Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Newbie In Portland Or Area

Sierra

Recommended Posts

Sierra Newbie
Sierra
Posted

Hi all! I'm new to the group having just been diagnosed with celiac disease last week. I know that Portland has a branch of GIG, but are there list members from the area also? I obviously missed the August meeting, but I'm hoping to get to Sept to see if it's a good group.

I'm lucky that I was diagnosed - I asked my doc to run the celiac panel to rule it out as a cause for my D but it came back positive. Then I found out my aunt has celiac disease, then my biopsy came back as a severe case with totally flattened villi. Yikes! I've been eating gluten-free for about 3 weeks now. Feeling much better overall. No more D and the horrible swelling in my ankles/feet has subsided.

I have been going through a trial by fire on eating out. I travel for work very extensively, so I eat out a lot and getting that right has been a challenge, but I'm getting better about being politely assertive with the wait staff to get what I need. I've been staying in safer territory - PF Chang's, Outback, steak places, and some Thai and Mexican food. I eat as plain as possible when in doubt. I've also discovered Lara bars! Yum!! I keep a couple of those in my purse all of the time. They carry them at the Costco by me, so that's really handy and cheap - less than a dollar a bar.

Anyway, hello to all and I'll hopefully be joining in from time to time.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


oceangirl Collaborator
oceangirl
Posted
Hi all! I'm new to the group having just been diagnosed with celiac disease last week. I know that Portland has a branch of GIG, but are there list members from the area also? I obviously missed the August meeting, but I'm hoping to get to Sept to see if it's a good group.

I'm lucky that I was diagnosed - I asked my doc to run the celiac panel to rule it out as a cause for my D but it came back positive. Then I found out my aunt has celiac disease, then my biopsy came back as a severe case with totally flattened villi. Yikes! I've been eating gluten-free for about 3 weeks now. Feeling much better overall. No more D and the horrible swelling in my ankles/feet has subsided.

I have been going through a trial by fire on eating out. I travel for work very extensively, so I eat out a lot and getting that right has been a challenge, but I'm getting better about being politely assertive with the wait staff to get what I need. I've been staying in safer territory - PF Chang's, Outback, steak places, and some Thai and Mexican food. I eat as plain as possible when in doubt. I've also discovered Lara bars! Yum!! I keep a couple of those in my purse all of the time. They carry them at the Costco by me, so that's really handy and cheap - less than a dollar a bar.

Anyway, hello to all and I'll hopefully be joining in from time to time.

Sierra,

Welcome to the board! I'm sorry, no info for West Coast, I'm from the East Coast, but wishing you well. This is a great place with tons of helpful people!

lisa

gf49erfan Rookie
gf49erfan
Posted
Hi all! I'm new to the group having just been diagnosed with celiac disease last week. I know that Portland has a branch of GIG, but are there list members from the area also? I obviously missed the August meeting, but I'm hoping to get to Sept to see if it's a good group.

I'm lucky that I was diagnosed - I asked my doc to run the celiac panel to rule it out as a cause for my D but it came back positive. Then I found out my aunt has celiac disease, then my biopsy came back as a severe case with totally flattened villi. Yikes! I've been eating gluten-free for about 3 weeks now. Feeling much better overall. No more D and the horrible swelling in my ankles/feet has subsided.

I have been going through a trial by fire on eating out. I travel for work very extensively, so I eat out a lot and getting that right has been a challenge, but I'm getting better about being politely assertive with the wait staff to get what I need. I've been staying in safer territory - PF Chang's, Outback, steak places, and some Thai and Mexican food. I eat as plain as possible when in doubt. I've also discovered Lara bars! Yum!! I keep a couple of those in my purse all of the time. They carry them at the Costco by me, so that's really handy and cheap - less than a dollar a bar.

Anyway, hello to all and I'll hopefully be joining in from time to time.

Hi Sierra,

I'm from Washington State, real close to Portland, Vancouver actually, we have meetings monthly, it's usually the 3rd saturday of the month, we're not having one in August, next one is in Sept. on the 16th at Legacy Hospital in Salmon Creek, very good meetings

Hope to see you there

Allen

AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

Sierra,

Welcome! :D

I'm just north of Vancouver WA but haven't been to any meetings.

There is a totally gluten free store in Vancouver that I love.....Lingonberries Market. You can look it up online. Take 205 N to exit 30 (500E) and follow through to light. After going through intersection the store is on your left. Great place and super nice people. I actually got a newsletter from there about the group that meets at Salmon Creek.

