Just Diagnosed Today...need Advice.....? Please Help!

[Krystle56]

Hi everyone

My name is Krystle, I was just diagnosed with celiac today. After being shocked, I was upset, and now I'm thankful that I know what is. The problem is, I don't meet with the dietician until next Thursday and I need some help with what foods I can/can't have....what to shop for, etc. I'll tell you a little about me, I'm 22, I'm a college student, and I live with my boyfriend. We probably don't eat as healthy as we should so this is going to be good for the both of us. (I don't expect him to make any life changes but he's agreed to try new foods with me, along with seeing the dietician). The thing with being in college is, I like to grab something quickly in the morning and bring it to school with me for lunch, because I'm on campus all day between class and work. Cooking and baking are two of my favorite things to do, so I am really willing to try new things. I've been searching the web for pages with gluten free recipes and there are so many....I don't know which are good and which are bad!

I don't really know anyone else with celiac (or else I do and just don't know they have celiac)....so I think this is going to be a great resource for me! I'm trying to stay positive so this will be helpful I think

Thanks in advance!

[ShayFL]

Welcome to the board!!

"Cooking Free" was a lifesaver when I just started out:

http://www.(Company Name Removed - They Spammed This Forum and are Banned)/Cooking-Free-200Flav...i/dp/1583332154

I dont eat any processed foods, so I cant help you there. But others will chime in soon enough.

Apples and almond butter are one of my quick meals without any prep. Quiche is another that can be made in advance and the leftovers are yummy even cold. gluten-free crusts are easy. Yogurt with fruit is good. You can buy some rice paper wraps and make little spring rolls filling them with whatever you like. These can be made in advance for a "quick grab and go" meal.

I always make sure when I cook meat for dinner, that there is enough leftover for lunch the next day.

There might be some restaurants in your area that does gluten-free as well: PF Changs, Bonefish, Carrabbas, Chipotle, Outback, Pei Wei and more.....

[holdthegluten]

Hi everyone

My name is Krystle, I was just diagnosed with celiac today. After being shocked, I was upset, and now I'm thankful that I know what is. The problem is, I don't meet with the dietician until next Thursday and I need some help with what foods I can/can't have....what to shop for, etc. I'll tell you a little about me, I'm 22, I'm a college student, and I live with my boyfriend. We probably don't eat as healthy as we should so this is going to be good for the both of us. (I don't expect him to make any life changes but he's agreed to try new foods with me, along with seeing the dietician). The thing with being in college is, I like to grab something quickly in the morning and bring it to school with me for lunch, because I'm on campus all day between class and work. Cooking and baking are two of my favorite things to do, so I am really willing to try new things. I've been searching the web for pages with gluten free recipes and there are so many....I don't know which are good and which are bad!

I don't really know anyone else with celiac (or else I do and just don't know they have celiac)....so I think this is going to be a great resource for me! I'm trying to stay positive so this will be helpful I think

Thanks in advance!

Stick to whole foods for now (Meat, veggies, fruit, rice, fish and beans). You can try all of the gluten free stuff once you get a handle on things and your intestines heal a bit. Staying away from dairy is also recommended for about 6 months (the villi are needed to digest lactose). Just eat a lot of Chicken and rice, beef tacos (corn tortilla), fish and rice, stir frys. As far as something quick to eat, try some fruit, string cheese if dairy doesnt bother you, nuts, seeds, rice chex cereal. Keep it simple until you get accustomed to this diet. It can be overwhelming to try and tackle all of this at once. If you want to know if something isgluten free, try putting the name of the food and the words gluten free in the search box. Also if you have a whole foods or trader joes near by, they have a list in the store of all of their gluten free products. Feel free to Private message me with any questions, i dont always look on this forum, so PM's go to my email address and will respond ASAP.

Jonathan

[curlyfries]

When I'm running late in the mornings I grab a Think Thin bar.......high in protein and says gluten-free right on the front of the package. They aren't cheap so they are only for emergencies. Van's waffles are kind of easy to eat on the run with cream cheese (I use Tofutti brand--no dairy) or peanut butter. Van's also makes whole grain waffles, so make sure you get the gluten-free ones. (oops, you said lunch) A lot of tortilla chips are safe. It's easy to tell because they usually only have 2 or 3 ingredients. I like to eat pea pods for lunch. Hormel Naturals lunch meat with colby or cream cheese rolled into it. If you have access to a microwave, then any of your gluten-free leftovers. I like to cook a sweet potato, add butter, wrap it up and reheat for lunch. You could make your own snack mix with Rice Chex, raisins or cranberries and nuts. Make sure the nuts are not dusted with wheat. Anyone know if that's an issue with raisins?...Fruit is a no-no for me, so I don't know. Craisin brand cranberries are gluten-free, but not their trail mixes.

