Jump to content

  • You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

Well I Finally Did It

ravenwoodglass

Recommended Posts

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I haven't been to a restaurant to eat in a long time. I had been glutened by two of the best restaurants in my city (one a 5 star place!) trying to eat out a few years ago so with the exception of a couple of takeouts from PF Changs over the last 6 years or so I have avoided trying anyplace else.

Well my DS is leaving for an out of state school next week and I really wanted to take him out to dinner. We have a pretty new place in town that is upscale and advertises gluten free food. We went last night. I am so glad I did. When I first looked at the menu I was like oh no! Everything had all these fancy sauces and there was no chance of the plain and boring broiled fish with baked potato that I figured I would order to be safe. The wait staff was fantastic though and really knowledgeable and even checked to make sure there was no soy. They even had 'homemade' gluten-free rolls. I did have broiled fish, snapper, but it was served on the best beans and greens I have had since I made them myelf and basil sauce. It was excellent.

It definately was not an 'inexpensive' meal but it was excellent. I will definately be trying this eating out more often now. Such a world of difference from just a few years ago.

Lesson I learned, talk to that wait staff before I go. If they sound confident that they can feed me safely I will go without fear. Perhaps I will even eat at my DD's wedding instead of just staring at my plate.

If your in the Finger Lakes area check out Halsey's in Geneva. Nice dining and they also do gluten free pizza if your not into something fancy. Don't expect to be able to get a burger though.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

whoo hooo for you! how great it was for you to be able to "go for it" ... and without incident! i'm happy to hear you had a lovely meal with your DS. :) and since you posted, i'd like to say thanks for being so kind and helpful to everyone (myself included) here with giving advice and encouragement. we have a pf changs not too far from here ... i may have to check it out now. if YOU think its safe, it must be! lol :)

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Wow Ravenwood--I'm so happy that you were able to venture out for a meal and that you had such a great experience! :D

AlysounRI Contributor
AlysounRI
Posted

What a joy that must have been for you :D

I am soooo happy that you had that wonderful experience!!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author

whoo hooo for you! how great it was for you to be able to "go for it" ... and without incident! i'm happy to hear you had a lovely meal with your DS. :) and since you posted, i'd like to say thanks for being so kind and helpful to everyone (myself included) here with giving advice and encouragement. we have a pf changs not too far from here ... i may have to check it out now. if YOU think its safe, it must be! lol :)

Yes do check them out. I do have to say I only have had their food two or three times, I didn't get glutened but I did get soyed. However it was with take out and I didn't ask them about the soy. Just talk to the waitstaff first, with them being a big chain type place not all may be as good as the one near me.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author

Yea it was a big step for me. I'm soooo happy it was a good experience. It was a big step for me toward feeling like I am finally conquering this darn PTSD. My shrink will be really pleased I finally did it. :D

Kim27 Contributor
Kim27
Posted

I have had LOTS of positive experiences at restaurants. There are MANY places out there that are very willing to accommodate you. I stick to the ones that have gluten-free menus, because then I know that they most likely know what they are talking about and have been trained on it. Most of the gluten-free menus I've seen have been created in conjunction with the gluten intolerance group, so you know they know what we can have (Now, gluten is the only thing I can't have, I don't have multiple things to avoid). I have only gotten sick ONE time, and that was at a restaurant that DID NOT have a gluten-free menu, but assured me they could make me something safe. I don't go to restaurants without a gluten-free menu anymore. There are plenty of choices, so why risk it?! I have only been gluten-free since April, but from talking to people it is very apparent that restaurants have changed A LOT even over the past few years. If nothing else, I guess I diagnosed at a good time with the gluten-free grocery food and restaurants with more awareness.

Happy to hear you had a great experience!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted

BRAVO!

ksymonds84 Enthusiast
ksymonds84
Posted

So glad you ventured out! Eating out can always be scary but like you said, if you find a knowledgeable staff that can make you feel confident, then you can relax and have a good time and focus on conversation and having a good time instead of food.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

That's great news!!! All these mini- and major-steps on the recovery pathway. :)

anabananakins Explorer
anabananakins
Posted

That's wonderful - I'm so glad you had a lovely time!

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

YEAH!! :D

Charlie's Girl Apprentice
Charlie's Girl
Posted

I have been using the forum for several months now- searching for this and that and your name always pops up with helpful and kind insights. It is so nice to hear that things are getting better for you as it seems you have helped many other people get better. Cheers to many more dinners and milestones.

lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

And what a memorable experience that must have been for your son! A great send off!

I'm so glad that gluten-free is becoming an option throughout the U.S. My husband is doing some work right now in the U.K., and he says that all of the food is labeled there if it has gluten or doesn't. I hope we'll see that someday here!

