"the G-free Diet"

[copperhead]

I have not read her book, but I do agree that Miss Hasselbeck has helped create a new awareness of Celiac disease. I find that if I mention to people that my daughter has celiac, they actually know what I'm talking about. 6 months ago, that was just not the case.

However, I also agree that there is a huge misconception about celiac on an almost global level. Few, if any, who do not have it realize that it truly is a disease, not an allergy. I reinforce to my child constantly that if she didn't know for sure that he had celiac disease, she may be tempted to "cheat" on the diet. I explain to her that although she may not be having any GI pain from it, she is still causing damage to her body that will sooner rather than later create even more pain and problems. The general public is clearly not aware of that fact.

My daughter's ped's partner gave me the same kind of advice, Curious. When he presribed an over the counter pain reliever for her sore throat, I said I wasn't sure if it was gluten free. He responded, "Well, that is exactly why it is impossible to be on a completely gluten free diet!" I was stunned, although not really surprised. Did he think that we were following some sort of new age diet craze? He had her positive biopsy results IN HIS HANDS!!! I think that maybe it would be better to educate himself on the disease to better treat the patient. Or lobby and advocate a little to drug makers and the FDA to clearly mark drug labels, rather than judge a parent/patient. But, hey, that's just mho.

It really is up to each of us to create awareness, so kudos to EH and her book. Each individual must be their own best advocate, double for parents. So keep on learning, keep on trying, keep on helping.

I think it's terrific that Elisabeth is creating an awareness of Celiac Disease. She has a huge fan base just from being on the View. Granted, I don't think it's right to advocate 'cheating' but I don't think she was...but rather stating that that's what SHE has done in the past. I'm sure she is well aware of the damage she is causing herself in those instances, despite symptoms. She seems well-educated on it to know. I too have been tempted to 'cheat' as well, since I don't always experience GI symptoms, but rather slight dizziness or a headache. I also get UTI's. I have to mentally tell myself that if I do it, I AM damaging myself too..it's an internal struggle to go back to gluten because I miss it and it's accessibilty. I think a lof of us celiacs will struggle with it from time to time throughout our lives no matter what symptoms we get from glutenation.

I too have had uneducated responses from doctors. This is especially the case when taking my daughters (all four have celiac) to the doctors. Two of them get UTI's from gluten as well as myself. So, when they sometimes get glutenated (friends giving candy/treats, or at a school event), I have to take them to the doc for a gluten-induced UTI. Ugh. Explaining it to the docs over and over again is just aggravating. They act like they don't believe me and try to explain it away. When i try to explain it to them they treat me like I couldn't possibly know what i'm talking about when it comes to celiac because lil ol' me didn't go to med school. jerks. I have only run into ONE doc so far that knew what she was talking about when it came to celiac. I hope more of them get educated on what celiac disease is and ALL the ways it can present itself not just the old 'classic' presentation that most of them were taught 'back in the day'. I am very happy that Elisabeth Hasselbeck is bringing Celiac Disease to the forefront. Maybe more people will learn about it.