Jonathan is right about keeping it simple at first. A lot of celiacs can't handle the heaviness (best I can describe it) of breads at first. Your fragile digestive system needs time to heal.

For your recipes, try the cooking thread here. They've all been tested and celiac approved

[Krystle56]

You guys are already so wonderful, thank you for all the suggestions! It's so overwhelming. There is no other way to describe it. I've had a pretty tear-filled day, as I'm sure most of you have experienced I have a couple questions if these foods are safe....Peanut Butter, cottage cheese, regular plain old yogurt, potatoes (real potatoes).....oh, and frozen bags of veggies...like if I were to buy frozen stir fry veggies, or should they be fresh....?

I have so many questions! Everyone keeps telling me it's going to be ok and I'll get through it and I know I will....but right now I feel like I have a lot of questions to ask. I went to a health clinic on my university's campus for my first appointment, and it was the same clinic that called me today with the results. They didn't seem very knowlegable about the disease so I didn't get as many answers as I would have hoped. Oh well, it will get better Thank you all again for everything, you are all so great! This is going to be a great website to belong to, I can tell already.

[curlyfries]

I've had a pretty tear-filled day, as I'm sure most of you have experienced I have a couple questions if these foods are safe....Peanut Butter, cottage cheese, regular plain old yogurt, potatoes (real potatoes).....oh, and frozen bags of veggies...like if I were to buy frozen stir fry veggies, or should they be fresh....?

That won't be your last or only tear-filled day, sometimes we still have them, but it does get better

Check out these sites

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Any fresh fruits and veggies are fine, including potatoes. So are frozen, as long as there are no added sauces.

I know you have to be careful about yogurt.........can't find my notes on that!

If you have a Wal-Mart, they label a lot of their brand of products if they are gluten-free.

[happygirl]

Welcome to the board! It is a wonderful resource.

Hopefully this will make your life easier with food label reading ---

Unsafe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html

Safe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-...ents/Page1.html

A list of companies that has a clear gluten policy. If you don't see "wheat, rye, barley, barley malt, oats" on the labels, its not there, or hidden in "flavors, starches, etc." Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link This makes shopping MUCH easier.

FDA foods are required to list wheat - it cannot be hidden.

Rule #1: Never eat anything without reading the label first.

Rule #2: Consistently check labels, even of your favorite products, as product formulations can change.

Rule #3: If you are unsure of an ingredient, or the company's policy on labeling, call the phone number on the back of the product or email the company.

Hope this helps.

Some other good websites for your reading (besides this forum and www.celiac.com)

www.celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu

www.celiaccentral.org

www.celiac.org

www.celiacdisease.net

www.gluten.net

Let us know what we can do to help. Good luck!

[curlyfries]

Skippy peanut butters are safe......I get a natural brand to avoid the sugar.

Cottage cheese should be safe. Modified food starch in some used to be a concern, since it could contain wheat, but new labeling laws require wheat to be clearly labeled.

Yoplait yogurts are safe. The only safe Dannon yogurts are the plain ones.

Stick around and keep reading.........you will learn soooo much.

You will need your own toaster........you can never get all the gluteny crumbs out of it.

Scratched teflon pans can not be considered safe.

Metal baking pans are suspect.......they have nooks and crannies that can harbor gluten. Instead of getting rid of everything, I use foil in the pans.

Pots and pans not teflon coated are fine.

Plastic colander and scratched or pitted plastic storage containers need to be replaced as well as wooden spoons and cutting boards. A trip to the dollar store may be in order.

I'll let you soak this much in for now...........there is more

Just remember........we all live with this.......it is very do-able........and when you feel overwhelmed, we're here for you.

[GFqueen17]

aw, i remember when i was first starting out, and its definately overwhelming. the thing that i wish somebody had told me was never ever ever ever assume anything is gluten free! even things like "corn chips" which one would think is only made from corn, sometimes have gluten in them. one time i went out to eat at a sushi place...the rise they used was coated in flour. you'll be suprised how many things gluten is in. so just make sure you alwayssss read the ingredients....and know to look for ingredients like "barley" "malt" and sometimes things like "modified food starch." I think theres a link on this website that goes over all the ingredients to watch out for.

