Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    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):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gluten Free And The Holidays

hal2me

By hal2me
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

hal2me Newbie
hal2me
Posted

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to this forum. Today I decided to register because of the upcoming holiday. Every year, my in-laws order Chinese food for Christmas dinner. They never offer to make anything for me or have something I can eat. I do bring my own food, but I feel excluded from the meal. It hurts my feelings that every year they do this and every year they ask me why I cannot eat the Chinese food. As I explain to them for the 100th time that I have celiac disease and cannot eat the food, my MIL says I am rude because I do not eat what they bought.

I am so angry because I feel like they do not listen to me at all. I do not expect them to have an entirely gluten free meal for me, but how hard is it to pick up some fruit or veggies so I can have something to eat? Every year while everyone is eating Chinese food, I am eating a peanut butter sandwich or some pasta with sauce I made at home while I get looks for not eating the meal. It sounds silly, but I feel excluded when I cannot eat what everyone else is having. Does anyone else feel like this? Especially at the holidays?

I've hosted dinner at my home in the past, but all they do is complain that the food does not taste good and that they have to be mindful of which butter tub to use.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Happy Holidays!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

I feel the exact same way. This year my sister is having lasagna, french bread and salad which I am sure will be gluteney from CC. There wont be anything that I can eat either. I am bringing my own food. I use to bring things to share but my bro in law wont touch my food and everyone else tries it but they never eat it. They nibble and push it around on their plates.

Just take your own food. Make something really yummy and warm it up in the microwave.

It's hard to feel so different...I go through the exact same thing.

tennisman Contributor
tennisman
Posted

I feel sorry for both of you :(

hal2me I feel angry reading your post, it's really bad your MIL thinks you are rude because you can't eat the food. It's ridiculous how bad some people can be :angry: For christmas you should buy your in-laws a book about celiac disease :P

Happy Christmas :)

hal2me Newbie
hal2me
Posted
  • Author

Thank you both for the kinds words. It's nice to know that I am not alone with this.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Thank you both for the kinds words. It's nice to know that I am not alone with this.

Where is their child, that you are married to, during this nonsense? Some in- laws will never like the person their child married. So you talking to them won't do any good. Your wife needs to step up here. Also, if you know it's Chinese, make something similar to take with you to eat.

hal2me Newbie
hal2me
Posted
  • Author

Where is their child, that you are married to, during this nonsense? Some in- laws will never like the person their child married. So you talking to them won't do any good. Your wife needs to step up here. Also, if you know it's Chinese, make something similar to take with you to eat.

Hi kareng!

Actually, I am the wife and my husband is their child :D You are right, talking to them never helps. My husband talks to them also and has tried to arrange it so we don't have to be there for dinner, but then he never hears the end of it. We are expected to be there for dinner. I took your advice and made some homemade chop suey to bring with me. The day of Christmas I'll cook some rice to eat with it. Thanks for the great idea!!

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Hi kareng!

Actually, I am the wife and my husband is their child :D You are right, talking to them never helps. My husband talks to them also and has tried to arrange it so we don't have to be there for dinner, but then he never hears the end of it. We are expected to be there for dinner. I took your advice and made some homemade chop suey to bring with me. The day of Christmas I'll cook some rice to eat with it. Thanks for the great idea!!

Sorry about the gender mix- up. :) I find it's easier if I can bring something similar to what they are eating....or a bag of Fritos and a Snickers bar .

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

If I don't know what is being served then I call ahead and ask so that I can bring something similiar. Maybe that would help so you don't feel so left out. It's hard to always be different. I have been glutened at a gathering though for the last time. From now on I will be bringing my own food no matter what. It's just safer.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Hello Everyone!

I'm new to this forum. Today I decided to register because of the upcoming holiday. Every year, my in-laws order Chinese food for Christmas dinner. They never offer to make anything for me or have something I can eat. I do bring my own food, but I feel excluded from the meal. It hurts my feelings that every year they do this and every year they ask me why I cannot eat the Chinese food. As I explain to them for the 100th time that I have celiac disease and cannot eat the food, my MIL says I am rude because I do not eat what they bought.

I am so angry because I feel like they do not listen to me at all. I do not expect them to have an entirely gluten free meal for me, but how hard is it to pick up some fruit or veggies so I can have something to eat? Every year while everyone is eating Chinese food, I am eating a peanut butter sandwich or some pasta with sauce I made at home while I get looks for not eating the meal. It sounds silly, but I feel excluded when I cannot eat what everyone else is having. Does anyone else feel like this? Especially at the holidays?

I've hosted dinner at my home in the past, but all they do is complain that the food does not taste good and that they have to be mindful of which butter tub to use.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Happy Holidays!

I would say "I am not trying to be rude when I don't eat your food, but people with Celiac disease are prone to developing intestinal cancers and I would like to be here for a few more Christmas's with y'all if you don't mind." Then I would smile, grab my salad and walk away. I might also say that "I have missed a few Christmas's before I knew what was wrong with me....and I'd rather not miss this one being sick thank you for understanding."

Just my 2 cents.

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

Don't go. Your husband tells them he's tired of watching his wife be unhappy at Christmas and he's taking you out for dinner. You'll come to their house after everyone has eaten and spend some time with them then.

Any issues they have with it, the hubby responds with "I don't want to see my wife hurt. Wouldn't you do the same?"

