Newly diagnosed and scared to touch anything outside of my own home...

[cnazrael89]

Newly diagnosed with Celiac disease by blood and biopsy. I've been eating gluten free (whole foods only) for 2 weeks and it has been about one week since my wife and I did the huge purge of every gluten containing product in our kitchen and cleaned everything in the kitchen we could and replaced things that are recommended to be replaced. After doing that I felt really comfortable in my kitchen again and felt safe.

Now, when I go to work that is a different story. I share a small office room with 5 other people. While I am at work, I am the only person in the office space besides when the shifts change over. We have 2 mini refrigerators in the office and let me tell you...my co-workers are fairly messy with their food. I physically can see crumbs on the desks/keyboards at times when I come in and they certainly aren't careful with food in the refrigerators. The other day, there was literally a flour tortilla just laying on the refrigerator shelf on the rack (no plate or anything)!! I have been coming in and wiping desks, keyboards, phones, computer mouse, refrigerator handles, etc. with disinfecting wipes...Am I going crazy??? Or is this a real thing and risk to my health and I should continue to practice this level of precaution? I'm all freaked out about cross-contamination since I am being so careful at home with my food choices and cleanliness. My lunch bag goes in the refrigerator at work too but has a zipper and would minimize risk of anything falling into it but will get contaminated on the outside probably.... Any thoughts or comments on any of this? Am I going overboard? I certainly cannot ask my co-workers to adapt to my diagnosis/needs...

[RMJ]

You may be going a little overboard. Do you share desk space/computers etc? Disinfecting wipes won’t destroy gluten - it must be physically removed. But touching gluten isn’t a problem if you wash your hands before eating or touching your mouth.

My husband still eats gluten at home and splashes food onto his keyboard. If I use his computer I just wash my hands afterwards.   

Keep your lunch sealed up until you eat, wipe off the outside if it may have crumbs on it, clean a space for eating, wash your hands, and you should be good!

 

 

 

[cnazrael89]

Thank you for your response! Yes, it is shared desks/computer's, etc. I guess the purpose of the wipes was to physically wash and remove crumbly bits and food that may be there. Thank you for your advice and I will be sure to be frequently washing my hands and having a clean space for eating my lunch. 

[Scott Adams]

I agree with @RMJ and keeping your food in containers, including when heating it, should keep you safe. The crumbs should not be able to affect you unless you get them in your food, or touch them and then put your fingers in your mouth without washing them.