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

Things People Say To Celiacs


researchmomma

Recommended Posts

researchmomma Contributor

This is so funny. Go to Open Original Shared Link and scroll down to the video.

It is a quick watch and super funny.

I will add to the ridiculous questions and statements:

My mother said to me "well she can eat white bread cuz it has less gluten, right?".


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Meggielynn13 Rookie

That's like my dad telling me I can eat crackers instead of bread. Since he's trying to eat less bread, he's been having low fat crackers or something. People just don't get it. Or they think you are just on a fad diet. I feel like only people that have Celiac get it.

IrishHeart Veteran

Hilarious and yet, frustratingly annoying as well :lol:

Thanks for sharing, honey!

Yes, I have heard similar queries about bread, only it was "WHOLE WHEAT is wrong, but other bread is okay, right?"

another was:

someone, smiling at me, all excited, holding up an ice cream sandwich and asking:

"This is okay, right!? It's just ice cream!!"

:huh:

When I said (as a celiac), I can no longer can receive communion, I was asked in a hushed tone, "oh, is that because you were divorced?"

:lol:

Oh well, we were once dumba$ses about this gluten stuff, too.

researchmomma Contributor

Hilarious and yet, frustratingly annoying as well :lol:

Thanks for sharing, honey!

Yes, I have heard similar queries about bread, only it was "WHOLE WHEAT is wrong, but other bread is okay, right?"

another was:

someone, smiling at me, all excited, holding up an ice cream sandwich and asking:

"This is okay, right!? It's just ice cream!!"

:huh:

When I said (as a celiac), I can no longer can receive communion, a real Mensa candidate I know said in a hushed tone, "oh, is that because you were divorced?"

:lol:

Oh well, we were once dumba$ses about this gluten stuff, too.

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

researchmomma Contributor

That's like my dad telling me I can eat crackers instead of bread. Since he's trying to eat less bread, he's been having low fat crackers or something. People just don't get it. Or they think you are just on a fad diet. I feel like only people that have Celiac get it.

The fad diet thing kills me. I heard that today "oh you are doing that too?"

IrishHeart Veteran

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

Well, he is unusually progressive thinking. For a while, they dragged their collective feet about that, saying the recipe --the amount of gluten in it--could not be tampered with for religious reasons. I read some nuns were busy working on a recipe with low levels of gluten. Maybe it has come to pass.

My first thought was "you darn well better think of something"! The largest celiac populations in European countries---are also predominantly Catholic.

IrishHeart Veteran

The fad diet thing kills me. I heard that today "oh you are doing that too?"

Quick (sarcastic) reply is....."Hell yes, aren't YOU!!??" and then look at them with a tsk, tsk! and a :rolleyes: --- as if they are sooooo hopelessly "ten minutes ago" :lol:


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



researchmomma Contributor

Quick (sarcastic) reply is....."Hell yes, aren't YOU!!??" and then look at them with a tsk, tsk! and a :rolleyes: --- as if they are sooooo hopelessly "ten minutes ago" :lol:

That is good!

Poppi Enthusiast

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

IrishHeart Veteran

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

oh Snap! :lol: Great comeback!

Not rude--perhaps a lesson in civility he sorely needed. Good for you!!

I know some people "feel sorry" for me and my gluten-free life--but the irony is--my doc says our diet is healthier than anyone else's.

I feel sorry for the ones who SHOULD be gluten-free but won't do it (like my family and some friends). Someday soon, I am going to feel better than I have in my life.

They will still feel like crap.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast

Just another story of Stupid Things People Say to Celiacs-

My co-worker who knows I have Celiac served up cake for me...I said, no thank you. She said you can have some...there is no wheat in it...just sugar,flour,eggs,cocoa and butter. I said there is flour in it...she says yeah, but there is no wheat. I said um...Flour is wheat...she says...Oh My God!!...that means you can't have bread or pancakes or cookies or cake like EVER????

:) Rrrrright I said with a smile. :ph34r::blink:

pixiestargirl Newbie

One of my favourites is a recurring thing at work.

*while eating chips*

"You can eat chips???"

*while eating popcorn*

"You can eat popcorn????"

*while eating gluten free muffins*

"Are those gluten free???"

...no, I've just decided I really felt like torturing myself :rolleyes:

kareng Grand Master

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow! I guess it would be a death sentence for you.... :huh:

come dance with me Enthusiast

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

Did you tell them you can?

We just made a cake, and will ice it soon. We also have bread rolls to bake.

I will be making pancakes this week for Shrove Tuesday.

We also have apple turnovers, donuts, waffles, crepes, all sorts of yummy treats! Not only gluten free but also vegan :D

Adalaide Mentor

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

For my religion, the sacrament is passed by Deacons. Our bishop assigned an entire section for celiacs because there are so many of us. The first Sunday back to church after my surgery I almost choked on the most awful cracker I've ever put in my mouth. I was like omg, I'm gonna burst into flames if I choke on this. :lol:

It's unbelievable how many people just say the dumbest things. I do try to be patient but I agree that the worst is the "I'd just kill myself." Thanks... you're a jerk.

lc1333 Apprentice

me at taco bell: gimme just a sec, i'm trying to figure out what i can eat...

girl behind the counter: oh, no problem, take your time

my sister in law: she just found out she has celiac disease, so she can't eat wheat

girl: oh, well she can have a soft taco with a tortilla, they're made out of flour, not wheat :blink:

me: yeah, but the flour is made out of wheat

girl: oh, really? that's interesting

my sister and i just look at each other...

