Does Anyone Else Suspect Other People Have Celiacs?

[Almendra]

People are so much more reasonable when it comes to things like that, but by golly, mention gluten or celiac and they clam up and act like you're trying to hand them a death sentence.

For me, it was a kind of death sentence. I went through practically every stage of grieving, mostly denial. Grocery stores were a source of depression. Commercials about products I couldn't have caused a lump in my throat. Food is part of who we are. It is our memories. To realize that I could not ever again relive a memory through some of my favorite foods elicited grief. I suddenly had to learn a new way to behave in food situations socially: the best way for me to say "No," and not feel like a jerk. Part of myself had to die in a way to become gluten free. HOWEVER, as my skin cleared up, the daily headaches went away, my clothes fit better because I lost my fake preggo stomach, the obnoxious morning farts went away, sleep stopped eating away at more and more of my valuable awake time, my energy comes back and - SO MUCH MORE - I can embrace this new life with full gusto. It is a MUCH better one.

[Almendra]

As to the others they just don't understand it..don't want to understand it. My MIL wanted to make me gluten-free chicken parm so instead of flour ...she used....crackers...Ritz crackers...and even after I explained it she still looked confused. My mother still bakes me cakes that I cannot eat...realizes after she shows me and says 'oops..you can;t eat this can you?' ...every single time...you would think after 3 or 4 birthdays she would remember before going to all that trouble.

LOL!!! I had the same issues with family (though over the phone when I was first diagnosed). My aunt blithely asked/assumed, "But you can still have self-rising flour". She continued to mention other baking products. I experienced the same from so many others. I live far away from them, so I am not sure what form their misunderstandings may take in person. I at least got the chance to clear that one up before my beautiful aunt proudly presented me one of her famous apricot breads (gluten-free) with self-rising flour.

She was not the only family member with whom I had a similar conversation.

It seems that a while ago, it was common knowledge that most flour was wheat - so they took it off the label to save on ink (or something). NOW, it's not common knowledge anymore that flour is a wheat product - even for a lady who LOVES to cook.

[Skylark]

What do they think the flour is made from? Does it grow on flour trees? I've run across this too and really wonder what people think they're eating.

[TrillumHunter]

I always suspected my mother and grandmother had it. My mother had a stroke about 15 years ago, and about 10 years ago was put on tube feeding exclusively. The formula they use is gluten-free. Within two weeks her gut was gone and flatter than I ever remember even though she was never overweight.

It's sad really, because she was a difficult person due to horrible mental health issues. I wonder how different my life as a child would have been if she had been diagnosed and gone gluten-free? Those things cleared for me after I was diagnosed.

There is so much more to this disease than not being able to eat at McDonalds.

[woodnewt]

I suspect a family member does, but I don't think he could change his eating habits anyway since it would disrupt his social life too much.

[conniebky]

I think my mom who is lactose intolerant and bread is the only thing she can still enjoy is gluten intolerant, but I don't bring it up cuz she loves to bake and it's really all she enjoys. Milk takes more things out of your diet than gluten does.

She still gets VERY sick at her stomach at least once a week and says, "I guess some kinda milk got into my system", but she's so careful, and I think it's the bread.

Also I think my daughter is gluten intolerant, too. She has severe tummy troubles and some weird kind of acne that's not acne, and she lives on pasta, it's the only food she likes. Noodles is her nickname.

If someone had told me bread was making me sick, I'd have look at them like this:

[ravenwoodglass]

I think my mom who is lactose intolerant and bread is the only thing she can still enjoy is gluten intolerant, but I don't bring it up cuz she loves to bake and it's really all she enjoys. Milk takes more things out of your diet than gluten does.

She still gets VERY sick at her stomach at least once a week and says, "I guess some kinda milk got into my system", but she's so careful, and I think it's the bread.

Also I think my daughter is gluten intolerant, too. She has severe tummy troubles and some weird kind of acne that's not acne, and she lives on pasta, it's the only food she likes. Noodles is her nickname.

If someone had told me bread was making me sick, I'd have look at them like this:

I was told for years I was lactose intolerant, turned out that after a short time gluten free I could eat ice cream with no ill effects. If she misses dairy products that might be a way to intice her to at least get tested.

As for your DD, my DS was literally addicted to pasta. From the age of about 1 when he got his first taste of it a meal was not a meal unless there was some form of noodle, literally. I asked his doctor about it when he was diagnosed with failure to thrive at about age 1.5 and the doctor told me to just give it to him for every meal and sneak veggies into the sauce. Too bad I didn't know then and neither did the doctor that he should have been tested for celiac. It would have made a real difference in his growth and life. Could you maybe switch your DD to something like Thai kitchen rice noodles, they make skinny ones like angel hair pasta and also thicker ones like linguine. The nut doesn't fall far from the tree and you clearly have gluten issues and it sounds like both mom and DD have them too.

[mbrookes]

I think my mom who is lactose intolerant and bread is the only thing she can still enjoy is gluten intolerant, but I don't bring it up cuz she loves to bake and it's really all she enjoys. Milk takes more things out of your diet than gluten does.

She still gets VERY sick at her stomach at least once a week and says, "I guess some kinda milk got into my system", but she's so careful, and I think it's the bread.

Also I think my daughter is gluten intolerant, too. She has severe tummy troubles and some weird kind of acne that's not acne, and she lives on pasta, it's the only food she likes. Noodles is her nickname.

If someone had told me bread was making me sick, I'd have look at them like this:

Have you tried Tinkiyada brand pasta? It is very much like wheat pasta in texture and taste.