Newbie

[homicidalknitter]

Hello all! As the subject stated, I am new to Celiac/Gluten-free living. I've had intestinal troubles my whole life and can't remember not feeling terrible after eating a meal. I'd previously been diagnosed with IBS, but my family and I continued to research thankfully. When we came upon this, things started to make sense, from the fact that bowl of cereal would hurt my stomach (a seemingly benign food) to the fact that I am the shortest person in my family.

Like I said, I am very new to this, I've only been gluten-free for 3 days now and I have some questions that hopefully can be answered here.

First: I've noticed that in these three days, my stomach as definitly been better than I can ever remember, but still doesn't seem "normal." Does it usually take a while for your system to regulate and if so, on average how long?

Secondly: I woke up with a yeast infection this morning. I am just about to start my period (I know it's normal for women to sometimes get yeast infections right before their period), but also read somewhere about a link with Candida and Celiac, but I am a little confused on the subject. Should I be especially concerned? I'm used to dealing with them on my own, I don't have health insurance and have been getting yeast infections periodically since I was 12 years old (I'm 24 now).

Thirdly: Can anyone direct me to a FREE comprehensive list of ingredients that commonly have hidden gluten? I've been researching non stop in the last week or so, but I still haven't found a good list to help me recognize all the ingredients I should be watching out for. This is a confusing and daunting task, changing my diet, but one that I already can tell is well worth it. I've felt great the last three days and am excited that I am on the way to feeling better and better!

Please, any help is muchly appreciated and needed!

Thank you,

Joni

[SchnauzerMom]

Hi! I'm glad you joined us! I'm new at this too so I don't have a lot of advice that I can give you. Did you check out the Celiac.com site? There are a lot of articles there and I think some of your questions will be answered there.

[Lisa]

Joni:

Welcome. You have found a wonderful site and all you question will be answered. I can offer a few.

Some here have felt better after just a few day and on the flip side, some have taken months to feel better. I believe it depends on the amount of damage to your intestines.

Being gluten free is very complex and complicated. You need to check your shampoo, toothpaste, lotions, lipstick, ie everything that can get into you mouth. To start with Dove shampoo is gluten free, as is Crest, Dove lotion and Burt's Bee's lip glosses and neutrogena glosses are gluten free.

Others here are more advanced on yeast issues, so I will defer to them.

On this site, in the opening page, as said, you can scroll down and get many articles as well as a safe and forbidden list.

It is so very overwhelming in the beginning. But soon you will be able to read labels. The folks here have more knowledge than you will find in the general medical community.

If you have questions regarding any general product, please feel free to PM me.

The board gets a little show during the weekend......but you will get you answers.

Welcome to Celiacland.

Lisa

[Creative-Soul]

Just wanted to say welcome aboard!

[Viola 1]

Hello all! As the subject stated, I am new to Celiac/Gluten-free living. I've had intestinal troubles my whole life and can't remember not feeling terrible after eating a meal. I'd previously been diagnosed with IBS, but my family and I continued to research thankfully. When we came upon this, things started to make sense, from the fact that bowl of cereal would hurt my stomach (a seemingly benign food) to the fact that I am the shortest person in my family.

Like I said, I am very new to this, I've only been gluten-free for 3 days now and I have some questions that hopefully can be answered here.

First: I've noticed that in these three days, my stomach as definitly been better than I can ever remember, but still doesn't seem "normal." Does it usually take a while for your system to regulate and if so, on average how long?

Secondly: I woke up with a yeast infection this morning. I am just about to start my period (I know it's normal for women to sometimes get yeast infections right before their period), but also read somewhere about a link with Candida and Celiac, but I am a little confused on the subject. Should I be especially concerned? I'm used to dealing with them on my own, I don't have health insurance and have been getting yeast infections periodically since I was 12 years old (I'm 24 now).

Thirdly: Can anyone direct me to a FREE comprehensive list of ingredients that commonly have hidden gluten? I've been researching non stop in the last week or so, but I still haven't found a good list to help me recognize all the ingredients I should be watching out for. This is a confusing and daunting task, changing my diet, but one that I already can tell is well worth it. I've felt great the last three days and am excited that I am on the way to feeling better and better!

Please, any help is muchly appreciated and needed!

Thank you,

Joni

Welcome aboard! I love your forum name, it would be interesting to hear how you decided on it

Nini has a list out for newbies on what you can and what you can't have. Do a search of her name...Nini..click on that and you will find away into her newbie kit. It's very helpful.

[wowzer]

If you buy an over the counter yeast infection cure, make sure you call the number on the box and make sure it is gluten free. I can't remember the name of the company now, but when I called she said that you should call and check every time, because it could contain gluten. I had bought a Target brand one. Of course called after the fact.

[Lizzz88]

Hey Joni! I am also new to celiac so I can't give you tons of advice but I can tell you what has helped me.

