Stuck In Gluten Limbo

[GravStars]

So I'm about 6-months gluten free and still not feeling better, still getting these itchy bumps on my arms, legs and abdomen (I'm undiagnosed). I've eliminated Amy's gluten-free meals after reading that some people react to them, and am now trying to avoid ANY product that is likely to be produced in a facility with gluten. But if I'm getting glutened its also likely happening in the kitchen. I don't know what to do. My parents and sister (whom I live with) are fairly messy in the kitchen and no matter how much I wipe up before fixing something I always feel like I'm wading through a mine field when I'm in there. It's not like just a few crumbs here and there to wipe up, but dried food debris all over the stove, flour particles, etc., seemingly omni-present ALL THE TIME (my sister cooks complicated and messy meals every night). I feel like if I have celiac disease, and even if I had an official diagnosis, I'm probably never going to get better as long as I live here. I can ask them to clean up better after themselves, but inevitably they get lazy and apathetic about it and since I don't have an actual diagnosis they probably don't take it too seriously anyway. I am unemployed and without insurance, largely because of how I've felt for so many years (including chronic anxiety and depression). It's really frustrating. How do other people contend with sharing a kitchen with others that are not gluten free? What to do? Any suggestions?

[RiceGuy]

Well, you really do need to sit down with your family and make them understand your needs. If you have to clean up after them, it puts you at all-the-more risk. Flour can stay aloft for several hours, and by the time it settles down, it could even get into other rooms of the house. This is just one reason why many families decide the go completely gluten-free. Your health is more important than the meal preferences of other family members. They need to be more understanding, and very careful and accommodating.

If you haven't already done so, set aside a special place for your gluten-free foods. A cabinet, drawer, or whatever, so that your foods don't get contaminated. Make sure gluten-filled stuff won't be placed too near or especially above your things. For example, we all know how a box of cereal will have some crumbs and fine powdery stuff at the bottom. If that box is on a shelf above your items, that powder can filter down onto your items. Obviously, your things should be kept in sealed containers, but just opening them can contaminate them, if there happens to be gluten particles on the lid.

The refrigerator can be a minefield of gluten. In many households, the shelves of the fridge are often home to all manner of sticky substances. When this is the case, just placing an item in the fridge can put unknown gunk on the underside of the container. From there, is is easy to transfer it to your hands, counter tops, table, etc. When you pour something with particles on the underside like that, some may even fall off into your food.

If you want to toast some gluten-free bread, you'll need your own toaster/toaster-oven. Check dish detergents/soaps, and never use dish cloths or sponges that are used for family dishes. In fact, the sink can have gluten clinging to the sides if not washed thoroughly enough.

In case you haven't read about it already, things like postage stamps and envelopes have gluten in the glue, so you should use the self-sticking kind, or moisten them with a sponge.

Lastly, do watch out for additional intolerances, such as dairy, soy, corn, nuts, etc. Many on this board don't get appreciable healing until eliminating other things from the diet, most commonly dairy.

[GravStars]

Thanks for your response, Rice Guy.

[nora-n]

I had to stop baking gluten bread (I was very careful) for hubby since I got ill from the tiny wheat pollution from baking.

I have this skin thing too, and my whole upper torsoon fire as long as I was baking once or twice a week.

It stopped burning after I stopped with the baking and got rid of the flour.

I can also get glutened when handling bread rests at work, or if people mess with cookies or heat up bund in the microwave and carry too close to my nose...

Sofas and other furniture are often full of gluten too.

We use no gluten for dinner here in the house, and noone misses it. We only have bread and buns around and I can tolerate that if they are careful.

By the way, us with DH or suspected DH can bper-sensitive to gluten.

If you manage to get a diagnosis for your DH, it is as good as a celiac diagnosis.

nora

[dilettantesteph]

I can't clean up gluten without getting sick. After a year of trying to manage with a mixed kitchen my family has gone gluten free. I wouldn't even go into your kitchen if I were you. How about buying one of those little dorm fridges to go in your room along with a microwave.

I wouldn't trust your family to be careful enough. My 13 year old daughter was really good about trying to be careful and she is very anal and still it wasn't enough. People who aren't cooperative to begin with will never manage.

It is really hard to deal with this while you are sick. Keep it up and you will get better and get your life back. I'm sorry that your family isn't more supportive.

[GravStars]

That's exactly the problem - I don't trust my family to be careful enough. It just ain't gonna happen.

Unfortunately as I am jobless I cannot afford anything like a small fridge. However I have asked for a rice cooker/steamer for Christmas so maybe that will help.

I don't know what else to do right now...