Please Help! Kitchen Question

[mf in CA]

Hello everyone! I really appreciate this forum as a newly diagnosed DHer. This post might be a little long but I want to give you a brief history with my question. I am still suffering from the itchy, burning, blistering rash and would appreciate some input and advice from those more experienced!

Before the rash I ate a low-gluten diet (not on purpose, just didn't eat a lot of refined flours and processed food, but still ate whole grains (oats, barley, etc) and things like soy sauce. The rash appeared right around the christmas holiday when I was eating cookies and candies a lot. I have been gluten free for a little over 6 weeks and have worked hard to be 100% but recently found out my chapstick is not gluten-free (vitamin e is the only ingredient I can guess? I called the company and they said the chapstick contains gluten) and once accidentally ate a few corn chips that had soy sauce listed in the ingredients. I went through my laundry detergent, shampoo, soaps, etc and are all gluten-free now. My rash got much better after about 3 weeks on the diet but then flared up horribly about a week and a half ago. I am not on any dapsone and would like to let this run its course as much as possible assuming it will be over soon with the gluten free diet. I know that this flare up might just be part of becoming gluten-free and am okay with that, but want to check in with others about the process of becoming gluten-free...

My question is about our kitchen. My husband is not celiac and is careful to clean up all bread crumbs and we have our own butter dishes, etc to avoid contamination and I don't use the toaster. We don't have any plasticware in our kitchen, but I have heard a few in the forums say they had to replace all their pots and pans, dishes, utensils, etc to be truly gluten-free. Can others please relate their experiences with that? Is it truly EVERYTHING in the kitchen? We recently got married and most of our kitchen stuff is pretty new : ( So, is it just wooden cutting boards and utensils or even my cast iron pans?

Also, my husband has offered to banish all gluten from the kitchen, have others found this necessary? He eats gluten in the form of toast, the occasional beer, and packaged snack foods.

Thank you for reading this and offering any input!

[hannahsue01]

I believe that you may get many different answears to your questions. I have heard that many people have done not much more than replacing there toaster to people replacing everything they own. We have two maybe three celiacs in the family and have chose to replace everything that wasn't glass, ceramic, or metal. We also replaced the metal sifter and strainer as I felt those couldn't be cleaned well enough. We are also 100% gluten free in our household and I find it allot less stressfull that way and find it hard to fix seperate meals for gluten-free and non gluten-free people. We also have a possible celiac baby who eats every crumb off the floor....I don't care how carefull anyone is there will still be crumbs. I think everyone has to make a desicion that they are comfterble with as there is debate on how much gluten is actually safe.....I chose the better safe than sorry method even though I am still paying for the credit cards. Our stuff was fairly new as well....nothing more than 5 yrs old as I am only 23. Good luck....I hope your rash clears up soon.

[missy'smom]

OOPs

[missy'smom]

I don't think it is necessary to replace everything. I cook with cast iron and put mine in the oven on self cleaning cycle, scrubbed them afterwards and reseasoned them. Now one is designated gluten-free. The handle shape is slightly different so they are easy to tell apart(probably two different brands). I baked alot before so I gave away my hand mixer-I could see flour in the vents and it wouldn't come off when I tried to stick q-tips in and clean it.

The baking pans I gave away were teflon, had intricated details that were not easily cleaned and were teflon, professional style square pans with folded sides where there were creases that stuff had gotten into and couldn't be completely cleaned, baking sheets that had been used for frozen potaoes etc. that had left behind a film that couldn't be scrubbed off, a springform pan with dimpled bottom. I go rid of alot of baking pans but I ended up with enough seamless pans that were in good condition to meet my needs.

For cookware I had only one teflon frying pan that was in bad condition anyway so it got tossed. I got a new deep fryer because it had lived its life and had a teflon coating on the inside that couldn't be cleaned.

I don't have space for two toasters, so I toast my bread in the broiler of my oven. A little less convenient, but it works for me.

Wooden cutting boards and wooden spoons it seems would be different. I haven't used either in a long time but wooden spoons are often submerged in the foods that we are cooking/making for long periods of time and soak up the stuff they're in because wood is porous. But I can't think of anything that I use a cutting board for that would have gluten in it and be able to soak into the wood can you? I know others have mentioned the idea of crumbs getting into the scratches. It seems to me that if your cutting board is in good condition and if you were really concerned, you could sand it lighly and retreat it with oil and be good to go.

