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. DebD5
      - DebD5 commented on Scott Adams's article in Spring 2026 Issue
      1

      The Dark Side of Gluten-Free: Counterfeit Labels and Global Food Safety Failures

      Exactly. What about King Arthur gluten free flour selling a gluten free bread flour containing “gluten free wheat starch” and says in allergens “contains wheat.” I don’t care if it contains a trace amount of wheat ok’ed by the food industry. For a celiac…100% gluten free and that’s all is acceptable. Hard alcohols and ciders and hard seltzers say gluten free...
    2. Jmartes71
      - Jmartes71 replied to Jmartes71's topic in Doctors
      6

      Second chance

      Thats the thing, diagnosed in 1994 before foods eliminated celiac by biopsy colonoscopy at Kaiser in Santa Clara now condo's but it has to be somewhere in medical land.1999 got married, moved, changed doctor's was with former for 25 years told him I waz celiac and that.Fast forward to last year.i googled celiac specialist and what popped up was a former...
    3. trents
      - trents replied to EssexMum's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Concerning GP advice

      Welcome to the celiac.com community @EssexMum! First, let me correct some misinformation you have been given. Except in the case of what is known as "refractory" celiac disease, which is very rare, it is not true that the "fingers" will not grow back once a consistently gluten free diet is adopted. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition whereby the...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Florence Lillian's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Gluten-Mimicking Proteins that can affect some Celiac individuals.

      Here are some articles on cross-reactivity and celiac disease:
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to HectorConvector's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      327

      Terrible Neurological Symptoms

      @HectorConvector, Here are some articles about "dry Beriberi" and neuropathy. I hope you've been able to acquire thiamine hydrochloride or Benfotiamine. I'm concerned. Dry Beriberi Due to Thiamine Deficiency Associated with Peripheral Neuropathy and Wernicke's Encephalopathy Mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the ...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,641
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    JennaK23222
    Newest Member
    JennaK23222
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jmartes71
      Second chance

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Thats the thing, diagnosed in 1994 before foods eliminated celiac by biopsy colonoscopy at Kaiser in Santa Clara  now condo's but it has to be somewhere in medical land.1999 got married, moved, changed doctor's was with former for 25 years told him I waz celiac and that.Fast forward to last year.i googled celiac specialist and what popped up was a former well known heard of hospital. I thought I would get answers to be put through unnecessary colonoscopy KNOWING im glutenfree and she wasn't listening to me for help rather than screening me for celiac! Im already diagnosed seeking medical help.I did all the appointments ask from her and when I wanted my records se t to my pcp, thats when the with holding my records when I repeatedly messaged, it was down played the seriousness and I was labeled unruly when I asked why am I going through all this when its the celiac name that IS what my issue and All my ailments surrounding it related. I am dea6eoth the autoimmune part though my blood work is supposedly fabulous. Im sibo positive,HLA-DQ2 positive, dealing with skin, eye and now ms.I was employed as a bus driver making good money, I loved it for the few years my body let me do until I was yet again fired.i went to seek medical help because my body isn't well just to be made a disability chaser. Im exhausted,glutenfree, no lawyer will help and disability is in limbo thanks to the lax on my health from the fabulous none celiac Google bay area dr snd team. Its not right.
    • trents
      Concerning GP advice

