My Doc Said I Could Cheat....

[ravenwoodglass]

Because it doesn't make ANY difference.... there is NO SUCH thing genetically as Swedish, English or German... its as simple as that.

Let me put it this way... many Americans have celiac disease... does the fact I have American relatives make any difference to this?

No because America is a melting pot of races....

Europe is NO DIFFERENT... there is no Irish ... Americans that say they are American Irish are just kidding themsleves and being nostalgic... in reality the Irish in a gross view are a mix of Vikings, Celts, English, Saxon and lots of Spanish... and that's just major groups...

Would a black Irishman have a higher or lower chance of celiac disease than an African American?

The number of Irish, Swedish or whomever that say they are racially pure is just a joke... Do you think the white americans didn't rape black slaves? The genetics of African Americans is mixed with caucasian and almost no African American who's family has been in America since slavery has no caucasian blood... similarly the English raped the Irish and Scots although in a more methodical and scientific way... the idea was that you put English blood into them and they were less liekly to rise up...

The Vikings were not known for asking permission either....

And all of this supposes that peple are not lying... a very large percentage of children are not the biological produce of their supposed and legal fathers... Random sampling shows 1:25 in N. America and Europe... in more primitive cultures its probably far higher...

Doctors who make diagnosis based on supposed heritage are VERY dangerous..... that is why its a legal requirement to check blood type before a transfusion, regardless of the mother swearing blind the blood type of the father!

This is so true. National Geographic did a world wide genome project recently. Mankind has definately mixed it up a bit.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

And let's not forget that the rate of celiac in Asians is nearly nonexistent--until they come to the West and start eating a Western diet high in gluten. The rate of celiac among Asian-Americans is higher with every generation. Hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmm......

[johnsoniu]

Ok, maybe that was a bit harsh of me. But this stuff does make me mad.

No, not harsh at all. Calling him an idiot was a compliment.

How about irresponsible, conjecturing, witch doctor who probably graduated in the bottom 5% of his class?

There, now I feel better

[ebrbetty]

I'm from the Boston area, curious who your dr is and the center you plan on going to..is it at BI?

[JEM123]

I am laughing right now because I went to the gastro. for the first time yesterday and the second question out of his mouth was "do you have any irish in you?" (and I have naturally flaming red hair so it's pretty obvious). Maybe we should just pin the tail on the Irish and call us all celiacs to make diagnosis easier since we're the only ones apparently who get this wacky disease!

Amy

I'm also laughing because when my GI doc asked me what nationality my parents were I answered Italian. He responded well celiac disease is strongly linked with a European background. My response to him was..You are telling me...an italian that I can no longer have pasta...bread....cutlets..pastries??? What's left to eat? lol He laughed too..

Jem

[chrissy]

our doc told us, in so many words, NOT to cheat because you're going to be getting glutened enough by accident.

[mamabear]

I'm also laughing because when my GI doc asked me what nationality my parents were I answered Italian. He responded well celiac disease is strongly linked with a European background. My response to him was..You are telling me...an italian that I can no longer have pasta...bread....cutlets..pastries??? What's left to eat? lol He laughed too..

Jem

The Wall Street Journal had a front page article on celiac about a year ago, and they listed the genetic incidence of celiac disease in several countries. Norway led all countries with ~2% of the population; Italy was second with 1.2%; the British Isles with ~1% and Germany with .3%. I can find the exact date it was published if anyone is interested. It was in WSJ to make the point there is no money in celiac research(so far!), and gave nearly 2 pages to celiac disease.

[gfp]

our doc told us, in so many words, NOT to cheat because you're going to be getting glutened enough by accident.

Back on topic....

I wonder if this wasn't the point the MD was trying to make, albeit very badly?

Its pretty hard to say... ?

I think a lof of MD's see a lot of people they say must change their diet, not just celiacs ...

One of my friends who is really over weight, smoked 60 a day and drinks a lot got told by his MD to go on some meds for life although it wasn't going to be a very long one but the meds were getting better all the time...

He asked what if he lost weight, stopped smoking etc. what was his prognosis?

Oh, noone does she said ... well some people have and the prognosis is actually very good but forget it, noone ever does....

So far he has.... but MD's say the same to non insulin dependent diabetics indeed many it seems have given up even suggesting dietry control and jump straight to insulin??

I think what the MD was trying to convey and just did it badly is you need to do the diet strictly .... and that its better to cheat occaisionally than everyday but in small ways.... That said, its obviously better not to cheat... I just thing MD's don't give us much credit for actually trying to follow a diet??

[BostonCeliac]

No, not harsh at all. Calling him an idiot was a compliment.

How about irresponsible, conjecturing, witch doctor who probably graduated in the bottom 5% of his class?

There, now I feel better

Wow -- I might not go quite that far - but I see your point with his irresponsible comments - luckily for me - I have this forum & many other resources to see that cheating is not good.

