All Aboard?

[bmichelle]

Well I'm still pre-diagnosis but have decided to go on the diet regardless of what the outcome is. I have been researching celiac's and gluten intolerance and have a pretty good start on the dietary issues. Last night over dinner I was sharing with my parents (I am 27 but still live with my parents due to medical expenses) that they would have to be careful about getting gluten in the butter and stuff and that I need to have a some seperate cookware.

My parents thought I was being way too extreme. I compared it to a peanut allergy where the individual can't even come into contact with the allergen and they said yeah but it's not an allergy. I tried explaining that it's an autoimmune disease which is even worse but they just said well you haven't even been diagnosed.

Part of the problem may be that I stopped complaining about my symptoms a long time ago. After 5+ years and no diagnosis at some point I gave up, chalked it up to allergies or diabetes and got on with my life the best I could. But in reality I am feeling worse than ever and am desperate for a solution. So maybe I'm jumping the gun right now but I really need my parents on board with me if I'm going to be successful in elminating gluten from my diet. I can buy new butter and cookware but it won't help if they get contaminated.

[kareng]

If you go gluten free, blood tests won't pick it up. If your blood tests are negative, you will really have a hard time convincing them.

[WheatChef]

Although in most cases I am normally very much against this, play the guilt card. Ask them if they care enough about your health to make simple adjustments, ask them if they are willing to be supportive of your efforts to live a fulfilling life by trying the diet with you in the beginning. Then if all else fails, sit them down and have them start helping you to figure out what sort of financial sacrifices you can make in order to move out of their kitchen in order to be no longer be sick from their carelessness.

I was in almost the exact same situation as you when I first went gluten free and whereas one parent was fully supportive of it and even went on the gluten free diet themselves (and subsequently felt better), the other one refused to make any dietary or habit changes and continuously made me sick. It can be super frustrating when you know the simple changes that can make you well but a family member refuses to make small changes for the betterment of your health, especially when those small changes would result in an improvement in their health as well! You will probably know soon into this whether or not they are willing to be supportive of your medical situation, if they are unwilling to change then the financial situation talk becomes really important. You shouldn't have to live with someone who is harming you out of laziness.

As far as the butter goes though, start using a different brand than them and keep it on a different shelf, create a "safe" shelf for you or even buy one of those little dorm room fridges if you really must. If your parents use butter wrapped in paper, buy one that's wrapped in foil or vice versa. Making the most obvious visual differences between the safe butter and the no holds barred butter will help keep them from accidentally using your stuff.

[bmichelle]

Thank you all. I will keep working on it. I am not eating gluten free yet, just preparing to do so soon. However I typically don't eat a lot of gluten laden products and have been cutting back wheat for a couple of months (for other reasons). I am now allowing myself free reign in the pantry until I get tested (pretzles, tortillas, buns to go with my lentil burgers etc.).

Maybe a note from my doctor will help. I see my endocrinologist wednesday (tomorrow) and am hoping they will do the blood test there. And I agree that some of my family could quite possibly benefit from eating gluten free as well especially if I end up with a positive diagnosis.

Moving out just isn't possible. My parents would have to pay the rent.

[WheatChef]

Before you make the switch, eat a lot of donuts, pretzels, artisan breads and drink plenty of microbrews. Those are the only things I miss, just not enough to go through the pain.

[K8ling]

My husbands family is the same way and I am stuck on vacation with them right now. It has been harrowing to say the least for me, trying to prevent CC and whatnot. My MiL just called me "stupid" for feeding my toddler like me because I didn't want to get cc'd. I say, toss out the guilt card (even though I don't usually endorse that) and do what you need to do to get better. My husband didn't understand it either at first but when he saw how miserable it made me to be sick like that he adjusted quickly.

Best of luck to you, and ((good vibes)) !!!

[kareng]

I got red duck brand tape at Walmart or target. I put it on my butter, PB, etc & this helps everyone keep out of it.

[K8ling]

Thats what I did too! I did hot pink though. My MiL laughed at THAT too!! Oh well, I still have hot pink duct tape and a bin of food.