New To This!

[BelievinMiracles]

Hi, I'm in my early 20s and just finishing college. In Dec of 06 I all of a sudden gotten a bad case of burps. I literally burped constantly every 2 minutes. It was embarrassing! Then in the summer, I got tested for numerous things and got an endoscopy and colonosopy. Late that summer I got extreme kidney pains so they gave me a CAT scan. I've had other numerous tests from me always going to the doctor about something and everything, literally everything came back negative except for my iron levels lower than normal but nothing severe. My brother was in an accident that left in paralyzed in the spring of 02 and then in the summer of 06 I got mono and tonsilitus. Then in 07 something super bad happened to me again. I grew up with eczema and my mom said I always had stomach aches. I also had a chronic diarrhea problem, I mean when I had a normal bowel movement I was soooo happy...lol. But I started going to the doc like i said that dec 06 and they kept saying I had acid reflux and kept giving me pills and everytime it didn't work at all. Then they said I had IBS because of the negatives on every test but I don't react that badly to any of the no no foods for IBS. I was diagnosed to be lactose intolerant which I thought helped but I still get stomach cramp and cramps. And I still am very gassy but not as bad as 2 years ago. My symptoms are eczema, acne, headaches, cramping, diarrhea with constipation, burps, exhaustion and fatigue, nausea, pain in ovary area, I get sick (pneumonia, flu, bronchitus, sinus infections!!, the works) once a month but overall just a general ill feeling, achy body, sensitive skin to the touch, hand joint pain, and lately it seems like I can't get out what I want to say...i like stumble on my words, but haha this is just naming a few.

No one in my family was ever diagnosed with anything like this, any food allergy/intolerance at all. But it seems I'm the only one that's actually willing to go to the doctors...haha...so it may be part of my family.

I've been gluten-free for about a week and a half now because my doctor thought it would help with much oopsies. I've gotten sick after instant oatmeal, cook and serve pudding, and perhaps ramen/Caramellos since the diet. I could use any advice at all because I'm extremely new to this and the only one I know that has this problem. Plus i find it super expensive to be on this diet and I'm a college student and my budget is not that big, plus I don't know what I can bring for lunches for work. Any information at all would help tremendously.

[curlyfries]

It doesn't have to be super expensive. Stick to a basic meat and veggie diet. The specialty pre-made foods are what hit you in the pocketbook. Next to that, the best advice I can give is to go back and read old posts. That's what I did when I first arrived. There's nothing I can tell you that hasn't been said hundreds of times before.

Welcome to the board!!!!

[RiceGuy]

I've been gluten-free for about a week and a half now because my doctor thought it would help with much oopsies. I've gotten sick after instant oatmeal, cook and serve pudding, and perhaps ramen/Caramellos since the diet.

I don't know about the pudding, but oats are not for every celiac, and most are contaminated with wheat anyway. The ramen noodles are wheat based noodles, so it isn't any wonder you got sick on those.

The advice about searching the board is good, but I'm sure this thread will get plenty of attention either way.

Hope you feel better soon!

[BRUMI1968]

Welcome!

Some good things for lunches:

quinoa salad (cooked quinoa, chopped up veggies like celery, avocado, tomato, herbs, etc., olive oil, lemon) quinoa should be cheap if you buy it in bulk - but if you buy it in bulk, YOU HAVE TO WASH IT. You do anyway with quinoa...or else it is is bitter. So wash wash wash and rinse rinse rinse, then it is easy as pie. One part quinoa to two parts water, bring to boil, turn down heat, let simmer for 15 minutes, let sit for five. It is like rice, but more nutritious.

Avocado with salt (and if you like, add tomato with olive oil)

Salad

LARA bars

Hummus (with veggies to dip or lettuce cups to fill with humus and other veggies)

Nuts

Admittedly, lunches are tough because we're so used to having bread. You can get get gluten free wraps, such as corn tortillas, hemp wraps, rice wraps, etc., and use those instead (watch for 100% corn tortillas - and not those w/ traces of wheat flour in them).

Good luck. I'm glad you're here.

[purple]

