Help!

[spunky]

I have been gluten free for 9 months, and feeling really great and just about normal, I think, for the past two months.

Now I am really sick.

Two things I did differently: I chewed Big Red Cinnamon gum, which I thought I'd read on safe list somewhere.

And I got into a situation in which I had to eat somebody's homemade soup to be polite. I sort of fished around for ingredients, and all I could get out of her was it was made with canned carrots, canned potatoes, canned Italian style zuchhini and tomatoes, canned tomatoes with basil and orgeano, and canned vegetable broth (I assume Swanon's, again I remmeber seeing that on some safe list).

I had only one small bowl on Sunday, out of a styrofoam bowl and plastic spoon. Sunday night I felt some gas forming, Monday had gas pressure, and worse and worse all week. Last night I got sick really bad and today is no better. I don't know IF it could have been the gum, or the soup, or if the world is jsut falling apart for me after two good months for the first time in over 10 years. I don't know what to think.

[Corkdarrr]

My vote is for the soup. There's no telling what she put in it. There are SO many things that people don't think could have gluten in them, but they just have no idea.

It's tough and some people see it as impolite...but if you had a life-threatening allergy to shellfish you wouldn't eat any just to be polite.

I'd rather lose a friend who clearly doesn't value my health than be sick for a few days.

Hope you feel better soon!

Courtney

[Guest cassidy]

It is tough to not be able to eat food that other people are serving. Unfortunately I think you found out what happens when you put being polite over your diet. I'm pretty sure it must have been the soup. Gluten eating people don't even realize how much gluten is around and one ingredient is all it would take. In the future when you are in a similar situation I'm sure you will tell them that you will get violently ill, and thank you anyway. Painful lesson learned.

Hope you feel better and sorry you were in that type of situation. I think the hardest part of this disease is the social aspect. Sometimes other people don't want to include you because they feel ackward, sometimes they bend over backwards to accommodate you but you still don't feel comfortable eating what they want you to eat.

It can be frustrating but at least you have had a good couple of months.

[SchnauzerMom]

I'm sorry that happened to you and I hope you feel better soon. I lot of people just don't understand what gulten is. When I told someone I was on a gluten free diet and couldn't eat donuts they agreed that donuts were full of gluten. That person didn't understand that gluten is in bread, rolls, cookies, cake, etc. My mother told me that if I couldn't eat wheat at least I could eat rye bread. I had to explain that rye and barley also have gluten. We just have to stand our ground and risk given offense in an effort to save our health.

[happygirl]

Spunky:

Celiacs rule #1 --- the most important one:

"When in doubt, go without." (Repeat to self)

If you do not know 100% what is in it (and I'm not talking "broth"-I'm talking knowing the brand, the variety, the ingredients, etc), you DO not eat it. Non-negotiable.

Even if the ingredients are safe, if you don't know how it was prepared (used utensils that had just stirred gluten filled things, etc)---it is just as bad as having gluten filled ingredients.

I really hope you feel better soon!

Laura

[Lisa]

It is tough to not be able to eat food that other people are serving. Unfortunately I think you found out what happens when you put being polite over your diet. I'm pretty sure it must have been the soup. Gluten eating people don't even realize how much gluten is around and one ingredient is all it would take. In the future when you are in a similar situation I'm sure you will tell them that you will get violently ill, and thank you anyway. Painful lesson learned.

Hope you feel better and sorry you were in that type of situation. I think the hardest part of this disease is the social aspect. Sometimes other people don't want to include you because they feel ackward, sometimes they bend over backwards to accommodate you but you still don't feel comfortable eating what they want you to eat.

It can be frustrating but at least you have had a good couple of months.

I agree. Now that I am able to read lables and am feeling much better, I took a look around and wondered where my friends went. I found it VERY hurtful. Yes, social event are very hard and we live in a small town and entertain in our homes often. I see this wonderful food and I have to just walk away. "Friends" are afraid to cook for me, so the dinner invites have dwindled to almost none.......so I entertain in my home and cook gluten free and no one knows the difference. Unfortunatly, there are fewer friends worth my effort.

I am sorry if this is not very uplifting. We have all climbed a mightly mountain and this too shall pass