Is There Anything You Can Do Once You

[flutterby]

Hi all:

This is probably a stupid question. But I

[KaitiUSA]

I know for me when I started to be gluten free I was up and down alot even when I was not getting any gluten in. When I did accidentally get something it got worse and I felt like I had been hit like a bus and soooo much nausea. I know for me there was nothing I could do to get it over with quicker. It would take me sometimes 2-3 weeks but for some it is longer and for some it is shorter. I would have good and bad days throughout that 2-3 week span. Just hang in there and know it will be over soon and take care of yourself and much as you can. Probiotics and enzymes are a good addition when you are feeling bad as well. Take care

[trekker]

Hi all:

This is probably a stupid question. But I

[GlutenGalAZ]

When I ate something that was CC or I got glutened I would use a heating pad on my stomach or take a bath in epson salt. Drink plenty of water, juice or some hot tea. If I am at work or out and not feeling well I suck on a mint i.e. the Peppermint Altoids. Eat foods like chicken, rice, vegetables, fruit (things that are gentle on the stomach).

I sometimes eat pretzels or plain cookies i.e. gluten free animal crackers (since saltine crackers are out of the question).

Hope this helped

[jen100]

I'm with you on this... I just jumped online after getting some cc from something in my own house, which I have been cleaning and being sooooo careful about. I even put my kids on mostly gluten-free just so I didn't need to worry about cc - or so I thought. Oh well...so I'm sitting here blowing up like a balloon and belching like crazy and I know what is going to follow but can't do a thing to stop it. I was going to call my husband for sympathy, but he doesn't really completely understand.

So, if it's any comfort you're not alone.

Jen

[loco-ladi]

After an accidental glutening I use the KISS method... keep it simple stupid (me being the stupid) I go back to the begining and start over with fresh veggies and meat, no spice, no flavor..... just completely and totally boring. But I make sure to complain loudly to the hubby so he suffers right along with me!

[celiacsista]

I know this is totally disgusting, but if I know I have just eaten something with gluten I actually have made myself throw up and seems to help. I accidently ate flour tortillas in mexico instead of the corn. I couldn't believe how good these mexican corn tortillas were, then I realized they were so good because they were flour!! I decided to get it out of me before it had its revenge. It seemed to help. Of course this is for accidents only, I would never intentionally eat something with gluten and do this. So not worth it.

[Gluten-Free Guy]

Every person is different, but as far as I know, the only solution to being glutened is to wait it out. Let it work its way out of your system. The length of time varies per person.

You must always be careful about what you consume. Cross contamination is a concern. Utensils, pots and pans, cooking surfaces, etc., may harbor crumbs or other traces of gluten. For example, you need a separate toaster that is dedicated only to gluten-free. If you dip a knife into peanut butter or jelly and spread it on bread, the knife is contaminated and must not be placed back into the jar. A fork used to stir wheat-based spaghetti must not be placed in a pot containing gluten-free spaghetti (by the way, Tinkyada brand rice pastas are the closest in flavor and texture to wheat-based pastas).

Eating out is probably the riskiest thing a celiac can do. Restaurants, delis at food markets, homes of family and friends, school cafeterias, snack days at work, etc., are all good sources of gluten. You have to ask a lot of questions and even try to read product labels, if they're available. There's a joke that illustrates the point: At a dinner party, do you know how to tell who the celiac is? It's the person in the kitchen digging through the trash to read labels.

One other bit of info for you. You must confirm that your prescription and over-the-counter medications are also gluten-free. Call the manufacturers or visit the website www.glutenfreedrugs.com (although it is not always up-to-date).

Another thing to remember is that food and medicine manufacturers sometimes change the product formulations. A product that is gluten-free today may not be tomorrow, so you must be careful every time you make a purchase.

The worst thing you can do is cheat (on purpose or accidentally) and occasionally ingest gluten, even a trace. I don't remember where I found this paragraph, but it clearly explains why you should never, never, never cheat: "The gluten-free diet must be carefully and continuously followed. When untreated, the disease can cause life-threatening complications. A delayed diagnosis or non-compliance with the diet places the patient at risk for developing associated conditions such as infertility, miscarriage, osteoporosis, fractures, certain types of intestinal cancer, lymphoma, or other autoimmune disorders. Continued consumption of gluten increases the chance of gastrointestinal cancer by a factor or 40 to 100 times that of the normal population." You must get on a 100% gluten-free diet and remain on it for the rest of your life.

You are right when you say it will take a while to get the hang of being gluten-free, but you can do it. It does require doing your research and paying attention to everything you put into your mouth. Once you figure out what is safe and what isn't, it gets a lot easier.

[cyberprof]

Hot peppermint tea is my remedy. I drink a cup anytime my stomach is upset and it really works for me. Peppermint has been a stomach remedy since the middle ages. I think it is very helpful, physically and mentally.

~Laura

[A-Swiss]

I grab some Pepto and some pain killers and wait it out. Sadly, it is a trial and error deal for a while.