I'm from the Boston area, curious who your dr is and the center you plan on going to..is it at BI?

I'd rather not publicly announce to the whole forum his name -- But he's one of the more senior Gastro Doctors at Mass General Hospital. You can PM if you like and I'll let you know...

And I heard about Beth Isreal too late! If I need to visit a Gastro again - I'm going to their Celiac Center..

Thanks for your comments everyone! Looks like others have heard similar things - this is really helpful to everyone...

(and gfp -- i thought of you when he brought up the Irish again, because I've read your lengthy posts on "heritage", in the past -- haha)

[gfp]

(and gfp -- i thought of you when he brought up the Irish again, because I've read your lengthy posts on "heritage", in the past -- haha)

Sorry I was trying to put the thread back on line.... My good "Irish American" friend Charles (Chip) Kelley lives in Boston too with his "Italian American" wife... LOL

[Rusla]

My take on your doc is that he is of the old school of thinking and is an uneducated boob.

I guess it is okay to cheat if you want cancer, pain, etc. Some of these doctors need to be whacked upside their heads with a hammer.

[Rusla]

Ignore this one it was the top one repeated.

[Guest lorlyn]

The US Congres is trying to get a bill passed to make the month of May the National Celiac Awareness Month. Everybody should e-mail their Congress-person to pass this bill. It would be great to have PBS annoucements on TV for the whole month of May.

[gfp]

The US Congres is trying to get a bill passed to make the month of May the National Celiac Awareness Month. Everybody should e-mail their Congress-person to pass this bill. It would be great to have PBS annoucements on TV for the whole month of May.

GREAT???? That's like saying the sun is warm, the Marrianas trench is slightly deeper than head height...

IT will change your LIFE!

I'm not joking.... suddenly it will be NOT PC to make fun of celiac disease... resto and catering staff will be all more aware and have no escuse for not knowing what it is... and you will lose that second head..the one you sprout when saying "I can't eat wheat"...

[Guest lorlyn]

I am sorry, I do not understand riddles. Please explain in plain English why it would hurt people with Celiac that the US goverment were to pass a bill making the month of May the month for National Awareness . Please let me know because I am still new at this.

Thanks

[CarlaB]

I am sorry, I do not understand riddles. Please explain in plain English why it would hurt people with Celiac that the US goverment were to pass a bill making the month of May the month for National Awareness . Please let me know because I am still new at this.

Thanks

I think he's saying great is an understatement. We would have much more celiac awareness ... that is MORE than GREAT!

[jerseyangel]

I am sorry, I do not understand riddles. Please explain in plain English why it would hurt people with Celiac that the US goverment were to pass a bill making the month of May the month for National Awareness . Please let me know because I am still new at this.

Thanks

Yep, he's all for it

I am too!

[deedub]

forgive me if this has been said before, but can't wheat, rye, and barley be further genetically altered to remove the toxins that hurt celiacs ?

[Viola 1]

forgive me if this has been said before, but can't wheat, rye, and barley be further genetically altered to remove the toxins that hurt celiacs ?

It probably can, but then it would not be the great tasting, stick together flour that they have now. It would react just like our non-gluten flours and be fairly dry and crumbly. Basically, it's the toxin 'gluten' that makes it so well loved by the non-Celiac community.

For instance, if they took the gluten out of "Smarties" They would then be exactly like M&Ms.

[gfpaperdoll]

ohhh, I did not know smarties had gluten in them!!! I will avoid on my next trip to London!!!

[gfp]

Yep, he's all for it

I am too!

Absolutely, grin ....

It would be fantastic....

Public awareness or lack of is the #1 barrier for most of us. If you travel to Italy it becomes clear why....

You can be in the back of beyond and some resto is the only place to eat.... you approach curiously, practicing your Italian ready to give in... you mumble a few words then the waiter says OHH Celiac, why didn't you say. I have had tiny places i the middle of nowhere say "So sorry we don't make special gluten-free pasta..." sorry we can only make you a starter and main course, no pasta course..

and in a major town you'll (usually) find a gluten-free pizzeria and gluten-free pasta etc.

If its nationally aware then more people will be tested, more people will know someone and there will be no excuses ... even when it reaches anything approaching 1:200 people that means everyone knows someone but presently not enough people and MD's even realise the prevalance so it remains "rare" and "unknown" ..

[debmidge]

The Wall Street Journal had a front page article on celiac about a year ago, and they listed the genetic incidence of celiac disease in several countries. Norway led all countries with ~2% of the population; Italy was second with 1.2%; the British Isles with ~1% and Germany with .3%. I can find the exact date it was published if anyone is interested. It was in WSJ to make the point there is no money in celiac research(so far!), and gave nearly 2 pages to celiac disease.

WSJ Ed. 12/9/05 (my hubby was one of the subjects interviewed and our photo is in article).