Hello All - New To The Forum & To Celiac

[Marianne G]

Hello all! I am new to the forum and new to celiac disease. Just diagnosed this past Thursday. My symptoms have been chronic "D" and just an uneasy feeling of nausea. I am feeling a little alone right now because I know absolutely no one that has celiac disease except me. I am trying to go gluten-free -reading, reading, reading...and feeling a bit overwhelmed. Hubby and I made our first visit to Whole Foods yesterday and it was an overwhelming experience for Kroger/Walmart shoppers! Bought a few things to try (so I wouldn't starve) with his encouragment. Have purchased and am reading The Gluten-Free Bible. Overwhelmed at the thought of how to do this and still keep on with real life too! Any help and encouragement would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[psawyer]

Welcome to the board.

The gluten-free lifestyle does seem overwhelming at first. The learning process takes time, but this is something almost all of us here have been through either for ourselves, or as part of a journey with a family member.

You will find that there are many mainstream products that you can buy and use safely. Replacements for baked goods and pasta are specialty items, but most are good.

There is a wealth of information here on this discussion board, and our sister site, celiac.com.

If you have a question, somebody here will likely know the answer.

Your life is not over, it is just beginning.

[SurreyGirl]

Hi from the UK!!

When I put my son (age 15) on gluten free 2.5 years ago I knew no one in person either, we did it solely to see if his neuro symptom would respond (they did) and with no celiac disease diagnosis.

Still the same now, but we know that he is is DQ1 (gluten sensitive) and I am now also gluten free to make it easier. The more I read, the more glad I am that we have gone on the diet.

One thing I realised quite quickly is that you can't replace one type of stodge with another to the same extent without potentially causing more problems (some people are rice or corn sensitive too), so we are carb- and dairy-lite too. I cried when I found gluten-free sausages in the supermarket!

Now, I mostly cook from scratch to avoid MSG and other chemicals.

This forum is truly awesome, also "The Gluten File" has loads to read.

SG

[Lisa]

Welcome Marianne,

Welcome and wer're glad that you have found us. This is a great place to get your feet wet!

[missy'smom]

Welcome!

[imsohungry]

Hi and Welcome!

I know exactly what you are talking about when you first experience Whole Foods or a large farmers market. I had never seen anything like it, but I had a blast sorting through all of their products. (I'm usually a Kroger girl too).

I ate Amy's enchiladas for the first month I was gluten free; they are very good, but around the third week, I thought I would hurl. Hence my name: Imsohungry. I found this site and it helped SOOO much.

My hubby is making hamburgers now (bunless of course) and we'll have french fries and baked beans.

I don't really like meat, but it is a good example of a gluten free dinner!

Again, welcome...ask any questions you need too and vent when necessary. It does get easier!

-Julie

[happygirl]

Hi Marianne,

Welcome to the board! Ask questions-I guarantee you'll get an answer for a recipe, ingredient, etc.

[dksart]

Hi,

I am just learning, too that we are not alone. I have been gluten-free for two years and still don't know anyone else w/Celiac.

This is my favorite blogspot for encouraging stories and awesome recipes Open Original Shared Link the author, Shauna James Ahern has a great go-to book as well. Use the internet. Ask manufacturers if their products contain gluten. Look up ingredients of your favorite foods and find local restaurants with Gluten-free menus. P.F. Chang's is one of my fave's.

I learned today that if you are having a bad day...... and you will ........ the lovely people here can help with great tips and suggestions. If you need answers to questions, you may find them here.

Oh, just to save you a bunch of headaches, Tinkyada is the best Gluten-free pasta. You will HATE Gluten-free bread at first, try to make your own (good recipe on that blog site I listed) Fresh fruits and veggies are your friend. Try to stay away from processed foods, there's more chances it came into contact with some form of gluten. And, if you must have fast food, we can eat McDonald's french fries, Wendy's baked potato and chili, and Chick fil A's grilled chicken and waffle fries.

Be Strong,

Debbie

[blueeyedmanda]

Hi and Welcome to the board! I am a neighbor from PA! We don't have Kroger or a Whole Foods, so a trip to Whole Foods (Baltimore) is a treat. I am not sure if you bought them but the Biscuits by Whole Foods gluten free bakehouse are to die for!

[psawyer]

My hubby is making hamburgers now (bunless of course).

Try the Glutino hamburger buns. They are awesome. Toast them for best enjoyment. We love them.

[blueeyedmanda]

Try the Glutino hamburger buns. They are awesome. Toast them for best enjoyment. We love them.

Good to know, I will have to look into those

[silk]

Welcome. You are definitely not alone. And I had actually never ever heard of celiac before my doctor started to put 2 and 2 together in November and mentioned that this might be a cause of the GI issues I was having. However, since that time I or my husband have discovered many 'closet celiacs'. I guess we just don't talk much about it to the general public because people look at you like you're an alien or that you at least ingested one!

It is hard to wrap your brain around this stuff and realize that this is forever...not just until you feel better. But I honestly have to say that I feel healthier right now (aside from the stomach issues that ocassionally persist) than I have in my whole life.

Psawyer is right. The Glutino buns are good. And the bread is definitely better toasted. I did that for the first time in my oven this weekend because I didn't have a dedicated toaster. It was so good, that I went out and bought a personal toaster.

You will get a lot of good information from this board. But the best thing you will get, in my personal opinion, is support and understanding. Hang in there. It's a challenge but it's worth it.

[Worriedwife]

If you're a Walmart shopper, then you should be okay. Their Great Value line of products has an enormous amount if items that are gluten free. They print it clearly on the back label, if it's gluten free.

Also, most unprocessed foods are naturally gluten free. Rice and potatoes are safe to have (unless you can't handle nightshades), and fresh fruits and veggies are safe as well.

Best of luck in your shopping trips and welcome to the board!

[imsohungry]

Try the Glutino hamburger buns. They are awesome. Toast them for best enjoyment. We love them.

Thanks for the tip! I tried another company's hamburger bun...it's been awhile so I have no idea which brand...but it was horrible and I decided if I was going to eat meat, I'd just eat it bunless.

I've never ordered Glutino products; this will be a whole new line of food to try!

Thanks for the suggestion. -Julie