The gluten free diet seems so overwhelming. What I did was I made a notebook of all the information and recipes I found online. That way I could just flip through to find what I needed. I also googled ingredients in things to put my mind at ease about what I was about to eat. This forum has really helped me and I think you will find that it is a great support system!

I've been on the diet for 6 weeks now and I still feel pretty bad, but then again, I had some other things wrong with my stomach(h pilori, ulcers, gastritis, reflux, and hietal hiernia). I have wondered how long it takes, but from the research I've done it seems like it depends on the person.

I hope you start feeling better! If you ever need anything you can message me because I'm going through the learning process also.

Liz

[homicidalknitter]

Welcome aboard! I love your forum name, it would be interesting to hear how you decided on it

Nini has a list out for newbies on what you can and what you can't have. Do a search of her name...Nini..click on that and you will find away into her newbie kit. It's very helpful.

Thank you so much for your help. I did go to her website and found some very useful information as well as some tasty sounding recipes.

You know, the way I got my name is kind of funny, or at least interesting. I was going through an especially rough time with someone I was dating and was complaining to my friend while knitting furiously. I started getting pretty heated and made a stabbing motion with one of my needles. The next day, she had drawn up a little comic about Natasha, homicidal knittress. In the comic, I would find and destroy men by stabbing them with my knitting needles, then knit a body bag and throw them into the ocean to rot. It made me feel empowered, even though I was only destroying men on paper, so the name has stuck even 4 years later.

Thank you again!

Joni

[Canadian Karen]

Joni, that's hilarious!

I can tell already you are going to fit right in here! LOL!

Karen

[Aerin328]

Joni, welcome!

Just a response on the "how long does it take to regulate" question. As our Celiac veteran Lisa stated, it can take any varied amount of time. I have found, and read about others who have similarly experienced, that gastrointestinal issues should subside within a few weeks. However, the anti-gliadin antibodies which can trigger certain system autoimmune responses can linger in the blood for 1-2 years ; thus, other symptoms such as fatigue and brain-fog can take much longer to abate.

It takes an incredible amount of patience to navigate the waters of the Celiac Sea- but stick with it, and all things will mend. It's hard to remember this sometimes b/c when the symptoms set in, it can feel like they will never ever go away! But as my loving fiance (who is also a celiac, and has recovered fully) tells me daily, "You WILL get better." This forum will be available for support every step of the way.

Good luck!

Christian

[babygirl1234]

welcome to the borad

[Viola 1]

Thank you so much for your help. I did go to her website and found some very useful information as well as some tasty sounding recipes.

You know, the way I got my name is kind of funny, or at least interesting. I was going through an especially rough time with someone I was dating and was complaining to my friend while knitting furiously. I started getting pretty heated and made a stabbing motion with one of my needles. The next day, she had drawn up a little comic about Natasha, homicidal knittress. In the comic, I would find and destroy men by stabbing them with my knitting needles, then knit a body bag and throw them into the ocean to rot. It made me feel empowered, even though I was only destroying men on paper, so the name has stuck even 4 years later.

Thank you again!

Joni

Joni, that is so funny! Thanks for sharing! Watch that sense of humour from Canadian Karen, it can be dangerous ... You'll want to make sure you have a pee before you start reading some of her stuff

[homicidalknitter]

Joni, that's hilarious!

I can tell already you are going to fit right in here! LOL!

Karen

I love your bottom quote. Sometimes I felt like people thought I was making all this up for attention. Sigh...

[homicidalknitter]

Joni:

Welcome. You have found a wonderful site and all you question will be answered. I can offer a few.

Some here have felt better after just a few day and on the flip side, some have taken months to feel better. I believe it depends on the amount of damage to your intestines.

Being gluten free is very complex and complicated. You need to check your shampoo, toothpaste, lotions, lipstick, ie everything that can get into you mouth. To start with Dove shampoo is gluten free, as is Crest, Dove lotion and Burt's Bee's lip glosses and neutrogena glosses are gluten free.

Others here are more advanced on yeast issues, so I will defer to them.

On this site, in the opening page, as said, you can scroll down and get many articles as well as a safe and forbidden list.

It is so very overwhelming in the beginning. But soon you will be able to read labels. The folks here have more knowledge than you will find in the general medical community.

If you have questions regarding any general product, please feel free to PM me.

The board gets a little show during the weekend......but you will get you answers.

Welcome to Celiacland.

Lisa

Thank you so much Lisa! Your response has really helped me! I went to Trader Joe's with my mother today, armed with a gluten-free foods list and we went to town. It's been hard so far, but I know the rewards will be well worth it. Thank you!

Joni

[Guest happynwgal]

Thank you so much Lisa! Your response has really helped me! I went to Trader Joe's with my mother today, armed with a gluten-free foods list and we went to town. It's been hard so far, but I know the rewards will be well worth it. Thank you!

