17 With Celiac

[Guest hockeybabe]

hey my name is Chelsea I am 17 and just found out that I had ceilac in July of 2003. I went through denial when I first found out and absoulutely refused to be on my diet! well that was probably one of the worst decisions I have ever made !! Did anybody go through a denial period? WELL.... now its january and I have started my diet, I've only been on it for 9 days but I already feel so much better! Suicidalturtle, I so know what you're going through when it comes to people offereing you things just to be mean! I am a senior in highschool in Texas, and kids can be soo cruel! and its so funny they think its soo awful that I cant drink! I just laugh and tell them there is other things I can do to keep my self occupied and enjoy stuff! reading your post made me realize that there are people out there I can talk to and that DO understand me! thank you so much!!!! if anybody wants to chat can email me at dhshockeychic73@aol.com or can talk to me on AIM my screen name is dhshockeychic73!!!!

[hapi2bgf]

I found out I had Celiacs at 32 years old. I spent a large portion of my 20s sick with a variety of problems. All I can tell you is that high school has to rank as one of the lowest part of my life. You may not be able to have beer, but there are plenty of other things you can have and will not make you sick. Find your true friends and get your self healthy. Life gets much better after high school. Good luck!

[Guest cool2bkt]

Hey Chelsea! I'm Katie and I'm 17 too. I was just diagnosed in June, and I hate it! School has been a pain... I've missed so much both at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. I'm starting to feel a little bit better, but not much. I didn't have an easy time adjusting either. I didn't cheat because I was too scared about getting even MORE sick. I did have a lot of problems with teachers who couldn't understand why I was missing so much school. The majority of my friends stopped hanging out with me because they thought I was just lazy for missing so much school and just wanted attention. Most of them still do (yeah, like anyone would give up cookies and pizza for attention!) If you want to talk sometime, I basically live online, and my AIM sn is nyfcclak8e Hope to chat soon!

Katie

[JsBaby-G]

Chelsea

I has diagnosed when I was 15 (I am now 22) I went through a very long denial period for about 2 years. It started with "no I can eat whatever I wany, how bad can it be" to "ok it can get pretty bad, but if I eat a little it won't hurt me" that phase lasted awhile untill I realized that it wasn't worth the pain. Don't worry your not alone!!

Katie

The same thing happened to me, all my friends ditched me because when I was sick all I wanted to do was sleep. Then they too thought I was doing it all for attention. Even doctors thought I was doing it for attention I said to them " yeah like a 17 year old sits in the emergency room on a Friday night for attention" Then I learned people are ignorant of what they don't understand. So what if you can't drink beer, it tastes like crap anyway!!!

You girls are not alone!!

[huletts]

I am also 17 with Celiac and was diagnosed in June. My name is Eleis and I live in New York. It has been tough, but well worth it since I felt so miserable beforehand. Some of my friends have been great, others make jokes about it but I guess no one really understands what I go through. It would be great to have a celiac friend who understood everything! If anyone wants to talk, my email address is eleis13@aol.com and I use aol for IM as well and am almost always on!

Look forward to talking to someone soon!

[bekilivingdeadbabe]

hieveryone, i'm beki, i'm 17 and i've found out last week that i have coeliac disease . i have been reading the posts on here and they have made me feel like i'm not alone. i live in england and i dont know anyone else who has it. i'm finding it really really hard to come to terms with the fact that i have to change everything i eat. i'm also a vegetarian which doesn't help, and my favourite food in the world is pasta! i've tried the pasta made of corn, and its ok... but when will i get used to this? i'm also moving out soon, and i am shocked at how much gluten free food costs! i know i can get food on prescription, and its free at the moment but i'm dreading having to pay out all this money. my boyfriend is being really supportive, but nobody in my family really understands, and at college people taunt me with toast!

i have been gluten free for 6 days now and i'm already feeling slightly better, so i guess its gonna be worth it....but i need help!

beki

[Nin]

I am lots older than you guys, but want to say I am impressed that you are taking care of yourselves and finding support through places like this.

I subsribe to the newsletter that this site offers and there is lots of very good articles and recipes etc.

You are young and so by learning all of this now you will avoid getting all the problems that people run into when they are undiagnosed for many years.

