Diagnosed 2 Hours Ago

[Ciglee]

Hello

was just diagnosed 2 hours ago. Sadness. Terrible sadness. I can't believe I can't eat wheat anymore. I know for all you celiac sprues out there...you are going to tell me there is a better life ahead..but right now..I don't see that. I have been reading these posts for weeks now...and I knew what the diagnosis was going to be...but, I don't want celiac sprue. ( I know, I sound like a child )

So sad. I am not sure if I want to cry or laugh.

[happygirl]

ciglee,

oh, dear. it is not childish at all. AT ALL.

you are going to want to laugh, cry, not feel anything...you'll be grateful, ungrateful...happy and mad...

point is, it is normal to feel a range of emotions, including conflicting ones. everyone has their own process...it is a personal journey. there is a steep learning curve for the diet, but once you get it, you get it. that's what we are here for.

i'm happy you have been reading, so at least you are "somewhat" prepared. we are happy to have you here, although it is under less than ideal circumstances.

feel free to ask any and all questions. let us know ... we are good at answering specific questions (like, what can I eat for breakfast? Is Product X safe? How do you make X recipe? Is this symptom normal?) we are here and WANT to help. there is no sense in re-creating the wheel...there are many of us who have been there and done that, and learned it the hard way. so please, use us to the full extent.

i wish i could give you a big hug. let yourself "grieve" over the food. but remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as faint as it might be.

good luck.

xoxo,

Laura

[Rikki Tikki]

Hi Ciglee:

Welcome to the board! It is a shock, give it some time and then come back and read all you can. I know, but it will get better. Have you been sick? That helped me, knowing that I would feel better.

[Ursa Major]

Hi Ciglee, and welcome to this board. It's okay and normal to feel sad. Even angry and depressed is okay. You're mourning your old, 'normal' way of being. You're going to have to change so much, you'll never be able to go out again and just grab 'whatever' at the fast food place.

Allow yourself to feel angry and sad. Those are valid, normal feelings, and denying them will hurt you in the end. Just don't end up wallowing in those feelings too long. Try looking at the positives as well, like feeling so much better physically and being healthy.

Try new recipes. A new hobby (or pick up an old, neglected hobby again). Do research. Do some fun stuff that doesn't involve food.

And yes, you'll accept things after a while, and feel better and get on with life. But don't push yourself to be there yet, it takes time.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Ciglee,

Everyone has already given you good advice, I won't add anything else--I imagine you're feeling pretty overwhelmed today!

I just wanted to welcome you to the board, and to let you know we'll be here for you

[CarlaB]

Ciglee,

It's difficult and normal to have feelings about the dietary changes you will be making. You will go through a whole range of emotions, actually. You might feel denial, anger, sadness, depression, etc. It's all normal. We've all gone through it. I find posting here helps. It just helps to chat with others going through the same thing since most of us are facing it all alone in our "real" world. When you have questions, feel free to ask away!!

Carla

[Nantzie]

I agree with everyone. It's normal to feel exactly how you're feeling. The best advice I have for going through a grieving process is to have the bad days when you have them, and the good days when you have them. Don't feel like you shouldn't be having the kind of day you're having or try to push down the feelings. They'll only spring up when you least expect it.

There are some days when it doesn't bother me a bit to be gluten free. I feel lucky to be able to still eat things like chocolate, Cool Ranch Doritos, Reese's PB cups, peanut butter, Coca Cola, tater tots, and on and on.

Then there are days where I can't freaking stand it. I want a cookie and not one of these fakey cookies. A real freaking cookie. Or some french bread. Or just not have to pre-plan every dang thing we eat. It drives me nuts sometimes that in order to make chicken nuggets that my kids will even eat I can't just nuke some frozen ones. First I have to bake bread. Then I have to take the bread that took three hours to make and grind up half the loaf in the food processor for breadcrumbs. Then I have to season the breadcrumbs. Then I have to get the raw chicken tenders, bread them, and stand over a sizzling frying pan for another hour. Only to have my kids pick at it and only eat a bite. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This sucks!!!!

Can you tell which kind of day I'm having today?

90% of the time I have good days, but I have every right to have bad days too. I'll never eat gluten again because I was so sick before. But it still can suck to have to deal with this 3x a day every day of my frigging life.

Bah humbug!

Nancy

[Rikki Tikki]

I know it stinks some days Nancy. All I can do is agree with you.

[Ursa Major]

Nancy, you're so right. And you made me smile by describing your day, even if you don't feel like smiling right now.

[jkmunchkin]

Hi Ciglee,

Ok so you already know that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. It's gonna be hard at first, but you will catch on quickly and the daunting, depressing feeling will eventually feel like a distant memory. But yknow what.... have your pity party!!! Go for it. I hereby give you permission to be upset, mad, depressed and just genuinely unhappy for the next 48 hours. You get 2 days to walk around and tell everyone you encounter how much it sucks to be you, and then you are going to jump on the, "I have the power to single handedly make myself feel all better" bandwagon.