[luvthelake21]

Welcome to the forum When my 10 year old daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago it was a overwhelming feeling. My doctor told me to read on this forum and I would learn more hear than any where else. He was right. Two years later I am still hear and learning all the time. Just hang in there and you will get the hang of it. Good luck.

[happygirl]

Due to food labeling changes, the only way that modified food starch would be a problem is if it said - modified food starch/wheat.

[Krystle56]

Thank you again to everyone. I woke up this morning and thought this was all a bad dream and then realized it wasn't and started crying all over again! ha! What a baby, huh?! No, I'm normally not this bad, I just feel like I was getting the hang of cooking and preparing decent meals for my boyfriend and I and now I have to go and change alll that. It would be much worse if I were a young child, having to attend birthday parties and such. I should count my blessings and take it one day at a time I'm going to try my best to make dinner tonight....I get out of school a little early today, 3:30, so it will give me some time to work on it

I'm going to work on getting new chopping boards, wooden spoons, and a toaster...but what can I eat out of the toaster anyway? I can't think of anything that I can have that goes in the toaster. Unless it's that gluten-free bread at the store that I saw last night. $7 a loaf and as hard as a ROCK! lol.

Have a good day everyone, and I look forward to coming on here after school.....I can't wait to see what's new! This is so comforting to have people to talk to!

[mhb]

Welcome. I also am a big fan of unprocessed foods, as simple as possible and it's incredible how flavorful things are if you just spend a little more for good tomatoes, good sea salt, good vinegar, good olive oil, and so on ... I eat out so much less often but I am quite content with that because I am eating so much healthier at home. I spend a little more on my food at home to have good quality, tasty ingredients, but I spent less eating out. I do still eat out and it takes a little time to find out which restaurants have dishes that work, but you'll get a handle on that too and feel quite safe and versatile over time. It's a little harder when traveling, but if you do your research upfront than you can enjoy your trip. Salads with oil and vinegar dressing, and hopefully protein, are a great choice when eating out if you are uncertain about a restaurant. So many restaurants have that. Just keep the croutons off, or wontons. If I am unsure about the restaurant I'm going to, I will often eat something rather filling before I go. That way, if all I can get is a salad I don't get too hungry and I enjoy my company.

A lot of people when they stop eating gluten either begin eating very highly refined, processed gluten free goods from the store (those products have there place even in a healthy diet), or eat very little in the way of grains and flours because they want to avoid the refined ones, and it can be a real hassle to cook whole grains at home. The way I get around this, is I have a steamer, and not a very expensive one, that steams brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal ... (I happen to be one who can handle oatmeal, either bulk and extremely well rinsed or McCann's, but many celiacs have to avoid it). Anyway, steamers are great because you can throw the grain in with the water, turn it on and walk away. When it's done it dings but it's not critical to get back to it right away, except with some grains that can get soggy like rice and millet. I also steam loads of oatmeal for my husband, so that thing is going several times a week, but it's so helpful to have whole grains cooked and ready to go in the refrigerator. I add them to soups, salads or eat on their own with veggies, coconut milk, whatever sounds good to have on it. The idea is to make a big batch every time so there are leftovers. I have bought a small insulated food container so I can take heated whole grains to the gym. I get very hungry when I work out and need carbohydrates, and this is a way to make sure I keep eating healthy ones instead of always going for quick fixes that aren't so healthy (not that I don't do that when I'm in a pinch!), or spending $ at a restaurant because I'm too hungry to make it home and cook. One thing about whole grains is they can be hard to digest, although many gluten-free ones are easier than ones with gluten. I soak my whole grains at least overnight before cooking them in the steamer (just get them ready when the fridge supply is getting low). I add some Bragg's apple cider vinegar to the soaking water, and this process helps pre-digest the tough part of the grains. It makes them much easier on your intestines. This is what traditional cultures have done for so long because they knew that the body needed grains preprocessed. Rinse well before cooking.