New research is showing that far more people are walking around with this problem than was ever expected, something like 1 in 33. So chances are some of your friends have celiac and just don't know. As your health improves and people notice, you will see reactions from friends/family will change.

[azza]

Hey all,

What's the matter with the no. 17?? I'm also 17 and looking forward to talk with people having the same problem... But you guys should thank God you have gluten-free food... Here where I live in Dubai, there are nothing for gluten-free except rice crackers and rice cakes... Nothing to substitute "bread"!! And, I also found no all of the ingredients of the recepies such as: tapioca flour, brown rice flour, potato flour, xanthan gum, and guar gum... And whatever recepies I do go to the garbage... I don't know if anyone of you can help me with some Breakfast ideas.... That would be wonderfull....

Azza,

[s-berry]

Beki-

You can get your gluten-free food as a prescription???? Thats awesome. Here in the states it's bad too. Supposedly there is a tax break here for people with celiac disease but it involves keeping all of your recipts from grocery shopping the entire year and it sounds like a pain.

I've discovered that there are cheap ways to eat. When you want to eat out, go for Indian. I know there are some great, inexpensive Indian restaraunts in London or you could try Thai food too. Sushi is good as long as you bring your own gluten-free soy sauce.

I basically live off of rice which I buy in bulk. I put it in soup, use it in casseroles that require pasta and it's just as good. The most difficult meal for me is lunch. So many meats have gluten in them and so do most salad dressings. I work in a large hospital and you would think that they'd be accomodating, but they're not. I usually stick to salad with my own dressing.

I hope everything works out for you in the end and if you find that people, you doc, insurance company, or your government aren't being accomodating to your needs, then raise hell and "rock the boat". We need to bring as much attention to celiac disease as possible anyway!

Cheers!

-Steph

[stargirl]

Hi, I'm 17 and a diagnosed celiac for 8 months. I'm a little starved for young celiac anybody. They only ones I know are in their forties. Anybody feel lonely?

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I am slow and just now seeing this thread. Chelsea I think I have talked to you before, maybe?

I never went through a denial thing cause it was more "Well, that makes sense" since I was sick everyday. I am glad you are sticking to the diet!

Beki, the veggie and gluten-free thing can be done! I like rice pasta best but a lot of people don't like it. I think there are a few other veggies on here, too.

Stargirl, yes, it is a bit lonely at support groups being so not the age of every one there. The closet person I know is age 9 and that's cool but not very close to my age. Luckily, I got to meet celiac3270 and it was really cool to see in real life someone my age (well, I am a bit older than him being that I'm 19) and just made me feel not so diff.

Azza, try Kinnikinnick bread- it's brilliant. I always have loved fruit for breakfats but Kinnikinnick bagels are so yummie, too.

I kinda responded short but yea. Yay for more younger people at the board!

Kristina

[stargirl]

I agree with you. I don't mind the food stuff at all really other than having to talk to so many people when I go out to eat. Where I live there isn't a support group for anyone let alone teenagers. My mom and I have been talking about trying to start one up so we'll see.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

You should try to set up one then. You are young and it will be benifical for years to come. Myabe you should look broader for your groups. For one of mine I have to travel a bit to get there but at least it's there!

Kristina

[stargirl]

Probably but traveling is such a pain at this point in the year. Once everyone starts school its like there is no longer anytime for anything. It's just a lot of work at a really busy time of life. Not to mention I won't even be here next year since I'll be gone to college, so even if I get it set up I'll be gone for three quaters of the year.

[celiac3270]

Wow......many, many, 17 year-olds.........see, stargirl? I told you there were a lot!

[stargirl]

LOL, point taken celiac3270. It can just seem lonely out in the real world, it's not a common thing yet. Hopefully if we can continue to educate people about celiac disease it won't be so hard for people to understand. Maybe we can create a major food market for ourselves. We're making progress. I just have low days sometimes and I don't feel like anyone really understands. I'm sure everybody here has an idea of what I'm talking about, it's such an individual struggle.

