Most Annoying Comments/questions

[carriecraig]

Ok, I got these 2 today, from a co-worker that I have explained everything to one hundred times:

Can you ever eat normal again?

I wish that I had what you have, so I wouldn't be able to eat bread, sweets, etc... and get so fat.

From my DM, over this past weekend:

Can't I just scrape the top part of the peanut butter off, and then you'll be able to have it?

After that, I had to go through the whole minute cross contamination can make me sick. Then of course she has to make it a big deal to my brother and sister-in-law.

From my SIL this weekend:

Rachel had a gluten-free cookie this weekend, and it was actually pretty good.

Thank god I have such a wonderful, understanding DH.

[lonewolf]

From numerous people, the latest last month from a co-worker. When trying to explain that I can't eat anything with wheat in it, she says, "Can't you just eat white bread?"

Another one that I've heard numerous times. "I'd just take some pills like those lactose pills for milk and eat anything you want."

And there's always, "Oh come on, can't you just have a bite? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt."

Liz

[jerseyangel]

Already posted this elsewhere, but, from my husband's aunt who knows someone else with Celiac--"After 3 or 4 years, you will be able to eat gluten once in a while." From my mil, after having explained Celiac to her numerous times: "So, do you get hives?"

[Rachel--24]

I wish that I had what you have, so I wouldn't be able to eat bread, sweets, etc... and get so fat.

I've heard that one sooo many times. How irritating.

The other one I constantly get is "Can't you take a pill?"

Ummm....yeah...I can take a pill, but instead I choose to do it the hard way and not eat ANYTHING with gluten cuz its so much fun to have a restricted diet and worry about getting sick all the time.

HELLO...

[carriecraig]

Ummm....yeah...I can take a pill, but instead I choose to do it the hard way and not eat ANYTHING with gluten cuz its so much fun to have a restricted diet and worry about getting sick all the time.

HELLO...

LOL Rachel!

BTW, where are you in that picture. It looks so interesting.

[jerseyangel]

Yea Rachel--I was wondering about that, too!

[fisharefriendsnotfood]

I've gotten the 'well, can you eat white bread?' and the 'I wish I had that so I wouldn't get fat'. But the best one ever that made me laugh so hard was:

"Wow. Does that mean you can't eat... Cheerios?"

CHEERIOS? Is that what you think of when you think wheat? I thought that was pretty funny. Oh well. I don't get mad at these kinds of things. I think they're funny.

-Jackie

[pumpkin]

New here and recently diagnosed in December. I'm still trying to get used to my "new" self. At any rate, the most outrageous comment I've heard occurred today when a co-worker who happens to be diabetic and a former EMT actually said, "so when can you eat real food again?" What???

[nettiebeads]

I've heard that one sooo many times. How irritating.

The other one I constantly get is "Can't you take a pill?"

Ummm....yeah...I can take a pill, but instead I choose to do it the hard way and not eat ANYTHING with gluten cuz its so much fun to have a restricted diet and worry about getting sick all the time.

HELLO...

LOL! That is about the best answer there is. But you do have to cut the lay people some slack because they don't get it. Look at how many in the "trained" medical communitydon't understand celiac at all! My pet peeve is a coworker of mine - Anything I pick up "it's got gluten" even if it's my food I brought for myself; or he'll say "I've been glutened!" meaning himself, just to annoy me. GRRRRRR

[happygirl]

I once had a manager at a restaurant tell me that the dough in their strombolis didn't have wheat "It's just regular flour-we don't add anything to it, so you can eat this" as opposed to their pizza crusts "We add wheat germ to that, so you can't have it." I never could get it through his head that that "FLOUR" as we know it is WHEAT FLOUR.

Way to go, restaurant manager.

And yes, I love the "just eat white bread" comment. So true. I ate out once, recently, at a large, fairly upscale chain, where they bring out bread baskets. I had gone through the whole deal with the waitress and manager on what I could safely eat. Manager grasped it, and left. The waitress goes, "Ok I'll bring out the bread now." Then looks at me and goes, "I won't bring the wheat bread, I'll just bring the sourdough for you."

Sigh.

[danikali]

When I went home for Christmas, the first thing my Mom said to me when she picked us up at the airport was, "Can you have a McDonalds hamburger?" Yeah, I can Mom. "Really?" NO! "What if you just take the bun off?" (COMING FROM MY MOTHER!)

[fisharefriendsnotfood]

IThe waitress goes, "Ok I'll bring out the bread now." Then looks at me and goes, "I won't bring the wheat bread, I'll just bring the sourdough for you."

Sigh.

I got that too.

-Jackie

[2Boys4Me]

A couple of weeks ago, I took Ty over to his friend's house and was explaining to the dad that Ty has Celiac, and what not to feed him for a snack or whatever, and he interrupted and said, wait, I'll get the nanny, so I was explaining to them not to give him anything with wheat, rye, oats or barley in it, and the nanny said, "Can he have cookies?". In her defense, she was English as a second language, so probably didn't understand much of what I said. So then I said, he just ate, don't feed him anything, if you must, give him an apple or a carrot. Then I looked at Ty and said, "Don't eat anything."

Then just yesterday, when I was calling to RSVP to a birthday party, I asked the Mom if the party location would have a microwave. I said to her, you told me you're having pizza for lunch, and you know Ty can't have pizza, he'll have to bring his own and heat it up. And we'll supply a cupcake, too. Her reaction? He can't even have cake?!

