I Want To Complain!

[2old4]

Thank you Kaiti for the list and the sites! And for the other replies, thank you all. Wow, I've been on here for a couple of days and have learned so much. Thank you. I have just tried to eat basic things for the last three weeks and have done okay, some variety would be helpful.

I am really thankful to find out what is wrong with me after all this time, and realize that things could be so much worse.

My symptoms have greatly improved in a short period of time. I was suffering from "D", up to eighteen times 1 day, (which caused a trip to the hospital for fluids) bone pain in calves, concentration and focus problems, irritability, extreme tiredness, low potassium levels....to name a few. Three years ago I had my gallbladder out and last year I had a large cyst removed from my esophagus (between my heart and esophagus) which my gastro doctor believes may have been caused by Celiac. So I understand so much more now. I had no idea until just recently that any of my symptoms were even linked to one thing. I look forward to learning more and talking with you all. Thanks again.

2old4 - Patty

Positive Bloodwork

Positive Endoscopy

[printmaker81]

Yeah, I was sitting at my daughter's dance studio one day snacking on Lay's Stax and drinking a Coke when the other mom's realized I was eating "normal" food and they quizzed me about it... "OH are you cheating on your diet????" nope!

Haha! My wonderfully supportive boyfriend had brought me a box of Gluten-free, dairy-free cookies (that actually didn't taste like sugared paste) from the health food store after going out of town. I like to heat one up in the microwave when I am having a rough day. I was munching on one last week when my roommate can home and stopped in her tracks, looked at me, and said, "what do you think you are doing?! Put the cookie down and step away!" I had to laugh and tell her I wasn't poisoning myself to get out of my share of cleaning the bathroom . I'm lucky enough to have people around me who are watching out for me.

[jenvan]

that's cool heather... cool for your friend to be bold and get ready to put the smack down on ya for a non gluten-free cookie !

[wclemens]

Hi,

I'm enjoying your posts so much today. Thank you for being so open and forthright! My son has a saying I always have to laugh at: "We will cut off our noses to spite our faces." Yes, it is true. Sometimes I get so frustrated at having to always be creative with food, when everyone else can just go and eat any old food. Then something happens like it did 3 days ago: I found a vanilla ice cream bar covered in chocolate that was gluten free, dairy free, no maltodextrin or anything I am intolerant of. It was an awesome moment, after years and years of never being able to enjoy an ice cream bar! It convinces me that the food industry is finally beginning to catch up with those of us who have for so long known that some foods are poison for us. Being intolerant of all grains, all milk and dairy, egg whites and yeast, I am so grateful today to be feeling so much better than I did when I unknowingly ate those foods. Welda Lou

[jenvan]

wclemens-

I'm glad for your success in finding an icecream bar. I know how such a seemingly simple victory to others can be huge for us !!

[Guest Viola]

I know what you mean, I found some bread sticks (Glutino) the other day and thought I'd won a small lottery. They are very good, if expensive. Nice to have them with Thai Kitchen though

[UIDancer]

Something funny my friend, DJ, said to me the other day that I thought you would all appreciate:

"Friends don't let friends eat gluten." hahahaha

[jenvan]

ha ha, that's cute it would make a good t-shirt! i am still looking for some really "cool" gluten-type t-shirts... haven't found any yet...

[terri]

I LOVE those Glutino bread sticks! I put butter on it and it totally satisfies the bread thing for me. And, they are low in calories! 6 of them for 40 calories! YUM!!!

[mytummyhurts]

ha ha, that's cute it would make a good t-shirt! i am still looking for some really "cool" gluten-type t-shirts... haven't found any yet...

I've thought about making my own t-shirts. I'll let you know if I come up with anything clever.

[mytummyhurts]

Jen-

Have you seen all these shirts?

Open Original Shared Link

[jaimek]

That site is GREAT!!!!! Thanks for posting that. I just went crazy ordering stuff!!!!

[Jnkmnky]

The Pizza flavored Glutino Breadsticks are good with shredded mozzerella cheese, baked in the oven with a side of spaghetti sauce. That's what my son has on Pizza night.

[Guest Viola]

I didn't realize the bread sticks came in pizza flavour, I have the sesame ... love them Will have to look for the other one.

[scotia]

Was diagnosed in June 1996, and have been gluten-free ever since.

Been through a lot of what you talked about, and just 'deal' with it now.

My Mum used to say "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger..."

believe it folks.

I make my own cookies, bread and stuff...a pain...???...YES...but what else can you do, and compared to people with real problems, I think this is a piece of cake. (Pardon the pun).

There are tons of resources out there, it's all about finding them and this site is terrific.

I have eaten in chinese restaurnats...buffet style, it's all a matter of talking to the people running the placer and asking them to tell you what is gluten-free and what to avoid.

I have done this in any restaurant and diner I've gone into and everyone has been very helpful.

I used to drink beer...made my own lots of times, and played team sports where beer drinking was a big part of post game activities.

