Hi! I'm A Newbie

[Mandy F.]

HI All! I just wanted to say how much great information I have found on here and how glad I am that there is a site so dedicated to this disease! I also have Endometriosis and never found an endo site with so many supportive and informed members.

Well, I was officially diagnosed with Celiac about two weeks ago after having an endoscope in March. I’m generally kind of angry about being diagnosed at all . I had gone to my doctor because I was passing mucus with (and sometimes instead of) regular stools for about two weeks and thought I probably had IBS given my family history. My family doc thought the same thing and referred me to the GI. The GI did blood work and it came back negative but the biopsy from the endoscope came back positive.

Until I started reading some of the posts on this board, I thought that I had never had symptoms at all because I chalked it all up to endo (anemia, constipation, frequent illnesses, etc). But now I see just how much of this, and other symptoms that I had in my teens that had gone away, could be part of the Celiac.

I’ve been trying to go gluten free over the past couple of weeks but it’s not going all that great because I’m never home to cook. Right now, I’m at work for almost 100 hours per week (I’m a home health aid and sleep at work) and at school for another 24 hours per week. I sometimes don’t go home for two or three days at a time… I used to keep food in my car that I could just heat and eat (oatmeal, canned soup, etc) but thus far, I haven’t found many foods that I can keep in my car that are gluten free. I have been avoiding gluten, though, I just skip meals a lot more often than I'd like and eat a lot of salads.

On top of everything, I got sick with a sinus infection the day before my GI called with the results. My family doc put me on antibiotics and I was still sick 5 days later so I called for a new antibiotic and the second one gave me unbearable side effects after being on it for another 5 days. Now I’m still sick but my doctor has no idea what it is. My sinus infection symptoms have gone away but my glands are still swollen and I’m exhausted. My doc checked me today for mono (negative) and is testing me for another virus and lupus because my sister was diagnosed with lupus the same day I got the Celiac diagnosis. I just keep thinking, “Wouldn’t it be fun to be diagnosed with two auto immune diseases in one month!”

I’m sorry this is so long and ranting . I guess I’m just frustrated and my friends just don’t seem to get it. Any advice that anyone has on being gluten free on the run would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Amanda

[tiffjake]

Hi Amanda! I am so sorry that you have been so sick! It sucks, I know. There is one antibiotic, Flagyl, that makes me puke. I can't take it at all (not to mention that I have no idea if it is gluten-free or not.....hm.....). I have been "going" gluten free for 6 months. I still get confused sometimes, especially at resturaunts. I got sick last night from corn chips. I was eating with friends at Chilis (fellow celiacs) and we got the corn chips. We asked if they were "all corn" and the waiter said yes.....but then came back out a few minutes later and said that he found something in the back that said that gluten sensitive people shouldn't eat the chips. We asked why and he didn't know. Then I had a thought.....I asked if they were fried, and he said yes. The chips were fried in a fryer that was used for fried chicken and stuff like that. The cross contamination made me sick. Go figure!!! Before I knew about cc I was always wondering why I got sick when I was trying so hard!!

As far as traveling and eating....I would find the gluten free lists from places you normally eat. Maybe you normally go to McDonalds....their salads are ok (with no chicken) and their dressings have the ingredients listed. I also checked with my local Wendys and their Chilli was ok, so I get a chilli and baked potato when I am out and can't get home quickly. You can check out alot of that stuff by searching the website for that particular fast food place.

Also, there is a company called Thai Kitchen that has (many!) gluten-free noodle bowls that you just have to add hot water to. They are good, and easy. You should be able to get those at the grocery store. My local grocery and wal-mart carry them. There are many flavors and it is made with rice noodles.

There are also LARA BARS that are really good, and lots of gluten-free snack foods if you want snack stuff for the go. I am sure other people know of more..........Nice to meet you Amanda! Tiff

[Guest cassidy]

I eat a lot of meals in my car as well, althought not as many as you probably do.

Couple of suggestions: Eden Organic rice and beans - they come in a can already mixed together. I add salt and cheese on top, but it is a great portable meal if you have a microwave.

I have a lot of bars in my car - I like the Gertrude & Bronner's Hemp Seed bars. There are new ones that are something like Parana that are very good. Lara Bars are also good. I always have tons of these in my car. I also eat Enjoy Life granola bars - they aren't as tasty, but they only have 110 calories and they work for a snack.

Most of the Boost shakes are gluten-free (not chocolate malt) but vanilla, including the high protein is fine. I buy a case at Sam's and keep that in the car.