I'm so happy for you, Ravenwoodglass!!!

cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted

Congratulations! You should be proud, and I hope you can enjoy DD's wedding.

~Laura

Marz Enthusiast
Marz
Posted

Well done, so glad you had a great experience!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
  • Author

Thanks guys. I am so glad that the US is finally getting more Celiac savvy. I have always hoped that my struggles might help others. I never could have done this if I hadn't taken that first very hard step a year and half ago and sought out a good therapist and psychologist. I know there are a few of us who struggle with the fears that this disease brings along with the severe physical reactions. Although my issues come from much more than just the Celiac my reactions play a big part in them. We can overcome so much. My son says I am the strongest person he knows but I sure didn't feel that way a year ago. The support of the wonderful folks on this board help so much but sometimes we need to get that little bit of extra help with these struggles. I am so glad I finally did have the strength to get that help, even though it took me 7 years to admit I needed it, and I hope the others who feel 'locked in a box' by this disease and it's reactions find the strength to do the same.

missceliac2010 Apprentice
missceliac2010
Posted

You go! Good for you! My first eating out experience was very scary. I was so paranoid, and kept "checking myself" internally with every bite I ate. As the meal continued however, I still felt good! It was so exciting!

I now hit In-And-Out Burger frequently to get their protein style burger and dedicated fryer french friend. As far as sit down places are concerned, I'm in love with Outback Steakhouse. They have a special menu, and seemed to know their stuff!

Isn't it exciting to feel a little bit "normal"? Congrats!

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

Good for you! I didn't even wait that long to try eating out, but I paid for it by getting glutened several times even at places with gluten free menus. Once I finally found a place that is consistently safe my husband wanted to go there every week! I had to convince him that we will go on special occasions or when I don't feel like cooking. I'm afraid to push my luck by eating out too often, but there really is a good variety now (at least if you live near a city).

lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

Ravenwoodglass, your posts have made a big difference to me. And I'm sure that's true for many people on this board. You often have just the right thing to say - sometimes comforting, and other times honest (when that's needed). I think that often the people who have struggled the most are the most qualified to support others on similar journeys.

I'm glad good things are coming back at you.

Superfudge Rookie
Superfudge
Posted

Ravenwoodglass, your posts have made a big difference to me. And I'm sure that's true for many people on this board. You often have just the right thing to say - sometimes comforting, and other times honest (when that's needed). I think that often the people who have struggled the most are the most qualified to support others on similar journeys.

I'm glad good things are coming back at you.

Yes, what lucia said! Very true.

I went to Olive Garden for my dad's birthday the other night. They have a gluten-free menu, and our server was great. i asked him about cross contamination. He asked how bad my "allergy" was, and when I told him that any gluten would "ravage my intestine," he was extremely helpful and reassuring! :P I think I may have to keep using that phrase... And I did appear to come out unscathed, as well.

Lynayah Enthusiast
Lynayah
Posted

You are an inspiration to us all!

sahm-i-am Apprentice
sahm-i-am
Posted

Congratulations Ravenwoodglass! I'm so glad you took the plunge.

We went to PF Changs last night and it was so good and yummy! Totally without fear of being glutened and had a great time with friends. Just like before diagnosis!

Doing the happy dance for you and your family!! :D

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

That's great RWG! kind of like opening a new door. Things are getting better for us. And there may be more of us to enjoy the results too! Probably a lot more people will be diagnosed now that the press has taken some interest in celiac disease. It's all good! :-)

chasbari Apprentice
chasbari
Posted

Yay! Good going... someday I may too eat at a restaurant again... one step at a time. Thanks for blazing a trail.. helps to hear what works and what doesn't.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. nancydrewandtheceliacclue
      - nancydrewandtheceliacclue replied to nancydrewandtheceliacclue's topic in Super Sensitive People
      12

      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      @Aretaeus Cappadocia and @Russ H thank you both for your helpful advice and information. I haven't seen a GI in years. They never helped me aside from my inital diagnosis. All other help has come from my own research, which is why I came here. I will be even more careful in the future.
    2. Aretaeus Cappadocia
      - Aretaeus Cappadocia replied to nancydrewandtheceliacclue's topic in Super Sensitive People
      12

      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      @nancydrewandtheceliacclue, you are welcome. After looking at this thread again, I would like to suggest that some of the other comments from @Russ H are worth following up on. The bird-bread may or may not be contributing to what you are experiencing, but it seems unlikely to be the whole story. If you have access to decent healthcare, I would write down...
    3. Aretaeus Cappadocia
      - Aretaeus Cappadocia replied to nancydrewandtheceliacclue's topic in Super Sensitive People
      12

