shared kitchen - impossible??

[1398-Days]

I'm 17 and I've been gluten free since September. I have not been tested for Celiac because I stopped eating gluten before I could, and at this point I'm terrified to get tested. Since going gluten free I've felt better.. but at the same time it seems like I feel worse. I've been glutened at least 4 or 5 times since New Years, those times were a bit worse. I've also had several times since then, and just since I stopped eating gluten that I've gotten sick due to things like the cookware but with stuff like that it's usually just a bit of bloating and not that bad. My parents got me a new frying pan and a glass pan and all metal utensils, and we use parchment paper or foil on cookie sheets which has seemed to help. However, we still use the same pots and they're metal (not teflon or anything) but they're all scratched up so I don't know if that could cause problems. My dad also uses the same sponge and dish towels for all the dishes. I can think of a million other things that my parents do that could cause CC.. I try to tell them and kind of teach them what to do but they're just not very careful. Not very careful and not willing to give up gluten. Well, my dad has said that it's not really a big deal but my mom isn't as willing and frankly, I don't blame her! I feel like it's also harder for her to believe me about this whole thing because I don't have an actual diagnosis.. I should have waited to stop eating gluten, but I was so desperate that I just did it right then. And after getting glutened pretty badly just the other night (and still recovering from it) I've been reminded again why I don't want to get tested. Plus if I don't have Celiac, maybe just a gluten sensitivity, then I feel like my mom will be even less willing to help. This time that I got glutened was the worst in a while, and it was from the SMALLEST amount of gluten. So I don't think I can handle weeks of being extremely sick and tired and anxious. But how do you live with a shared kitchen without getting sick?? Is it possible?

[SanFranGirl]

You should get the blood test any way, you don't need to take gluten for it and just to see what it says (antibodies can take a long time to return to normal for a lot of people)

I'm sorry about your parents, I have experience with this too. I had celiac disease very very bad when I was diagnosed and I have been very slow to recover, my doctor told me it was really important to have a gluten free kitchen, and she was right, because I didn't start to feel better until I had one. I would say stand your ground with your parents, or move out and have your own kitchen. Having some type of evidence outside of your symptoms that you have it would be useful in persuading your parents though, if not the endoscopy then the blood tests.

good luck