One Year Anniversary!

[anabananakins]

So, I've been gluten free a whole year now, woot! I couldn't imagine living the way I did before.

Walking around the supermarket the other night, I realised that so many foods I used to have to purposely not look at (because to do so would lead to an overwhelming desire to throw myself on the floor and sob WHY!) are now as invisible to me as the pet food section.

I feel comfortable with meal choices, there are enough places I know I can eat out at (though I'm saving a fortune by eating out so rarely) and enough people know that I don't have to have a conversation about it every time I turn around.

Best of all: my stomach no longer hurts, I can hold onto thoughts in my head and I don't walk into thing! Yay! I haven't had heart burn in a year; I used to live on antacid tablets. A dozen other weird, minor and seemingly inconsequential things have resolved, thereby improving my quality of life.

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone here. If I hadn't been reading these boards before I went gluten free, I wouldn't have given it a proper chance. My testing was all negative, and while my GP has been very supportive and happy with my results, I wouldn't have gone gluten free if I'd only listened to her. I also would've ended up being one of those dreaded "gluten lite" people, because I wouldn't have understood the importance of being in 100%, or the risks of cross contamination. I wouldn't have found out the issues I had with other foods, as it took feeling great being gluten free to realise when other things weren't right.

Sure, it sucks at times not to be able to be free and easy with food. But that wasn't working for me, and doesn't work for a lot of people. This has forced me to slow down and THINK about what I'm putting in my mouth, and that can only (and is) leading to better health. I am very grateful for you all and wish you all all the best in your recovers, whatever stage you maybe at now. It does get better :-)

[mushroom]

Hey anabananakins, congrats on your one-year anniversary. So great to hear that things are going well for you Shopping does get easier when ou realize how much of the supermarket you can just ignore entirely Never even give it a second glance. I can whizz in and whizz out real quick these days.

[Fire Fairy]

Congratulations! Good to know it's possible someday soon I can walk past the shells and cheese and not want to whimper. I try to think of it all as poison but I ate a lot of that particular poison before going gluten-free. It's amazing how much better I feel. I hope I feel as good as you sound like you do when I celebrate my anniversary!

[jstwnttbhealthy]

thank you for your positive story anabananakins. that's what i like to see more of! it gives us all hope.

[catsmeow]

Congrats on your one year anniversary. My anniverary was last month. I know what you mean about the gluten items becoming invisible. I still have tantrums when driving by Krispy Kreme donuts though....sigh.....but it ain't worth it, so all I can do is sulk.

Hasn't it been quite the learning experience over the last year? It's been a crash course for me.

[anabananakins]

Thanks guys! And I do totally agree about the whimpering and the tantrums. The supermarket food is invisible, but I do have moments of "Awww, man! I can never have X again!" as things I eat rarely suddenly come up again as (not) possibilities. *moment of silence for donut king donuts*. But, for the most part, it just gets easier all the time. Especially when I think of those things as being dusted with arsenic (which, with the donut example, gives me flashbacks to those "Flowers in the Attic" novels we were obsessed with in high school!)

[Marilyn R]

Happy anniversary!

[GFinDC]

Congratz on your 1rst year! I think that is probably the hardest to get through and adjust thinking about food and other stuff. Plus learning all the stuff too, that we need to lurn.

It just gets easier as time goes by too, for most people at least. People are amazingly adaptable, and we can change our ways when needed. I hope your 2nd and 3rd and etc years go even better!

[notme]

wow! how awesome, ana you made me think about my first year anv is coming up in a few months. hard to believe as i still feel like a beginner. wierd how life is adjusted, huh? i have adapted old comfort foods and added some new ones "go-to" meals lol CONGRATULATIONS!!!