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Newbie In Portland Or Area

Sierra

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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.

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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

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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



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
						
    
							
							
								
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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



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
						
    
							
							
								
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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...



			
		


		

		
	


	
    



	




					
					
					
				

					

					
					







	

	

	

		

			

				



	
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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



			
		


		

		
			

		
	


	
    



	




					
					
					
				
			
			



		

	


	
	
	
		

			
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       Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?
      

							
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Scott Adams · Posted 
      

							
      
								I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
 

							
      
						
      
					
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     Rejoicephd
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?
      

							
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Rejoicephd · Posted 
      

							
      
								That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.  
 


	So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
 

							
      
						
      
					
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     Inkie
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Tea Bags and Gluten
      

							
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Inkie · Posted 
      

							
      
								Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
 

							
      
						
      
					
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     Scott Adams
	


 



						
      
						
      
							
       Tea Bags and Gluten
      

							
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Scott Adams · Posted 
      

							
      
								While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
 

							
      
						
      
					
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       Inconclusive results
      

							
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Scott Adams · Posted 
      

							
      
								This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis.
 


	Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment.
 


	
		This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.
	 
	

	
		 
	 



	 
 

							
      
						
      
					
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