Almost Convinced My Sister

[Mandy F.]

Since I've been diagnosed with Celiac, I have been urging my whole family (except my dad because he's probably the healthiest person I've ever known) to be checked. All of them have a history of IBS (except for me ironically) and have other health conditions such as lupus, diabetes, allergies, chronic sinusitis, ulcerative colitis, and osteoporosis.

A few weeks ago, my little sister came to live with me and for the first couple of weeks, the only gluten she ate was a sandwich at lunch and she kept telling me how great she was feeling. Now, she's settled in, she's been eating more gluten and saying how awful she's been feeling. So, last night at dinner, I convinced her to try to go completely gluten free for 6 weeks and then go out to eat at The Old Spaghetti Factory and thuroughly enjoy a completely horribly gluteny meal. and she agreed to try it!!!

I'm so excited because now (at least for a little while) I'll actually have someone else to eat gluten free foods with and won't feel so horrible asking the 20 questions everytime we go out to eat... I'm hoping she'll stick to it and I'm pretty convinced that she'd have Celiac if she were tested. In fact, when she was about 5 she was diagnosed with allergies to wheat, eggs, and milk, but my parents never even tried to restrict her diet to accomodate for the allergies. Oh well, at least I may have convinced someone!

-Mandy

[Jestgar]

Wow!!

Good for you!

I've also been trying to convince my whole family to investigate this but have been completely unsuccessful. I was beginning to feel like a nag so I stopped, but maybe I'll try your more subtle approach of feeding them gluten-free food and trying to let them make the connection.

[taz sharratt]

Since I've been diagnosed with Celiac, I have been urging my whole family (except my dad because he's probably the healthiest person I've ever known) to be checked. All of them have a history of IBS (except for me ironically) and have other health conditions such as lupus, diabetes, allergies, chronic sinusitis, ulcerative colitis, and osteoporosis.

A few weeks ago, my little sister came to live with me and for the first couple of weeks, the only gluten she ate was a sandwich at lunch and she kept telling me how great she was feeling. Now, she's settled in, she's been eating more gluten and saying how awful she's been feeling. So, last night at dinner, I convinced her to try to go completely gluten free for 6 weeks and then go out to eat at The Old Spaghetti Factory and thuroughly enjoy a completely horribly gluteny meal. and she agreed to try it!!!

I'm so excited because now (at least for a little while) I'll actually have someone else to eat gluten free foods with and won't feel so horrible asking the 20 questions everytime we go out to eat... I'm hoping she'll stick to it and I'm pretty convinced that she'd have Celiac if she were tested. In fact, when she was about 5 she was diagnosed with allergies to wheat, eggs, and milk, but my parents never even tried to restrict her diet to accomodate for the allergies. Oh well, at least I may have convinced someone!

-Mandy

if only all our familys were as easy to convince. good job! i bet you feel really good about yourself.

[Rice Cakes]

I was beginning to feel like a nag so I stopped

Yeah I am not liking that either. I was surprised to learn my brothers had blood tests done (I don't know what the results are yet), I was getting the impression my warnings were ignored. And ignored some more.

My mother being Irish, and my father not, she's the likely carrier, but she is making excuses and bloviating about how she "knows" she doesn't have it. Despite (really, because of) the strong symptoms she has.

[wolfie]

Good for you!!

I gave up trying to convince my family. My Mom did get tested, but my Dad & sister are both burying their heads in the sand despite having obvious signs. Heck, my sister still questions my "diganosis" and the need to stay away from gluten.

[BRUMI1968]

My mom had her mom tested (I guess since she's 80 something, she gets tested for what my mom wants instead of what she wants) and it was inconclusive. I asked her if she would get tested anyhow the next time she's at the doc, and she said it's probably from my dad's side.

Come on! I reminded her how miserable her father was digestively speaking when he was alive (he died of asbestos related lung cancer).

As to my sister, she claims to NOT have time to do all this stuff. So I asked her if she had time to be fat, depressed, pooping 24/7, tired, cranky, etc. She's agreed that NEXT MONTH, when she gets the "time", I can come down, examine her kitchen, do some interviewing, and make her a food book of her own so that she has some guidance. Never mind that she perceives herself as poor, so getting her to buy quality food will not be easy.

Anyway, families are tough in so many ways; it's no surprise this is one of them.

Congrats to you!

[ehrin]

No one in my family will get tested either. The only person that has significant GI issues is my uncle. Well, according to my grandmother he can't have it...because he's a male.

I gave him a bunch of literature, but I'll leave it at that. These people are adults, if they want to get tested - fine. If they don't that's fine too. To each his own!

[jerseyangel]

The only one to get tested in my family is my mother.

She had the blood test, but the doctor only ordered one test! (not the entire panel, for some reason) It was neg. and she's going with it!

I should add here that we live in different states, but I printed out the Celiac Blood Panel and the NIH Confrence on Celiac for her to take to her doctor. Guess I know what he did with those

I feel, though, that she has it, too. Several miscarriages, unexplained anemia, brusing, C, dizziness, gas, depressed, and another autoimmune disease.

[floridanative]

I was so happy that both my Mother and sister got tested. Mother had tons of symptoms of Celiac so I knew she had it as soon as I was dx'd with it. Mother's results showed she had it and sister was negative on bloodwork. But my sister's son is 3 and has lactose intolerance, short stature and 11 cavities. She will not have him tested and so I'm not saying anything about it again. I've begged, sent her medically proven info that points to the fact that he certainly should be tested, regardless of her test results or what her ped. says. She to is burying her head in the sand and that is her right. I just hope my nephew doesn't have it for obvious reasons of course, but if he gets dx'd when he's a teen and he's only 5 feet tall I'll be mortified that I didn't do more. I can tell now if I persist, I may not be welcome to visit and I rarely see my immediate family as it is. I see them enough, but I would not want them out of my life because I nagged them about testing the kids.

Mandy - that is so awesome that you are able to help your sister. Kudos to you! Your sister if lucky to have you.