Rice Milk

[Tasha2004]

As I posted elsewhere here, my 81 yr old Mom has been feeling off for quite awhile. She has been gluten-free for 17 years, but showed a few problems lately.

I suspected gluten was sneaking in. I see Rice and Soy milk on the list of other forbidden foods. She has Rice Milk every day, because she doesnt want to pay for Lactose free milk.

I think this is her problem. Meanwhile the doctors are doing an abdominal CT scan on her because of her symptoms (which are symptoms of ingesting gluten.)

I am frustrated because she is so fearful something awful is wrong, no one has consulted her on her diet and she isnt getting any help. Her biopsy was fine and her Celiac panel was too, but a celiac author wrote me and said a tiny amount of gluten on a regular bais could cause problems.

Any ideas on this?

[jerseyangel]

Hi,

There are a lot of safe rice milks available. One exception is Rice Dream. It contains barley, and is not safe for Celiacs. If that is the brand your mom is drinking, she needs to stop and switch to another brand immediately.

If it's not Rice Dream, you should call the company that makes the brand that she's using and see if either their formula has changed or if there are cross contamination issues.

Could gluten be sneaking in from her personal care products? Maybe a new hand lotion or a lipstick?

[Tasha2004]

Absolutely it could. She has been having problems for awhile and I keep telling her we need to look at everything. She takes about ten vitamins a day, even that could be it. She isnt convinced by me that we need to do this, and the doctors have her afraid she has something really bad wrong with her. I dont believe she does, because she has not lost weight, and her colonoscopy was fine. She doesnt have trouble every day, but many days.

Thanks, and I will check the rice millk brand out.

[jerseyangel]

Tasha,

Definately check out her vitamins and the afore mentioned products. It is very true that just a minute amount of gluten getting through will cause symptoms.

Go over everything she puts into her mouth and uses on her body. Hopefully, something will show up there, and she'll go back to feeling better when you eliminate the source.

[happygirl]

Good suggestions, as always

Rice and soy milk are not inherently bad, it just depends on the brand and some of the ingredients. But there are safe versions of both.

Does she cook all her own meals? Is she eating out? Does she take steps to prevent cross contamination? What other types of things is she eating?

[Tasha2004]

Good suggestions, as always

Rice and soy milk are not inherently bad, it just depends on the brand and some of the ingredients. But there are safe versions of both.

Does she cook all her own meals? Is she eating out? Does she take steps to prevent cross contamination? What other types of things is she eating?

Well, I always thought she was very careful, but she is elderly and she is very (overly?) thrifty. I told her to switch to Lactose free milk and she said but it costs too much! I'm surprised she would rather go in for major tests than to start at the source of the problem, which in my eyes is most likely the Celiac. The doctors of course dont take time with her at all.

She is involved in a support group, but doesnt share experiences with them much.

She does not eat out hardly at all, and is the only one cooking at home so there is no bread in the house or anything.

I think she is using West Soy Rice Milk? I cant find a web site for them, so if anyone knows let me know.........