BRUMI1968 Collaborator
BRUMI1968
Posted

You are so lucky to be in Portland. I'm visiting Portland right now as we speak. Staying at Kennedy School, which is neat but too loud for such a light sleeper as myself.

Anyway, here are four restaurants (there are more, but this what I printed out b4 coming down)

Hawthorn Fish House and Corbett Fish House. Really good. WE ate at Hawthorn location last night. Rice flour is used to bread the fish. Watch out for the commercially made condiments, though - they had malt vinegar which is not gluten-free, and heinze which I'm not sure of.

Grolla - 2930 NE Killingsworth Street. Expensive. Supposed to be good. Might eat there tonight. Owner has Celiac.

Andina - 1314 Glisan Street. Peruvian food. Llunch and dinner. Might have lunch there today. Medium priced.

Assaggio at 7742 SE 13th - Italian - have gluten free menu

Anyway, I envy you the Portland location - Portland is so hip about food. Also, check out www.glutenfreerestaurants.org - and make sure to suggest to any other restaurants that have gluten-free menues or are gluten friendly that they get on this website.

Good luck to you...and welcome. Oh yeah, I'm from Bellingham, WA, just about 20 minutes south of the Canadian border.

-Sherri

Sierra Newbie
Sierra
Posted
  • Author

Thanks to all for the welcome!

A couple of recommendations:

Bully4You - if you're still in Portland, check out Open Original Shared Link and click on Restaurants. There's a list that includes the 4 from glutenfreerestaurants but also has lots more. I'm hoping to try them all!

Other local people: the New Seasons and Wild Oats health food/groceries in Tigard/Tualatin actually have a gluten-free tour of the store available. I'm setting up tours at my New Seasons now. They have neat little gluten-free tags on a lot of the gluten-free food. Not everything has a gluten-free tag, but lots do.

Also in Tualatin at the I-5 and Boones Ferry exit is a grocery called Low Carb Nation that has an extensive gluten-free selection. They even claim to have gluten-free pizza. Open Original Shared Link I've gone in and wandered around - found Chaos (a snack food) and that is yummy! They have taste samples of lots of stuff if you ask. The samples are all individually packaged behind the counter so it's fresh and not CC.

kristi Rookie
kristi
Posted

Hi Sierra and other Portland area people! I'm new to this area and don't know anyone down here yet. Where and when do you find out where meetings are happening? I've never been to any. Do groups have websites where they list them? Just read about the one in Salmon Creek, I'll have to learn where that is, any in Portland? Any good doctors or clinics in this area that anyone has experienced? Thanks, Kristi

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


KarenCM Rookie
KarenCM
Posted

I would like to thank you for posting about the Low Carb Nation and the Corbett Fish House. I just got back last night from a road trip. I stopped at the Corbett Fish House twice those Cheese Curds are absolutely amazing. Then just before coming home I went to the Low Carb Nation which surprised me actually. I didn't think that they woud have that many gluten free things there. I picked up some groceries and had a pizza and an ice cream sandwich. The ice cream sandwich was such a treat I had to have one since I was there eventhough it was breakfast time. I love this website because I have learned so much from it. Thanks

Karen

Guest ~jules~
Guest ~jules~
Posted

Hi sierra, looks like we were diagnosed at just about the same time, and I am from portland, living in salem...Welcome to the group! This group has already helped me so much its unbelievable...

  • 2 weeks later...
kristi Rookie
kristi
Posted

Hi, it seems Portland is a bit of a gluten-free mecca. I think we are lucky to be around resources. I just moved down here from the Seattle area and love it here. I am still looking for a doctor in this area so if anyone has had any good experiences PLEASE let me know.

My tips to add, I brought up the gluten-free topic with a person at New Season's market and they gave me a gluten-free tour of their store. I found out about products that I hadn't thought of before that would cross over to other shopping places... and....Widmer Brewery (such an unlikely place) currently has on tap, a gluten-free brew, some type of sorgum thing. It is left over from a contest they entered and no they won't be putting it in bottles and they will only be carrying it until it runs out, so call first to make sure they still have it. I'd stay clear of the food on the menu though. I was sooooo scared, like I was sitting in a bees nest while I was in there, surrounded by gluten, but I felt great after I had it.

