New

[lisamax]

Hi there I have just been diagnosed and i just wonder how I cope as it all sounds very confusing as to what I can and can't have.

Please help

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, lisamax!

It is a bit overwhelming at first but in time you will develop a sixth sense of what you should avoid. In the beginning there is a considerable learning curve. Sooner or later it becomes the new norm insofar as your dietary life goes.

Perhaps this will help you get off on the right foot:

Be most wary of eating out at restaurants and accepting dinner invitations from well-meaning family and friends who probably have no clue as to where and how gluten is found tucked away in the food supply. It's best when you do the inviting so you have control over the ingredients that go into dishes. One thing you will need to get a handle on and it's something that takes time and experience, is how sensitive you are to gluten. If you are not particularly sensitive you may not have to be quite as OCD about CC (cross contamination) as some do.

[lisamax]

Thank you for replying. You are right it's very overwhelming. I've been told to make sure I don't have gluten as my celiac disease is very bad. I'm sure in time with plenty of research I will get my head around it

 

[trents]

7 minutes ago, lisamax said:

Thank you for replying. You are right it's very overwhelming. I've been told to make sure I don't have gluten as my celiac disease is very bad. I'm sure in time with plenty of research I will get my head around it

 

What are your symptoms? What led to your diagnosis?

[lisamax]

Everything I ate I was having painful bloating plus going to the loo about 10 times a day, nausea too, excessive wind lol

[trents]

Once you've been gluten-free for a while and healing in the small bowel lining is well along, you likely will find those symptoms subsiding. It can take around two years for thorough healing of the SB lining but you should start feeling much better in a few weeks or at least 2-3 months if you are faithful in avoiding gluten.

[lisamax]

Thank u. I will definitely be avoiding gluten, it has taken 18 months of different tests until they finally thought of doing more bloods and camera tests. I've spent this time in so much pain and was hardly able to eat more than 6 mouthfuls of food before I bloated that bad. My husband is mostly going to go gluten free too as I can't cook due to my disability but I know to be careful of cross contamination.

[trents]

You and your husband need to be aware that kissing can be a source of getting "glutened" if he is still consuming gluten. Something to think about at least immediately after he has eaten a gluten containing meal and traces of gluten containing food might still be in his saliva.

[lisamax]

Thanks. I really hadn't thought about this but thank you for bringing this to my attention 

[Beverage]

Yes it's confusing and overwhelming and distressing. But it will get better as you learn. 

The best advice I was given was by the naturopathic doc that diagnosed me (after decades of mis-diagnosis from traditional docs)..."remember eyes, ears, nose, and throat all lead to the same place."  I'm extremely careful, no gluten in my kitchen, but accidents still happen. The times I have gotten accidentally glutened that drove me nuts to figuring it out was from inhaling (feeding chickens, glue in dust from home remodeling, flour in the air from family having made pies earlier, walking into a bakery, etc.).

Read through the articles in celiac.com (pull down menu at top), especially gluten-free Diet 101.

First concentrate on cleaning out your kitchen of obvious gluten food, and donating pans with non-stick, cast iron, wooden spoons, etc.

Clean stainless cookware really well before using now.  I made sure my dishwasher drain wasn't clogged with anything, and ran all my dishes and cookware through a cycle.

Look at any hair and body products, make sure all labeled gluten free.

Pets? Switch them to grain free, always switch pet food gradually, wash hands really well after petting them for now. Wash all their bedding.

Several people here are very knowledgeable about the typical and not-so-typical nutritional deficiencies connected to celiacs, they are very helpful.  Do a search on common vitamin deficiencies with Celiacs. It's usually not enough to just stop eating gluten and recover, your body needs some help. Get the best quality vitamins you can afford, look for capsules, not hard tablets (I've had much better luck with that anyway).  The forms of each vitamin can make a huge difference.  @KnittyKitty in here is tremendously knowledgeable about that. Many others too.

One step at a time.  Your world will soon be gluten free and you'll be feeling better.  

Ask questions here, lots of really knowledgeable and kind people here will help you.  

[lisamax]

Everyone has been really helpful, my mum keeps offering me biscuits lol, I keep telling her I can't but unfortunately she has alzheimer's so i will just have to keep telling her, bless her. I'm already on vitamins as I also have M.E, C.F.S, THINING BONES, RIGHT SIDE NEUROPATHY and BULGING DISCS IN MY SPINE X3, poor balance so with celiac disease on top of that I'm just trying to adjust.

I'm usually a positive person so I will win in the end I'm sure.

As people we just smile and get on with whatever life throws at us.

On a positive note I have a very extremely supportive husband.

Thanks for all advice and if u think of anything else I will be happy to hear it x

[Elliemae7395]

I went to my pcp  yesterday because of elevated blood pressure. I was feeling nauseated and had loose bm the day before. Still nauseated. Had a bit of fever. I've traced every mouthful I've had. No gluten. No new foods drinks or meds. Then I thought this could all be something else. Just a random stomach bug. But I read an article about sharing toasters with people who eat gluten. While my sister mostly follows my diet she has her own regular bread. It could be the toaster( which is now all hers) or as simple as her not wiping the cutting board. Anyway you have to be mindful of these little things. I realize I sound like a downer but I myself am trying to get a handle on this new life.

[lisamax]

I have my own toaster too. My husband is mostly gluten free but we try to be extra careful. I'm sure I will get to grips with it eventually. But the cost is crazy x. X 

[Elliemae7395]

Yes it is expensive. Especially when you have to accommodate 2 dietary issues. My partner was diagnosed with diabetes just after my diagnosis. He relies on me. But he does eat out several times a week. I do not. Too scared for sure. Luckily really only the different bread is an issue. The gluten free food is crazy expensive and prices vary from store to store. Supplies vary too. It can be scary sometimes

 

[trents]

The extra cost of eating gluten free can be minimized by focusing on simple, make it yourself fresh foods, such as fresh meat, veggies and fruit and eliminating the gluten free facsimile baked goods and confections as much as possible. It's the ready made gluten-free alternatives that drive the cost up.