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

Can I Cheat?

jat237

By jat237
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

jat237 Newbie
jat237
Posted

I just had an endoscopy today to confirm Celiac. The biopsy results aren't back, of course, but the doctor told me my esophagus, stomach, and intestines were all inflamed. He's pretty positive I'm celiac.

I'm almost completely asymptomatic. It would help me face the overwhelming thought of going gluten-free if I knew that I could splurge just once in awhile on freshly baked bread or a piece of cheesecake or a slice of pizza.

Given that gluten doesn't make me feel sick at all, what are the risks of an occasional cheat?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Mother of Jibril Enthusiast
Mother of Jibril
Posted

Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!

The major risks of cheating if you have celiac disease are cancer and other autoimmune disorders. Be grateful that you're not debilitated by your symptoms and move forward on the road to health!!

And by the way... it's not that hard to make gluten-free pizza. This forum has TONS of great ideas for alternatives to any food you might be craving. Plus... gluten is addictive. Once you've been gluten-free for a while you might find that your cravings are greatly diminished.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted
Given that gluten doesn't make me feel sick at all, what are the risks of an occasional cheat?

The potential risks could be life threatening eventually. No, you won't die from a piece of cake or slice of pizza. ;)

If you are officially diagnosed with Celiac, it's an autoimmune disorder. It's not the amount of gluten that will hurt you, it the fact that the gluten make your body attack itself, thereby causing damage.

You may not be symptomatic when you consume gluten, but I can assure you that there is a major war going on in your intestines.

There are many disorders associate with uncontrolled Celiac. Diabetes, lymphoma, fibromyalgia or any type of arthritis. Gluten can cause ataxia which can cause neurological damage and some pretty serious malabsorption can make you talk funny and walk into walls or forget where you're driving.

SO...it's your choice to weigh the risks ;)

Welcome and read some posts here. It will be helpful to learn from other's experiences.

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

Why would you want to cheat, when there are good gluten free versions of all the foods you just mentioned ? You can either bake them or buy them. I just made myself some quick pan flatbread for lunch for a treat.

There is so much other stuff to eat, you won't feel deprived or hungry.

The risks are, once you go off, as you readjust, you might then feel much differently when you do deliberately eat a large amount of gluten. I consider myself on the low end of reacting, as I don't react with the violent gut issues from a crumb as some do, but as I became more acutely aware of my reactions as I became stricter with my diet. ( I get neurological symptoms and it flares my arthritis and gives me kidney and vision problems )

My physical discomfort and resulting brain fog is acute enough that I am highly motivated to stay away from other people's food !

The risks are you will very likely develop a secondary condition that will make you miserable, but what condition we don't know.

jat237 Newbie
jat237
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for the quick and helpful responses. Your optimism is encouraging, but at the moment I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the lifestyle change. I am a MAJOR foodie and absolutely adore whole grains. The fact that I can make or buy substitutes for some of my comfort foods is encouraging. But I just can't imagine that a gluten-free pizza is going to rival Papa John's. My family is steeped in food traditions, almost all of which are going to become taboo, and I fear the substitutes will just make me miss the real thing all the more.

I guess I'm experiencing the early stages of grief! :) Can others relate?

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted
My family is steeped in food traditions, almost all of which are going to become taboo, and I fear the substitutes will just make me miss the real thing all the more.

I guess I'm experiencing the early stages of grief! :) Can others relate?

Yes - we can all relate. We all went through this too!!! No one is born knowing how to cope and adjust to the diet. But, with trial and error, a good attitude (and yes, pity parties are allowed), and support, you can do it.

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a good amount of families on this board who AREN'T steeped in food traditions. You learn to substitute things and it will become second nature. You will still have pastas, cookies, birthday cakes, pizza (okay, maybe not exactly like Papa John's), stuffing on Thanksgiving, etc. Truly. We all do.

I would highly recommend a great book to help explain Celiac - "Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic" by Dr. Peter Green.

lizard00 Enthusiast
lizard00
Posted

I don't know, the pizza I made over the weekend was better than Papa Johns to me. (Maybe I should mention that I never liked Papa Johns! :lol::P )

You are not alone, we all had to go through this. But committing to it and absolutely not cheating is really the only way you are going to be well and stay well, whether you have symptoms or not.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cat3883 Explorer
cat3883
Posted

The longer you go without it the less you want it. Obviously you have some symptoms or you wouldnt have had an endoscopy done. Feel lucky you don't feel terrible. I think my symptoms started slowly but by this October I was very ill. I will never intentionally eat gluten again. Never Never Never

puggirl Apprentice
puggirl
Posted

Hi there... Yeah i wouldnt recommend cheating.. Let me tell you, on thanksgiving I ate a BREAD ROLL a small little bread roll and havent been the same since...... My body did not like it. it wasnt worth it. From now on Im going to be stronger and resist the urge to eat the "Good Stuff" I need to find a good gluten free bread. and I really want to make a home made pizza someday. DONT CHEAT its not worth the agony.