  • 10 months later...
BeeCuisine Newbie
BeeCuisine
Posted

Hello My name is James. I have been doing a lot of reading on intestinal problems and have some opinion and would like to know more updated information about how to help people with the problems. I have a personal chef biz that i am going to be cooking for a couple individuals and have done alot of study but am VERY open to new advice and help, maybe some books that you could suggest. Is there a meeting i can get involved with to hear what others have to say???

My email is chycowboy@yahoo.com please let me know, any help would be invaluable to me.

Thank you

OregonGF Newbie
OregonGF
Posted

:o

Hi all! I'm new to the group having just been diagnosed with celiac disease last week. I know that Portland has a branch of GIG, but are there list members from the area also? I obviously missed the August meeting, but I'm hoping to get to Sept to see if it's a good group.

I'm lucky that I was diagnosed - I asked my doc to run the celiac panel to rule it out as a cause for my D but it came back positive. Then I found out my aunt has celiac disease, then my biopsy came back as a severe case with totally flattened villi. Yikes! I've been eating gluten-free for about 3 weeks now. Feeling much better overall. No more D and the horrible swelling in my ankles/feet has subsided.

I have been going through a trial by fire on eating out. I travel for work very extensively, so I eat out a lot and getting that right has been a challenge, but I'm getting better about being politely assertive with the wait staff to get what I need. I've been staying in safer territory - PF Chang's, Outback, steak places, and some Thai and Mexican food. I eat as plain as possible when in doubt. I've also discovered Lara bars! Yum!! I keep a couple of those in my purse all of the time. They carry them at the Costco by me, so that's really handy and cheap - less than a dollar a bar.

Anyway, hello to all and I'll hopefully be joining in from time to time.














Hello Sierra:  OregonGF here...   let's talk     thanks       O



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
						
    
							
							
								
  • 
									2 weeks later...
								
    • 
							
						

					
					
					
				

					

					
					







	

	

	

		

			

				



	
     Billy K
	


 



				
				

					
						
Newbie
					
				
			

		

		


			

				



Billy K
			

			

			    
Posted 
				
				
			

		

	

	
	

		




	

		

			

				
    
					
					
					
					
					
				

			

			
    
				
  • 
					
					
      
						
						
                        
						
						
						
							
								
							
							
							
							
							
							
						
					
    
				
    • 
				
			

		


		

		   
			
			
				
				
			
		

	


	

    

	

		
		

			

Looking to visit Portland soon...I am a 1.5 year Celiac Sprue rookie and still fighting labels (I live in Germany).  I can't wait until they standardize what FOOD STARCH really is.  



So, back to the subject.  I have Celiac, and my son has Chrone's.  We would like to stay downtown and enjoy the sights and sounds.  Any Gluten Free suggestions?



billy.keen@us.army.mil



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
						
    
							
							
								
  • 
									3 weeks later...
								
    • 
							
						

					
					
					
				

					

					
					







	

	

	

		

			

				


	
    Guest Happynwgal2
	


 



				
				
			

		

		


			

				



Guest Happynwgal2
			

			

			    
Posted 
				
				
			

		

	

	
	

		




	

		

			

				
    
					
					
					
					
					
				

			

			
    
				
  • 
					
					
      
						
						
                        
						
						
						
							
								
							
							
							
							
							
							
						
					
    
				
    • 
				
			

		


		

		   
			
			
				
				
			
		

	


	

    

	

		
		

			

Sierra,





Welcome! :D







I'm just north of Vancouver WA but haven't been to any meetings.







There is a totally gluten free store in Vancouver that I love.....Lingonberries Market.  You can look it up online.  Take 205 N to exit 30 (500E) and follow through to light.  After going through intersection the store is on your left.  Great place and super nice people.  I actually got a newsletter from there about the group that meets at Salmon Creek.









Good Evening, AndreaB,







I live in Portland, and am very happy about the gluten free shopping here.  One store that has not been mentioned, is Whole Foods by the new huge shopping center on the west side of I-5, the same exit as the Low Carb Market, but turn right instead of left when you come off the highway from downtown Portland.  







Whole Foods have some cool cake mixes that I like...   And now I need to go back to the Low Carb Market, too.   Did not know that they had gluten free stuff...   :P







Also, I had no idea there were meeting for Celiacs...  My work schedule will probably not allow me to go, but if that changes, I will try the one in Vancouver...



