Coping With Relatives That Don't Understand

[Jestgar]

Don't we all have an eating disorder? Just not one we chose or can be counseled out of.

[NoGluGirl]

NoGluGirl;

You would think we have the same parents!!! Since my Mom left my Dad and had to move in with me and my family, I feel like I'm living with her! Not the other way around! She only pays us $200/month, for groceries,rent,bills etc... Nice cheap life for her. In the meantime I have to cut back on what I have to eat becasue my food is so much more expensive.

She goes to bulk stores, buys chocolate waffers, cookies, lots of treats I can't have(doesn't even offer my husband any treats...and he's not a celiac)!!. Never bought anything for me. Oh sorry when I was diagnosed she bought my a pkg of gluten-free pancake mix....LAST YEAR!!!!

It's not my mom's responsibility to take care of me now becasue I have my own house and own family, but atleast support me while you live in my house. This is hard enough!!!

Well enough about my problems....from what you have said about your Mom& Dad and the fact that you were accused of having an ED...I highly doubt you will be able to get them to understand this. I read that Celiac mimics Anorexia. While we are having a reaction to gluten sometimes we loose our appitites....which in turn causes us to eat less...or not at all (in my case). I haven't eaten more than 2 pears in 4 days...just feel like crap. Nothing I can do about it but wait until I feel better.

What I don't understand is in some cases parents will JUMP down your throat if they think you have an ED...but when there's a medical diagnoses as to why you can't eat, and constantly loose wieght....it's not good enough, or you are covering up an ED. They would rather lash out on a guess, becasue it's what they think.

All I can say is I thank God everyday I didn't turn out like my mother. You can learn alot from your parents...unfortuneatly it's not always positive.

Dear Veronica,

I always knew I had a sister somewhere! LOL! My main concern is just that without money, you cannot have food or medical care. Being gluten intolerant is so hard. People eat your favorite foods in front of you, and it makes you want to cry! They do not have the courtesy to not eat it in front of you! I love Chinese food! Why do they have to bring it home to eat it? This is painful for me. Dad is more supportive though, than my mother. I have to say that is true. She just treats me like a hypochondriac. I also have to eat low-fat because I had my gallbladder removed three years ago, and I will get sick if I eat too much fat. I was so bloated and unable to lose any weight at all until about five weeks ago when I went gluten-free.

With that and the aid of Pilates, I have lost 4 inches in my waist and four more in my hips! I was working out and watching every gram of fat before that for two years, and I could not lose a pound! I even drank regular Coca Cola Classic and ate Butterfinger candy bars! (Incidently, Dad called Pilates a waste of money and blamed it for us being low on money).

You know I am still waiting for the wonderful news that I am adopted from China or something? Do you have that fantasy? No one thinks I am white hardly. I am beginning to wonder myself. I do not even feel white. Of course, my parents do not understand this either. Many people think I am Asian. If it is in there, it is really far back. As far as we know, we are only supposed to be Irish, English, and Scottish. You would probably not think so by looking at me. Most people don't, anyway! It is funny! I just keep thinking "How can these insane people be my parents?"

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl