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

Jail/prison

maximoo

By maximoo
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

Bwahaha! So true

Honestly, it would likely save the prison system money if they did make sure a Celiac inmmate stuck to the gluten-free diet, rather than spending extra on health care when they start getting horribly ill. Rice and potatoes really aren't that expensive. Boil. Serve. Simple.

I don't know what the situation is in Canada either. It would probably also depend on where it was.

Thankfully I've only been given hospital food once since going gluten-free, and that was unexpected (stuck in emergency for a good 8 hours. and they thought to feed me. I was pretty impressed actually). I think I only ate the peas, but it was a nice gesture.

I don't care what the crime. Forcing a Celiac to eat gluten is a cruel and unusual punishment.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Just to add a little updated light to this subject.

My boyfriend was sentenced to a correctional facility (jail with daily work release, more or less) today. His lawyer was pleading down the number of days and using Celiac's/Gluten Intolerance as a reason why he should not serve the full recommended 30 days. Well in the end, the judge ruled that Gluten Intolerances are very common now and that the facility would be able to support him. I have not heard from him yet how the food is or if they even make an effort to cater towards the gluten-free inmates but I will keep you guys posted. From what the Judge said, it sounds like they might in some places now.

I would be curious to know how it goes for him. Does he have an actual diagnosis from a doctor? It probably depends on the actual jail. If he is going to his own job during the day and back to jail at night, he could get something he could eat during the day? Its funny how all you have to do is say that you have a religious reason to eat Kosher or Halal and a preferance for vegetarian and they have to accomadate you.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

#1 reason to keep homicidal tendencies in check? Can't control food in jail. :lol:

I wish I could find it again but there was a recent article about a local jail here in Utah. The inmates who are in for short(ish) periods of time and are non-violent offenders are put to work in the kitchen. They are taught a trade (more or less) working in the kitchen, it keeps them from having to pay kitchen staff to cook for a jail full of people. The jail keeps a garden that they also tend. They also prepare the meals for the local meals-on-wheels program, which the seniors absolutely love. Once or twice a month they'll bring a few of the seniors into the jail on a sort of field trip to see the kitchen and how their food is prepped, and to meet the men who do it. By all accounts in the story, everyone says the food is really great. They prepare meals for a variety of people on special diets, the men learn how to handle things like CC and the special diets. It didn't mention a gluten free or celiac diet, but it could be one of the special diets that they are prepping for.

Frankly I think the program is amazing. I think it is great to take the opportunity to put them to work, save money, and provide them with a skill that can help them get a job and hopefully keep them from re-offending. I think it is a model program that more prisons/jails should look at and emulate.

gatita Enthusiast
gatita
Posted

Adalaide, that sounds like a win-win program. :)

I visit a lot of people in prison as part of my job, and it often involves spending en entire day with them in the visiting room. I have a heck of a time figuring out what to eat. It's the only "eating out" I do anymore LOL.

So far, I've only been glutened once, but I often just go hungry. Friends tell me the prison does accommodate celiac inmates. Apparently the diet is pretty much rice and more rice and some chicken. The thing they call a meat patty is off limits.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I also think that prison inmates (that will be getting released) should have job training.

I did tour the ancient Jackson, Mi prison. that is now being refurbished to low income artist homes and sales studio spaces. The artist has home space on upper levels and the lowest level is workspace offices.

In the tour it was mentioned that the prison ran a farm. They produced ALL the food for the prison and SOLD the rest for PROFIT. The at one time they had one of the most popular jams and honey.

Googles Community Regular
Googles
Posted

I asked my uncle this question. He worked for a number of years at a prison. He said that they were required to provide gluten free meals for inmates with celiac because of the ADA. If not they could be sued. So they were very careful to attend to dietary needs because of medical disorders. It might vary by state or jurisdiction. I worked with juvinile offenders in a residentail treatment facility and we provided gluten free meals for those youth who had celiac.

KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

No, I was in hospital in the US and the kitchen staff didn't even know what gluten was. They had special diets for everything but gluten. So they put me on a cardiac diet which meant I couldn't eat anything laugh.gif

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

Open Original Shared Link

KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

Open Original Shared Link

If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

No food. No x-ray. I had a ct-scan but nothing to drink for it. I was shocked that the nurse knew nothing about gluten in medication. Shouldn't medical personnel know that stuff?

MJ-S Contributor
MJ-S
Posted

Wow. This thread is fascinating. While someone "officially" diagnosed with celiac might be able to get a gluten-free diet while in prison, what about NCGS patients? I wonder if someone like myself, who never was officially diagnosed, would be able to get the diet, even though my doctor treats me as if I'm a celiac?

  • 3 years later...
Mac1234567 Newbie
Mac1234567
Posted

No, jail will not cater to celiac patients. You get what they give you and either eat it or starve. Most staff do not even know what gluten or celiac is. Nor do they care.  

Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

This got me wondering what the UK prison approach was. Not so good it appears:

https://www.celiac.com/articles/23379/1/UK-Prisoner-Simon-Benson-Hangs-Self-in-Gluten-free-Food-Row/Page1.html

:(

The subsequent enquiry ruled he should've been given the diet. 

 

 

 

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,035
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    bostonbell
    Newest Member
    bostonbell
    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

    • Jmartes71
      Fighting for a name

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Thankyou so much for your words.Its a hard battle when a supposed well known hospital whose celiac " specialist " has down played me because my colon looks fine and put it in my medical and so pcp doesn't take seriously. In their eyes we all carry that gene.Im having alot of bad days trying to be positive because of it.
    • Scott Adams
      Celiac getting dentures

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your experience is both shocking and critically important for the community to hear, underscoring the terrifying reality that cross-contamination can extend into the most unexpected and invasive medical devices. It is absolutely devastating that you had to endure six months of sickness and ultimately sustain permanent vision loss because a doctor dismissed your legitimate, life-altering condition. Your relentless research and advocacy, from discovering the gluten in MMA acrylic to finding a compassionate prosthodontist, is a testament to your strength in a system that often fails celiac patients. While the scientific and medical consensus is that gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin or eyes (as the molecules are too large to pass through these barriers), your story highlights a terrifying gray area: what about a substance *permanently implanted inside the body*, where it could potentially shed microparticles or cause a localized immune reaction? Your powerful warning about acrylic lenses and the drastic difference with the silicone alternative is invaluable information. Thank you for sharing your harrowing journey and the specific, severe neurological symptoms you endure; it is a stark reminder that celiac is a systemic disease, and your advocacy is undoubtedly saving others from similar trauma.
    • Scott Adams
      Dedicated gluten-free Restaurants in East Bay (near San Francisco):

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Those are driving distance from me--I will try to check them out, thanks for sharing!
    • Scott Adams
      Fighting for a name

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I am so sorry you're going through this bad experience--it's difficult when your own lived reality of cause and effect is dismissed by the very professionals meant to help you. You are absolutely right—your violent physical reactions are not "what you think," but undeniable data points, and it's a form of medical gaslighting to be told otherwise, especially when you have a positive HLA-DQ2 gene and a clear clinical picture. Since your current "celiac specialist" is not addressing the core issue or your related conditions like SIBO and chronic fatigue, it may be time for a strategic pivot. Instead of trying to "reprove" your celiac disease to unwilling ears, consider seeking out a new gastroenterologist or functional medicine doctor, and frame the conversation around managing the complications of a confirmed gluten-free diet for celiac disease. Go in and say, "I have celiac disease, am strictly gluten-free, but I am still suffering from these specific complications: SIBO, chronic fatigue, dermatological issues, and high blood pressure linked to pain. I need a partner to help me address these related conditions." This shifts the focus from a debate about your diagnosis to a collaborative plan for your current suffering, which is the help you truly need and deserve to work toward bouncing back.
    • NanCel
      Celiac getting dentures

      By NanCel · Posted

      Hello, no I had to have them re done and then used a liner over the top.  Many dentists are not aware of the celiac effects.  Best of luck.   There is other material, yet, very expensive.
×
×
  • 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.