Jump to content

  • 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

Is Gluten Free Really Possible

swilliams

Recommended Posts

swilliams Newbie
swilliams
Posted

I have been diagnosed for two years and have been on a "gluten free" diet. But my issue is really cross contamination.

I have a family and my job requires me to purchase catering I don't live in a cave and even though I eat gluten free I am having issues with bloating, diarrhea, joint pains, and weight gain.

I have been to specialists, doctors and dieticians. It is my understanding even if you get a little gluten then you can still have the side effects.

So I am just in a quandary of what to do. I just want to give up!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


leadmeastray88 Contributor
leadmeastray88
Posted
I have been diagnosed for two years and have been on a "gluten free" diet. But my issue is really cross contamination.

I have a family and my job requires me to purchase catering I don't live in a cave and even though I eat gluten free I am having issues with bloating, diarrhea, joint pains, and weight gain.

I have been to specialists, doctors and dieticians. It is my understanding even if you get a little gluten then you can still have the side effects.

So I am just in a quandary of what to do. I just want to give up!

Don't give up!

I, like you, am still living with my family and have recently started a gluten free diet. I am the only one in my house who is eating gluten free and although I have an extremely supportive mother who has been nothing short of extraordinary through this whole thing, the fact is, food that contains gluten is still being prepared in the same pots/pans/colanders with spoons/spatulas etc. I realize how important it is to avoid cc but when you're a university student like me and the spending cash is low, the last thing you want to do is ask your mother to replace everything she has in the kitchen. I know she's trying and she's been doing an awesome job but its a learning process for all of us, not just me. Just know you're not alone!

Also make sure you're not getting hidden gluten from any products other than food - toothpaste, shampoo, cosmetics (wasn't sure if you're female or not) They have an amazing line of cosmetics at afterglow.com that are all gluten free!

I know this was probably not much help, but maybe try and talk to your family about the importance of cc and the effects it has on you. I hope you feel better soon. Take care, and good luck!

-Kim

jayhawkmom Enthusiast
jayhawkmom
Posted

It is possible. It's not easy... but it is possible.

My daughter and I are gluten free. My husband and two sons are not.

Here's a few things I've learned.

When making dinners... always prepare the gluten free foods first. I'm thinking specifically of pasta since I made both regular and gluten-free for my kids the other night. If I don't happen to have two pans available, I always make ours first, that minimizes the chances of cc.

When making sandwiches or anything like that... I always put wax paper down under our bread. That way, if anyone else made a sandwich or had crackers on the counter... or anything like that, (assuming the counter appears to be clean, LOL!) I won't have to worry about CC.

I have separate containers to store leftovers. All the containers for our food are marked with sharpies... with a simple "gluten-free" on the bottom of the container, and the lid.

Gosh, my mind is going blank now. I know there are a million other "hints" out there. Hopefully others will jump in with theirs. =)

cmom Contributor
cmom
Posted

I don't believe it is possible to be 100% gluten-free. 96%, maybe. It is impossible to prevent coming into contact with gluten all of the time. We do the best we can to avoid obvious gluten situations, but we can never know who has touched things before us and what was on their hands. Nor, what may have happened at the manufacturer of a product, even if it is supposed to be gluten free. Don't give up...stay vigilant. We continue to fight the good fight! :huh:

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Rogol72
      - Rogol72 replied to HAUS's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      8

      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      @HAUS, I was at an event in the UK a few years back. I remember ringing the restaurant ahead to inquire about the gluten free options. All I wanted was a few gluten free sandwiches, which they provided and they were delicious. The gluten-free bread they used was Warbutons white bread and I remember mentioning it on this site before. No harm in trying...
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to HAUS's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      8

      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      In the U.S., most regular wheat breads are required to be enriched with certain B-vitamins and iron, but gluten-free breads are not required to be. Since many gluten-free products are not enriched, we usually encourage people with celiac disease to consider a multivitamin. In the early 1900s, refined white flour replaced whole grains, and people began...
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to deanna1ynne's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      Inconclusive results

      Keep in mind that there are drawbacks to a formal diagnosis, for example more expensive life and private health insurance, as well as possibly needing to disclose it on job applications. Normally I am in favor of the formal diagnosis process, but if you've already figured out that you can't tolerate gluten and will likely stay gluten-free anyway, I wanted...
    4. JoJo0611
      - JoJo0611 replied to JoJo0611's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      6

      CT with contrast.

      Thank you.
    5. deanna1ynne
      - deanna1ynne replied to deanna1ynne's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      Inconclusive results

      Thank you all so much for your advice and thoughts. We ended up having another scope and more bloodwork last week. All serological markers continue to increase, and the doc who did the scope said there villous atrophy visible on the scope — but we just got the biopsy pathology report back, and all it says is, “Duodenal mucosa with patchy increased int...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,441
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Linda Boxdorfer
    Newest Member
    Linda Boxdorfer
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rogol72
      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      @HAUS, I was at an event in the UK a few years back. I remember ringing the restaurant ahead to inquire about the gluten free options. All I wanted was a few gluten free sandwiches, which they provided and they were delicious. The gluten-free bread they used was Warbutons white bread and I remember mentioning it on this site before. No harm in trying it once. It's fortified with Calcium and Iron. https://www.warburtonsglutenfree.com/warbs_products/white-loaf/ The only other gluten-free bread that I've come across that is fortified is Schar with Iodized salt, nothing else.
    • Scott Adams
      Sainsbury's Free From White Sliced Bread - Now Egg Free - Completely Ruined It

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In the U.S., most regular wheat breads are required to be enriched with certain B-vitamins and iron, but gluten-free breads are not required to be. Since many gluten-free products are not enriched, we usually encourage people with celiac disease to consider a multivitamin.  In the early 1900s, refined white flour replaced whole grains, and people began developing serious vitamin-deficiency diseases: Beriberi → caused by a lack of thiamin (vitamin B1) Pellagra → caused by a lack of niacin (vitamin B3) Anemia → linked to low iron and lack of folate By the 1930s–40s, these problems were common in the U.S., especially in poorer regions. Public-health officials responded by requiring wheat flour and the breads made from it to be “enriched” with thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron. Folic acid was added later (1998) to prevent neural-tube birth defects. Why gluten-free bread isn’t required to be enriched? The U.S. enrichment standards were written specifically for wheat flour. Gluten-free breads use rice, tapioca, corn, sorghum, etc.—so they fall outside that rule—but they probably should be for the same reason wheat products are.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Keep in mind that there are drawbacks to a formal diagnosis, for example more expensive life and private health insurance, as well as possibly needing to disclose it on job applications. Normally I am in favor of the formal diagnosis process, but if you've already figured out that you can't tolerate gluten and will likely stay gluten-free anyway, I wanted to at least mention the possible negative sides of having a formal diagnosis. While I understand wanting a formal diagnosis, it sounds like she will likely remain gluten-free either way, even if she should test negative for celiac disease (Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If her symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet, it would likely signal NCGS).        
    • JoJo0611
      CT with contrast.

      By JoJo0611 · Posted

      Thank you. 
    • deanna1ynne
      Inconclusive results

      By deanna1ynne · Posted

      Thank you all so much for your advice and thoughts. We ended up having another scope and more bloodwork last week. All serological markers continue to increase, and the doc who did the scope said there villous atrophy visible on the scope — but we just got the biopsy pathology report back, and all it says is, “Duodenal mucosa with patchy increased intraepithelial lymphocytes, preserved villous architecture, and patchy foveolar metaplasia,” which we are told is still inconclusive…  We will have her go gluten free again anyway, but how soon would you all test again, if at all? How valuable is an official dx in a situation like this?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.