Sometimes, I really dumb it down: He can't have anything with flour in it. EVER. Really. For the WHOLE REST OF HIS LIFE. No, I'm NOT kidding.

[aikiducky]

Another one that I've heard numerous times. "I'd just take some pills like those lactose pills for milk and eat anything you want."

And there's always, "Oh come on, can't you just have a bite? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt."

I've only had these from anyone ONCE. After I get through explaining to them why NOT, they have a glazed expression, mumble something polite confusedly and never ask again.

You know, my sister studies health bio sciences, and I just got into my explanation of IGG and IGA and IGE reactions, and she kept nodding, and then I realised that she actually understood every word! Heh. My whole family is very supportive, but it's so cool that she really understands the mechanism of it.

Pauliina

[Rachel--24]

LOL Rachel!

BTW, where are you in that picture. It looks so interesting.

Carrie and Jersey,

I was at a scrapbook convention. I'm REALLY into scrapbooking and that was the first time I'd been to a convention. Its basically a bunch of vendors selling stuff. I was looking at all the die-cut shapes in the picture. Its a bunch of tilt-bins that you're seeing in the pic...all the die-cuts are in the bins. Die-cuts are just paper cut-outs in all different shapes....not too exciting unless you love scrapbooking....which I do. I was just really happy to be there...hence the big smile.

[jerseyangel]

oh--I see it now that you explain it!

[floridanative]

I had to laugh reading about all these idiotic comments you guys have had to put up with. I'm not off gluten and had the biopsy finally today but when explaining the diet to my Mother at one point, we were talking about green bean casserole and how I couldn't have the fried onions from the can she uses. Well all of a sudden and very excitedly Mother claims 'oh that's okay Saltine crackers work just as well'.

Have you guys ever seen those t-shirts in mail order catologs that say 'I see stupid people'? I really think we all need to get one and wear them around these crazy people in our lives once in a while.

[jerseyangel]

Saltine crackers

[ravenwoodglass]

Have you guys ever seen those t-shirts in mail order catologs that say 'I see stupid people'? I really think we all need to get one and wear them around these crazy people in our lives once in a while.

I've been having a rough day and I really really want one of those T-shirts

[Mango04]

I have coworkers who ask me EVERYday for an explanation of how much money I spent on whatever I'm eating. I usually eat really basic foods too....like the other day I brought a salad from home and a bottle of gluten-free Newman's Own dressing. An enormous deal was made over how much money I must have spent on the Newman's Own dressing...

They even brought up the cost of my salad dressing later that night at happy hour. Sometimes I bring things like rice and veggies and they are like "omg how much did that cost!?!" I try to explain that the rice I eat costs the same as the rice they eat...but they don't seem to believe me. I'm trying to be amused...but it is definitely one of the stranger reactions I've dealt with.

[mookie03]

i was once at a restaurant and the waiter brought me my drink and said "you know, ur disease cant be that serious, b/c vodka has sugar in it too" I was with my parents, who were furious- my mom was like "NOT GLUCOSE, GLUTEN. FLOUR. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!" Ha, it was kinda rude but the waiter was a jerk. I almost walked out of the restaurant!

I too have gotten the "wow is that why u r skinny?" or "i should try that, then i wouldnt eat so many carbs" - its funny b/c ive gained weight since going gluten-free, i always say "wanna trade?"

[CeliaCruz]

I also get a lot of the "oh you can have this, it doesn't have wheat in it...just flour!" And then sometimes I get interesting variations like "oh, but this was made with organic flour, you can have that, right? Or "oh, this is carrot cake." Or "this is fruit cake." Or "try some spinach pasta. I mean I realize that being celiac kind of makes you more informed about the ingredients in food than your average joe, but I've known this stuff since fifth grade nutrition -- long before I even knew what celiac was. What the frig do these people think wheat is exactly?

Also, I've lost weight since going gluten-free so I'm also getting the weight loss comments. "Hey, you look great, maybe I'll go on a gluten-free diet too." Like I'm just "on a diet." (Although frankly, I'm so thrilled to be losing weight that I secretly forgive them for being stupid since it's wrapped in a compliment.)

[skoki-mom]

Carrie and Jersey,

I was at a scrapbook convention. I'm REALLY into scrapbooking and that was the first time I'd been to a convention. Its basically a bunch of vendors selling stuff. I was looking at all the die-cut shapes in the picture. Its a bunch of tilt-bins that you're seeing in the pic...all the die-cuts are in the bins. Die-cuts are just paper cut-outs in all different shapes....not too exciting unless you love scrapbooking....which I do. I was just really happy to be there...hence the big smile.

Ooooh, I am totally into SBing too! Lucky you going to a convention!

[debmidge]

My mother in law's comment:

When making baked macaroni & cheese:, using gluten macaroni: I'll bake it at a high temperature and kill the gluten!

Talk about the power of positive thinking!!

[carriecraig]

I want to thank all of you who added your comments and questions. Reading these today really made my LOL at work, and boosted my mood.

Keep 'em coming!

Rachel--24, that is really cool! I tried scrapbooking when I got engaged, and bought a ton of stuff. It was a lot of fun, but too much work for me right now.