TooManyHats Rookie
TooManyHats
Posted

I intend on explaining things in reference to a peanut allergy. Would you expect someone with a peanut allergy to eat nuts? Of course not. Then why would you expect me to eat something that could potentially kill me? Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don't say it mean. Case closed. Smile and enjoy your meal.

CeliacMom2008 Enthusiast
CeliacMom2008
Posted

I like Jestgar's idea! I would probably lean toward a response of "No, rude is being so insistent that I poison myself in front of you." I'm so sorry. I wish you could swing by my house and I'd give you a big plate of gluten-free cookies!!!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,929
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Mike Rowicki
    Newest Member
    Mike Rowicki
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • lehum
      4.5 years into diagnosis, eating gluten-free and still struggling: would love support, tips, & stories

      By lehum · Posted

      Hi and thank you very much for your detailed response! I am so glad that the protocol worked so well for you and helped you to get your health back on track. I've heard of it helping other people too. One question I have is how did you maintain your weight on this diet? I really rely on nuts and rice to keep me at a steady weight because I tend to lose weight quickly and am having a hard time envisioning how to make it work, especially when not being able to eat things like nuts and avocados. In case you have any input, woud be great to hear it! Friendly greetings.
    • Hmart
      Is this celiac?

      By Hmart · Posted

      I was not taking any medications previous to this. I was a healthy 49 yo with some mild stomach discomfort. I noticed the onset of tinnitus earlier this year and I had Covid at the end of June. My first ‘flare-up’ with these symptoms was in August and I was eating gluten like normal. I had another flare-up in September and then got an upper endo at the end of September that showed possible celiac. My blood test came a week later. While I didn’t stop eating gluten before I had the blood test, I had cut back on food and gluten both. I had a flare-up with this symptoms after one week of gluten free but wasn’t being crazy careful. Then I had another flare-up this week. I think it might have been caused by Trader Joe’s baked tofu which I didn’t realize had wheat. But I don’t know if these flare-ups are caused by gluten or if there’s something else going on. I am food journaling and tracking all symptoms. I have lost 7 pounds in the last 10 days. 
    • trents
      Is this celiac?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Hmart! There are other medical conditions besides celiac disease that can cause villous atrophy as well as some medications and for some people, the dairy protein casein. So, your question is a valid one. Especially in view of the fact that your antibody testing was negative, though there are also some seronegative celiacs. So, do you get reactions every time you consume gluten? If you were to purposely consume a slice of bread would you be certain to develop the symptoms you describe?
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      I have a lot to learn!  Thank you
    • DebJ14
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By DebJ14 · Posted

      I only went on the multi vitamin AFTER a couple of year of high dose, targeted supplementation resolved most of my deficiencies.  I was on quite a cocktail of vitamins that was changed every 6 months as my deficiencies resolved.  Those that were determined to be genetic are still addressed with specific doses of those vitamins, minerals and amino acids. I have an update on my husband and his A Fib.  He ended up in the hospital in August 2025 when his A Fib would not convert.  He took the maximum dose of Flecainide allowed within a 24 hour period.  It was a nightmare experience!  They took him into the ER immediately.  They put in a line, drew blood, did an EKG and chest Xray all within minutes.  Never saw another human for 6 hours.  Never got any results, but obviously we could see he was still in A fib by watching the monitor.  They have the family sign up for text alerts at the ER desk.  So glad I did.  That is the only way we found out that he was being admitted.  About an hour after that text someone came to take him to his room on an observation floor.  We were there two hours before we saw another human being and believe it or not that was by zoom on the TV in the room.  It was admissions wanting to know his vaccine status and confirming his insurance, which we provided at the ER desk.  They said someone would be in and finally a nurse arrived.  He was told a hospitalist was in charge of his case.  Finally the NP for the hospitalist showed up and my husband literally blew his stack.  He got so angry and yelled at this poor woman, but it was exactly what he needed to convert himself to sinus rhythm while she was there.  They got an EKG machine and confirmed it.  She told him that they wanted to keep him overnight and would do an echo in the morning and they were concerned about a wound on his leg and wanted to do a doppler to make sure he did not have a DVT.  He agreed.  The echo showed everything fine, just as it was at his annual check up in June and there was no DVT.  A cardiologist finally showed up to discharge him and after reviewing his history said the A Fib was due to the Amoxicillan prescribed for his leg wound.  It both triggers A Fib and prevents the Flecainide from working.  His conversion coincided with the last dose of antibiotic getting out of his system.  So, make sure your PCP understands what antibiotics you can or cannot take if susceptible to A Fib.  This cardiologist (not his regular) wanted him on Metoprolol 25 mg and Pradaxa.  My husband told him that his cardiologist axed the idea of a beta blocker because his heart rate is already low.  Sure enough, it dropped to 42 on the Metoprolol and my husband felt horrible.  The pradaxa gave him a full body rash!  He went back to his cardiologist for follow up and his BP was fine and heart rate in the mid 50's.  He also axed the Pradaxa since my husband has low platelets, bruises easily and gets bloody noses just from Fish Oil  He suggested he take Black Cumin Seed Oil for inflammation.  He discovered that by taking the Black Seed oil, he can eat carbs and not go into A Fib, since it does such a good job of reducing inflammation.   Oh and I forgot to say the hospital bill was over $26,000.  Houston Methodist!  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.