IrishHeart Veteran

A member on here recounted a story of a co-worker who would taunt him by eating donuts, bagels, etc. in front of him and LAUGH and say

things like: "Too bad you can't have this. It's awesome. Too bad you have that celia-thing, huh? I feel sorry for you, man. wow, that sucks, dude"

And the poor guy was devastated. :(

I suggested the next time that jerkwad said something rude, he should smile and say:

"Hey, celiac is treatable. I'm going to get well. But I fear your ignorance is incurable. You'll always be an a$shat."

Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast

someone once told me that he would cut himself if he had celiac ("no offence, but...")

then I told him that I used to cut myself all the time before diagnosis, but after diagnosis I never did.

seriously, my ribs are covered in scars, as well as my upper arms.

anyway, a really awkward silence followed. I hope he learned something.

melikamaui Explorer

My favorite is "I would DIE if I couldn't eat (insert gluten-filled food here) again!". Really??? You would literally die? Like kill yourself...because you couldn't eat your favorite food anymore? What a pathetic, sad life you must lead. Yeah it sucks sometimes, but I have so much more to live for!

Avalon451 Apprentice

That is funny Irish. Hey, our Priest made a point to get gluten-free host because so many of his parish are gluten free!

We're Lutheran (not so picky about what the host is made of) and I ordered some Ener-G gluten-free wafers to use; we arranged with our pastor to put them in a little dish next to where we walk up to the front for communion so me, DH and DD could grab one on our way. He's totally cool with it. Today was the first day we tried it. The host totally tastes like a potato chip or corn chip.

I was reading about the Catholic host controversy; what's with that anyway? The Bible doesn't say in the original Hebrew or Aramaic that the grain used in the unleavened bread was necessarily wheat. Such a fuss.

Lisa Mentor

I was reading about the Catholic host controversy; what's with that anyway? The Bible doesn't say in the original Hebrew or Aramaic that the grain used in the unleavened bread was necessarily wheat. Such a fuss.

Yes, such a fuss.

psawyer Proficient

The debate about the Eucharist is a topic in and of itself that has been discussed many times before. It is not relevant to the topic here. Google Eucharist or Communion in the search bar to find prior discussions about that.

WinterSong Community Regular

Or my personal favourite which I have heard from everyone from family members to grocery store cashiers..."Ugh, I would kill myself if I couldn't have pasta/bread/croissants/cake."

Wow. You just said my life is not worth living. Think about that for a second.

Last time I got that comment from a cashier I responded with, "Well, I would kill myself if I had to bag groceries all day." I know that was rude but I couldn't help myself.

Haha. My first trip to Trader Joe's being gluten free, I told the cashier as she was scanning my Udi's bread that it's so great that they carry gluten free options. She said "Well, you know it's just a fad diet. So many people are doing it these days. It's ridiculous. No one really needs to be gluten free."

I said something like, "Well actually I was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. So if I eat gluten I'll probably start throwing up and could get cancer and die."

She shut up after that. :-P

But yes, I've also gotten the "Oh man, if I had to be gluten free I'd just DIE." Come on people. Sigh....

IrishHeart Veteran

But yes, I've also gotten the "Oh man, if I had to be gluten free I'd just DIE." Come on people. Sigh....

I just say: "Well, I have Celiac Disease and when I was still eating gluten, I almost died." If they keep being snarky or say "that's not possible" or some other nonsense, then I show a pic of myself when I was chubby with lots of "oomph" to me. :lol: Then, I show them what I looked like when I hit bottom. I look like the walking dead. It's pretty bad. Someone told me I look like I have been in a prison camp. Major muscle and hair loss. Bones protruding. My eyes look vacant and hollow, just staring into space. I looked like I was 10 years older than I am.

Very effective for stopping that kind of talk. :lol:

IrishHeart Veteran

I am thinking these stories are both funny AND sad and that unfortunately, there are still so many misconceptions about Celiac and gluten.

We need to do more educating! :)

It serves no purpose for us to just get angry.

Some people just do not know what celiac or gluten IS--because no one ever explained it to them. If they do know, and then make fun of you or treat your cruelly, that's different. No excuse.

I take every opportunity to educate. But not everyone wants to hear it. :D

Archived

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

  • 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. - SamAlvi replied to SamAlvi's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

    2. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    3. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    4. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    5. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,872
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Koyanna
    Newest Member
    Koyanna
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • SamAlvi
      Thanks again for the detailed explanation. Just to clarify, I actually did have my initial tests done while I was still consuming gluten. I stopped eating gluten only after those tests were completed, and it has now been about 70 days since I went gluten-free. I understand the limitations around diagnosing NCGS and the importance of antibody testing and biopsy for celiac disease. Unfortunately, where I live, access to comprehensive testing (including total IgA and endoscopy with biopsy) is limited, which makes things more complicated. Your explanation about small-bowel damage, nutrient absorption, and iron-deficiency anemia still aligns closely with my history, and it’s been very helpful in understanding what may be going on. I don't wanna get Endoscopy and I can't start eating Gluten again because it's hurt really with severe diarrhea.  I appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed and informative guidance. Thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful response. I really appreciate you pointing out the relationship between anemia and antibody patterns, and how the high DGP IgG still supports celiac disease in my case. A gluten challenge isn’t something I feel safe attempting due to how severe my reactions were, so your suggestion about genetic testing makes a lot of sense. I’ll look into whether HLA testing is available where I live and discuss it with my doctor. I also appreciate you mentioning gastrointestinal beriberi and thiamine deficiency. This isn’t something any of my doctors have discussed with me, and given my symptoms and nutritional history, it’s definitely worth raising with them. I’ll also ask about correcting deficiencies more comprehensively, including B vitamins alongside iron. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and taking the time to help. I’ll update the forum as I make progress.
    • knitty kitty
      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
×
×
  • 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.