Fruit leather - like fruit roll-ups are good for very quick snacks.

If you have access to a refrigerator - I have a cooler that plugs into my car. I got it on ebay very cheaply. They make those that also have an adapter to plug into a wall socket as well so you can take them from the car into work.

Cascade Fresh yogurt is good.

Frozen meals - I found Glutino mac & cheese which I really like. Amy's has lot of gluten-free frozen meals, but be careful, many people have been glutened by them. I stick with the cheese enchiladas and those have been fine.

String cheese - Polly-O which is a kraft brand

Hope those suggestions help.

[jenvan]

Wow--your job !! I hope you are getting some time for rest--you need that to heal. One thing I noticed in your post--a family history--of IBS? Is that what you meant? B/c your family history may not be IBS, but Celiac. Your first degree relatives should all get checked out, as well as and 2nd degree with supscious symptoms.

I assume you have access to a fridge at work. What is helpful for me is to make large amounts of food when I cook and freeze leftovers. If you do check chances to cook--cook extra servings you can take later.

Do you have a natural food store nearby? Annie's has quite a few gluten-free soups, as well as Shelton's. On tv dinners--Amy's has quite a few that are gluten-free and delicious. Open Original Shared Link If you do salads--quite a few dressings by Annies and Seeds of Change are gluten-free...

Open Original Shared Link

and of course you can always ck out Kraft products--they will always list gluten ingredients if included. If you are interested in ordering online the gluten-free pantry has precooked, unrefridgerated 'tv dinner' types meals. They are also sell quite a few microwave or add boiling water rice, meat pots. Oh, dinty moore beef stew is gluten-free, if you like that.

If you are eating salads make sure you put some meat on there for protein--add nuts, fruit, beans, rice to bulk it up. I use Deli Selects meat, in the gladware tub. All Sara Lee meats are gluten-free and safe too.

It would also be worthwhile to invest in some gluten-free bread. One of the favorites here is kinnikinnick. You can order online or in some health food stores. If you get the bread, condiments like miracle whip, all french's mustard products, grey poupon, heniz ketchup are gluten-free. Yoplait yogurts are gluten-free--just ck the label and if you don't see gluten on it--its safe. Lundberg--sold at health food stores has some great instant micro rice dishes. Most of Bush's baked beans are gluten-free, if you like those: Open Original Shared Link

Well, all these ideas were random, but hopefully one will help you out. Hang in there! It sounds like your body has taken a real beating and will take some time to recover. If you have any more questions on what I've written, let me know!

[Guest nini]

you've gotten a lot of good ideas already for foods on the run...

a few of the ones I use are fruit leather, Enjoy Life snack bars, salads with tuna on them (keep cans of tuna (make sure they are just packed in water, so they are gluten-free) and then grab a side salad at Wendy's or McD's... I get extra packets of McD's salad dressings to keep in my purse (whenever I get a salad I always ask for an extra dressing) Annie's also has some gluten-free salad dressing packets that you can order online (they do have some that are not gluten-free so just make sure the ones you order are.) I have seen some meals in a cup that you just add hot water to that are gluten-free, I believe The Gluten Free Pantry makes some and there are other brands that do as well... Also, as was mentioned, the Thai Kitchen bowls that are labeled gluten-free that you just add hot water, those are pretty good too. You can also make batches of gluten-free trail mix or versions of chex mix using Health Valley Rice and Corn crisps...when you have some time at home. Put these into ziplock baggies and keep them with you

[chrissy]

i just bought some dried soups in a cup for my girls. the brand is Mr. McDougall's. you just add hot water. the new foil packs of tuna are really handy---nothing to drain. i have also bought pink salmon in a foil pack that my daughter took for lunch.

christine

[Mandy F.]

Thanks for all the advice. Tuna was one of the things I already kept in my car (with boxes of tuna helper... ) I tried a couple of the Amy's frozen meals and they were really pretty good! Things are finally starting to settle down at work so I actually get a little bit of time off each week! Yay! Hopefully that will help and I can start cooking and freezing meals.

[Laura]

If there's a Trader Joe's anywhere near you, look there. They have a multi-page list of all the gluten-free products they carry, which includes some energy bars and the Thai Kitchen bowls other people have mentioned as well as some microwavable indian meals that aren't frozen, and some indian and other meals that are frozen. They also carry chocolate, rice, and tapioca puddings and lots of nuts and dried fruits. And since it's Trader Joe's, it's relatively affordable.

I've also become a big fan of cheese and gluten-free crackers. Or even smoked turkey and cheese on crackers.