Deathly Sick And Pregnant

[Meliexox]

My Gramma was on her death bed she has lost 60 pounds and now weights in at a whopping 97 pounds because she has been sick for 10 years , My aunt watched some tv show and heard about celiacs and she went out , bought the food , went to grammies and said YOU ARE TRYING THIS ! took ALL of her old food out of the house and 21 days later she is great and feeling good.

I have been sick for about 2 years {with diareah} but only if I ate in the morning , as long as I ate at night I was fine. Recently it has gotten worst really really worse ! I have been to the emergency room twice this week they told me I have heartburn. They also told me I am pregnant. I have begged 4 different doctors to test me for celiacs disease and they all said i was too young to have it . I was crying yesterday because my stomach hurt so bad and I woke up today and said u know what im fricken trying this !! I have ate ALL day long all kinds of GLUTEN FREE STUFF and Im not sick havent been sick all day long. I cannot belive it ! I just had to tell someone !!

How do you get a doctor to test for celiacs ?? Also what about my baby ? Do I need a special dr because I may have celiacs? None of the doctors I talked to have heard of it they just look at you like your the stupid one. Any answers or suggestions will help me , Thank you and PLEASE HELP! I dont really know much except I can eat yogurt , fruity pebbles and anything thats in grammies house !!! Thanks Melie !

[GFqueen17]

My Gramma was on her death bed she has lost 60 pounds and now weights in at a whopping 97 pounds because she has been sick for 10 years , My aunt watched some tv show and heard about celiacs and she went out , bought the food , went to grammies and said YOU ARE TRYING THIS ! took ALL of her old food out of the house and 21 days later she is great and feeling good.

I have been sick for about 2 years but only if I ate in the morning , as long as I ate at night I was fine. Recently it has gotten worst really really worse ! I have been to the emergency room twice this week they told me I have heartburn. They also told me I am pregnant. I have begged 4 diffrent doctors to test me for celiacs disease and they all said i was too young to have it . I was crying yesterday because my stomach hurt so bad and I woke up today and said u know what im fricken trying this !! I have ate ALL day long all kinds of GLUTEN FREE STUFF and Im not sick havent been sick all day long. I cannot belive it ! I just had to tell someone !!

How do you get a doctor to test for celiacs ?? Also what about my baby ? Do I need a special dr because I have celiacs? None of the doctors I talked to have heard of it they just look at you like your the stupid one. Any answers or suggestions will help me , Thank you and PLEASE respond I dont really know much except I can eat yougurt , fruity pebbles and anything thats in grammies house !!! Thanks Melie !

Too young?? There's no such thing as too young. That's extremely strange that your doctors refused to test you for it. I'm not sure how you can get them to test you for it...they should just do it if you ask them to...I would say get a new doctor?

Also, be careful becuase there are some yogurts out there that are not gluten-free. But plenty of foods are. Just make sure you read labels very carefully and look out for ingredients like malt and modified food starch.

[Rya]

My Gramma was on her death bed she has lost 60 pounds and now weights in at a whopping 97 pounds because she has been sick for 10 years , My aunt watched some tv show and heard about celiacs and she went out , bought the food , went to grammies and said YOU ARE TRYING THIS ! took ALL of her old food out of the house and 21 days later she is great and feeling good.

I have been sick for about 2 years but only if I ate in the morning , as long as I ate at night I was fine. Recently it has gotten worst really really worse ! I have been to the emergency room twice this week they told me I have heartburn. They also told me I am pregnant. I have begged 4 diffrent doctors to test me for celiacs disease and they all said i was too young to have it . I was crying yesterday because my stomach hurt so bad and I woke up today and said u know what im fricken trying this !! I have ate ALL day long all kinds of GLUTEN FREE STUFF and Im not sick havent been sick all day long. I cannot belive it ! I just had to tell someone !!

How do you get a doctor to test for celiacs ?? Also what about my baby ? Do I need a special dr because I have celiacs? None of the doctors I talked to have heard of it they just look at you like your the stupid one. Any answers or suggestions will help me , Thank you and PLEASE respond I dont really know much except I can eat yougurt , fruity pebbles and anything thats in grammies house !!! Thanks Melie !

It's interesting that the doctors told you that you are too young, the typical response is that adults are too old to have Celiac. However, most professionals know now you can have it at any age.

