First Gluen

[Kquad]

I have been gluten free for about 7 weeks, just started feeling well last week. I have been very vigilant, but I was glutened at an event at work. I don't know if they cut the fruit with the same stuff they cut all the pastries with or if it was their hands, but it happened. My question is, we are planning out trip of a lifetime to see Byzantine ruins in Italy, Greece and Turkey, I don't want to feel sick. Is it possible to be on low dose steroids for accidental glutening on a trip? I will probably never see these places again, being sick would be horrible.

[GlutenFreeManna]

I don't think steroids will help you much with accidental glutening and they may cause additional side effects that would make your trip equally unpleasant. I think you need to try and plan ahead as much as possible. Pack as much gluten-free food as you can--things like Lara bars and Enjoy life bars. Be sur eyou have your Pepto Bismol or whatever OTC med helps your symptoms most. Also, try to find out as much as possible about places to find safe food before you go. You may be surpised that some places in Europe are more gluten free friendly then the U.S. If you do a search for Triumph Dining you can order dining cards for eating out in different languages.

[ravenwoodglass]

Steroids might be helpful if you get severe inflammation in your muscles and joints when glutened. Prednisone helped me a great deal the few times I took it before I was diagnosed. I would get a ten day course about once or twice a year for my DH when it got so severe that it covered my whole body. However it did nothing to relieve the D and other gut effects. Perhaps talk to your doctor about it. A short course might not be harmful but I don't think I would take it unless I was actually glutened.

Look into some of the international gluten free dining cards to take with you and as the other poster said you may find that where you are going they are already much more gluten savvy than we are here.

[jenngolightly]

I have been gluten free for about 7 weeks, just started feeling well last week. I have been very vigilant, but I was glutened at an event at work. I don't know if they cut the fruit with the same stuff they cut all the pastries with or if it was their hands, but it happened. My question is, we are planning out trip of a lifetime to see Byzantine ruins in Italy, Greece and Turkey, I don't want to feel sick. Is it possible to be on low dose steroids for accidental glutening on a trip? I will probably never see these places again, being sick would be horrible.

I've also heard that Europe is very Celiac friendly, even Italy! Be prepared, make sure you write your dietary limitations on a card in the native languages so you don't have difficulty explaining your gluten issues. I think my Dummies book had info about accommodations for Celiacs in Europe. I remember that the farther north you go in Europe, the more common Celiac is. I'm Norwegian (my great-grandparents), so it was cool to read that there are many people in Norway with gluten-intolerance. Maybe I could visit there without worrying about the food.