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Being Cautious Vs Obsession

MollyBeth

By MollyBeth
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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MollyBeth Contributor
MollyBeth
Posted

I love eatnig hard salami on sandwiches. I was happy when I started this diet that gluten free salami is easy to find. I actually havne't found any that isn't gluten free yet. The woman at the deli I go to is always very nice about letting me read labels of lunch meat before I have her slice it. But the other day I started thinking...What about the stuff she puts on the slicer that isn't gluten free? Am I going to get CC'd? So I went and bought some presliced stuff but when I got home I was thinking what if they slice glutenous lunch meat with the same slicer where they process this stuff??? Now I would like to add that I've never reacted to either salami....and now I'll get to my point... When does being cautious turn into just being obsessed?? All these cross contamination possibilities are making my head spin. I've been doing very well with my diet and sticking to it. I don't seem to be super sensitive (I ate like five meat balls on new year's eve that had bisquick in them and all I got was a little gas...it was and accident) so I'm scared that damage to my intestines might still be happening if I am getting CC'd but not reacting. I just don't want to become obsessive... Do any of you that have been at this longer have any words of wisdom?

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

You are being wise by being supercareful at first. We do seem to have a large range of sensitivity and you will learn what your body can handle in time. Were you diagnosed with blood work or biopsy or both? If you were diagnosed with blood test then the doctor can run the test again every 6 months or so for a bit to check your antibody levels. Your doctor should also have run a baseline panel to test your vitamin and mineral levels at diagnosis. These can be helpful to tell if you are absorbing properly when he reruns them at 6 months. That can be helpful for those who symptoms are mild or who are 'silent' celiacs.

Personally I wouldn't touch something that was sliced on a deli slicer unless I was the very first customer of the day. I have worked in a store that had one and even though we routinely wipe it down after each use you would be surprised what gets caught under the guards. If you have a good relationship with the lady at the deli you might be able to give her a list of what you want and she could cut it for you at the start of the day. I would not worry at all about the prepackaged lunch meat as far as a CC issue goes. I also have never seen a hard salami that isn't gluten free.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

Some of us have to be obsessive not to get sick. If you don't have to be, enjoy!

ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

If it's been OK, it is probably still OK. It is easy to start obsessing but sometimes I have to give myself a good hard mental shake to be sensible and not go off the deep end about a product that has worked for me.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

I don't think this is being overly cautious. I certainly don't eat deli-sliced meat. Also I've found that over the years this stuff become second nature, and you won't have to think about it; you'll just do it. Once you get your routine down, it won't seem so obsessive, it will just be what you do.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

One of the best things you can do it get followup bloodwork run, to make sure that your antibodies are returning to normal levels. That will help ease your mind to a great degree when you know your body is healing!

MollyBeth Contributor
MollyBeth
Posted
  • Author
Were you diagnosed with blood work or biopsy or both? If you were diagnosed with blood test then the doctor can run the test again every 6 months or so for a bit to check your antibody levels. Your doctor should also have run a baseline panel to test your vitamin and mineral levels at diagnosis. These can be helpful to tell if you are absorbing properly when he reruns them at 6 months. That can be helpful for those who symptoms are mild or who are 'silent' celiacs.

My blood test came back negative and my biopsy came back positive. My vitamin and mineral levels were very low before...that's what made my doc first think I was a celiac. I'm going in to retest my levels in about a month.

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harp1 Apprentice
harp1
Posted
I love eatnig hard salami on sandwiches. I was happy when I started this diet that gluten free salami is easy to find. I actually havne't found any that isn't gluten free yet. The woman at the deli I go to is always very nice about letting me read labels of lunch meat before I have her slice it. But the other day I started thinking...What about the stuff she puts on the slicer that isn't gluten free? Am I going to get CC'd? So I went and bought some presliced stuff but when I got home I was thinking what if they slice glutenous lunch meat with the same slicer where they process this stuff??? Now I would like to add that I've never reacted to either salami....and now I'll get to my point... When does being cautious turn into just being obsessed?? All these cross contamination possibilities are making my head spin. I've been doing very well with my diet and sticking to it. I don't seem to be super sensitive (I ate like five meat balls on new year's eve that had bisquick in them and all I got was a little gas...it was and accident) so I'm scared that damage to my intestines might still be happening if I am getting CC'd but not reacting. I just don't want to become obsessive... Do any of you that have been at this longer have any words of wisdom?

I share your love of hard salami - eat it every day. I always order Boar's Head - but that's beside the point. The deli person always hands me the first slice - maybe I should toss that one as a way to begin to handle contamination. Anyway, I've never had a problem. Almost everyone is ordering Boar's Head at this counter - but everybody is different. Yes, if it's been ok it probably will be ok. This a big topic I think.

MollyBeth Contributor
MollyBeth
Posted
  • Author
Some of us have to be obsessive not to get sick. If you don't have to be, enjoy!

Yes, if it's been ok it probably will be ok. This a big topic I think.

I just don't want this to rule my life. I've always been a bit of a free spirit... I guess I'm having troubles adjustnig to the pre-planning and fore-thought that just goes into a trip to the grocery. Having to think so hard about everything I eat makes me feel obsessive...it's an uncomfortable feeling... I'll figure it out though and make it work! I'm determined!

ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

I think we all feel the strain of changing out entire way of thinking of food and shopping. I rebel against it at times still but have a little talk with myself in my head. " Remember, you boob," I say, "You prayed for a healing answer and now you have it. This is a small price to pay for the good health you're experiencing. So get over it!!"

As time goes on, it gets easier. You get into a routine and it's just second nature. Yes, you have to go through the whole learning curve again when in a new situation but it's never as scary as the beginning was. Just think of yourself as a kindergartner in a new school; you have a lot to learn but every day it will be better and better. You have a teacher (us) to guide you and you can even take a nap if it all gets to be too much!!

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