Do I Have A Gluten Allergy/celiacs? -New Member

[Double T]

I'm doing some web searching, and the more i read the more I think I may have a Gluten allergy. I will say now I don't have healther INS so testing is out. But here is my predicament. I'm thin 100 lbs soaking wet. at 5'2" I should be 20 lbs heavier. But I have a hard time gaining weight. I don't have the appetite to eat, I eat when I'm hungry. When I eat it goes right through me. at 15 I was diagnosed with IBS and have been chaulking it up to that, but now I jsut wonder...I've always bordered on having anemia. Had little to no energy too. I have one darling DS who is nearly 4. When I was pg with him all my symptoms just went away. I coudl eat, I had an appetite, no tummy troubles at all. I gained 50 lbs and felt GOOD, had energy, had pretty hair all that. Soon as I had him, before I walked out of the hospital I'd lost 30 of those lbs, in a month the other 20 went away, days after I'd had him all the old symptoms came back, tummy troubles, no appetite, lack pof energy, as soon as I eat I have to go to the bathroom, all that. Anyways it jsut got me to owndering. Dh an I have also been TTCing for 7+ years before getting pg and I had a miscarrage last Novemeber. I found out one week and a week later lost it, and all they could tell me is it happens. I'm looking into a gluten free diet, becuase the more I read the more it seems to fit honestly. But have NO idea where to start. I've read that no wheat products but gosh it's all just swimming in my head. Is there a list of of foods that are ok as in brands? What about enriched wheat flour like regular old Great Value bread? What about Peanut butter? What about egg noodles? Alfredo sauce? Regular old beef and mashed potatoes or french fries? Greasy stuff seems to always set it off worse. Or corn tortillas or flour ones? Or Green Enchilada Sauce? We live in an area that is all Mexican food.

[Dixiebell]

The best thing to start with is single ingredient foods. Beef, chicken, pork and fish seasoned with salt and pepper and olive oil. Same with veggies. No wheat, barley, rye or oats. Read the labels. Don't go crazy on buying a lot of gluten free substitutes to start with. If you need a gluten free bread, Udi's is really good. I get it at Whole Foods. Chex cereals, except for the wheat one, are gluten free. The pasta we like the best is Tinkyada. !!The great value bread is made from wheat as are the egg noodles.!! Peanut butter is ok just read the labels. You can always search online "is_____ gluten free"

Corn tortillas as long as no wheat flour is added are fine. Be careful of canned soups some of the well known brands contain wheat. I hope this can help get you started. I am sure others will respond with what has helped them. This forum has helped us so much.

[Skylark]

What about enriched wheat flour like regular old Great Value bread? What about Peanut butter? What about egg noodles? Alfredo sauce? Regular old beef and mashed potatoes or french fries? Greasy stuff seems to always set it off worse. Or corn tortillas or flour ones? Or Green Enchilada Sauce? We live in an area that is all Mexican food.

First, make sure there isn't a celiac clinic in your area. Some offer free screening and you can't be tested once you're on the diet. You do sound like your problems could be gluten.

As far as diet, start right on celiac.com, the main site for this forum.

You can have NOTHING from wheat, rye, or barley on this diet. Oats are out as well unless they are certified gluten-free. You can't even have traces of wheat-containing soy sauce, or barley malt in "natural flavors". So all breads, pastas, flour tortillas, crackers, cookies, and pastry are out unless they are specially made gluten-free.

Never, ever eat a soup or sauce unless you made it or you know every single ingredient. That means enchilada sauce and alfredo sauce are out unless you made them yourself or the restaurant chef REALLY understands the diet. Those two are often gluten-free but you never know when someone will toss a handful of flour into something to thicken it, add a little gluten-containing broth or bouillon, or use a gluten-containing seasoning.

Regular old beef? Beef itself is gluten-free. Problem is beef tends to be dredged in flour to brown it, cooked with a seasoning mix with flour, or served with a flour-containing gravy. Mashed potatoes are usually gluten-free. French fries are only safe if there has never been something breaded in the fryer, which is rare. Corn tortillas are iffy because of flour tortillas on the same manufacturing lines. Mission brand is made on dedicated lines so they're safe.

It is best to start the diet cooking for yourself, and stick to fresh, whole foods. Plain meats and fish you cook yourself, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, and dry beans are all naturally gluten-free. It's best to skip the dairy at first, but one things settle down, natural cheeses are also great on the diet.

[GFinDC]

I saw something about free celiac testing being done in Chicago soon, so if you are near there might be worth checking out.

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