Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Am I Being Too Careful?

cdfiance

Recommended Posts

cdfiance Explorer
cdfiance
Posted

Since Alex

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MySuicidalTurtle Enthusiast
MySuicidalTurtle
Posted

I like to avoid things with gluten. It is better safe than sorry especially when it comes to gluten on my hands! Good luck to Alex!

cdfiance Explorer
cdfiance
Posted
  • Author

Sorry, I should have been more specific. Alex is my fiance and she's turning 24. So it would be paints and paintbrushes and not fingerpainting or anything like that.

Sorry for not clarifying that; I can see why it looked like my post should be moved to the kids/babies section -- my bad. :)

Ryan

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
Sorry, I should have been more specific. Alex is my fiance and she's turning 24. So it would be paints and paintbrushes and not fingerpainting or anything like that.

Sorry for not clarifying that; I can see why it looked like my post should be moved to the kids/babies section -- my bad. :)

Ryan

I think you have to pick your battles, and the risks that you can accept. I'd imagine that for an adult, injesting paint is a pretty low risk, but if paint is available gluten-free, then I'd buy it. It might be tough to find ingredient lists.

Hey, How's Alex doing? Is the diabetes diagnosis helping get things settled down for you two? Give Alex our best.

Geoff

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

I truly believe we can not be too careful. Once you let up on that carefulness, that's when accidents happen. I think you are doing a wonderful job of supporting Alex--we all should be so lucky. :D

SunnyDyRain Enthusiast
SunnyDyRain
Posted

I'd say try to get gluten free, but I agree it might be hard. I'd buy her a box of powder free latex gloves (if she isn't allergic to latex!) for her to mix paints or wash the brushes. I can see that she may not get alot of paint on her hands painting, but it's the set up and clean up it may get under her nails then she could put them in her mouth.

CarlaB Enthusiast
CarlaB
Posted

I used to paint paintings... though I might see if gluten-free paints are available, I wouldn't worry about it. I know I never ingested the paint .... and I washed my hands really well to be sure it was all off before I ate.

I paint our walls in our house and never worry about it, though I'm very careful when spackling or sanding drywall because that puts dust in the air ... and yes, drywall does contain gluten.

With all she's been through, I definately think it would be overkill for her to give up her hobby, too, as unlikely as it is that the paint will make it into her mouth. She should just be meticulous in cleaning herself up afterward (I'm thinking paint under fingernails).

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

If you can find gluten-free paints, fine, but I do think it would be overkill for a 24-year-old to just never paint again.

richard

cdfiance Explorer
cdfiance
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm still hoping I can find gluten-free paints but if not I do agree that it is probably low risk. The latex gloves sound like a good idea to avoid getting it under her fingernails. I really don't want her to have to give up something she enjoys doing.

Hey, How's Alex doing? Is the diabetes diagnosis helping get things settled down for you two? Give Alex our best.

Actually things have been going pretty well that last week or so. We're starting to get into a good routine with the blood sugar checks and insulin injections and she's getting better all the time at recognizing early when her blood sugar is getting too low or too high. And best of all it seems like her GI tract is finally starting to calm down! She has less pain and fewer bouts of diarrhea a day. Her sleep is much more restful now that she's not up multiple times a night in the bathroom. I'm almost afraid to say it but it looks like we're finally making progress. We even went to see a movie the other day! I know it sounds like nothing but its a big deal considering the doctor's office, the drug store, and the hospital have been pretty much the only places outside our house that Alex has been in the last few months.

Thanks,

Ryan

wowzer Community Regular
wowzer
Posted

I'm glad to hear that Alex is on the mend. I hope that you can find gluten free paint. Good Luck.

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
I'm almost afraid to say it but it looks like we're finally making progress. We even went to see a movie the other day! I know it sounds like nothing but its a big deal considering the doctor's office, the drug store, and the hospital have been pretty much the only places outside our house that Alex has been in the last few months.

Thanks,

Ryan

Ryan,

That's great to hear! It was certainly sounding scary there for a while, so any return to something closer to normal is great.

It's great that you are there for her too. My wife and I are newlyweds (just over a year, I think we still count). I actually started to figure out my Celiac disease after our delayed honeymoon. I haven't had nearly the difficulties Alex has, and I can still say that having a supportive partner is a godsend.

When my wife's mom got sick, and my wife was upset, it was killing me to not be able to "fix" it. As men, we, stereotypically and I think it's true a lot, don't see problems as things to be dealt with, or worked around, but things that should be fixed. Disease can be tough mentally, because often you can't fix it. There are "solutions" in the form of avoiding gluten (and in Alex's case, blood sugar controls) but it's not really fixing it. I was talking to my wife the other day, and mentioned how frustrated I was that there isn't a cure for Celiacs, and we ended up talking about Diabetes too. She was suggesting that there was a cure, avoiding gluten and insulin. I was arguing that those are patches, not cures. My analogy was that it was like driving with one of those little donut spare tires. It might get you home, but it was limiting. A cure would be like getting a new tire. And it got me thinking about how I approach problems, and I think I am the stereotypical guy. I see every problem as something that needs to be fixed, and I get very frustrated when I can't. Especially when it's hurting or affecting the people I love. Have you been having the same reactions?

Anyway, that's just my thoughts. I feel bad for Alex, but it seems like you're doing everything you can, and that's great.

Geoff

CarlaB Enthusiast
CarlaB
Posted

Geoff, I think you're right! That is how guys are! Sometimes women will come to their man with a complaint ... we're just looking for a shoulder ... men think we want it fixed ... all we want is someone to say they understand our frustration!

It seems that for women, many things can be "fixed" with a hug ... our idea of fixed is a little different than yours.

Funny observation.

Congratulations to both of you ... I've been married for 22 years.

cdfiance Explorer
cdfiance
Posted
  • Author
I see every problem as something that needs to be fixed, and I get very frustrated when I can't. Especially when it's hurting or affecting the people I love. Have you been having the same reactions?

Yeah, you

aikiducky Apprentice
aikiducky
Posted

Ryan and Geoff, I just wanted to say that it's really helpful to read about your frustration because it helps me understand my husband better! I hope other women on the board will read this too. It's not uncommon here to read about a newly diagnosed celiac wondering about why their partner is reacting so seemingly unsupportively, I think it's very good to keep in mind how hard it can be for a guy to be in this situation!

You guys in turn might keep in mind that just like Carla said, women often don't really long for a solution as much as they long for someone to validate their feelings. You know, women (probably even more than men) have often had the experience of being told it's in our head, we're just being hysterical...whatever you do, don't try to downplay problems in hopes it'll make her feel better, because it won't! So if your loved ones are complaining about something, remember the first thing to do is to say something supportive and give them a hug. It really is a kind of a fix even though it might not feel like it to you. :)

I hope you won't mind the slight ranting... I'm hoping this might help someone out eventually, if not, just ignore me. :P:lol:

Pauliina

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

Although it's extremely unlikely that she'll get glutened off the paint, if you can get gluten-free paint I'd do it. The world is a risky place for celiacs; I prefer to eliminate as many situations with the potential for CC as I can. That way I can engage in other "risky" behavior like going out to eat more frequently.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.