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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. trents
      - trents replied to GlorietaKaro's topic in Super Sensitive People
      2

      Am I nuts?

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @GlorietaKaro! As Scott indicated, without formal testing for celiac disease, which would require you to have been consuming generous amounts of gluten daily for weeks, it would be not be possible to distinguish whether you have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). Their symptoms overlap. The difference...
    2. lalan45
      - lalan45 replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      29

      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      That’s really frustrating, I’m sorry you went through that. High fiber can definitely cause sudden stomach issues, especially if your body isn’t used to it yet, but accidental gluten exposure can feel similar. Keeping a simple food/symptom journal and introducing new foods one at a time can really help you spot patterns. You’re already doing the right things ...
    3. Russ H
      - Russ H posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      I thought this might be of interest regarding anti-EMA testing. Some labs use donated umbilical cord instead of monkey oesophagus. Some labs just provide a +ve/-ve test result but others provide a grade by testing progressively diluted blood sample. https://www.aesku.com/index.php/ifu-download/1367-ema-instruction-manual-en-1/file Fluorescence-labelled...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to JoJo0611's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      Just diagnosed today

      First, please know that receiving two diagnoses at once, especially one you've never heard of, is undoubtedly overwhelming. You are not alone in this. Your understanding is correct: both celiac disease and Mesenteric Panniculitis (MP) are considered to have autoimmune components. While having both is not extremely common, they can co-occur, as chronic inflammation...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to GlorietaKaro's topic in Super Sensitive People
      2

      Am I nuts?

      Your experience is absolutely valid, and you are not "nuts" or a "complete weirdo." What you are describing aligns with severe neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity, which is a recognized, though less common, presentation. Conditions like gluten ataxia and peripheral neuropathy are documented in medical literature, where gluten triggers an autoimmune...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,805
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    lalan45
    Newest Member
    lalan45
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Am I nuts?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @GlorietaKaro! As Scott indicated, without formal testing for celiac disease, which would require you to have been consuming generous amounts of gluten daily for weeks, it would be not be possible to distinguish whether you have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). Their symptoms overlap. The difference being that celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that damages the lining of the small bowel. We actually no more about celiac disease than we do about NCGS, the mechanism of the latter being more difficult to classify. There are specific antibody tests for celiac disease diagnosis and there is also the endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel lining. Currently, there are no tests to diagnose NCGS. Celiac disease must first ruled out. Researchers are working on developing testing methods to diagnose celiac disease that do not require a "gluten challenge" which is just out of the question for so many because it poses serious, even life-threatening, health risks. But we aren't there yet.
    • lalan45
      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      By lalan45 · Posted

      That’s really frustrating, I’m sorry you went through that. High fiber can definitely cause sudden stomach issues, especially if your body isn’t used to it yet, but accidental gluten exposure can feel similar. Keeping a simple food/symptom journal and introducing new foods one at a time can really help you spot patterns. You’re already doing the right things with cleaning and separating baking—also watch shared toasters, cutting boards, and labels like “may contain.”
    • Russ H
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Russ H · Posted

      I thought this might be of interest regarding anti-EMA testing. Some labs use donated umbilical cord instead of monkey oesophagus. Some labs just provide a +ve/-ve test result but others provide a grade by testing progressively diluted blood sample. https://www.aesku.com/index.php/ifu-download/1367-ema-instruction-manual-en-1/file Fluorescence-labelled anti-tTG2 autoantibodies bind to endomysium (the thin layer around muscle fibres) forming a characteristic honeycomb pattern under the microscope - this is highly specific to coeliac disease. The binding site is extracellular tTG2 bound to fibronectin and collagen. Human or monkey derived endomysium is necessary because tTG2 from other mammals does not provide the right binding epitope. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/3/1012
    • Scott Adams
      Just diagnosed today

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      First, please know that receiving two diagnoses at once, especially one you've never heard of, is undoubtedly overwhelming. You are not alone in this. Your understanding is correct: both celiac disease and Mesenteric Panniculitis (MP) are considered to have autoimmune components. While having both is not extremely common, they can co-occur, as chronic inflammation from one autoimmune condition can sometimes be linked to or trigger other inflammatory responses in the body. MP, which involves inflammation of the fat tissue in the mesentery (the membrane that holds your intestines in place), is often discovered incidentally on scans, exactly as in your case. The fact that your medical team is already planning follow-up with a DEXA scan (to check bone density, common after a celiac diagnosis) and a repeat CT is a very proactive and prudent approach to monitoring your health. Many find that adhering strictly to the gluten-free diet for celiac disease helps manage overall inflammation, which may positively impact MP over time. It's completely normal to feel uncertain right now. Your next steps are to take this one day at a time, focus on the gluten-free diet as your primary treatment for celiac, and use your upcoming appointments to ask all your questions about MP and what the monitoring plan entails. This dual diagnosis is a lot to process, but it is also the starting point for a managed path forward to better health. This article has some detailed information on how to be 100% gluten-free, so it may be helpful (be sure to also read the comments section.):    
    • Scott Adams
      Am I nuts?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your experience is absolutely valid, and you are not "nuts" or a "complete weirdo." What you are describing aligns with severe neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity, which is a recognized, though less common, presentation. Conditions like gluten ataxia and peripheral neuropathy are documented in medical literature, where gluten triggers an autoimmune response that attacks the nervous system, leading to symptoms precisely like yours—loss of coordination, muscle weakness, fasciculations, and even numbness. The reaction you had from inhaling flour is a powerful testament to your extreme sensitivity. While celiac disease is commonly tested, non-celiac gluten sensitivity with neurological involvement is harder to diagnose, especially since many standard tests require ongoing gluten consumption, which you rightly fear could be dangerous. Seeking out a neurologist or gastroenterologist familiar with gluten-related disorders, or consulting a specialist at a major celiac research center, could provide more validation and possibly explore diagnostic options like specific antibody tests (e.g., anti-gliadin or transglutaminase 6 antibodies) that don't always require a gluten challenge. You are not alone; many individuals with severe reactivity navigate a world of invisible illness where their strict avoidance is a medical necessity, not a choice. Trust your body's signals—it has given you the most important diagnosis already.
×
×
  • 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.