You can still have your bad moments and days, but don't dwell on them to long. You can do this!

[Guest ~jules~]

Welcome ciglee! I am new too, I was diagnosed last month. When I first got here I was pretty ticked off, mostly, but I have had a variety of feelings all month.

This board is very helpful, i've learned alot about celiac in just one month, and it is getting easier as the days pass. The people here will be very supportive with any question you have, even if you think its a strange one, (and there are some believe me,.... ) Hang in there......Julie

[jkmunchkin]

I agree with everyone. It's normal to feel exactly how you're feeling. The best advice I have for going through a grieving process is to have the bad days when you have them, and the good days when you have them. Don't feel like you shouldn't be having the kind of day you're having or try to push down the feelings. They'll only spring up when you least expect it.

There are some days when it doesn't bother me a bit to be gluten free. I feel lucky to be able to still eat things like chocolate, Cool Ranch Doritos, Reese's PB cups, peanut butter, Coca Cola, tater tots, and on and on.

Then there are days where I can't freaking stand it. I want a cookie and not one of these fakey cookies. A real freaking cookie. Or some french bread. Or just not have to pre-plan every dang thing we eat. It drives me nuts sometimes that in order to make chicken nuggets that my kids will even eat I can't just nuke some frozen ones. First I have to bake bread. Then I have to take the bread that took three hours to make and grind up half the loaf in the food processor for breadcrumbs. Then I have to season the breadcrumbs. Then I have to get the raw chicken tenders, bread them, and stand over a sizzling frying pan for another hour. Only to have my kids pick at it and only eat a bite. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This sucks!!!!

Can you tell which kind of day I'm having today?

90% of the time I have good days, but I have every right to have bad days too. I'll never eat gluten again because I was so sick before. But it still can suck to have to deal with this 3x a day every day of my frigging life.

Bah humbug!

Nancy

I'm sorry you're having such a crappy day.

Do you live near a Whole Foods? If you do go get the Bell & Evans Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets. I'd be shocked if your kids don't like them.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Aww, Nantzie, sorry you're having such a frustrating day.

Have you tried Penguin's Ranch Chicken Strips? They are fantastic, taste like restaurant chicken strips, and they're easy!!!! I used Potato Buds, they were awesome. You can also make fish sticks out of tilapia (just cut the fillets in half). I bet you could use this on cheese sticks and zucchini, too.

Penguin's RANCH CHICKEN STRIPS

2-4 bonless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 c. mashed potato flakes (I use idahoan premium)

1/2 c. parmesan cheese*

1-2 eggs, beaten (you can get away with only one egg with 2 breasts)

4 tbsp melted butter (or margerine)

HV Ranch mock up:

3 tbsp Buttermilk powder* (found with the other dry milk) (I didn't have any, so added 1/2 Cup buttermilk to the eggs

at least 1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

" " 1 tsp dried dill

" " 1 tsp dried parsley

" " 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together the ranch copy cat powder and potato flakes. Dip the chicken pieces in the parmesan, then into the egg, and then coat with the potato mixture. Do this with all of the chicken pieces. Place chicken into a pyrex dish (or other oven safe dish with sides), pieces not touching, and drizzle with the melted butter. Cook 30-40 minutes or until done and golden brown.

I made this a total junk food dinner with ore-ida fries and broccoli with velveeta sauce

Also, get Annalise Roberts' Gluten-Free Baking Classics. The cookies are not fakey, they taste just like gluteny Tollhouse cookies, and the breads are as good as any gluteny bread I've ever had. My gluten-eating kids scarf them down.

[Nantzie]

Thanks everybody! I'm very lucky that my husband happily eats all the versions that my kids won't eat. My Whole Foods doesn't carry anything but Ians, which none of us like. I broke down last week and ordered a container of gluten-free frozen food from Gluten-Free Mall because my in-laws are staying with our kids while we're in Vegas next week. I wanted it to make it easy for them so most of my order was the Wellshire Kids nuggets. I did order two boxes of Bell and Evans. After tasting those, and with all of the not so great versions of chicken nuggets that I've eaten lately, those are MINE! My daughter likes the Wellshire nuggets, which is great for when I send her food to preschool, but my son won't touch them. So I've been experimenting with other options that everyone will eat.

I haven't tried Penguin's Ranch Chicken. I think I'll have to try those later this week. Tonight after the kids went to bed I tried Guhlia's Cheetos Chicken Nuggets. Oh my gosh those are good! I cooked them in a frying pan. You just crush up some Cheetos and use that for breading. I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper beforehand too. Yummy and crunchy. If my kids don't eat these tomorrow for lunch, there's just something wrong with them.

I didn't mean for your thread to go off onto me Ciglee. But, thinking about it, this is a really good example of what happens on this board. Lots of support, lots of ideas, and lots of recipes.

So, back to you... Is there something that you're especially worried about finding a replacement for? You'd be surprised at how few things can't be replaced.

Nancy

[AndreaB]

Welcome Ciglee!

I don't have anything new to add....just wanted to say 'hi'.

