I am not sure how to feel...

[ShortsGirl]

Hello all.. New here. So I was originally diagnosed when I was just 14 years old. The doctors told my parents that in order to live a happy healthy life I would have to follow a gluten free diet... Well being only 14 and not able to do my own shopping that did not happen because my parents swore that the doctors were wrong and everything I complained about was in my head. So fast forward to 24 years old, been living 10 years after diagnosed in absolute misery because I was not eating the way I should of been the entire 10 years. I see a doctor they diagnose me again with Celiac Diease. So I decide to start eating gluten free and start feeling a little better. I have more energy and I've even gained some weight when I thought that was impossible for me. Anyway... here I am almost 28 years old now and my parents are still telling me its all in my head no matter what proof I give them. They will try to get me to eat something and I will say I can't and I usually get the response " just eat it, it wont kill you". Why wont my parents take this seriously? Do they truly not care? Do they think its all a joke? I just want to know if anyone else has dealt with something like this and if so how did you get through it because some days it's really hard. Thanks for reading. 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum @ShortsGirl! People just have a hard time believing that something touted as being healthy ("whole grains" you know) and is the world over depicted as the "staff of life," as being bad for you. You might find this hard to believe but this is an attitude that still persists even with some physicians who see celiac disease as the latest "fad disease". The other factor is that most people don't understand the true nature of celiac disease. They view it as a food allergy rather than an autoimmune disorder that destroys the lining of the small bowel and greatly reduces the ability of the small bowel to absorb nutrients from the food we eat. A high percentage of celiacs face this kind of attitude from friends and family members. One suggestion I have is for you to educate yourself on the nature of the disease and put together a concise bulleted handout with pics that will help them understand the seriousness of having celiac disease. Still, some will blow it off. It's just how people are. I think you might find yourself resonating with this article: 

 

[Scott Adams]

It's very unfortunate to hear that your parents did not, and still do not, take celiac disease seriously. Have they ever Googled information about the disease? I doubt they will find a single source that says it should not be taken seriously, or that people with it should not go gluten-free.

[knitty kitty]

@ShortsGirl,

My heart goes out to you.  My family was in denial, too.  

Celiac Disease is genetic, and, unless you're adopted, at least one of your parents has the celiac disease genes, too.  Gastrointestinal celiac disease symptoms are often ignored, brushed aside, or blamed on stress.  But there are other health problems connected to celiac disease that may not be obviously related. 

Both of my parents had undiagnosed, untreated Celiac Disease.  I've got two celiac disease genes, one inherited from each parent.  My father had cardiovascular - pulmonary problems.  He had survived an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (Triple A), but years later passed due to pneumonia and complications.  My mother passed from Glioblastoma Multiformae (malignant brain cancer).  

The mortality rate of undiagnosed and untreated Celiac Disease are four times higher than the general population.  

Increased Prevalence and Mortality in Undiagnosed Celiac Diseasea

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2704247/

So the next time your mother says "Just eat it, it won't kill you"....disagree and ask if her will is in order.  

Apologies for being so morbid... in hindsight, I wish I had made a bigger noise... 

Prayers for you and yours.

[Mari]

Hi Shortsgirl -  = So sorry that your parents are not accepting of your need to stay Gluten Free. You need to get out of this game they are using to convince themselves that you are a person that does not have this problem. Kitty knitty wrote that they are in denial. That is often a word associated with addiction. It is well known that wheat and or gluten grains are addictive. It is very difficult for an addicted person to acknowledge an addiction if it does not seem harmful but is such a good tasting and satisfying food. 

My opinion is that talking to a councilor or therapist may lead you to not play this game with them and be able to just say no to eating their food with a smile on your face. It seems that you are carrying a big load of anger and frustration. It is true that you will need to make some changes to how you act when with your parents. I hope you will give this approach some thought and learn to become and act like the adult you are rather than the child you used to be.

 

 

[PA Painter]

I'm new too. I'm still only 6 weeks into my first gluten free attempt. My Mother just feed me cornbread and insisted it was gluten free. After I ate I checked and sure enough it was made with wheat flower. I'm not taking it personal but I will be preparing my own meals from here on out because I already feel better than I have in 20 years.

[trents]

You can purchase wheat free/gluten free cornbread mix (I use one by Krusteaz) but most traditional cornbread mixes do contain wheat flour.

[brian1]

I'm not ur age and since changing to gluten-free have put no weight but you still very young and it probably mines due to age u probably convince them one day that's your parents