Sooo Frustrated

[erinecox]

I was dx'd with celiac disease in july of 08. I have done a HORRIBLE job sticking to the gluten-free diet. I did well for 4-5 months and have been on a roller coaster since. My problem is that it never directly and immediately affected me (no gastro symptoms other than slight bloating)... therefore I had no "negative" reinforcement for cheating... and cheating I've done. The roller coaster I've been on has resulted in 30 gained lbs somehow as well. I've had my thyroid an all that checked and everythings fine- except of course I'm deficient in every mineral/vitamin known to man.

About 3 weeks ago, I began feeling terribly bloated with painful PAINFUL gas after every meal. My husband and I decided it's likely from not sticking with the diet and now I'm really paying the price. So.. for 3 weeks, I've stuck to the diet. I've also been exercising (for energy more than anything). 3 weeks later, I've concluded through multiple trial and error that CORN is causing the gastro probs, not gluten. Obviously, I have to remain gluten-free and feel better when I am. However, I can eat an ENTIRELY gluten-free meal and only include a corn item (like the gluten-free quinoa and corn pasta I love) and blow up like a WHALE afterward- and OH the pain. If I eat a gluten-free, cf meal- I feel great afterward. Anyway, I've tried over and over and it's def the corn. I can even eat a piece of bread and not have problems (gastro anyway) as long as there's no corn ingredient in the bread.

So, today is Christmas, and I go to my family's to eat. They have prepared dressing (from cornbread), chicken and dumplings, a sweet potato soufflee (topped with wheat stuff), rolls and pie. I brought my pasta as back up to eat with my ham. My pasta had corn... so that was a tummy ache. But, I stood there with ALLL of that food around me, my favorite food and could've cried my eyes out. I was so frustrated!

What the frick can u eat when you can't eat wheat OR corn? I realize there are tons still left to eat. I'm just venting- I'm sitting here 18mths after dx... 30lbs heavier (I've always been "that girl" that was tall and thin- model size and looking at my pics we took last night, my mother actually said that she agreed- i look FAT!). 18 months later I'm struggling to retrain myself to eat gluten-free and throw the corn intolerance in- the PAINFUL intolerance I cannot ignore. Uggg, I'm frustrated!

I never posted here (since my initial dx), but fig'd somewhere here might understand. DH just says "I'm sorry baby" and that's it. I don't expect him to understand and there's nothing else for him to say... It just feels better to really get it all out there. Once again... I'm frustrated!

Thanks for listening, Erin

[Ahorsesoul]

When I gave up eating gluten I decided to learn how to prepare my favorite foods or to find gluten free substitues that I loved. This has helped me. I do not mind being gluten free.

I had Thanksgiving and Chrismas dinner at my house. No one complained that everything was gluten free. I would think you will be able to make all your favorite holiday items gluten and corn free and have them taste wonderful. Well, maybe not the cornbread.

Maybe once you go totally gluten free you will be able to tolerate the corn.

[jackay]

I'm having a pity party for myself. Spent the past two days watching relatives eat everything under the sun. I made sure I ate before I went over there. Anyway, since I am still not feeling that great, it was really hard.

I came home and ate lots of nuts. They may or may not bother me so I may be paying the price there, too. This time I shelled my own nuts. I am hoping that getting D from the nutst I ate in the past was a reaction to cross contamination and not the nuts themselves. Time will tell.

I have been eating a lot of "allergy friendly" chocolate chips. I know that I should be staying away from them, but need to treat myself to something. They are the one thing I found that doesn't contain gluten, soy or dairy.

I do think I have isolated that the calcium I was taking causes my insomnia. It is gluten free, but does not say anything about being soy free even though I don't see soy listed as an ingredient. I ran out of my regular calcium supplement and got another kind. I was sleeping well for about eight days and thought it was because I was being so careful to not get cross contaminated. Went back on the original calcium supplement. Took it for one day and had a terrible night of no sleep. The next morning a light went on and I figured that I could be reacting to the calcium. Made a special trip in a snowstorm to get more of the other kind. Slept again last night. Hope the sleep continues.

