in the laundry room till time to sit down! lol Get involved with the food prep so that you know exactly what you will be eating. And, if it makes you feel less anxious, take some meat & veggies of your own from home. Whatever it takes to make you feel safe!

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted
  • Author

Lol Cap! Love you doing that with your food. I took the pumpkin roll out of the oven a bit ago and when my 3 year old got up she said, "mmm...what's that good smell?"

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


littleredhead Newbie
littleredhead
Posted

I understand your anxiousness!  This is my first Thanksgiving since being diagnosed as well and I'm a little terrified.  We will get through tomorrow and all will be fine!

 

I'm going to my boyfriend's for dinner and I know there won't be much of anything that won't be cross-contaminated or filled with gluten and it's so difficult to not make it awkward.  If I don't eat anything-- it's awkward, if I bring side dishes and only eat them-- it's awkward, so I'm just accepting the awkward moments and questions that will ensue!  We've been dating for a couple years but we are still in college- next year I think I will bring something because I will know the family well enough!

 

Good luck with tomorrow! <3

Nikki2777 Community Regular
Nikki2777
Posted

I understand your anxiousness!  This is my first Thanksgiving since being diagnosed as well and I'm a little terrified.  We will get through tomorrow and all will be fine!

 

I'm going to my boyfriend's for dinner and I know there won't be much of anything that won't be cross-contaminated or filled with gluten and it's so difficult to not make it awkward.  If I don't eat anything-- it's awkward, if I bring side dishes and only eat them-- it's awkward, so I'm just accepting the awkward moments and questions that will ensue!  We've been dating for a couple years but we are still in college- next year I think I will bring something because I will know the family well enough!

 

Good luck with tomorrow! <3

 

You know, I can't imagine dating with this (I was long married when I got my dx), but I've accepted 'awkward'.  I have come to embrace 'awkward', and made it part of my 'thing'.  Last year, I didn't feel like dealing with it all, so I brought an Artisan Bistro frozen turkey meal to dinner, popped it in the micro and drank wine.  I just tell people that I can't take any risks at all right now, and that one mishap and I'll be sick for three weeks.  Sometimes when we waffle to be polite it's confusing to the people that are not fully informed.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Hi Icelandgirl, it sounds like you will be safe and well taken care of.  I agree that you should help with food prep and get into the food first.  It makes the most sense. Watch out for cc like bread crumbs in the butter that is drizzled on veggies or mashes potatoes, and make sure that bird wasn't stuffed with gluten before you eat it.

 

Happy Thanksgiving.  :)

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

My first TG being gluten-free too..however, we are at my sister's and they are gluten-free as well and have been longer that I have.  Even planning the meal, other than the stuffing (which there are gluten-free options for but they are making the gluten kind too), pretty much everything else is naturally gluten-free so that helps.  We are not pie eaters so that eliminates that issue.  If you are doing buffet style, put the gluten stuff in a separate area.  If you are doing a sitdown meal, maybe keep your gluten free stuff in the kitchen and just dish up in there?  Set aside some turkey and such so it's not being passed around?

BlessedMommy Rising Star
BlessedMommy
Posted

My MIL passed away this year, so nearly all of the Thanksgiving dinner will be gluten free, because I will be cooking most of it and bringing it over. There will be a pumpkin swirl cheesecake and a vegetarian dinner roast for the gluten eaters. I'm bringing a homemade pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and homemade pot pies over. FIL is bringing a veggie tray.

 

I plan to set the gluteny items in a separate area and fill my plate first. I plan to hold my pies over to the side, because the gluten eaters have their own versions and don't need mine. That way I can keep them safer.

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted
  • Author

Thanks all for your ideas and support. I'm still anxious, but determined to have a good day. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

"Awkward" sort of goes along with celiac I think, especially in the beginning. My first dinner party with friends after diagnosis I took my own little plate of food. When I (and my plate) sat down there was total quiet as everyone stared at me. At that time I was not a cook in any way, shape or form! The only comment made by anyone was "Oh, what is that". sigh! lol It gets easier. Everyone, you and those around you, need time to get used to this new thing called celiac.

mbrookes Community Regular
mbrookes
Posted

So, Iceland girl, how did it go?

 

I don't know why this thing is underlining everything and I don't know how to stop it. Guess I will just start pushing random buttons!

icelandgirl Proficient
icelandgirl
Posted
  • Author

Hi mbrookes...it went really well. I didn't get glutened. Yay! I had a bit of an upset tummy the next day but I think it was all the rich food. Lots of butter...not always great for someone without a gallbladder. It was my first Thanksgiving without gall bladder too.

LDJofDenver Apprentice
LDJofDenver
Posted

I hope everything went well and you suffered no ill effects.  We all (celiacs) experience those anxious feelings when we're going to someone else's home to eat.  I cook Thanksgiving so I am in control of all of it, gluten free stuffing and gravy, every seasoning, handling, etc.   I have a very dear friend who had us over this summer for bbq and was trying to be careful but ended up cc-ing me anyway.  Sigh. Some get it.  Some don't.  Sometimes even the ones who "get it" mishandle something along the way.  I've gotten more gutsy over the years about calling ahead and asking what they're making, what ingredients, brands, what side dishes, etc. - often even insisting that I bring the main dish/item (then I know, if anything looks shaky when I get there) that I've got something to eat even if I pass other items by.  Yes, we have to look out for ourselves.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.