How Did You Cope Going Gluten Free?

[susiek]

Today I almost went ballistic on my very precious cat when he went after my turkey! lol I was preparing to eat it on a corn tortilla for breakfast and he was getting a little close. I was picturing myself almost as a werewolf...sporting pointy teeth and growling menacing.

Then I went to lunch, choosing Chili's because I read they had a gluten-free menu. Well, no one had heard of such a thing...and I almost broke down in tears! Seriously...and I called my pasta-eating friend a gluten jerk. Sure, she knows I was joking! I'm not so sure...

Before dinner tonight my 7yo was debating what he would and wouldn't eat. "I'll eat rice and that's it." Me: "You'll eat everything." Him: "OK, some rice and vegetables. No meat." Finally I shrieked, "I am having enough trouble with my own food issues, deal with yours on your own."

If the look on his face (and his brothers') was any indication, I sprouted the pointy teeth and grew fur everywhere.

Seriously...just some reassurances here that this WILL be worth it. I'm starting to pray that the blood tests come back "normal" so I can get on to something else. Who cares if I feel better?! lol

[gfp]

You sound like you are going through a rough patch, am I correct in thinking you have just started the gluten-free diet?

If so I would think you are suffering withdrawal .. the thing to beware about is each time you get a small contamination you have to withdraw again! It gets easier !

My honest heartfelt advice is read up everything on CC and hidden gluten... just search this board

Then set out for the next 3 months to eliminate all RISK of gluten... no eating out and no suspect items.

Once you go through this phase then it gets easier in a BIG STEP.... you will be clearer minded and find it much much easier.

[taz sharratt]

Today I almost went ballistic on my very precious cat when he went after my turkey! lol I was preparing to eat it on a corn tortilla for breakfast and he was getting a little close. I was picturing myself almost as a werewolf...sporting pointy teeth and growling menacing.

Then I went to lunch, choosing Chili's because I read they had a gluten-free menu. Well, no one had heard of such a thing...and I almost broke down in tears! Seriously...and I called my pasta-eating friend a gluten jerk. Sure, she knows I was joking! I'm not so sure...

Before dinner tonight my 7yo was debating what he would and wouldn't eat. "I'll eat rice and that's it." Me: "You'll eat everything." Him: "OK, some rice and vegetables. No meat." Finally I shrieked, "I am having enough trouble with my own food issues, deal with yours on your own."

If the look on his face (and his brothers') was any indication, I sprouted the pointy teeth and grew fur everywhere.

Seriously...just some reassurances here that this WILL be worth it. I'm starting to pray that the blood tests come back "normal" so I can get on to something else. Who cares if I feel better?! lol

its hard to cope in the begining cos you seriously get frustrated with food you want and food you cant have, its esay to get caught up in the angry faze ( not sure im out of that one just yet), you get upset with peoples comments and the fact they are eating the things you want wont be too long before you get in to the swing of things. its ll worth it, dont worry about the kids mine know by now that if they go near my stash of after eight mints i will go balastic

[marciab]

I can totally relate to your werewolf analogy. I saw myself as a vulture swooping down on my poor daughter when she would try to eat her "normal" food. In my defense, she was working at Carraba's and bringing it home after work. What was I supposed to do

It does get better. I found it easier to stay gluten free after I did a gluten challenge. My stomach quickly reminded me of why I shouldn't eat wheat anymore.

Hang in there.

[tarnalberry]

For me, it's mostly just thinking about all the myriads of foods you can have. there are oodles and oodles and oodles of things you can have. yeah, it requires more cooking, but you can have almost anything. it takes time to adapt, and it's a stressor to have to be different, but it is what it is... eh, not very helpful. sorry.

[floridanative]

I agree with everything above but when I first went gluten free my DH had done all cooking except for weekend pancakes and holiday fare for 17 years. Needless to say when we didn't go out to eat twice a week anymore I had to step up and help with the cooking. When people said the gluten-free best bread had to be baked I thought then I'll never have good bread again since I'm not a baker. Now I not only cook, but I love baking. It's true I'm using mixes that a 5yo could follow but the end result is that I have too many gluten free goodies to choose from now, much more so than when I was eating gluten. I try and limit my intake of empty calories but it's so nice to have a warm cin. apple muffin every once in a while or a cranberry orange scone or a choc. chunk brownie. I'm with Tarnalberry that there is so much I can eat than I would have ever dreamed of before going gluten free. I'm learning about all kinds of foods I've never heard of and it's fun, not to mention delicious. Good luck and believe us all when we say it does get easier in time. You learn to read labels in your sleep practically and you just have a new normal way of life.

[queenofhearts]

Yeah, I've had my wacked-out moments too. One night I made "assemble-your-own" tacos for supper & set out flour shells along with corn. I had about a dozen carefully-prepared fillings in bowls arranged around the table. My husband took his flour tortilla in hand &, ignoring the spoons, proceeded to stick his gluteny fingers into all the bowls. You may have heard my scream across the pond! It traumatized my kids & they're 19!