[NoGluGirl]

I agree with everyone. It's normal to feel exactly how you're feeling. The best advice I have for going through a grieving process is to have the bad days when you have them, and the good days when you have them. Don't feel like you shouldn't be having the kind of day you're having or try to push down the feelings. They'll only spring up when you least expect it.

There are some days when it doesn't bother me a bit to be gluten free. I feel lucky to be able to still eat things like chocolate, Cool Ranch Doritos, Reese's PB cups, peanut butter, Coca Cola, tater tots, and on and on.

Then there are days where I can't freaking stand it. I want a cookie and not one of these fakey cookies. A real freaking cookie. Or some french bread. Or just not have to pre-plan every dang thing we eat. It drives me nuts sometimes that in order to make chicken nuggets that my kids will even eat I can't just nuke some frozen ones. First I have to bake bread. Then I have to take the bread that took three hours to make and grind up half the loaf in the food processor for breadcrumbs. Then I have to season the breadcrumbs. Then I have to get the raw chicken tenders, bread them, and stand over a sizzling frying pan for another hour. Only to have my kids pick at it and only eat a bite. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This sucks!!!!

Can you tell which kind of day I'm having today?

90% of the time I have good days, but I have every right to have bad days too. I'll never eat gluten again because I was so sick before. But it still can suck to have to deal with this 3x a day every day of my frigging life.

Bah humbug!

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

I am gluten intolerant, and was so ecstatic when I found out what we can eat! I love Reese's PB Cups! Lately I have had a Butterfinger addiction, though! I will not go back to eating gluten either! Not after how my reflux has improved. I was taking Prilosec twice a day, and it was not even working much anymore. I had to sleep practically sitting up! Now, I still take the Prilosec, but do not have to sleep sitting straight up anymore! I can actually lay down some! I may have Candida too, causing the rest. I am amazed at the difference, though. I also could not lose any weight no matter how much I tried to exercise and watch calories and fat. After going gluten free and doing Pilates, I have lost five inches in my hips and 4 in my waist. It makes me want to cry when Dad brings Chinese food home and I cannot eat it. However, it is not worth getting sick over!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Confused in Iowa]

Ciglee - you aren't being childish at all! My son was just diagnosed a couple months ago and I even was mad at the Dr. for making my son have the test to determine he had this. Luckily he has no symptoms of it, so it is hard to grasp this...but we are doing it and I am shocked in the personality change in my son. He used to be so angry and would get mad at the drop of a hat, but since going gluten free, he is awhole different boy. But I went through that - and to be honest, people don't help sometimes, when they say oh they are crazy, or if he doesn't have symptoms, why worry about it yet, or how can you deprive your son pizza. But I went from sitting here at my office wanting to cry and beating myself up as to why it isn't me, to being mad and angry, and even angry at other people who have perfectly healthy kids and yet they don't take care of them the best.

But it isn't as hard as it seems. There are a lot of things out there that you CAN eat and you'll find it. Good luck to you. I'm still trying to find bread tho that will taste good to my son..have yet to find that. But we are trying. First week of trying this I made 5 loaves of bread and they all ended up in the garbage...

Keep your spirits up...and also, let yourself be angry.....that's a natural feeling too. I just know when I was feeling so angry, I decided it was time to start putting my energy into other things like finding food or thinking of new receipes to cook. Also, this is an AWESOME resource for you...take advantage of it. It helps so much to go out and read that people do have bad days, and they do have times where they have some gluten, but then unfortunately have to pay for it. I think this message board has been the best thing I've ever done. I know we aren't alone.

My dr. a pediatric specialist even, just came out and said, he's got the signs of celiacs....you'll have to go 100% gluten/wheat free - pay your $10.00 co-pay and see you in 3 months.....what a shocker. I was crushed!

Good luck to you!!!!!!! Wishing you all the best.

[Ciglee]

THANK YOU ALL ....reading these replys have really made me feel better....my daughter and I were laughing at some of them too!!!!

I love the advice that said " give yourself 2 days to stay angry" YES! I love that...but, could I stay mad a little longer?

And Reese's is my ultimate favorite candy in the whole world!!

so, yes, there is some hope...I guess. I still feel sorry for my self...but I will try not too...

thank you.

I will keep reading these posts...and get to know you all...

Ciglee ( Elizabeth )

[CarlaB]

You can stay mad longer ... if that's what makes you happy

[floridanative]

If I ever start feeling bad that I have Celiac (which rarely happens now that I've settled into my new life comfortably) I just remind myself that I could have been born in a country that won't allow me to vote or drive or wear whatever I want in public. Then I see how silly it is to whine about something like living a gluten free lifestyle. But I did let myself grieve in the beginning and I did the denial thing before my final dx. If you don't go through all the stages completely, you won't ever be okay with your new life challenge. Good luck to you. If I can do this, anyone can. The only thing that gets me now is planning trips and eating out. It can be done safely but it takes a lot of work which I'm willing to do in order to live my life to the fullest.