I sure am hoping that I my stomach will heal and that some day I can overcome some of my food intolerances. It sure would be nice to bring back dairy, eggs, corn and oats. I feel like I am eating the same things over and over and over and over and over.

Thanks for letting me vent>

[erinecox]

I'm having a pity party for myself. Spent the past two days watching relatives eat everything under the sun. I made sure I ate before I went over there. Anyway, since I am still not feeling that great, it was really hard.

I came home and ate lots of nuts. They may or may not bother me so I may be paying the price there, too. This time I shelled my own nuts. I am hoping that getting D from the nutst I ate in the past was a reaction to cross contamination and not the nuts themselves. Time will tell.

I have been eating a lot of "allergy friendly" chocolate chips. I know that I should be staying away from them, but need to treat myself to something. They are the one thing I found that doesn't contain gluten, soy or dairy.

I do think I have isolated that the calcium I was taking causes my insomnia. It is gluten free, but does not say anything about being soy free even though I don't see soy listed as an ingredient. I ran out of my regular calcium supplement and got another kind. I was sleeping well for about eight days and thought it was because I was being so careful to not get cross contaminated. Went back on the original calcium supplement. Took it for one day and had a terrible night of no sleep. The next morning a light went on and I figured that I could be reacting to the calcium. Made a special trip in a snowstorm to get more of the other kind. Slept again last night. Hope the sleep continues.

I sure am hoping that I my stomach will heal and that some day I can overcome some of my food intolerances. It sure would be nice to bring back dairy, eggs, corn and oats. I feel like I am eating the same things over and over and over and over and over.

Thanks for letting me vent>

It certainly makes u feel better to vent, doesn't it? I know it helped me get out the "poooorrr me" aspect and start looking for some good ideas for dinner tonight. My main problem is that I am lazy in the kitchen- I don't mind cooking sometimes- but not on a regular basis. I guess I better get over that if I want to be able to have anything "bready" at all!

[NE Mom]

Erin,

there are tons of great gluten free blogs on the internet with all kinds of great, easy to prepare recipes. I have a 7 year old with 11 food allergies and on top of those we are removing gluten. Yesterday we had gluten free vegan chocolate donuts that were better than what I can buy at the bakery.

Google one of your favorite recipes and find one that is simple and easy to prepare. When you find a site you like start clicking on the blogs they recommend and you will likely find some more great sites. Start at glutenfreemommy or Karina's Kitchen.

Pick one day a week-Sunday for example-and prepare two or three gluten free meals and a couple of snacks for the week. You will only spend one day in the kitchen and have food for the week.

It seems really overwhelming at first but it is managable. You will have failures along the way but you'll also add some great, healthy meals to your diet.

[SGWhiskers]

Hugs to you. It certainly stinks to skip a wonderful meal. Practice is the key to getting the good foods back in your life. I've been at this strictly about as long as you have been diagnosed. I'm getting to the point that I've got good substitutes for nearly everything I want. If you had eaten Christmas dinner with me this year, you would have had almost everything the family had except it would have been cooked at home and brought to the party. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, apple pie, and ice cream. We would have subbed in a different vegetable for the corn mom served and I wouldn't have used corn starch for the gravy. So a big yummy dinner is available to you even with the extra restrictions. Planning and extra effort is just part of the deal.

Like you, I was tall and thin. When diagnosed, I told myself that I would eat as much healthy food as I wanted for two years while I recovered. I knew I would gain weight. Well, I gained 20 lbs in short order. Now, I'm finding that I don't have the monsterous appetetite I had initially. 5 lbs have dropped off without trying just like it would have in the old days. (Size 4 to 10, back to 8). I'm still eating what I want and won't diet until at least summer if I feel the need. Now if I accidentally get gluten, I go right back to that monsterous appetite for a while. So, the point of this ramble is that my philosophy is that my health is more important than my vanity for at least a short time. I'll let vanity have her turn again when the time is right.

I wish you the best with the transition to the new glutenfree/corn free diet. Who knows, you may cut calories just by eliminating all the corn syrup we tend to eat.

SGW