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
					
					
				

					

					
					







	

	

	

		

			

				



	
     JennyC
	


 



				
				

					
						
Enthusiast
					
				
			

		

		


			

				



JennyC
			

			

			    
Posted 
				
				
			

		

	

	
	

		




	

		

			

				
    
					
					
					
					
					
				

			

			
    
				
  • 
					
					
      
						
						
                        
						
						
						
							
								
							
							
							
							
							
							
						
					
    
				
    • 
				
			

		


		

		   
			
			
				
				
			
		

	


	

    

	

		
		

			

We live in SE Portland, and my son was diagnosed with celiac disease 6 months ago.  We do not attend any meetings, although I am strongly considering joining a ROCK group.  There is a blog devoted to gluten free living in the Portland metro area.  I will post a link below.  The page contains tons of useful information and also event information.  We have not ventured out to restaurants yet, but I plan to go to the Hawthorn Fish House soon.  The two shopping places that I cannot live without is Bob's Red Mill in Milwaukie and Whole Foods.  Bob's Red Mill carries just about every imaginable gluten free flour in bulk. :D   They also carry Kinnikinnick products, Tinkyada pasta, and some other gluten free goodies.  Whole Foods carries Bell & Evans chicken nuggets and that alone makes it a necessary shopping destination.  They have a large selection of frozen gluten free foods and also lots of pasta options.  They also have some gluten free bake house products in the bakery section.  I went to Low Carb nation once.  It was small, but they carried things that are impossible to find in most health food stores, like Glutino products.  There are many resources in Portland, we are very lucky to live here. :)







Open Original Shared Link



			
		


		

		
			

		
	


	
    



	




					
					
					
				
			
			



		

	


	
	
	
		

			
Archived

			

				This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.
			

		

	
	
	

	







	

		
			
				Go to topic listing
			
		
	

	




						


	

		
	


					

					


	

		
		
		
		


	

		
    
			
				
					
					
  • 

    

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
    


    



    

    

    

  • 

    Member Statistics
    

    
	
		
      
			
    • 
				
      
					Total Members
				
      
				
      
					131,948
				
      
			
      • 
			
    • 
				
      
					Most Online (within 30 mins)
				
      
				
      
					7,748
      
					
				
      
			
      • 
		
    
		
    
		
			
    
				
    
					



	
     Stephanie94
	


 



				
    
				
    
					Newest Member
    
					



Stephanie94
    
					Joined 
				
    
			
    
		
	

  • 

    

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
    


    


    

    

    

    • 
				
					
					
  • 

    Forum Statistics
    

    
	
		
      
			
    • 
				
      
					Total Topics
				
      
				
      
					121.5k
				
      
			
      • 
			
    • 
				
      
					Total Posts
				
      
				
      
					1m
				
      
			
      • 
		
    
	

    • 
				
					
					
  • 

    

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
    




    

    

    

    

    

  • 

    

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
    


    



    

    

    

  • 

    • 
				
					
					
  • 

    Upcoming Events
    

    

	
		
	


    • 
				
					
					
  • 

	
    Posts
    
	
		
    
			
      
				
					
    • 
						
      
							



	
     Jacki Espo
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Covid caused reoccurrence of DH without eating gluten
      

							
      By 



Jacki Espo · Posted 
      

							
      
								This happened to me as well. What’s weirder is that within a couple hours of taking paxlovid it subsided. I thought maybe I got glutened but after reading your post not so sure. 
 

							
      
						
      
					
      • 
				
					
    • 
						
      
							



	
     Mari
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       New Celiac Mama in My 30s
      

							
      By 



Mari · Posted 
      

							
      
								Hi Tiffany.
 


	Thank you for writing your dituation and  circumstancesin such detail and so well writte, too. I particularly noticed what you wrote about brain for and feeling like your brain is swelling and I know from my own experiences that's how it feel and your brain really does swell and you get migraines. 
 


	 
 


	Way back when I was in my 20s I read a book by 2 MD allergist and they described their patient who came in complaining that her brain, inside her cranium, was swelling  and it happened when she smelled a certain chemical she used in her home. She kept coming back and insisting her brain actually swelled in her head. The Drs couldn't explain this problem so they, with her permission, performed an operation where they made a small opening through her cranium, exposed her to the chemical then watched as she brain did swell into the opening. The DRs were amazed but then were able to advise her to avoid chemicals that made her brain swell. I remember that because I occasionally had brain fog then but it was not a serious problem. I also realized that I was becoming more sensitive to chemicals I used in my work in medical laboratories. By my mid forties the brain fog and chemicals forced me to leave my  profession and move to a rural area with little pollution. I did not have migraines. I was told a little later that I had a more porous blood brain barrier than other people. Chemicals in the air would go up into my sinused and leak through the blood brain barrier into my brain. We have 2 arteries  in our neck that carry blood with the nutrients and oxygen into the brain. To remove the fluids and used blood from the brain there are only capillaries and no large veins to carry it away so all those fluids ooze out much more slowly than they came in and since the small capillaries can't take care of extra fluid it results in swelling in the face, especially around the eyes. My blood flow into my brain is different from most other people as I have an arterial ischema, adefectiveartery on one side.
 