Another thing I did was buy a bread machine. The ones on the market now have gluten-free settings. I'm still experimenting with this, using gluten-free flours and trying to get the best mix of the healthiest ones (more protein and fiber) and still have good taste and texture. I don't want to get too hooked on eating refined flour breads, even if they are gluten-free, but I know my metabolism requires carbos with my proteins and fats. I split the bread loaves into sections of slices and freeze them because gluten-free flours easily get moldy. My toaster has a setting where you can put a frozen piece in on defrost and then run it on regular toast, so I never get caught without when I need a piece and they're all frozen.

Finally, ;-) , I regularly use a crockpot to cook a batch of sweet potatoes (I buy a bag of them at Trader Joe's) and keep those cooked in the refrigerator. I use the crockpot just because it uses less energy than the oven. Then it is easy to heat some of that up in the microwave for quick and healthy carbos. Squash and root vegetables in general are good gluten-free carbohydrates if you don't want to overdo the grains.

I find it very helpful to have laborsaving appliances in my kitchen so I can do more of my own food preparation and have it take very little time. I didn't used to be much of an appliance person, but I sure am now. If you can spend a little on any of these appliances, or other ones, that sound like they might be helpful to you, it can go a long way toward helping you incorporate a healthy gluten-free diet into a busy life.

I have been gluten-free since June, so I didn't get all this together in one week. Note that you might make some mistakes along the way, especially at first. Don't beat yourself up over it, just learn from it and keep moving forward and you will feel better and better and more and more in control. The better you feel, the less you will mind the adjustment. It's fantastic things will be getting better for you now, even if it's a bumpy road at first!

Cheers!

[SGWhiskers]

Congrats! and I'm sorry and Welcome about your diagnosis. I've been gluten-free for 9 weeks now. The first few were pretty rocky trying to figure out what to eat. I made lots of mistakes. When I started eating whole foods like these folks recommended, I started seeing some improvement. I agree that at first, whole foods are the easiest way to go. Your palate won't get bored in a month or two and you will start combining ingredients if you do. You will probably find that you are very hungry. Let yourself eat. Your body needs all that nutrition it has been starving for. Just make it nutrient rich. Some people find they go through a week or two of thirst. Buy LOTS of fruit. It is portable, and has plenty of hydration. I carried an apple, banana, and a whole cucumber (my favorite) on my errands yesterday. My purse always has a stash of nuts for protien emergencies.

I LOVE the steamer idea. I use mine for rice a few nights a week, but I'm going to follow the previous poster's suggestion about having something in the fridge all the time. It would make dinner prep go faster. Thanks for the tip!

If you buy packaged foods, look for things that have 1-3 ingredients. For example, Brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice. Now I'm gonna break my own 1-3 ingredient rule. Hershey's plain milk chocolate bars are gluten-free and an easily accessible PMS treat. The Special Dark from Hershey's are not tested for gluten-free, but the representative told me that they are the same ingredients, just in different amounts.

Ask your doctor to do a spine & hip bone scan for osteoperosis. It is very common at young ages among Celiacs and you should be taking higher than normal doses of certain vitamin supplements if you have it. Oh, and find a thread about gluten at the dentist's office. I got sick too.

The posters on these forums have so much great information. I'm glad your doc. sent you here. Welcome!

SGWhiskers

[IMWalt]

Good luck with your new journey! It can be a challenge at times, but it's not the end of the world. One thing I have learned is to not focus on gluten-free recipes. I still use my favorite cookbooks, but I now look for things that are naturally gluten-free. For example, last night I made a nice flourless chocolate mousse cake from The Joy of Cooking. Very tasty and uses no special ingredients. Before that it was sweet sticky rice with coconut sauce and mango. There are plenty of great recipes out there htat are naturally gluten-free. I do like the one post that suggested keeping sweet potatoes in the fridge. I just got done eating one for lunch. I top them (and regular potatoes) with shredded cheese, cottage cheese, salsa, olives, beans, brocolli, whatever happens to be in the fridge. Many stores and food companies are cognizant of celiacs, so it is getting easier. If you live where there are Wegmans, their store brands are clearly labeld gluten-free when they are. The owners daughter has celiac disease.

