Cross Contamination

[frec]

I was diagnosed five years ago, but I only discovered this forum recently. I am delighted, because I've accumulated a lot of questions that doctors sure couldn't answer. A lot of you write about cross contamination. How careful do I have to be? I am single, so there is no problem at home. What about eating at a friend's house? They cook for me on dishes that often contain wheat, but isn't washing enough to keep me safe? What about eating fried eggs or potatoes at a restaurant that could be making pancakes on the same grill? I don't seem to react to either of these situations but maybe I'm damaging myself and don't know it? I don't want to get paranoid.

[darlindeb25]

Frec--Do you react when glutened? If you are the type who doesn't know when they have been glutened, then yes, you may be getting cross contaminated and not knowing it, but, if you do react when glutened and you are not reacting, then you must have friends who are watching out for you and a safe restuarant to eat at--good for you!

If you are a non-reactive celiac, then you may need to rethink things.

[frec]

I definitely react, but (judging by what I've read on the forum) not as violently as many celiacs. I guess my question is, do other celiacs know they react to those situations? I have so many other food intolerances (IgG mediated) with delayed reactions that I am usually not sure what caused me to get sick.

[jewi0008]

I definitely react, but (judging by what I've read on the forum) not as violently as many celiacs. I guess my question is, do other celiacs know they react to those situations? I have so many other food intolerances (IgG mediated) with delayed reactions that I am usually not sure what caused me to get sick.

This is my same EXACT problem, frec! I have so many other food intolerances as well and they are typically delayed, so I can never know if it's CC or just another food intolerance! uggghhh...so frustrating!

[kenlove]

It's been almost 2 years since I was diagnosed celiac ater 6 months of misery and 3 hospital stays. Celiac is not that common in Hawaii or Japan where I spend a lot of time. I do find cross contamination a big problem here and have to be extremely paranoid. When I'm not I break out with DH within 30 minutes or so. Makes it a pain to eat out even at my friends places since I hate to ask them to have to do something special although some do. My own pan or they have top clean a section of grill.

Having been trained as a chef and active witth the chefs group in Kona, I can fnd some good places if we dont cook at home.

I also have to be careful when in kitchens, I teach a class at the culiinary school on tropical fruit but will no longer go into the kitchen there if its the same day as the bread class. Just too much flour in the air and I can feel it within an hour.

Last week at the farm bureau annual dinner I could eat, not becasue they didnt have some gluten-free foods but becasue I watched people using the same tongs from soy sauce laden fish with lettuce or steaks and roasted veggies. Just a few drops of wheat soy sauce sets off a reaction. So, cross contamination is a real issue for me.

Ken

I was diagnosed five years ago, but I only discovered this forum recently. I am delighted, because I've accumulated a lot of questions that doctors sure couldn't answer. A lot of you write about cross contamination. How careful do I have to be? I am single, so there is no problem at home. What about eating at a friend's house? They cook for me on dishes that often contain wheat, but isn't washing enough to keep me safe? What about eating fried eggs or potatoes at a restaurant that could be making pancakes on the same grill? I don't seem to react to either of these situations but maybe I'm damaging myself and don't know it? I don't want to get paranoid.