      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      @Russ H, I partly agree and partly disagree with you. After looking at it again, I would say that the slick graphic I posted overestimates the risk. Your math is solid, although I find estimates of gluten in white bread at 10-12% rather than the 8% you use. Somewhat contradicting what I wrote before, I agree with you that it would be difficult to ingest ...
    4. Peace lily
      - Peace lily commented on Scott Adams's article in Latest Research
      2

      New Study Reveals How the Immune System Learns Which Foods Are Safe to Eat

      Hi everyone well I don’t understand totally,I look for gluten-free only. I seem to be super sensitive. I had a problem the other day don’t know why it happen . I’m the only that handles my food . My husband has pancreatitis he’s fine with me cooking gluten-free I’ve tried doing both it doesn’t work for me strictly gluten-free kitchen. But he can actu...
    5. nancydrewandtheceliacclue
      - nancydrewandtheceliacclue replied to nancydrewandtheceliacclue's topic in Super Sensitive People
      12

      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      @Aretaeus Cappadocia thank you for your reply and the link, that is very helpful to get a visual of just how small of an amount can cause a reaction. I know I am not consuming gluten or coming into contact with gluten from any other source. I will stop touching/tossing bread outside! My diet has not changed, and I do not have reactions to the things I am...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      134,061
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      10,442
    Francisco1007
    Newest Member
    Francisco1007
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.7k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • nancydrewandtheceliacclue
      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      By nancydrewandtheceliacclue · Posted

      @Aretaeus Cappadocia and @Russ H thank you both for your helpful advice and information. I haven't seen a GI in years. They never helped me aside from my inital diagnosis. All other help has come from my own research, which is why I came here. I will be even more careful in the future. 
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      @nancydrewandtheceliacclue, you are welcome. After looking at this thread again, I would like to suggest that some of the other comments from @Russ H are worth following up on. The bird-bread may or may not be contributing to what you are experiencing, but it seems unlikely to be the whole story. If you have access to decent healthcare, I would write down your experiences and questions in outline form and bring this to your Dr. I suggest writing it down so you don't get distracted from telling the Dr everything you want to say while you have their attention.
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      @Russ H, I partly agree and partly disagree with you. After looking at it again, I would say that the slick graphic I posted overestimates the risk. Your math is solid, although I find estimates of gluten in white bread at 10-12% rather than the 8% you use. Somewhat contradicting what I wrote before, I agree with you that it would be difficult to ingest 10 mg from flinging bread.  However, I would still suggest that @nancydrewandtheceliacclue take precautions against exposure in this activity. I'm not an expert, I could easily be wrong, but if someone is experiencing symptoms and has a known exposure route, it's possible that they are susceptible to less than 10 mg / day, or it is possible that there is/are other undetected sources of exposure that together with this one are causing problems. At any rate, I would want to eliminate any exposure until symptoms are under control before I started testing the safety of potentially risky activities. Here is another representation of what 10 mg of bread would look like. https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10mgGlutenCrumbsJules.jpg Full article that image came from: https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/what-does-10-mg-of-gluten-look-like/
    • nancydrewandtheceliacclue
      Celiac flare years after diagnosis

      By nancydrewandtheceliacclue · Posted

      @Aretaeus Cappadocia thank you for your reply and the link, that is very helpful to get a visual of just how small of an amount can cause a reaction. I know I am not consuming gluten or coming into contact with gluten from any other source. I will stop touching/tossing bread outside! My diet has not changed, and I do not have reactions to the things I am currently eating, which are few in number. My auto immune reaction just seems so severe. The abdominal pain is extreme. It takes a lot out of me. I guess I will be this way for the rest of my life if I ever happen to come into contact with gluten? I appreciate the help. 
    • Jmartes71
      Skin issues

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Thankyou I did find out the Infectious disease is the route to go rather than dermatologist. I did reach out to two major hospitals and currently waiting on approval for one of them in Infectious Diseases to call me. I also did have implants ( I didn't know and sense not properly in my medical. Neither did surgeon)in 2006 and there was a leak 2023 during the same time I was dealing with covid, digestive issues, eyes and skin.Considering I " should  be fine" not consuming gluten/wheat, taking vitamins for sibo and STILL feeling terrible.It has to be parasites. I also take individual eye drops prescribed, could there be an issue there? Anyways my pcp thinks I need therapy because again they don't acknowledge my digestive issues because in my records it shows im fine, hintz the reason I had to go back to bay area hospital:(  I thought skin issues maybe sibo related but I feel and have seen and seriously trying not to think about it because it's disgusting. 
×
×
  • Create New...