Walt

[knitaddict]

We've only been gluten free for a few weeks...but it does get easier! As fas as grab and go breakfasts....I eat toast...I like that Kinnikinnick bread w/some jam...super fast. There's also some new Jimmy Dean breakfast bowls out there...they're GOOD...they've got eggs, ham or bacon, potatoes, and cheese. If we're talking REALLY fast...I go with a boiled egg. I'll boil up a few on the weekend and peel them and pop them into plastic bags...complete w/salt and pepper. Just grab one and you're out the door. I try to keep some cooked bacon or link sausage around so that I can just grab it and growl. You'll get better w/it...I SWEAR......the main issue w/this diet is anticipation. You just gotta carve out a little time on the weekends and try to anticipate what you'd like to eat the following week...then gather some stuff together and set about making up some quick breakfasts and snacks. That will help a LOT.

You asked about regular potatoes and I don't know if anyone answered.....but YES, they're FINE!!! I would be DEAD if potatoes were off limits...I make potato soup all the time and it would KILL ME if I couldn't have it.....after all, you're giving up SO MANY carbs...you should at LEAST be able to have a tater once in awhile!!! And a loaded baked potato is just about one of the BEST lunches out there on a chilly day. It's hot and FAST...not to mention FILLING!

[miss vivian]

Hi everyone

My name is Krystle, I was just diagnosed with celiac today. After being shocked, I was upset, and now I'm thankful that I know what is. The problem is, I don't meet with the dietician until next Thursday and I need some help with what foods I can/can't have....what to shop for, etc. I'll tell you a little about me, I'm 22, I'm a college student, and I live with my boyfriend. We probably don't eat as healthy as we should so this is going to be good for the both of us. (I don't expect him to make any life changes but he's agreed to try new foods with me, along with seeing the dietician). The thing with being in college is, I like to grab something quickly in the morning and bring it to school with me for lunch, because I'm on campus all day between class and work. Cooking and baking are two of my favorite things to do, so I am really willing to try new things. I've been searching the web for pages with gluten free recipes and there are so many....I don't know which are good and which are bad!

I don't really know anyone else with celiac (or else I do and just don't know they have celiac)....so I think this is going to be a great resource for me! I'm trying to stay positive so this will be helpful I think

Thanks in advance!

Hi Krystle

Welcome. I'm new, too. I was diagnosed Oct 2..

About the crying, don't feel badly. I woke up a couple of times and felt that same way first thing in the morning..

This forum is great, though. The people are so helpful and it's just a great community. You know, soon you'll get to a place where you'll see that there are many healthy and good things to fill your stomach with..

And you might be shocked at how good you feel once you stay on the gluten free diet.

Take it easy.. I think it's going to get easier.....

[Amber M]

Thank you again to everyone. I woke up this morning and thought this was all a bad dream and then realized it wasn't and started crying all over again! ha! What a baby, huh?! No, I'm normally not this bad, I just feel like I was getting the hang of cooking and preparing decent meals for my boyfriend and I and now I have to go and change alll that. It would be much worse if I were a young child, having to attend birthday parties and such. I should count my blessings and take it one day at a time I'm going to try my best to make dinner tonight....I get out of school a little early today, 3:30, so it will give me some time to work on it

I'm going to work on getting new chopping boards, wooden spoons, and a toaster...but what can I eat out of the toaster anyway? I can't think of anything that I can have that goes in the toaster. Unless it's that gluten-free bread at the store that I saw last night. $7 a loaf and as hard as a ROCK! lol.

Have a good day everyone, and I look forward to coming on here after school.....I can't wait to see what's new! This is so comforting to have people to talk to!

I'm only 4 months gluten free and still learning. I developed several food intolerances because of my intestinal damage. I still can not eat the gluten free breads, some grains just don't digest yet, but my allergist says they may in time. The gluten free prepared breads pretty much suck. The home baked ones are good if you can digest them, but don't rush. The only prepared mix I can digest right now is PAMALAS Pancake mix which you can make soooo many things out of. Check it out. (recepies on the back of the big bag)

I learned the most from this and other sites and I printed out the "safe and unsafe" list from this site and study it all the time. One thing I learned recently is beware of "Wheat Free" as opposed to "Gluten Free". If it just says wheat free it could have hidden gluten.(malt, barley, rye)

I found it overwhelming at first too, but like everyone says, stay simple at first and stick to fresh foods that settle well. I also started several supplements. Vit D, Vit B12 (still experimenting), flax seed oil, DIGESTIVE ENZYMES (really helping), milti vit. Just remeber, they have to be gluten free! Same with all medications. But before you start any supplements, you should do research and understand what you are taking, what you need, etc.

I try to read on here every evening for awhile. It really helps since my doctors know zilch about this disease. You will come to love this site. Welcome and just know you are soooo NOT alone!