[Sterndogg]

I might be a little old for this forum (currentluy 24) and was diagnosed about 9 months ago after a trip to China visiting a former college buddy who was teaching english in Shanghai. I noticed a bloated feeling (no other symptoms) on the plane ride back to Boston and decided to get tested for parasites. Sure enough I tested positive for giardias but even after the drug cocktail I was still feeling lousy and was losing weight. After more tests and seeing infectious disease doctors with still zero answers I finally went to see a GI doctor who asked me if I had ever heard of Celiac Disease. As a Biology major I had heard of it but didn't know the exact specifics aside from it was one of many autoimmune disorders. The doctor explained some of the possible symptoms and more and more it seemed to fit. Sure enough blood work and the staple endoscope determined I was gluten-intolerant. My worst nightmare had come true...not being able to eat pizza, pasta and beer!!! At first I was 100% in denial and continued to drink beers for another month or two after diagnosis. I never would get sick but would feel very bloated. I finally realized that being gluten-intolerant was not the end of the world and there were much worse things out there and if I continued to harm myself down the road I'd end up with one of those awful things. I try to be gluten free as much as possible and its working and I'm feeling great. The thing I miss the most is the beer, and being spontaneous in picking up food or going out in a pinch. However, we just have to compromise and spend more time looking at labels. However, after reading about all the junk that some of the foods I used to love contain...I don't feel too badly now. Instead of beer for me I drink hard cider, hard alcohol or wine. Instead of pizza, I make my own dough or get pre-made dough which isn't too bad at all. Infact, many of the restaurants in Boston actually have Gluten-Free menus, and now that I'm a celiac it seems that everyone is one too...in the company I work for there are 4/70 people (including myself) who are gluten intolerant, as well as hearing that friends of friends are celiacs too. It's much more prevalent but since it's so difficult to diagnose many go undetected for years (took basically a year to figure out I was a celiac).

Best,

Adam

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Hello, Adam! Yes, being glutenfree is not the end of the world. Once you get familiar with what you can and can't eat it gets easier. The drinking thing can be a hassel but you are right about there being other choices.

[stargirl]

It is amazing how many people you meet who have celiac. I'm always so pleasantly suprised.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

. . .I've only met people at support groups. . .well, then celiac3270 but I already knew he had it, hahaha. I think it'd be rather funny to met someone randomly who has it.

[stargirl]

I have, it was exciting and disappointing. It was neat to see somebody else who has celiac disease but she was a newbie and kept trying to advise me on food and I was nervous to eat what she suggested.

[badandi2005]

I'm 17 as well and was just diagnosed on Friday when I went to visit my allergist. I'd never heard of celiac disease-- although my mother had-- before then, and my primary care physician had always attributed my reactions to allergies rather than celiac disease.

As it's only been a few days since the diagnosis, it hasn't really sunk in that I'm going to have a major lifestyle change. However, it's been a little difficult to keep myself away from the regular cookies and such that my sisters are snacking on. Does anyone else have siblings who don't have celiac?

[stargirl]

Hi, welcome to the forum. I have an older brother who has Celiac and a younger sister who doesn't. You should try looking around and seeing if you can find some yummy snacks for yourself that are gluten free. I know that one of our local health food store carries some cookies called Frookies and some crackers called Nut thins. Both are yummy and help me with cravings. Give yourself some time to get used to the idea of being gluten intolerant, but stay away from gluten!

[KaitiUSA]

Hi My name is Kaiti too and I am 17. I was diagnosed early this year and I know what you all went through. People just don't get it. I get asked out and I have to say listen I can't go certain places and have certian things. I know there are alot of things we can all still have tho snickers, tcby ice cream, and there is a brand out called Glutino and you can get pretzels and cookies and they taste the same. Believe me I had to try a lot of yucky stuff and then I found that brand. Also Amys Mac and Cheese and garden vegetable lasagna...SSOOOOO GOOD and gluten free. There is also a rice crust pizza out that tastes good to. E-mail me sometime if you guys ever want to talk or need to know anything I have a whole list of stuff. One of my friends who also has Celiac works for the state of MD with some celiac info thing and she always gets the latest stuff hope to hear from you soon my sn is Jesus4ever21 and e-mail is Jesus4ever21@aol.com

[num1habsfan]

I'm 20 currently, but I was 18 1/2 when I got real sick and diagnosed. If any of you guys needs to talk(well I already talk to you Kris lol) you can feel free to talk to me on any messengers..just look in my profile to get my usernames

I'm online a lot too so you could always catch me somewhere lol..

~lisa~