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community @EssexMum! First, let me correct some misinformation you have been given. Except in the case of what is known as "refractory" celiac disease, which is very rare, it is not true that the "fingers" will not grow back once a consistently gluten free diet is adopted. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition whereby the ingestion of gluten triggers an inflammatory process that damages the millions of tiny finger-like projections that make up the lining of the small bowel. We call this the "villous lining". Over time, continued ingestion of gluten on a regular basis results in the wearing down of these fingers which greatly reduces the surface area of this very important membrane. It is where essentially all the nutrition from what we eat is absorbed. So, losing this surface area results in inefficiency in nutrient absorption and often to medical problems related to nutrient deficiencies. Again, if a gluten-free diet is consistently observed, the villous lining of the small bowel should rebound. "We was informed that her body absorbs the gluten rather then rejecting it and that is why she doesn't react to the gluten straight away, it will be a build up and then the pains start. " That sounds like unscientific BS to me. But it does sound like your stepdaughter may have a type of celiac disease we know as "silent" celiac disease, meaning, she is asymptomatic or at least the symptoms are not intense enough to usually notice. She is not completely asymptomatic, however, because you stated was experiencing tummy aches off and on. Cristiana gives some good suggestions about ordering "safe" food for your stepdaughter from restaurant menus in Europe. You must realize that as the step parent who only has her part of the time you have no real control over how cooperative her other set of parents are with regard to your stepdaughter's needs to eat gluten free. It sounds like they don't really understand the seriousness of the matter. This is very common in family settings where other members are ignorant about celiac disease and the damage it can do to body systems. So, they don't take it seriously. The best you can do is make suggestions. Perhaps print out some info about celiac disease from the Internet to send them. Being inconsistent with the gluten free diet keeps the inflammation smoldering and delays or inhibits healing of the villous lining. 
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten-Mimicking Proteins that can affect some Celiac individuals.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Here are some articles on cross-reactivity and celiac disease:      
    • knitty kitty
      Terrible Neurological Symptoms

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @HectorConvector, Here are some articles about "dry Beriberi" and neuropathy.  I hope you've been able to acquire thiamine hydrochloride or Benfotiamine.  I'm concerned.   Dry Beriberi Due to Thiamine Deficiency Associated with Peripheral Neuropathy and Wernicke's Encephalopathy Mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30862772/ Dry Beriberi Manifesting as Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in a Patient With Decompensated Alcohol-Induced Cirrhosis https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7707918/ A Rare Case of Thiamine Deficiency Leading to Dry Beriberi, Peripheral Neuropathy, and Torsades De Pointes https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10723625/
    • cristiana
      Concerning GP advice

      By cristiana · Posted

      Good evening @EssexMum You are quite right to be concerned about this situation.  Once diagnosed as coeliac, always a coeliac, and the way to heal  is through adopting and sticking to a strict gluten diet. That said... I have travelled twice to France since my diagnosis, firstly in May 2013 and again in August 2019.   My spoken French isn't bad, and whilst there I tried my best to explain my needs to chefs and catering staff, and I read labels very carefully when shopping in supermarkets, but both times I came away with worsening gastric symptoms and pain. Interestingly,  after the second holiday, my annual coeliac review took place the following month and although I'd been very careful to avoid gluten all year, thanks to that August holiday my coeliac antibodies were elevated,  Clearly I hadn't been imagining these symptoms and they must have been caused by gluten sneaking in somehow. When I spoke to my gastroenterologist on my return, who is an excellent doctor, he told me with a smile that this was a very common experience in France among his patients, and not to worry too much about it! In fact, before we went away in May 2013, which was just after I had been formally diagnosed, he told me not to even bother trying to adopt a gluten free diet until I returned, knowing what France was like, but I was feeling so awful at that time I ignored his advice and at least tried to make a start with it. (I ought to say - both these visits were some time ago, so perhaps things are a lot better there now.) So what to do?  I would say at least try to explain to catering staff the situation - they should be able to rustle up a plate of cheese, boiled eggs, tuna, salad and fruit, and if things like crackers and gluten-free pot noodle or oats can be packed in the UK, those can be produced at mealtimes.    Of course, most larger supermarkets in France do now cater for coeliacs, but when I was last there the the choice wasn't as wide a range as we have in the UK but I think that is partly because the French like to cook from scratch, whereas our gluten-free aisles have quite a lot of dried or pre-baked goods in them/convenience foods, because I think we as a nation tend to use them more. I would be worth doing a bit of research on the internet before the trip, - the words you want are 'sans gluten'.  I've just googled 'sans gluten Disney Paris" and this came up.  I do hope at least some of this is of help. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g2079053-zfz10992-Disneyland_Paris_Ile_de_France.html  Whatever befalls in France, at least your stepdaughter can resume her usual diet on her return. On a related tack, would you be happy to post any positive findings/tips upon her return - it might be of use to others travelling to Disneyland Paris with children in future? Cristiana
×
×
  • 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.