Worried

[misummers]

My girlfriend is gluten intolerant and she keeps getting sick. We just found out, and she got better for two days and now she keeps getting sick. We think shes cc-ing. I feel overwhelmed because it's like everything I look at now has a possibility of making her sick.... I feel like everything needs to be cleaned. Do I need to worry about cleaning a dish every time I pull it out for her? If I'm overwhelmed- I can't imagine what she must feel. lol

[Skylark]

For starters, healing from celiac takes months, or even years if the damage is severe. A lot of people have off-and-on improvement for the first few months. Some celiacs are sensitive to dairy too at first so you might mention the possibility to her.

As far as the kitchen, start out simple. If you wash dishes, silverware, and metal pots and pans well when you put them away in the cupboard it's fine. Don't do something silly like use a dishtowel you just used to wipe up breadcrumbs on the counter to dry the dishes. Get lots of dishtowels and wash them often so you always have a fresh one to grab for drying and cleaning counters.

The things in kitchens that hold enough gluten to make many celiacs sick are porous things like cutting boards, wooden spoons, and old worn-out teflon. Get a fresh cutting board for gluten-free food and don't cook gluten-free food with old wooden spoons. Replace that frying pan with the scratches that you know you should have replaced a last year. If you have a seasoned cast iron pan, you will have to bake off the seasoning at high heat and re-season it. Pasta strainers are hard to clean too, so get one for gluten-free pasta. Also, don't put her food in one of those vertical toasters that's full of crumbs. Clean the toaster oven rack well or even better get her a separate toaster.

Please don't bake with normal flour in her kitchen. The stuff gets in the air and settles everywhere! Buy your baked goods premade or make her day and bake gluten-free. She should have separate condiments if you're still eating bread in the kitchen so that you don't have to worry about crumbs in the butter, peanut butter or mayonnaise. Squeeze bottles work well too.

Some celiacs are sensitive enough that they do need a gluten-free kitchen. You won't be able to tell at first because she'll make mistakes on the diet (it's hard to do perfectly) and will be healing and having oddball bad days. If she gets to where she is getting mysterious CC in a month or two around the kitchen, then you need to look at helping her take the whole kitchen gluten-free.

[Kay DH]

Celiac and gluten sensitivity are overwhelming in the beginning, in terms of food, emotions, and social life. It gets better and easier through time as food choices and other knowledge becomes automatic. You might try a basic diet first, avoiding processed foods, to limit cc. It is also less expensive this way. If your girlfriend hasn't done so, it would be good for you to consult with a nutritionist that is trained in celiac (amazing what doctors and others don't know about this condition). Also, you deserve a big hug for being there for her. It will be a learning experience for both of you, and it does get better through time.

[txplowgirl]

Welcome to the community.

Yes it is very overwhelming at the beginning but read, read, read. It helps a lot.

I agree with everything posted above but i'll also add a couple of things. If you are not gluten free then when you eat gluten you need to brush your teeth because if don't and you kiss her it will contaminate he and make her sick. Yes, that is a fact.

Also, does she have animals? Have to make sure when you are feeding them gluten you and/or she needs to wash your hands really well, or don't feed them gluten at all, because after they eat, they lick their coats then you pet them and then a little later you eat something and bam, cross contaminated. Check all meds, lotions, shampoos. Just a little for you to think on.