You were right to try the diet. A little secret - feeling better on a gluten-free diet is half of the diagnosis. I will caution you against fruity pebbles and some yogurts, mostly because I am not sure if they are OK one way or another. Also, since you are pregnant I highly advise you start taking a multi-vitamin for pregnant women ASAP! Seriously - ASAP.

Here are some things to get you started:

Potatoes - baked, fried in a touch of olive or canola oil, mashed, boiled, however you like. Add cheese if you can tolerate it, and maybe some meat if you like for protein.

Eggs - you can also add cheese or meat to these. Good source of protein.

Corn Tortillas - Mission brand are guaranteed gluten-free

Yogurt - great for calcium which you need for you and baby - Dannon and Yoplait are gluten-free

Beans - canned beans are usually ok, these will be an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins, and protein

Rice - good carbohydrate source

Any kind of meat - Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Sausage - try for lean, as meat fats are not the best kind

Any fresh vegetable, most canned vegetables, most frozen vegetables

Any fresh fruit, most dried fruits, most frozen fruits, most canned fruits

Snack on sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, or fresh fruits and vegetables. The nuts and seeds will give you good fats you need and a fair amount of calories to progress you through your pregnancy. For a little aside, a recommended weight gain is about 5 lbs total the first three months of pregnancy, and 1-2 lbs per week thereafter. Everyone varies, though. If you're underweight, shoot a little over this.

Think about building your meals around a meat at first, this should make planning meals easier.

For now, I would schedule an appointment with a GI doctor and an OB doctor for your baby. Continue to follow the gluten-free diet. I would also wait until after you have your baby and are done breastfeeding before you pursue testing for Celiac, as it will require you to stop a gluten-free diet. Right now, your health and your baby's are first priority. Sorting out the details can happen later.

[AndreaB]

Freeda has a good prenatal multi. I can get it from the gluten free store in my area.....Vancouver WA. You can also order them from online. I'll dig up the website if you are interested. It's vegan essentials that I had ordered from before I found that brand at the store. Any OB should be able to handle the pregnancy. Just make sure you take your prenatal.

As far as a previous post Modified food starch should be fine in the US. They have to list whether something has gluten in it. With most packaged foods it is a matter of cross contamination. Some people are very sensitive and others (like my family) aren't so much so. It's a matter of trial and error a lot of times.

Try to stick to naturally gluten free items like meat, veggies and fruits. Rice pasta (we love Tinkyada), rice tortillas (food for life) are good. We eat a lot of rice products, including brown rice.

One thing you really need to look out for if you buy cereal is barley malt. It's in a lot of things. Also cereal with regular oats are not good for you. Celiacs need to eat gluten free oats, if they can tolerate them.

[AndreaB]

This is from the parent site of this message board.... celiac.com

Unsafe Gluten-Free Food List (Unsafe Ingredients)

Abyssinian Hard (Wheat triticum durum)

Alcohol (Spirits - Specific Types)

Amp-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Barley Grass (can contain seeds)

Barley Hordeum vulgare

Barley Malt

Beer

Bleached Flour

Blue Cheese (made with bread)

Bran

Bread Flour

Brewers Yeast

Brown Flour

Bulgur (Bulgar Wheat/Nuts)

Bulgur Wheat

Cereal Binding

Chilton

Club Wheat (Triticum aestivum subspecies compactum)

Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Couscous

Dextrimaltose

Disodium Wheatgermamido Peg-2 Sulfosuccinate

Durum wheat (Triticum durum)

Edible Starch

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum)

Emmer (Triticum dicoccon)

Farina

Farina Graham

Filler

Flour (normally this is wheat)

Fu (dried wheat gluten)

Germ

Graham Flour

Granary Flour

Groats (barley, wheat)

Hard Wheat

Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol

Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Kamut (Pasta wheat)

Malt

Malt Extract

Malt Syrup

Malt Flavoring

Malt Vinegar

Macha Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Matzo Semolina

Mir

Oriental Wheat (Triticum turanicum)

Pasta

Pearl Barley

Persian Wheat (Triticum carthlicum)

Poulard Wheat (Triticum turgidum)

Polish Wheat (Triticum polonicum)

Rice Malt (if barley or Koji are used)