Don't worry and do what makes sense to you.

[Guest cassidy]

I don't think it is necessary to replace everything either. We share tupperware and cutting boards and plates and silverware. I do have my own strainer for pasta (I think that did get me sick once), toaster, and we had two sets of pots & pans before getting married so I use mine and cook his stuff in his old ones. I don't think that is necessary, it just makes me feel better.

We also use the same sponge to wash gluten-free dishes and other dishes and I almost never get sick at home. Our dishwasher isn't great either and I've never gotten sick that way.

So, I would say to be careful with condiments and toasters like you said and see how you do with the rest. If you are constantly getting sick at home, then you need to make some changes. If you are doing ok and not getting a rash, then you should be fine with how things are. It also depends on how freaked out by gluten you are. If have recently gotten sick I don't like to be around it at all and I may take unneccessary precautions because it makes me feel more comfortable.

I don't know anything about DH so I can't address that part. If no one answers you on that you may want to post separately about that in the DH area so someone can address that. I do know that my symptoms can last up to 3 weeks after being glutened, so it isn't unreasonable for you to have symptoms for a while after eating something with gluten. I also got myself sick a lot in the beginning because I was learning how to read labels and made several mistakes.

[mf in CA]

Thank you for responding! It's hard to tell what's appropriate and what's paranoid so hearing what others have done is VERY helpful to me. These online forums have been comforting, just to know that I'm not the only one!

[simplicity66]

My b/f is not gluten-free so i have purchased alot of new items for myself.... my cooking utensils as well as toaster,bread machine, frying pan, strainer....containers for my food for work the brightest wildess colour i could find... i replaced and labeled ..... i do use" my" cookware for me and his for him we both had our own...i even put "my" toaster on the other side of the kitchen to aviod any crumbs falling into mine...dishes, silverware.glasses etc we use the same...our dishwasher isnt a year old yet....wooden spoons i have replaced and labled with my inital......all of my cookware,food,bake ware,etc ....i put all together in one cupboard... his "BAD" stuff is in another cupboard.. what was said in earlier posts its true... you can be as carefull or even paranoid to wipe up every last crumb that falls and you still have the possibility of cross-contamination....buffets are the best example for cross-contamination...wrong spoon in the wrong dish "YIKES"...the other thing to watch too is if non-gluten free flours are used in your home...even after cleaning then vaccuming the particles stay in the air for days weeks or months....you may even want to consider purchasing a microwave and a bread machine...cooling racks for baking i have purchased new ones....baking could stick to them.....purchase and label your own butter,peanut butter,jam,cream cheese etc to prevent wheat crumb contamination.....purchase squeeze bottles for gluten-free mayonnaise,mustard,relish, gluten-free barbecue sauce etc label them as well....keep seperate knives and cutting boards...i also have the top shelf of the refrigerator for my gluten-free products this avioids the possibility of anything falling into gluten-free items....this sounds like alot and yes expenisive but before you know it you will be a educated,alert,knowledgeable dieter and things will become second nature....best of luck hope this helped you...eat well and stay healthy!

[Classicalbook22]

Burn it all! Ok just kidding

I think if you're careful, and your husband is careful you should be fine. But then again everyone is different. I am in college right now, living at home with my parents and sister. My sister and I are gluten free so we have some things that are "ours"

Do not share wooden spoons or anything else wooden really, those will hide gluten forever! That's one thing we don't use at all, it would just be too hard to keep track of.

Separate butter, peanut butter, mayo, etc...Is a great way to stay safe.

Also having a husband sensitive enough to want to go gluten free with you. My family is pretty open with gluten free if I make dinner. My sister went gluten free in January, she is getting married and wants children right away. She heard of the many complications for an undiagnosed celiac, and now we have a cousin who couldn't carry a baby until she went gluten free, so though she has never been tested she committed.

I really wish my parents would be willing to go gluten free at home, because I have a really low tolerance to gluten, a little bit gets me sick, and blisters show up very quickly. It was hard at first but it gets better and easier the more we learn.

