Get A Pda?

[Wandering Hermit]

Good news : I see there is such a wealth of information on specific brands and food items that are gluten-free or not. And specifics items at specific restaurants.

Bad news: How to handle all this info in any easy way?

My first response, as I am a bit of a cheap-skate and a neo-Luddite, is to print it all out, but lugging around even a small notebook will be a pain.

I'm thinking it might finally be worth getting a PDA for this. Is this a common tool for Celiacs, and if so, any recommendations/tips?

Thanks!

[celiac3270]

Sounds good to me .

I don't do this, but it's a very good idea. I would suggest that for lists, you go to Open Original Shared Link. Then click on health and wellness (on the left) and then choose the first one, Celiac Disease On-Line Support Group (or a name of the sort). I think you need to register, but then go there and go to the products list. It is maintained by a team of other celiacs and is the most extensive, yet reliable list on the internet. You can copy and paste the long lists or download a word document. They also come in categories, which would be good for a PDA (rather than having everything in one list): for example, dairy, health and beauty (floss, toothpaste, etc.), etc.

There is also a manufacturers' phone number list--good for checking on products. I think that a lot of celiacs end up using a PDA if they like to bring many lists with them.

Tips.... keep it alphabetized (in the list) or it will be a pain in the neck to find anything. The list at Delphi is in alphabetical order by brand name.

[mommida]

Get the pda. If you can live without the latest and greatest bells and whistles, a refurbished or used model does the trick.

You must have the gluten free medication list, on hand. My kids are toddlers right now and we have been to the urgent care clinic for ear infections at midnight. DR.'s and pharmacists don't know which medications are gluten free, and the customer service lines are not open 24/7. When I have a babysitter watch my kids I hand over the pda. It makes things a lot easier having all that information in one place, and compact.

You will get comfortable on the gluten free diet, and won't feel the need to carry all the lists around with you, but make sure you keep the medication list and the forbidden list for emergency food choices.

Laura

[Rikki Tikki]

I think the PDA sounds like a great idea.

[Guest ajlauer]

Wow! What a trip!!! I was laying in bed this morning, not able to sleep, and was thinking the same thing!!! That maybe I should look into getting a PDA to keep track of all this stuff. Dude, we must be on the same wavelength or something.

*twilight zone theme*

[Rikki Tikki]

Hi Ajlauer:

I was wondering why you are a reduced gluten household? Does that scare you? I find myself frightened of ingesting gluten and the harm it can cause.

Just curious.........

[Guest ajlauer]

Sally:

I've asked myself the same thing!! I think that the answer is this: It is hard for me to "stick" to something, especially if I don't see immediate results. I have failed at so many things in my life, particularly in the eating/diet category, that I don't want to start gluten-free unless I'm sure I can stick to it. I've always said it would take a medical condition to get me to REALLLLYYYYYYYY try hard to lose weight. And the same goes with this, I think. Without a medical backing, I just don't trust myself to stick to a new eating style.

I have, though, been so horribly sick for the last few weeks - I'm changing my attitude. There is *sooo* much gluten in the house right now, it's hard to avoid. But I am going to stop BUYING it. What we have here is it, and when it's gone it's gone! If I was living by myself, it would be a lot easier. I have a husband that is a very picky eater. I have a son that isn't too affected by foods, so he wouldn't want to cooperate with a new eating style. Melanie - the one that made me aware of all this stuff - is addicted to cookies. Breaking her of a cookie habit (or buying $5 per pkg cookies) is NOT something I'm looking forward to! So with all the obstacles I have ahead of me.... I guess I've been taking all this time to mentally prepare myself - and I'm still not "there" yet, if that makes any sense. Melanie's celiac disease test results should be back sometime next week (I hope!). I've found a GI I want to see for myself, just need to make an appointment.

I think I've also used the "might need a biopsy or something" as an excuse to not go gluten-free yet. I haven't even begun testing for myself, and wouldn't want anything to be screwed up. Also... this may sound terrible... but I HOPE that my daughter comes back postive for celiac disease. I have far more symptoms than she does. I'm pretty well convinced that a gluten free diet would be good for me. But my family is... well... not very supportive of anything. They don't *mean* to be cruel or anything... they just all have attitude problems. My husband was going to quit smoking a month ago - when we found out Melanie would have problems with it. Melanie is his dreamchild. His obvious favorite - he even admits it to me when the kids aren't around. He never thought he'd have kids again, until I came along, and we made Melanie. So she's very special to him. If *she* has celiac disease, he'd take the diet issues more seriously. If it was just me, I dunno.... He would still want all of HIS favorite foods. He's almost 47, and very set in his ways. When I *do* go gluten free, there would have to be NO gluten in the house whatsoever. Or at least, nothing that I like. My family is very addicted to cookies, ice cream sandwiches, donuts, bread, crackers, pizza, etc..etc... I *know* they will be pissed off when *I* decide to make the switch!