Rye

Seitan

Semolina

Semolina Triticum

Shot Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Small Spelt

Spirits (Specific Types)

Spelt (Triticum spelta)

Sprouted Wheat or Barley

Stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Strong Flour

Suet in Packets

Tabbouleh

Teriyaki Sauce

Textured Vegetable Protein - TVP

Timopheevi Wheat (Triticum timopheevii)

Triticale X triticosecale

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Flour Lipids

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract

Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil

Udon (wheat noodles)

Unbleached Flour

Vavilovi Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Vegetable Starch

Wheat, Abyssinian Hard triticum durum

Wheat amino acids

Wheat Bran Extract

Wheat, Bulgur

Wheat Durum Triticum

Wheat Germ Extract

Wheat Germ Glycerides

Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat Germamidopropyldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Wheat Grass (can contain seeds)

Wheat Nuts

Wheat Protein

Wheat Triticum aestivum

Wheat Triticum Monococcum

Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Bran Extract

Whole-Meal Flour

Wild Einkorn (Triticum boeotictim)

Wild Emmer (Triticum dicoccoides)

The following items may or may not contain gluten depending on where and how they are made, and it is sometimes necessary to check with the manufacturer to find out:

Artificial Color4

Caramel Color1, 3

Coloring4

Dextrins1,7

Flavoring6

Food Starch1, 4

Glucose Syrup4

Gravy Cubes4

Ground Spices4

Maltodextrin1, 8

Maltose4

Miso4

Modified Food Starch1, 4 Modified Starch1, 4

Monosodium Glutimate (MSG)1, 4

Mustard Powder 4

Natural Flavoring6

Shoyu (soy sauce)4

Smoke Flavoring4

Soba Noodles4

Soy Sauce4

Starch1, 4

Stock Cubes4

Vitamins4

Wheat Starch5

1) If this ingredient is made in North America it is likely to be gluten-free.

3) The problem with caramel color is it may or may not contain gluten depending on how it is manufactured. In the USA caramel color must conform with the FDA standard of identity from 21CFR CH.1. This statute says: the color additive caramel is the dark-brown liquid or solid material resulting from the carefully controlled heat treatment of the following food-grade carbohydrates: Dextrose (corn sugar), invert sugar, lactose (milk sugar), malt syrup (usually from barley malt), molasses (from cane), starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof (can include wheat), sucrose (cane or beet). Also, acids, alkalis and salts are listed as additives which may be employed to assist the caramelization process.

4) Can utilize a gluten-containing grain or by-product in the manufacturing process, or as an ingredient.

5) Most celiac organizations in the USA and Canada do not believe that wheat starch is safe for celiacs. In Europe, however, Codex Alimentarius Quality wheat starch is considered acceptable in the celiac diet by most doctors and celiac organizations. This is a higher quality of wheat starch than is generally available in the USA or Canada.

6) According to 21 C.F.R. S 101,22(a)(3): [t]he terns natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof. Whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.

7) Dextrin is an incompletely hydrolyzed starch. It is prepared by dry heating corn, waxy maize, waxy milo, potato, arrowroot, WHEAT, rice, tapioca, or sago starches, or by dry heating the starches after: (1) Treatment with safe and suitable alkalis, acids, or pH control agents and (2) drying the acid or alkali treated starch. (1) Therefore, unless you know the source, you must avoid dextrin.

[FoxersArtist]

I was pregnant while suffering from celiac disease with both of my children. I did have moderate complications with the biggest celiac related complications being a constant battle with pre term labor and delivered both babies pre term even after hormone injections and pills to stop labor. I have read that with untreated celiac, there is a greater risk for preterm labor. There is also a greater risk of the infant being a low birthweight baby - both of mine were 5 lbs when delivered, so they could have been better but also could have been worse. I also had more annoying complications like constant muscle spasms and charley horses in my hands, feet and legs. The good news is that you are treating yourself NOW, so if you do have celiac, your body will begin to absorb nutrition again before your baby is born which will greatly reduce the risk of complications. Eat, eat, eat! If you are having trouble gaining weight, eat lots of ice cream (a good source of calcium) and other things high in carbs. Eat bananas, blueberries, mango, apricots, and peaches which contain more essential vitamins than some other fruits. Lots of fresh veggies will help restore vitamins naturally into your body. If you can afford them, buying whole food vitamins for pregnant women will not only be easier on your tummy than the prescribed pre natal vitamin but will also absorb better because they are from real food! As far as what to do about DRs - it's time to get a little pushy! The next time you see your Dr tell them: "I HAVE celiac and you are going to send me to a prenatal specialist." You don't need any kind of test or any Dr to proove that you are celiac to be celiac. Great improvement with the diet is enough and you need to be confident about that fact. When you see a specialist just explain that you have celiac in your family and that you were terribly ill until you went gluten free. Explain that you WILL NOT take risks with your baby and tell your Dr that you need to have his full support. It's ok to be firm with Drs. and more than not - it really helps them respect you as a person and a client because you are sure of yourself and in control. I really feel for you, but you are going to do just fine! Try to relax and eat as muh as you can!