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

Believe it or not, there really are recipes for gluten-free versions of the things you love that are JUST AS GOOD as the gluteny originals.

These include pizza, cake, bread, cookies, muffins, biscuits, pancakes, and brownies.

The premade gluten-free ones you buy at the store taste like styrofoam. The homebaked ones take much less effort than you'd expect, especially the breads (no kneading required, just mix, dump, and bake!), and really do taste fantastic.

And the best part is, they are NOT addictive the way the gluteny ones are for us. REALLY. They totally answer the craving, but they don't make you want more and more and more.

Hang in there, and heal. It gets much, much better than you'd ever dream.

And if I can do it, anybody can.

Green Eyes Rookie
Green Eyes
Posted

Really it isn't so bad once you get started eating gluten free. I too wasn't having big issues. It was a total fluke (well maybe not totally) that I was even diagnosed. Talk about a blow, it was.

You will also find that once you go gluten free you will have a reaction to eating gluten. If it is small amounts over a period of a few days (like taking vitamins once a day for 3 days) I finally get a little upset stomach. If it eat a larger amount of gluten - I "react" in about 30 minutes.

There are advantages to this, but also big disadvantages. Sometimes you don't know you have gotten a little bit of gluten but it still does the damage. That's why I'm insisting on getting re-testing to see if I am doing okay.

Best Wishes,

Jennifer

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. trents
      - trents replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Have I got coeliac disease

      @Mark Conway, here is an article outlining the various tests that can be used to diagnose celiac disease. By far, the most popular one ordered by physicians is the tTG-IGA. But almost all of these tests are known by different names so the terminology will vary from place to place and lab to lab. The article gives common variant names for each test. In...
    2. JudyLou
      - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty! My feet aren’t dry or ashy and I don’t have a rash that gets scaly. It’s like very itchy/burning vesicles that are symmetrical - on both arms, both legs, etc. They actually feel better in direct sunlight as long as it isn’t really hot or I’m not exercising outside, but gets worse if I sweat (especially if the area is covere...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Welcome, @JudyLou, Your rash sounds very similar to the one I experienced. Mine was due to a deficiency in Niacin B3, although I had deficiencies in other nutrients as well. Celiac disease causes malabsorption of all the essential nutrients, but eating a poor diet, taking certain medications, or drinking alcohol can result in deficiency diseases outside...
    4. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Mark Conway's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Have I got coeliac disease

      This doctor is obviously under educated about Celiac Disease. Deficiencies that can cause oral thrush (Candidiasis) mouth ulcers: Thiamine B1 B12 Folate Zinc Vitamin C B2 B6 Iron Malabsorption Syndrome is often co-morbid with Celiac Disease causing multiple deficiencies of the essential vitamins...
    5. Jmartes71
      - Jmartes71 posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Gluten tester

      I saw the thing for testing for gluten when at public places.I absolutely love but I wonder if they would come up with a bracelet or necklace that can detect gluten in the air.I would LOVE that, i know i get debilitating migraine from smelling gluten wheat what have you, all I know is when I go into places like Chevron- gluten Subway, migraine, Costco that...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,152
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    SinnamonToasty
    Newest Member
    SinnamonToasty
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Have I got coeliac disease