Now, I don't miss it, at all...the hangovers especially.

I've got some horror stories right after I was diagnosed, for example, the first attempt at making gluten-free cookies from scratch...picture this...

2 brand new kittens in the livingroom...curiosuty abounding...the rice flour goes from the package into the bowl....down the sides and along the bottom and up and over the other side...hey, nobody told me it was like fairy dust and it was lethal when handling.

The place was covered in a dust cloud of white...the 'babies' shot into the kitcehn, up and over the table and onto the counter...sliding through the flour which had cascaded over the counter and onto the floor...

"Whoooooooaaaaaaaaa!!! Freddie!!!" The little male. must have thought as he slid along and disappeared from view and onto the floor.

Kelsey, his sister followed suit and as I uttered... "Aaaaaaaaarghhhhhhh!!!"

OK, so I was frustrated and it was at the top of my lungs...it's cookies after all...right? And if it was this much trouble, how was I going to cope with dinner???

The cats shot into the livingroom, across the glass topped coffee table, along the leather couch, and up onto the other couch, bug eyed and cover in a fine white shimmery powder...what a picture...little tiny paw prints everywhere...eggs and flour on the floor and me looking as if I'd had gone 3 rounds with casper the friendly ghost.

Happliy since that day, I've mastered the art of making gluten-free cookies, and I am now a much happier or silly Celiac.

Folks, it is, what it is.

You just have to put a smile on your face and get on with it.

I usually make something to take to a BBQ beforehand or otherwise my friends know my requirements and cater to me.

So, hopefully I've helped to put a smile on your face and in the meantime given you some hope that it does get better/easier...if a moke like me, can hanlde it...you can too!!!

Ciao'

Scotia

[ianm]

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger..."

Welcome and that quote sounds familiar.

[scotia]

Thanks Ian, I used to post on the site, but it's been years since I have visited.

I'll check in from time to time, to try and help people in their 'struggle' with celiac disease.

Have a good one.

Scotia.

[Jnkmnky]

The "fairy dust" comment had me rolling.

[Guest Viola]

Scotia, thanks for the laugh

Years ago when I was first diagnosed, there was only one rice bread that we could find. Well I thought that would be okay and bought a few loaves, (we live out in the country and don't go to town much). Anyway .. that bread was soooo bad that I couldn't eat it, so I broke it up in the dogs dish and the poor fellow just gave it one sniff and looked at us as if to say .."How come your using my dish for garbage?" So we relented and put the bread out for the crows and Ravens. One lovely big Raven swooped down and grabbed a piece and went over to the fence post to eat it. Well, I must say that is the one and only time I've ever seen a Raven spit anything out. The bread, needless to say, ended up in the compost. At least the plants didn't complain.

But the scary part of that bread story is, One of the loaves got forgotten in the cold room (canning room and place to put veggies for storage over winter) Over a year and a half later my husband found the loaf behind some canning jars. Would you believe there wasn't one speck of mould on that bread! I told my hubby that we should be eating it, we might live forever. It must have had some good preservatives in it

[mytummyhurts]

I loved that story about the cats, Scotia! I can just see it happening. I love your story too, Shirley. I can totally picture the look on your dog's face! I love animals, they bring so much joy to our lives!

It's possible that I may have lupus and I'm having a flare up right now. My joints are on fire and I'm starting to swell! Last night, my husband said "maybe your problem is lupus and you don't really have celiac disease, wouldn't that be good?" And I yelled out NO! Celiac disease can be treated just by not eating certain things. Lupus is not that easily treatable and sometimes dangerous drugs are involved, no thanks. Besides the fact that the symptoms are totally different, so I don't think lupus would be misdiagnosed as celiac. So, I'm realizing more and more that celiac isn't that bad as far as bad things go. I still don't like having it though!

[jenvan]

Dang girl Could it be a flare-up b/c of being glutened last night?? Are you going to get tested for lupus?

[jenvan]

Shirley--

Great story too. It reminds me of the movie "Super-size Me"...about McDonald's. One part of the DVD shows how McDonald's fries set out for months and never grew any mold, not even a spec ! But all the hamburgers did. I heard an interview with the guy who made the video, Morgan Spurlock, and he said they sat out even longer than the video showed and that they finally decided to throw them away simply because they got tired of looking at them !

[Guest Viola]

Does that mean if we eat the fries everyday we'll never get old, and live forever?

[jenvan]

ha ha....could be. maybe it would end up that we turn it living zombies or something...

[mytummyhurts]

Dang girl   Could it be a flare-up b/c of being glutened last night??  Are you going to get tested for lupus?

No, it started before I was glutened. I think that stress may sometimes bring it on and I experienced a lot of stress last weekend. I have already had blood tests done and my antibodies were high. But they can't say for sure that it is lupus because there's not a specific test that says yes you have it or no you don't. So my rheumatologist just said that we would keep an eye on it and see if it was a one time occurence or not. Well, now it's obviously not a one time occurence.