Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • 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

New To Forum


shannonmc

Recommended Posts

shannonmc Newbie

Hi Everyone! I new and over the next few weeks/months I'm going to have lots of questions--here's the story (familiar to many of you , I'm sure).

Family history of Crohn's, IBS, thyroid disease, reactive arthritis (Reiter's Syndrome), Premature Ovarian Failure, and Lupus.

I have hashimoto's and premature ovarian failure and my endcronologist asked 1.5 years ago about my bowels. When I told her about my mysterious and painful diarrhea with alternating constipation, she asked about a family history of wheat/gluten intolerance (yes). Then asked if I was irish (yes). She ordered ITG, TTG, and EMA blood work and viola, I was TTG and EMA positive.

Okay, so then I freaked out and refused the biopsy. My husband is italian and eating pasta and bread was/is really important to him plus I have three young children and I wasn't willing to change. (My husband is really nice and kept on encouraging me to get the biopsy and was convinced I was gluten intolerant LONG, LONG before I was.) So to make a long story short, and after having the biopsy canceled twice (once by me, once by the doctor) I decided to go gluten free. Familiar story--after only two weeks I felt FANTASTIC, and I mean absolutely fantastic.

My backaches are gone, my mysterious diarrhea is gone, no more pain, no more gas. I'm sleeping so wonderfully after 6 years of only 6-7 hours of sleep.

Okay, so I know I should have had the biopsy first, but now that I'm reading this forum there is this other test, right? Here's the clincher for me--my endocronologist called and said she was going to lower my meds--I don't need as much because I'm absorbing them so much better. Cool.

So here's my questions--cross contamination in my kitchen. The issues here are significant--does anyone live with non celiacs and have tips? (I don't have a toaster, so that is not an issue) What about washing and sponges--they eat pasta, I wash the dish, is the sponge now contaminated? I can't seem to get my mind around this--what good would it do to have a separate sponge if I'm washing dishes that had wheat in them? Can I still bake for the kids or would it be better to do it with a gas mask on? (Just kidding about the gas mask). I will have more questions later but thought I would start here.

Thanks in advance and I'm so glad this forum exists--you posts have been so helpful over the last few months.

-Shannon

P.S. I posted this a few minutes ago and realized that I probably posted in the wrong forum, my apologies, maybe just the question about entrolab (sp?) is approp and skip rest and I'll post the rest in the other forum. Thanks for your patience as I figure this out.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Jodi Mills Apprentice

Hello,

I am new to the whole gluten free diet, but was diagnosed with celiac at around age 6. however i didnt stick to the diet. Now as I am retraining myself i have asked some of the same questions as you, and was told the best thing to do is to have new sponges, in your case it might be easier to label which one is for your "gluten free" dishes, that is what I have had to do in my household, my boyfriend is a gluten eater. I have my own special pot, and a special pan, that only I can use. i too do not use a toaster, although he does. spatulas, anything plasticky, should be replaced......

hope that helps!

this site is amazing, I feel great being able to pass on information that was passed on to me!

Guest Jemenii36

hi shannon-

I completley understand your fears and I am also concerned with cross contamination, as well. However, having been diagnosed with celiac disease almost a year ago i have been doing a lot of research. It really seems that although many people are not allergic to wheat/gluten, it has been show that is a an extremely healthy diet to follow. How about trying to make dishes gluten free without telling your family, and see what they say (if they notice). The more recipes i would like to try but can't, due to wheat/gluten in the recipe, the more i am able to find substitutions....and let me tell you, they mostly come out great! It takes a lot of trial and error but if you enjoy cooking and baking i guarentee no one will even know what you are making is gluten free! let me know if you need any suggestions or help with anything, as i am continuing to find recipes that i can alter!

-Samantha

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,230
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    CarolfromSanDiego
    Newest Member
    CarolfromSanDiego
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Betsy Crum
      Thank you for your response! I have considered starting a food diary in the past, I suppose this is as good a time as any to start.  
    • Betsy Crum
      I don't have health insurance so I have never had any testing done. I always thought if I stay away from gluten Ill be fine but I suppose that isn't enough anymore. I will look into getting an allergy test. Thank you for your input! 
    • trents
      I remember reading an article summarizing testing done by Gluten Free Watchdog on several brands of dried lentils. They were all heavily cross contaminated with wheat and the commentary was to the effect that dried lentils in general were the most heavily cross contaminated product category in their testing data base. So, I would definitely not use any dried lentil product that was not tested to be Gluten Free (<20ppm of gluten) or Certified Gluten Free (<10ppm of gluten).
    • Scott Adams
      While spices, lentils, beans and chickpeas are naturally gluten-free, the main concern with any brand is cross-contamination during processing and packaging. Since Suraj doesn't appear to certify their products as gluten-free or use dedicated gluten-free facilities, there is some risk of trace gluten exposure, especially with their corn flour which could be milled on shared equipment with gluten-containing grains. For absolute safety, I'd recommend looking for brands that are certified gluten-free by organizations like GFCO - good options include McCormick for spices, TruRoots or Bob's Red Mill for lentils and beans, and Anthony's for corn flour. That said, if you need to use Suraj products, be sure to carefully check labels for any wheat warnings, thoroughly rinse lentils and beans before cooking, and consider contacting the manufacturer directly to ask about their gluten testing protocols. Many in our community have found that investing in certified gluten-free brands gives them greater peace of mind and helps avoid accidental gluten exposure, especially for higher-risk items like flours.
    • Scott Adams
      Dapsone, commonly prescribed for dermatitis herpetiformis (the itchy gluten-related skin condition), comes with several potential side effects that patients should monitor. The most frequent issues include blood-related problems like hemolytic anemia (especially in those with G6PD deficiency, which is more common in certain ethnic groups) and methemoglobinemia that can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, or bluish skin. Many patients also experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, or skin sensitivity to sunlight. While these effects are often manageable, there are rare but serious risks including dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome (with fever, rash and organ inflammation), liver problems, or severe anemia that require immediate medical attention. That's why doctors typically monitor blood counts and liver enzymes regularly during treatment. A crucial tip: proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole can interfere with dapsone's effectiveness, so discuss all medications with your doctor. If you develop fever, unexplained fatigue, yellowing skin/eyes, or a spreading rash while on dapsone, stop taking it and contact your healthcare provider right away. For celiac patients specifically, remember that strict gluten-free eating may eventually reduce or eliminate the need for dapsone to control dermatitis herpetiformis symptoms over time.
×
×
  • Create New...