I don't want anyone to think my hubby is an ass or anything like that. He really is a wonderful man, with a heart of gold. Just stubborn in his thinking. I think he believes that doctors should all go away, and we should just live as well as we can, and die whenever it's time. He made some comment the other day about how wacky it is for people to live to be 100 and that there is a cure for everything blah blah.... His idea of "live life to the fullest" means that we should all smoke if we want to, have sex if we want to, and eat whatever we want - whenever we want. He just doesn't "get it". Does that make sense? Anyone reading this thinking "hey, is she married to my husband?" or "hey, that's my family!" that wants to offer advice - I'd love to hear it!!!!

Also... hubby should be getting a promotion very soon (hopefully by Monday, cross your fingers and say a prayer for us!). When our income ACTUALLY EXCEEDS our outcome, I will be more willing to spend extra money for "special" foods. As it is now, I can't even see spending $10 for a Bette Hagman book on Ebay. Oh! Keep forgetting about libraries though!! I really should find out where one is around here!

[luvs2eat]

My house isn't even remotely gluten free. I just don't EAT it. I cook food that's not gluten free all the time for my sweetheart and kids when they're visiting... I just don't EAT it. When there's a recipe, for example lasagna, where I can substitute brown rice pasta and almost no one will know the difference, I'll make the switch... I can't imagine eating gluten on purpose!!

[westiepaws]

Hi AJ, to paraphrase Heather Locklear in her hair care commercials:

"YOU'RE WORTH IT!"

I know it can be a pain in the patooty to get some people on board with the gluten-free diet -- they just don't get it. Also, it can be a challenge to put one's foot down with one's husband. I know that because 2 1/2 years into my marriage my beloved was diagnosed with cancer. I was barely learning how to be a wife, and had this serious thing to deal with! So I had to learn quickly to be authoratative and firm in some instances with my husband and put my foot down on dietary and other matters for HIS sake, before I knew I was celiac. It

It is hard to do, especially if your marriage has always been a "team" approach. But as the wife have that prerogative, and it is okay to put your foot down. It is not too much to ask. If your husband knew that your car would explode 10 miles down the road, would you blame *him* for putting *his* foot down and refusing to drive the car because his family needed him alive, not hospitalized with burns? No! Adopting a gluten-free diet is analogous. Your LIFE and your HEALTH are at stake and have been, way before your child's. What does your family think they'd do without *you,* healthy, strong, loving *you?* They obviously have not thought about that!

One thing to put on the table with your husband when you outline your plan to take your household gluten free is this: If you keep getting glutened and you develop MS, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, Graves disease, early onset Alzheimer's or cancer -- has he CONSIDERED how the heck he will run your household without YOUR ASSISTANCE?! Especially if, God forbid, you developed something like MS as a result of not staying gluten-free and are bedridden for 20 years, requiring special care? While your children also need to be raised and your home needs care?

Even if you are a stay-at-home mom, studies show your labor is worth at least $55,000 to $60,000 a year. If something happened and you were disabled from exposure to gluten over the long-term, your husband would have to cover that cost, of the work you do around the home; the care you would need, drugs and medical assistance at home; as well as any income you have from other jobs. And having been a caregiver myself for three years, I can tell you, he'd be exhausted, on top of all that.

Give all of the above, it would be simpler for him to relent, be loving, appreciative, grateful and humbled that you love him and your kids enough to take care of yourself and be healthy for them -- and give in on the gluten-free household thing.

Feel free to show him this e-mail if you want. I just feel very strongly about this. You deserve the best and the most support from him and the kids. For YOU -- not just for your child. You go, girl!!!!

Hugs,

westiepaws

[bigapplekathleen]

Hi everyone -

I would be LOST without my PALM PDA. I have been using it for 16 months. I keep gluten-free medicine and food lists (including a HUGE pdf file of all gluten-free mainstream foods). I also have lists from fast-food restaurants like Wendys and McDonalds that I downloaded from their websites. I created a gluten-free restaurant list in my address book for quick reference, also.

It's important to have a PDA that can read and write document and pdf files. I go back and forth between my computer and my palm. I create files on the computer and then transfer to the PDA, but sometimes I do the reverse.

I also have a great diet and exercise program on my palm, so I can enter what I am eating. Then if I have a reaction, I can make a note and easily trace what caused it. This is especially helpful right now, since I am in the midst of a somewhat unsuccessful gluten challenge. (How many infections can a person get in 6 weeks!?) The other reason this program is helpful is that I am trying to keep my protein consumption very high (like 40-50% of my calories from protein) to keep my immune system healthy and to heal my cells. The program I use tracks protein, fat, fiber, calories, etc. It's very useful.

best wishes with the PDAs -

kathleen