[MomMom]

I have been diagnosed for 2 days now and the fear has settled in! I'm researching like crazy and my Dr. has provided some great info as well. I contacted my pharmacist to check on my meds and she too provided a printout of my meds and the ingredients in each of them. I feel like others on this site that I am in a state of disbelief with this diagnosis. I have had so many of the symptoms but it took awhile for them to pull them together and test me for Celiac. I will be seeing a gastro specialist and a hematologist also. It is wonderful to be able to review all the posts and learn hands on advice from each of you. May God bless you for giving your time to help us "newbies". MomMom (what my 5 grandchildren call me!)

[Krystle56]

MomMom....I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. You will be amazed how much better you are going to feel after just a few days of no gluten. I am honestly AMAZED, I can't believe it. My stomach is like a million times better. I went to hockey games this weekend without worrying "what if I have to run to the bathroom???!!" I have to meet with a GI specialist too. I feel like my doctor doesn't know anything about celiac because they told me it would "probably" be ok to wait til Dec 29 for the GI appt! I said ok, but now I'm rethinking it...which leads me to my next question....

I apologize because this is sort of gross, but....before I was diagnosed, I went to the doctor because I was having blood in my stool. Then, I was diagnosed, and since going gluten free I have had blood in my stool again a couple times. Is this normal? Is it just because I'm "healing"?? Has anyone ever had this?? I'm so worried! It feels so depressing to know something is wrong, but not know what is exactly wrong. Of course it happened over the weekend when my normal clinic is closed so I can't call and ask. I want to see the GI earlier to talk to them about this. (the GI isn't located here, and the one I want to see is 3 hours away so I'm waiting til I have a break from school, but I think I'm going to see if they have something on a Friday and I'll just miss class to go) I'm trying not to worry about it because I kind of think with the new diet I am taking in more protein/fiber and may have been a little constipated. Oh gosh, such a yucky topic to talk about, I apoligize!!!

I am beginning to love my gluten-free diet. I feel so much better, less moody, happier, more concentration, I sleep better, etc etc etc...!!! The only bad thing is sandwiches........oh how I miss grilled cheese!! NO gluten-free bread in my town. NONE. Oh wait, 4 loafs, all cinnamon raisin that were hard as a rock and like $6-7. I passed on that! I'm writing a letter to the grocery store requesting more gluten-free food. Anyone ever written letters to stores/restaurants?? Does it work??

[ravenwoodglass]

I apologize because this is sort of gross, but....before I was diagnosed, I went to the doctor because I was having blood in my stool. Then, I was diagnosed, and since going gluten free I have had blood in my stool again a couple times. Is this normal? Is it just because I'm "healing"?? Has anyone ever had this?? I'm so worried! It feels so depressing to know something is wrong, but not know what is exactly wrong. Of course it happened over the weekend when my normal clinic is closed so I can't call and ask. I want to see the GI earlier to talk to them about this. (the GI isn't located here, and the one I want to see is 3 hours away so I'm waiting til I have a break from school, but I think I'm going to see if they have something on a Friday and I'll just miss class to go) I'm trying not to worry about it because I kind of think with the new diet I am taking in more protein/fiber and may have been a little constipated. Oh gosh, such a yucky topic to talk about, I apoligize!!!

It can be quite worrysome to be seeing blood. If the blood is bright red it is most likely from an internal hemmoroid especially with the constipation issue. If the blood is free flowing and/or you are in a great deal of pain or running a high fever that should be evaluated quickly. To set your mind at ease you may want to call the GI's office and ask to speak to a nurse, she will know whether you need attention quickly.

I am glad you are feeling better and hope that you continue to improve.

[Krystle56]

Ok, that makes me feel better because it is bright red. Thank you for your advice, and I am going to call on Monday just to be on the safe side!

Now, I just have to work on getting my parents tested! That's another worry!

[wildwood]

MomMom....I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. You will be amazed how much better you are going to feel after just a few days of no gluten. I am honestly AMAZED, I can't believe it. My stomach is like a million times better. I went to hockey games this weekend without worrying "what if I have to run to the bathroom???!!" I have to meet with a GI specialist too. I feel like my doctor doesn't know anything about celiac because they told me it would "probably" be ok to wait til Dec 29 for the GI appt! I said ok, but now I'm rethinking it...which leads me to my next question....