      By trents · Posted

      @Mark Conway, here is an article outlining the various tests that can be used to diagnose celiac disease. By far, the most popular one ordered by physicians is the tTG-IGA. But almost all of these tests are known by different names so the terminology will vary from place to place and lab to lab. The article gives common variant names for each test.  In addition to IGA tests there are IGG tests which are particularly useful in the case of IGA deficiency.  
    • JudyLou
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By JudyLou · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty! My feet aren’t dry or ashy and I don’t have a rash that gets scaly. It’s like very itchy/burning vesicles that are symmetrical - on both arms, both legs, etc. They actually feel better in direct sunlight as long as it isn’t really hot or I’m not exercising outside, but gets worse if I sweat (especially if the area is covered up). It’s not usually on the outside of my elbows and knees which seems more typical of dermatitis herpetiformis (unless it spreads there). It tends to first hit the inside of those areas. Interestingly, twice the rash broke out soon after eating an unhealthy meal and having an alcoholic drink (I only drink a few times a year, no more alcohol content than a glass of wine).  So I wonder if there is a connection. I’m halfway considering doing a gluten challenge for a few months to see what happens, knowing I can stop if I have any symptoms, and asking for a full celiac disease panel at the end. I really appreciate your thoughts! 
    • knitty kitty
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome, @JudyLou, Your rash sounds very similar to the one I experienced.  Mine was due to a deficiency in Niacin B3, although I had deficiencies in other nutrients as well.  Celiac disease causes malabsorption of all the essential nutrients, but eating a poor diet, taking certain medications, or drinking alcohol can result in deficiency diseases outside of Celiac, too.  Symptoms can wax and wane depending on dietary intake.  I knew an alcoholic who had the "boots" of Pellagra, which would get worse when he was drinking more heavily, and improve when he was drinking less.   Niacin deficiency is called Pellagra.  Symptoms consist of dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death (the four D's).  A scaly rash on the feet and hands and arms are called the "boots" and "gloves" of Pellagra.  Darkened skin around the neck exposed to the sun is Casal's necklace.  Poor farmers with niacin deficient diets were called "red necks" because of this.    Does your rash get worse if you're in the sun?  Mine did.  Any skin exposed to the sun got blistered and scaly.  Arms, legs, neck, head.  Do you have dry, ashy skin on your feet?  The itchiness was not only from the rash, but neuropathy.   My doctors were clueless.  They didn't put all my symptoms together into the three D's.  But I did.  I'd learned about Pellagra at university.  But there weren't supposed to be deficiency diseases anymore in the developed world.  Doubtful it could be that simple, I started supplementing with Niacin and other essential nutrients.  I got better.   One of Niacinamide functions is to help stop mast cells from releasing histamine.  Your allergist gave you doxepin, an antihistamine which stops mast cells from releasing histamine.   Since you do have a Celiac gene, staying on the gluten free diet can prevent Celiac disease from being triggered again.   Interesting Reading: These case studies have pictures... Pellgra revisited.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4228662/ Steroid-Resistant Rash With Neuropsychiatric Deterioration and Weight Loss: A Modern-Day Case of Pellagra https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12532421/#:~:text=Figure 2.,(right panel) upper limbs.&text=The distribution of the rash,patient's substantial response to treatment.   Cutaneous signs of nutritional disorders https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8721081/#:~:text=Additional causes of yellow skin,the clinical features of Kwashiorkor.   Hello, @Staticgypsy, I would not recommend cutting so many nutritious foods out of ones diet.  Oxalates can cause problems like kidney stones, but our bodies can process oxalates out of our systems with certain vitamins like Vitamins A and D and Pyridoxine B 6.   People with Celiac disease are often low in fat soluble vitamins A and D, as well as the water soluble B vitamins like Pyridoxine B 6.  Focus on serving your granddaughter nutrient dense meals to ensure she gets essential vitamins and minerals that will help her grow. Micronutrient inadequacy and urinary stone disease: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976348/ Multivitamins co-intake can reduce the prevalence of kidney stones: a large-scale cross-sectional study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38564076/
    • Wheatwacked
      Have I got coeliac disease

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      This doctor is obviously under educated about Celiac Disease. Deficiencies that can cause oral thrush (Candidiasis) mouth ulcers: Thiamine B1 B12 Folate Zinc Vitamin C B2 B6 Iron Malabsorption Syndrome is often co-morbid with Celiac Disease causing multiple deficiencies of the essential vitamins and minerals.  Low or deficient  Vitamin D is almost always found in undiagnosed Celiac Disease. "Over 900 genes have been reported as regulated by vitamin D"  Possible Role of Vitamin D in Celiac Disease Onset  "The overall prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 41.6%, with the highest rate seen in blacks (82.1%), followed by Hispanics (69.2%)."    Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults
    • Jmartes71
      Gluten tester

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      I saw the thing for testing for gluten when at public places.I absolutely love but I wonder if they would come up with a bracelet or necklace that can detect gluten in the air.I would LOVE that, i know i get debilitating migraine from smelling gluten wheat what have you, all I know is when I go into places like Chevron- gluten Subway, migraine, Costco that food smell of nasty gluten- migraine and same with Walmart subway.I absolutely HATE im that sensitive, my body reacts.Sadly medical hasn't taken core issue of celiac being an issue considering glutenfree ever since 1994 and in their eyes not because they didn't diagnose me. I am and wish I wasn't. If there was a detector of gluten in the air it would make a world of difference. 
×
×
  • 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.