Hi From Atlanta!

[Allisoprano]

Salutations! I'm a singer from Atlanta, GA and was JUST diagnosed with Celiac Disease on January 10th of this year. I was losing weight, getting violently ill (I like to describe the feeling as "someone running bleach through my intestines") sleeping 18 hours a day, and getting a terrible rash (which I thought was bedbugs or insanity!) - I even thought I was pregnant at one point because the intestinal spasms were so intense I thought it might be "Signs of Life" - Hilarious in retrospect!

My celiac presented after a longterm, incredibly harsh antibiotic was prescribed to me by a terrible doctor. I took strong doses DAILY for two years! Eventually, I developed a severe allergy to the antibiotic (involving scary ER visits). The stomach ulcers it caused went away after a few months of medication, but I'm stuck with the Celiac. We are now speculating that the original illness for which the antibiotic was prescribed was early presentation of Celiac Disease. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

So far, everything has been fine since I went off gluten. I dealt with the depression of being an "Italian losing Lasagna" by gaining back all the weight I lost ("Hey, I can supplement my wheat-grief with chocolate!"). Sometimes I feel like I'm in denial, and nothing's wrong with me, and I masochistically chow down on a scone or something else incredibly illegal. That... never ends well. NOTE: Singing in a renowned concert hall? Don't gluten yourself the day before. Idiot.

Anyway, there's my little schpeel. I don't like talking about it with my friends or family, because I'm afraid they're all rolling their eyes and thinking of me as incredibly "High Maintenance" or just simply faking it for attention. So glad I found this site!

- Allie in Atlanta

[Piccolo]

Allie,

Welcome, I am another one from the area. You have come to the right place for a lot of good information and support. If you need information about a support group there is the Atlanta Metro Celiacs. It has meetings at Scottish Rite Hospital.

Ask any time you have questions.

Susan

[mommida]

Hi Atlanta peeps!

How is the job market in the area? We are thinking of calling it quits here in Michigan and are putting out job applications. Some nice warm weather might be nice for a change. Considering the Tigers baseball game might play into the early evening temperature of 40 degrees (not counting any wind chill).

[Lycopene]

I'm moving to Georgia too. Marietta! [: Right outside of Atlanta. I've been looking into it and there's supposedly a pretty nice gluten free bakery there. I can't remember the link so I'll have to look it up later, but yeah. They have gluten-free pizzas that you can take home and bake, breads and more. Seems pretty interesting!

Andddd. I know how you feel. I'm Italian too and I LOVE ravioli and stuffed pastas that I can't have anymore. Supersad about that. )=

Needless to say though, there is a LOT of gluten-free food that is actually to die for, so I'm not worrying about it as much anymore.

Also, about the whole "high maintenance" bit, just explain to them that it's a lifelong autoimmune disease. If you eat gluten you can die. Toxic to you. That usually scares 'em off and stops them from thinking you're "high maintenance." Ridiculous thinking, in my opinion. Can't believe some people. So rude. )= But this site is enormously helpful. It's helped me out quite a few times, too. (=