	 
 


	I have to go forward about 20 or more years when I learned that I had glaucoma, an eye problem that causes blindness and more years until I learned I had celiac disease.  The eye Dr described my glaucoma as a very slow loss of vision that I wouldn't  notice until had noticeable loss of sight.  I could have my eye pressure checked regularly or it would be best to have the cataracts removed from both eyes. I kept putting off the surgery then just overnight lost most of the vision in my left eye. I thought at the I had been exposed to some chemical and found out a little later the person who livedbehind me was using some chemicals to build kayaks in a shed behind my house. I did not realize the signifance  of this until I started having appointments with a Dr. in a new building. New buildings give me brain fog, loss of balance and other problems I know about this time I experienced visual disturbances very similar to those experienced by people with migraines. I looked further online and read that people with glaucoma can suffer rapid loss of sight if they have silent migraines (no headache). The remedy for migraines is to identify and avoid the triggers. I already know most of my triggers - aromatic chemicals, some cleaning materials, gasoline and exhaust and mold toxins. I am very careful about using cleaning agents using mostly borax and baking powder. Anything that has any fragrance or smell I avoid. There is one brand of dishwashing detergent that I can use and several brands of  scouring powder.
 


	I hope you find some of this helpful and useful. I have not seen any evidence that Celiac Disease is involved with migraines or glaucoma. Please come back if you have questions or if what I wrote doesn't make senseto you. We sometimes haveto learn by experience and finding out why we have some problems. Take care.
 


	 
 


	 
 


	 
 


	The report did not mention migraines. 
 

							
      
						
      
					
      • 
				
					
    • 
						
      
							



	
     Mari
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       My only proof
      

							
      By 



Mari · Posted 
      

							
      
								Hi Jmartes71
 


	That is so much like my story! You probably know where Laytonville is and that's where I was living just before my 60th birthday when the new Dr. suggested I could have Celiacs. I didn't go on a gluten challange diet before having the Celiac panel blood test drawn. The results came back as equivical as one antibody level was very high but another, tissue transaminasewas normal. Itdid show I was  allergic to cows milk and I think hot peppers. I immediately went gluten free but did not go in for an endoscopy. I found an online lab online that would do the test to show if I had a main celiac gene (enterolab.com). The report came back that I had inherited a main celiac gene, DQ8, from one parent and a D!6 from the other parent. That combination is knows to sym[tons of celiac worse than just inheriting one main celiac gene. With my version of celiac disease I was mostly constipated but after going gluten-free I would have diarrhea the few times I was glutened either by cross contamination or eating some food containing gluten. I have stayed gluten-free for almost 20 years now and knew within a few days that it was right for me although my recovery has been slow.
 


	 
 


	When I go to see a  medical provide and tell them I have celiacs they don't believe me. The same when I tell them that I carry a main celiac gene, the DQ8. It is only when I tell them that I get diarrhea after eating gluten that they realize that I might have celiac disease. Then they will order th Vitamin B12 and D3 that I need to monitor as my B12 levels can go down very fast if I'm not taking enough of it. Medical providers haven't been much help in my recovery. They are not well trained in this problem. I really hope this helps ypu. Take care.
 


	 
 


	 
 


	 
 

							
      
						
      
					
      • 
				
					
    • 
						
      
							



	
     knitty kitty
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Does anyone here also have Afib
      

							
      By 



knitty kitty · Posted 
      

							
      
								Fascinating.
 

							
      
						
      
					
      • 
				
					
    • 
						
      
							



	
     DebJ14
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Does anyone here also have Afib
      

							
      By 



DebJ14 · Posted 
      

							
      
								
							
      
						
      
					
      • 
				
			
    
		
    
	


    • 
				
			
		

	


	


					

				

			

			
		

		
					
						







					
				  
        

    	


	

		×
		

			
				

					
				

			

			

			

			
		

	






	

		×
		

			
    
				
  • Create New...
    • 
				
			

		

	



		






















	

		

			
Important Information

			
NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.