Hi, I'm in my early 20s and just finishing college. In Dec of 06 I all of a sudden gotten a bad case of burps. I literally burped constantly every 2 minutes. It was embarrassing! Then in the summer, I got tested for numerous things and got an endoscopy and colonosopy. Late that summer I got extreme kidney pains so they gave me a CAT scan. I've had other numerous tests from me always going to the doctor about something and everything, literally everything came back negative except for my iron levels lower than normal but nothing severe. My brother was in an accident that left in paralyzed in the spring of 02 and then in the summer of 06 I got mono and tonsilitus. Then in 07 something super bad happened to me again. I grew up with eczema and my mom said I always had stomach aches. I also had a chronic diarrhea problem, I mean when I had a normal bowel movement I was soooo happy...lol. But I started going to the doc like i said that dec 06 and they kept saying I had acid reflux and kept giving me pills and everytime it didn't work at all. Then they said I had IBS because of the negatives on every test but I don't react that badly to any of the no no foods for IBS. I was diagnosed to be lactose intolerant which I thought helped but I still get stomach cramp and cramps. And I still am very gassy but not as bad as 2 years ago. My symptoms are eczema, acne, headaches, cramping, diarrhea with constipation, burps, exhaustion and fatigue, nausea, pain in ovary area, I get sick (pneumonia, flu, bronchitus, sinus infections!!, the works) once a month but overall just a general ill feeling, achy body, sensitive skin to the touch, hand joint pain, and lately it seems like I can't get out what I want to say...i like stumble on my words, but haha this is just naming a few.

No one in my family was ever diagnosed with anything like this, any food allergy/intolerance at all. But it seems I'm the only one that's actually willing to go to the doctors...haha...so it may be part of my family.

I've been gluten-free for about a week and a half now because my doctor thought it would help with much oopsies. I've gotten sick after instant oatmeal, cook and serve pudding, and perhaps ramen/Caramellos since the diet. I could use any advice at all because I'm extremely new to this and the only one I know that has this problem. Plus i find it super expensive to be on this diet and I'm a college student and my budget is not that big, plus I don't know what I can bring for lunches for work. Any information at all would help tremendously.

Hi, Go to the topic "Friends and loved ones of celiac" then go to the thread called: Lunch ideas. Many ideas there. I posted mine too. My 19 yr old daughter was diagnosed allergic to gluten 1/2 thru her first year of college. There wasn't anything to eat so I know how you feel about that. She had ovary pain months before she started college. She ended up with extreme pms. That's how we found out about the gluten. The osteopath gave her complex vitamin B with magnesium. Now her periods are about normal. Riceguy says to take those supplements too, that caliacs need them. Read all of Riceguys comments, you can learn alot.

[babysteps]

I bring the following for lunches & snacks at work, I make most things in batches (if refrigerated most will last at least 3 days if not a week):

+leftovers! If you make your own dinner, make enough for lunch the next day (more like a 2-day horizon on these)

+plain brown rice (microwave to warm up as a side dish)

+chicken (baked, plain or with no-salt herb seasoning, usually breasts or thighs)

+boiled eggs (my go-to 4:30pm snack)

+carrots (I keep a peeler at work, they seem to keep best with peels on)

+or pre-washed and cut veggies in some water

+garbonzo bean salad (canned or cooked, dried garbanzo beans, a little of any seasoning you want - tomatillo or pesto are really yummy!)

+Tuna salad with gluten-free corn chips (tuna, mayo, seasoning - you can stretch this with garbanzo beans) - although with the mayo this is more eat-the-next-day than 3 days-week shelf time!!

+ really, any canned meat that's gluten-free could work, And canned meat is easy to stock up on when it's on sale

+rice crackers or other gluten-free crackers (again, look for sales)

Given your skin sensitivity, you may also want to consider personal care products. some gluten-free folks are fine as long as an item is on their skin & not in their mouths, but some of us have a 'topical' sensitivity and so our skin is much happier when lotion, shampoo, etc is gluten-free. Again, search the site & you should find lots of hints. I didn't go gluten-free on personal care until about 2 months of gluten-free diet, I already felt much better but most of my lingering skin symptoms cleared up once I went gluten-free on the 'outside', too.

Hope that gives you some ideas. Hang in there! It can be overwhelming at first (even as you feel better) but it *does* get easier.

[BelievinMiracles]

Thank you all for your advice. It can get super frustrating at times. It was more than just a diet change but a lifestyle. I mean I never cooked, being on this diet as short as I have, I probably cooked more than I have in my whole life combined! lol! Well thank you again!

[purple]

Thank you all for your advice. It can get super frustrating at times. It was more than just a diet change but a lifestyle. I mean I never cooked, being on this diet as short as I have, I probably cooked more than I have in my whole life combined! lol! Well thank you again!

My daughter hates to cook and hates the kitchen. Look at it this way, at least you didn't learn to cook all the things you can't have so you only have to learn how to cook the things you can have. Which will be very beneficial when you start a family b/c they will probably be allergic too. They won't feel so deprived b/c they won't know what they are missing. One thing my daughter learned how to "cook" in the dorm was layered bean dip with chips. Mix 1 or 2 T. of McCormick taco seasoning with a can of refried beans and spread into a pie plate or flat casserole dish. Then top with your favorites: guacamole(cover it completely with a topping if its fresh so it won't turn brown), salsa, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, olives, jalapenos, etc. Share with a friend, makes it fun. Its healthy too except for the sour cream.