-Anna

My Gramma was on her death bed she has lost 60 pounds and now weights in at a whopping 97 pounds because she has been sick for 10 years , My aunt watched some tv show and heard about celiacs and she went out , bought the food , went to grammies and said YOU ARE TRYING THIS ! took ALL of her old food out of the house and 21 days later she is great and feeling good.

I have been sick for about 2 years {with diareah} but only if I ate in the morning , as long as I ate at night I was fine. Recently it has gotten worst really really worse ! I have been to the emergency room twice this week they told me I have heartburn. They also told me I am pregnant. I have begged 4 different doctors to test me for celiacs disease and they all said i was too young to have it . I was crying yesterday because my stomach hurt so bad and I woke up today and said u know what im fricken trying this !! I have ate ALL day long all kinds of GLUTEN FREE STUFF and Im not sick havent been sick all day long. I cannot belive it ! I just had to tell someone !!

How do you get a doctor to test for celiacs ?? Also what about my baby ? Do I need a special dr because I may have celiacs? None of the doctors I talked to have heard of it they just look at you like your the stupid one. Any answers or suggestions will help me , Thank you and PLEASE HELP! I dont really know much except I can eat yogurt , fruity pebbles and anything thats in grammies house !!! Thanks Melie !

[munkee41182]

Actually my cousin's doctor said that the reason why they had such an sisue diagnosing her was because she was so young, they always thought of Celiac as being something that older women of Irish/European decent had gotten. My Cousin was 6 when they finally diagnosed her....I was diagnosed at 20, my Aunt self diagnosed at 40-something...my grandmother diagnosed at 77. I was lucky with the doctors that I've had...I was tested due to family history and put me right on the diet (with almost NO symptoms when I was tested). I've heard a lot of stories about quacks for docs. I would def find a doctor that listens to you....especially now that you have a baby on board!

Congratulations!

[JNBunnie1]

My Gramma was on her death bed she has lost 60 pounds and now weights in at a whopping 97 pounds because she has been sick for 10 years , My aunt watched some tv show and heard about celiacs and she went out , bought the food , went to grammies and said YOU ARE TRYING THIS ! took ALL of her old food out of the house and 21 days later she is great and feeling good.

I have been sick for about 2 years {with diareah} but only if I ate in the morning , as long as I ate at night I was fine. Recently it has gotten worst really really worse ! I have been to the emergency room twice this week they told me I have heartburn. They also told me I am pregnant. I have begged 4 different doctors to test me for celiacs disease and they all said i was too young to have it . I was crying yesterday because my stomach hurt so bad and I woke up today and said u know what im fricken trying this !! I have ate ALL day long all kinds of GLUTEN FREE STUFF and Im not sick havent been sick all day long. I cannot belive it ! I just had to tell someone !!

How do you get a doctor to test for celiacs ?? Also what about my baby ? Do I need a special dr because I may have celiacs? None of the doctors I talked to have heard of it they just look at you like your the stupid one. Any answers or suggestions will help me , Thank you and PLEASE HELP! I dont really know much except I can eat yogurt , fruity pebbles and anything thats in grammies house !!! Thanks Melie !

If you feel better, there you go. If you need some food ideas, go read the baking&recipes board, there's LOTS of awesome ideas. Congrats on the baby! And tell your aunt we think she rocks! And that Celiac is genetic, so she should get checked too. Preferably by a doctor that knows what they're doing.