Leah

[jenvan]

Helped me-- Branching out to new foods and tastes I hadn't eaten previously, adding new things into my diet and finding good substitutes for a few of the breads, desserts etc. so that I don't feel like I'm really "missing out."

[munchkinette]

I go out to eat a lot. I love sushi. There are tons of things I can eat at sushi restaurants, but SOY SAUCE can ruin it all.

SO... I got a case of the Kari-Out gluten-free soy sauce packets. I keep them in one of those plastic soap cases (for traveling) so they don't break in my purse. I eat sushi about once a week, so it's worth it. It also helps if I order something like plain white rice that needs flavor.

[eleep]

The very first night I went gluten-free, my boyfriend had promised to make dinner, but I was trying to lie down because I'd come off a week of eating a lot of bread and felt miserable -- not to mention the fact that I'd returned that day from the GI doctor with totally inconclusive test results and no support or advice other than "see if it makes you feel better -- I don't need to see you again!".

Well, my partner was a little scared because I'd been pretty irritable and monstery lately with all the health stuff and interpreted "leave me alone for now, I just want to lie down" as "don't make dinner". What ensued was a totally hysterical outburst on my part and a stubborn refusal to make dinner on his as I quickly moved into hypoglycemic hungry rage. I ended up reheating some (not very good) leftover stew and sat grumbling while I ate it. What I got back was: "So -- tastes bitter, huh? Wonder why that might be......."

It was not one of my finer moments.

Werewolf might be a really good analogy. I'll have to remember that one.

[samara]

Yeah, I've had my wacked-out moments too. One night I made "assemble-your-own" tacos for supper & set out flour shells along with corn. I had about a dozen carefully-prepared fillings in bowls arranged around the table. My husband took his flour tortilla in hand &, ignoring the spoons, proceeded to stick his gluteny fingers into all the bowls. You may have heard my scream across the pond! It traumatized my kids & they're 19!

Leah

You too !! I kid you not, the same thing happened to me a week ago... I just want to scream sometimes. My family knows the deal and they really really are wonderful and supportive. But I think I'm going to snap. How do you handle the cans and the many many can'ts I'm so overwhelmed I'm not sure I can take this sometimes, any suggestions? There is so-oo-oo much to re-learn.... I get to the point some days where I just don't eat. I know thats bad but it seems almost impossible to find time to cook for me never mind find decent recipes. My best friend and older sister made me corn bread recently and I cried. Can you believe it I cried about corn bread. It was like someone had given me gold.

Any ideas you'd be willing to share would be a blessing..

[CarlaB]

I go out to eat a lot. I love sushi. There are tons of things I can eat at sushi restaurants, but SOY SAUCE can ruin it all.

SO... I got a case of the Kari-Out gluten-free soy sauce packets. I keep them in one of those plastic soap cases (for traveling) so they don't break in my purse. I eat sushi about once a week, so it's worth it. It also helps if I order something like plain white rice that needs flavor.

Is there anything to worry about with sushi, or is it competely safe as far as gluten-free? I used to love it, but have been afraid to try it again.

[jerseyangel]

Is there anything to worry about with sushi, or is it competely safe as far as gluten-free? I used to love it, but have been afraid to try it again.

Carla,

Here is a thread with a lot of sushi info--

Open Original Shared Link

[susiek]

Thanks for all the support, guys! Today has been better since I stayed home and prepared my own lunch and dinner. However, dtill ended up with D and this non-stop feeling that something is stuck in my throat. This has been happening on and off for awhile, but today it's really annoying! It's like something on the top of my throat on the back is in there! I thought it was pet hair...

I did tell my kids that they "suck" today. In one of my parent-of-year-moment! I'm not proud. But they did all "sample" the nut crackers I got. Which are sitting right next to the corn chips.

Can I get glutened from Dr Pepper (in the bottle) or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light? Because something gave me D...

I'm still wondering about the gluten diagnosis. Only had the blood drawn last Friday, so I guess I'm still waiting. I'm scared it's something else and scared it's celiac. Scared the tests will be inconclusive. Maybe the stress of everything will take care of me before anything else! lol

[queenofhearts]

You too !! I kid you not, the same thing happened to me a week ago... I just want to scream sometimes. My family knows the deal and they really really are wonderful and supportive. But I think I'm going to snap. How do you handle the cans and the many many can'ts I'm so overwhelmed I'm not sure I can take this sometimes, any suggestions? There is so-oo-oo much to re-learn.... I get to the point some days where I just don't eat. I know thats bad but it seems almost impossible to find time to cook for me never mind find decent recipes. My best friend and older sister made me corn bread recently and I cried. Can you believe it I cried about corn bread. It was like someone had given me gold.

Any ideas you'd be willing to share would be a blessing..

Here's one of my in-the-middle-of-a-deadline emergency quickies: Nuke a potato. Serve with salsa & some grated cheese. Or with cottage cheese & chives. (I grow chives in my garden. They're very easy to grow.) Super-speedy & sorta healthy... better than not eating anyway!

Leah

You do have to be careful with cottage cheese though-- some contain gluten. I like Breakstone, myself.