Joni

I LOVE to knit!!! Welcome to the board - I have found much comfort and help here...

I am also pretty new to gluton free - just over two months, and I am starting to feel better. It does take a while to find foods that I can safely eat - I sat down to eat some ice cream that we have had in the freezer pre-gluten diagnoses, and suddenly realized that when I ate some of it a few weeks ago, I got sick. So I looked at the ingredients, and the second one was something called WHEAT SYRUP. Whoever had heard of wheat syrup before?! I sure had not...

So far every day is a new learning experience. I sometimes look at the food my daughter (17, and no gluten problems) is eating, and I miss my Little Debbie Boston cremes.... sigh.... Thank goodness we have not had any of them around here since I was diagnosed...

In regard to shopping: I have also discovered that the health food stores are better that the regular super markets. But even there, I have learned that I need to read all the labels - and understand all the ingredients on the list. If I am not sure, I ask. If I don't get the right answers, I do without.

Good luck!

PS I have not yet been to Trader Joe's, but somebody else told me that they thought that store has more gluten free than any other store. Anybody have any input for me about this?

[Susanna]

Trader Joes has lots of great food that is naturally gluten free and just healthy in general. However, they don't have specific gluten-free specialty products, and they don't have a separate gluten-free section. I still love them, because they have lots of great rices and sauces and fresh produce, etc., plus they are comparable in price to the regular grocery store.

But for more specialty gluten-free stuff, I like Whole Foods--they have an actual gluten-free aisle, which is very cool. Pricey, though.

When you're a newbie--always carry snacks with you, because it SUCKS to be hungry while others around you are eating food you can't have--it's very isolating feeling. Here are some portable, gluten-free snacks:

trail mix

hard boiled eggs

dried fruit, fresh fruit

Peanut butter on celery

Baby Ruth Bars (and Snickers, and Reeses peanut butter cups, and Hershey Kisses

Cheetos, Fritos, plain potato chips, tortilla chips (carful of added flavorings, tho)

Peanut butter and rice cakes

Cottage cheese and rice cakes

Cottage cheese mixed with equal parts of your favorite yogurt

Some beef jerkies--read labels

Nuts

Lara Bars, Bumble Bars

Some flavors of Zone Bars (Fudge Graham, Coconut Chocolate Crunch, Chocolate Almond Raisin)

As to how soon you will feel better--depends on how damaged your gut was when you went gluten-free. Know that it may take a while (maybe even months)--stick with the diet. It gets easier over about the first 6 months as you figure out what to eat. It's so worth it. Some foods may be hard to digest, even if they are gluten-free, so while your gut recovers from gluten poisoning, you might want to avoid them: dairy, caffeine, alcohol, very spicey foods, and sadly, chocolate. Foods that are easy on the gut are: bananas, rice apple sauce and ginger ale.

Good luck!

Susanna

[homicidalknitter]

I LOVE to knit!!! Welcome to the board - I have found much comfort and help here...

I am also pretty new to gluton free - just over two months, and I am starting to feel better. It does take a while to find foods that I can safely eat - I sat down to eat some ice cream that we have had in the freezer pre-gluten diagnoses, and suddenly realized that when I ate some of it a few weeks ago, I got sick. So I looked at the ingredients, and the second one was something called WHEAT SYRUP. Whoever had heard of wheat syrup before?! I sure had not...

So far every day is a new learning experience. I sometimes look at the food my daughter (17, and no gluten problems) is eating, and I miss my Little Debbie Boston cremes.... sigh.... Thank goodness we have not had any of them around here since I was diagnosed...

In regard to shopping: I have also discovered that the health food stores are better that the regular super markets. But even there, I have learned that I need to read all the labels - and understand all the ingredients on the list. If I am not sure, I ask. If I don't get the right answers, I do without.

Good luck!

PS I have not yet been to Trader Joe's, but somebody else told me that they thought that store has more gluten free than any other store. Anybody have any input for me about this?

So far, I have found Trader Joe's to be the most helpful. It's cheaper than places like Whole Foods (which does have a great gluten-free isle...at a heafty price) and you can get a great list online of all their gluten-free foods.

Wheat syrup? Never heard of it! I am amazed at what foods have wheat in it and even more amazed at how many other PRODUCTS have wheat in it too. Shampoo? Toothpaste? Cosmetics? Is that really nessessary? So far some friends have rolled their eyes, others (especially any friend I've lived with in the past) are pleased not to see me running to the bathroom after every meal and not in pain but all have been more than accomodating. One friend is making dinner tonight and has made sure that I can eat whatever they're making so I can eat with them. Another made me a seperate dish last minute so I could stay and eat. I will be missing cheese fries from Steak and Shake, but I'll survive.

Thanks for the well wishes, I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on my progress (I'm still trying to figure out this website, so until then my posts might be a little sporatic)

Joni