It's Official

[bakinghomesteader]

Well, my husband wanted a firm diagnosis to justify not eating gluten. He didn't want me to not eat it if I didn't have to. So he wanted me to get bloodwork done. I had to eat gluten for a little over a month and I was so sick. I had it drawn and stopped eating it again after getting really sick. (dizzy, diarrhea, nausea)

I went to the doc today and she said it was positive. So now, I can have a gluten free home. I'm glad I had it done, because now I know I have to be really strict about it. My vitamin levels are low and I'm not absorbing well. I lost 1.5 lbs in 2 weeks and she said if I don't gain some weight in 2 months, she will have me scoped to check for cancer. I'm 32 I pray it's just from the celiac.

I am looking forward to feeling better. I've just felt so horrible lately. Btw, after I started eating gluten for the test, my gallbladder acted up and so did my upper gastric area. It is settling down now.

This is one time I'm glad for a diagnosis.

[Ursa Major]

Congratulations on your official diagnosis. Even though really, it wasn't a fabulous thing to do, to go back to eating gluten! Apparently, you have destroyed your wonderfully healed villi again. I don't think you have cancer, you have just made sure you don't absorb nutrients again, and hence the weight loss.

Make sure you are awfully strict on the gluten-free diet, eliminate dairy for now (as you can't digest it, since the tips of the villi make the enzyme lactase that makes that happen) and eat simple, plain foods until you heal.

Your husband was wrong in not believing your enterolab results, and making you eat gluten again just to prove what you already knew, that you need to be gluten-free.

[fedora]

I am so glad your test was positive. congradulatons on a diagnoses.

If it had not been positive, I can't help but wonder what your hubby would have done. Would he have not been careful with gluten around you or pressured you to eat gluten again.

I would have told my husband to F off. But that is me.

When you got your enterolab results, did you get the gene test done?

[bakinghomesteader]

I am so glad your test was positive. congradulatons on a diagnoses.

If it had not been positive, I can't help but wonder what your hubby would have done. Would he have not been careful with gluten around you or pressured you to eat gluten again.

I would have told my husband to F off. But that is me.

When you got your enterolab results, did you get the gene test done?

No, I did not get a gene test done. Just a ttg from them. Don't beat my husband up too much. He just wanted to be sure and for me not to have to burden myself if I didn't have too. He thought it was something else and not gluten. He thought maybe I had an ulcer or gallbladder probs. I had that tested too and they were negative. She did say that my gallbladder could be a little colicky right now.

The hard thing is were are broke. I have no money for superfine rice flour. Our beliefs are somewhat conservative Mennonite and I baked a lot. I miss that right now. I will keep praying and if God wants me to have it, He'll provide.

[gfpaperdoll]

well, maybe the reason God has not provided you with any rice flour is that you really do not need any rice flour right now.

It is better if you do not eat any of those gluten-free grains for a bit - to give your insides a chance to heal up.

as a side note, phewy, who can stand rice flour? - I hate the stuff... Whenever you can eat some of the gluten-free stuff - say maybe by Thanksgiving, I use a combination of sorghum flour, coconut flour, almond flour (make your own), corn meal or corn flour (bob's red mill is not gluten-free) & if you can tolerate Tapioca flour, Tapioca with sorghum makes the best texture...

[fedora]

hope I didn't offend you. I was definately not suggesting that was what you should say to your husband. I am probably not anywhere near as religious or conservative as you, but have managed to stay married for 13 years(since 19 years old).

I am glad your tests were positive. Did the diet make you feel better? Were you still having problems? The results from me going gluten free are very obvious. You may not think this from my post, but I am actually a much nicer person to my husband now(he definately noticed!)There is just no doubt with me, my doctor confirmed his belief in that too based just on diet.

I am a homesteader too! I am also 32! And I have a 10 year old son!

I use to bake lots years ago, but I had twins(already had one before that) and baking got pushed aside. I continued to can food though, and now they are older I can alot. I will probably be baking more soon. Maybe you can find something else you love to cook that is cheaper.

[Eric-C]

I hate rice flour and all the flour alternatives.

We've found it much easier to eat if we don't always try to relive old food habits with new food ingredients.

The only exception is rice pasta which is pretty good.

Otherwise we just eliminated everything else that would have included flour/gluten instead of trying the, usually poor, substitutes.

I don't know if your BBQ but most of the BBQ recipe magazines out right now are almost all gluten free and some great stuff.

[munkee41182]

I like to bake too, and we can't afford me to buy all the different flours. So I stick to Gluten Free Pantry bread mix, rice pasta, and on occasion some brownies or chocolate cake mix (usualy about one every 2-3 months). My fiance will look at me say "you had to go on this diet now" because we just bought a home, paying for our wedding and hoping to go on a honeymoon. I know he's joking...but still I give him the "look" and he stops.

I stick to the basics, meat and veggies and regular rice. And one thing that you can do it put a couple of bucks away every so often and when your "stash" build up, you can go and buy the gluten-free flours and then you can bake up a storm! I stash away some of my money here and there to buy something I want that is a special treat. Lately it's been gluten-free food or wedding items rather than a cute pair of shoes.

Hope that helps you and I'm glad you're feeling better!

[bakinghomesteader]

Thank you all for your posts!

Fedora, I am not offended I was able to go to an Amish community and a store there carries an all purpose everything included flour. No having to buy everything separate will save me some money. I am glad for this. Trying to not get glutened is hard. I get confused with some labels for stuff like bbq sauce. I have baked things like donuts and such and they turned out really good.

Also, the diet did make me feel better for 9 mos. I think it's kinda like if someone is taking anitdepressents and they start to feel better they stop taking them even tho that's what made them feel better. That's how it started with my husband. I started to have stomach pain and he thought maybe it wasn't gluten all along and to see for sure. It was. So I am waiting for my intestines to heal and I can feel better.

I like the idea of stashing extra money for goodies. I will do that.

Btw, my mom asked if I wanted to go for pizza tonight. Uh, hello. I really thought she was more concerned than that. lol.

[munkee41182]

Moms....gotta love them

I still remember the time my mom made lasagna for a family dinner (sister, husband and kids came by) and Didn't make me a gluten-free meal. lol. Lasagna, foccacia bread, salad with crutons in it already. Thanks mom