A side note, it may take a while for the DH to go away. Don't be discouraged, mine took nearly 6 months, and my stomach problems took about 4. Your small intestines need to heal, and that can take a while depending on your age. It took over a year for mine to heal completely. But gluten free is soooo worth it!

Give your husband a high five for being so nice! And anyone else who's family is gluten free for them! High Fives all around!

[tarnalberry]

We did not replace everything, but most things are not 'shared' - then again, virtually all of what's cooked in our house is gluten free. Any non-pristine non-stick pans got thrown out (I don't use much non-stick anyway), as did the cast iron (I only had one, it was not well used), plastic collander, and the wooden implements. I have a stainless steel pan that my inlaws can use to make oatmeal when they come over, and my husband has his own cookie sheets (our old ones) to make cookies, as we never found those to come totally clean (and I didn't want to have to worry about *always* having parchment paper). The hard anodized aluminum did not get replaced, and was merely well washed.

[debmidge]

for us some items were thrown away, some things were purchased new (toaster and utensils); I kept my gluteny toaster however but it's stored in plastic bag in cabinet in case I need to use it; and somethings were washed throughly and now are gluten-free use only. Purchased new: macaroni strainer, toaster, utensils, fry pan, bread machine.

As to foods, his butter-my butter are separate; condiments are separate.

I never buy any type of bread that would result in crumbs flying all over room like French or Italian bread. I keep a loaf of whole wheat and am very careful when making my lunch with it. I'll have Lean Cuisines in freezer and that's about it for glluten. No gluteny crackers or snacks in our house.

This can work like this because we don't have children but I guess children in home changes things....

[Moses]

I don't think it is necessary to replace everything either. We share tupperware and cutting boards and plates and silverware. I do have my own strainer for pasta (I think that did get me sick once), toaster, and we had two sets of pots & pans before getting married so I use mine and cook his stuff in his old ones. I don't think that is necessary, it just makes me feel better.

We also use the same sponge to wash gluten-free dishes and other dishes and I almost never get sick at home. Our dishwasher isn't great either and I've never gotten sick that way.

So, I would say to be careful with condiments and toasters like you said and see how you do with the rest. If you are constantly getting sick at home, then you need to make some changes. If you are doing ok and not getting a rash, then you should be fine with how things are. It also depends on how freaked out by gluten you are. If have recently gotten sick I don't like to be around it at all and I may take unneccessary precautions because it makes me feel more comfortable.

I don't know anything about DH so I can't address that part. If no one answers you on that you may want to post separately about that in the DH area so someone can address that. I do know that my symptoms can last up to 3 weeks after being glutened, so it isn't unreasonable for you to have symptoms for a while after eating something with gluten. I also got myself sick a lot in the beginning because I was learning how to read labels and made several mistakes.

Hey there all, I have improved in the last 4 years but still have constant gut pain. It was over 30 years that I suffered. My skin rashes dissappear if I stay Gluten free after maybe 6-8 weeks. Last August I received some contamination at a Gluten Free Resturant( they said so..ha ha) but it took my almost till Christmas to get over most of it. Yesterday I had a test at the hospital and last night my legs broke out right away. There must have been some gluten in the X-ray drink, nothing else could have been the problem.

Generally I believe it takes me about 6 weeks or MORE to be over it somewhat. I am thinking that maybe ( after reading about cookware) that it may be the cause of my gut pain. I just don't know what else......

WA4MOE

[ravenwoodglass]

Yesterday I had a test at the hospital and last night my legs broke out right away. There must have been some gluten in the X-ray drink, nothing else could have been the problem.

Yep it did, you need to make sure whenever you have any tests done that you are given gluten free barium, it does exist. I have been poisoned the same way. I will never have any other testing done without having it in writing that what they are giving me is CERTIFIED as gluten free. Unfortunately most times they just don't care if they make you sick, they just want to do the test and get you out of there.

[PatBrown]

Yep it did, you need to make sure whenever you have any tests done that you are given gluten free barium, it does exist. I have been poisoned the same way. I will never have any other testing done without having it in writing that what they are giving me is CERTIFIED as gluten free. Unfortunately most times they just don't care if they make you sick, they just want to do the test and get you out of there.