I apologize because this is sort of gross, but....before I was diagnosed, I went to the doctor because I was having blood in my stool. Then, I was diagnosed, and since going gluten free I have had blood in my stool again a couple times. Is this normal? Is it just because I'm "healing"?? Has anyone ever had this?? I'm so worried! It feels so depressing to know something is wrong, but not know what is exactly wrong. Of course it happened over the weekend when my normal clinic is closed so I can't call and ask. I want to see the GI earlier to talk to them about this. (the GI isn't located here, and the one I want to see is 3 hours away so I'm waiting til I have a break from school, but I think I'm going to see if they have something on a Friday and I'll just miss class to go) I'm trying not to worry about it because I kind of think with the new diet I am taking in more protein/fiber and may have been a little constipated. Oh gosh, such a yucky topic to talk about, I apoligize!!!

I am beginning to love my gluten-free diet. I feel so much better, less moody, happier, more concentration, I sleep better, etc etc etc...!!! The only bad thing is sandwiches........oh how I miss grilled cheese!! NO gluten-free bread in my town. NONE. Oh wait, 4 loafs, all cinnamon raisin that were hard as a rock and like $6-7. I passed on that! I'm writing a letter to the grocery store requesting more gluten-free food. Anyone ever written letters to stores/restaurants?? Does it work??

I do not know if you are in the position to buy a bread machine since you are a college student, but I have found the breads I make in there are so much better than the store bought. This might be a solution for you since you do not have a store with gluten free offerings nearby. I have only bought two loaves from the store and they were like cardboard even when toasted. The bread machine is easy also because you just have to put in the ingredients and set the timer. You would want to refrigerate or freeze the leftover bread though because it does not stay fresh as long as the wheat breads. Leftovers tend to taste better toasted. My daughter lamented how much she was going to miss reubens. I actually made a "faux pumpernickel" that was actually pretty good and since the bread is better toasted anyway it has worked out great. My daughter has also found some gluten-free corn torillas she enjoys and rolls up her sandwich filling in those for quick lunches. I find I have been lucky in finding gluten free alternatives to most of her favorites at home. The problem is with her being at college and not having a kitchen right now to prepare her own food. I think she is going to find this so much easier once she can prepare her own food. She may even learn to love cooking

[Krystle56]

I actually have my own apartment so I can cook whatever I want....which is fantastic...and we have a bread machine!!! A very un-used one, at that We got it as a gift from my boyfriends parents, and used it 2 times I think. It's still in the box in the closet! I am planning on using it now that you said it works well! Another thing they gave us was a pasta maker. We found recipes online for gluten-free noodles that only require 1-2 ingredients. The only problem is....I can't buy gluten free flour anywhere it seems but online. That's why I'm writing the main grocery store to see what they can do about this. There are 6 grocery stores here and none carry the gluten-free flour. I can order online, too, if it doesn't work. I did buy some Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free something or another but I have a feeling it's not real flour.....I'm not even sure why I bought it to tell you the truth because I don't know what it is! haha!

[Amber M]

I actually have my own apartment so I can cook whatever I want....which is fantastic...and we have a bread machine!!! A very un-used one, at that We got it as a gift from my boyfriends parents, and used it 2 times I think. It's still in the box in the closet! I am planning on using it now that you said it works well! Another thing they gave us was a pasta maker. We found recipes online for gluten-free noodles that only require 1-2 ingredients. The only problem is....I can't buy gluten free flour anywhere it seems but online. That's why I'm writing the main grocery store to see what they can do about this. There are 6 grocery stores here and none carry the gluten-free flour. I can order online, too, if it doesn't work. I did buy some Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free something or another but I have a feeling it's not real flour.....I'm not even sure why I bought it to tell you the truth because I don't know what it is! haha!

Is there a health food store around you? They usually carry gluten free flours and mixes. There are several gluten free bread mixes all ready for the bread maker (includes gluten free yeasts) The instructions are right on the back of the package for the bread maker. Pick med. or light crust for best resluts. I tried them and they are good, but I can not digest them right now. Plus, I can not eat

Soy, which alot of them have. Its worth testing out. If you can't feel good on them, you may have to try again in a few months when you have healed again. The grocery store should be more that willing to help you. If not, I would raise a stink! Also, I know how expensive gluten free stuff is. It's not fair! There is a tax deduction I hear. Check into to it if you file taxes. I think I got this info. on this site. Good luck!