Glutened - Help! Can't Deal With It!

[Miserable29]

So I ate at Applebees today. (BIG mistake!) I ate their Santa Fe chicken salad (Which is supposed to be "wheat free"). But, the problem apparently is that their ingredients are wheat-free but there is a high danger of CC which they do not make customers aware of. In that salad, my guess is the tortilla strips are deep-friend in shared oil.

Also, kudos to the Applebees manager, he was very sincere and apologized. He even offered to pay any medical bills associated with the reaction. There's nothing any doctor can do (to my knowledge) but thumbs up to the manager for the effort!

I have been gluten free for about a month and a half now, and I was just starting to feel "normal" when I was glutened a few times and definitely feeling it. Probably the worst symptoms I have are allergy-type symptoms like blurred vision, itchy ears/throat, sinus problems, tightness in my chest and throat, stiff neck/joints, 'foggy' brain, and extreme fatigue and headache. I'm currently over-dosing on H2O and I think it might be helping a little bit.

Anyway, I'm definitely steering completely clear of any Applebees restaurant because my symptoms are so bad I am non-functionable! Does anyone know anything else one can do to help speed along the process of getting this gluten out of my system?!

[saintmaybe]

So I ate at Applebees today. (BIG mistake!) I ate their Santa Fe chicken salad (Which is supposed to be "wheat free"). But, the problem apparently is that their ingredients are wheat-free but there is a high danger of CC which they do not make customers aware of. In that salad, my guess is the tortilla strips are deep-friend in shared oil.

Also, kudos to the Applebees manager, he was very sincere and apologized. He even offered to pay any medical bills associated with the reaction. There's nothing any doctor can do (to my knowledge) but thumbs up to the manager for the effort!

I have been gluten free for about a month and a half now, and I was just starting to feel "normal" when I was glutened a few times and definitely feeling it. Probably the worst symptoms I have are allergy-type symptoms like blurred vision, itchy ears/throat, sinus problems, tightness in my chest and throat, stiff neck/joints, 'foggy' brain, and extreme fatigue and headache. I'm currently over-dosing on H2O and I think it might be helping a little bit.

Anyway, I'm definitely steering completely clear of any Applebees restaurant because my symptoms are so bad I am non-functionable! Does anyone know anything else one can do to help speed along the process of getting this gluten out of my system?!

Nothing new to add: Just that agree, Applebees is terrible for the gluten free consumer. They don't have a gluten free menu, and when questioned, the servers can't even give suggestions about what *MIGHT* be gluten free/ wheat free. Last time I looked at their online menu, the only gluten free items were basically condiments and soda.

[Lisa]

Welcome Miserable!

Hopefully you can change your user name shortly. There are several chain restaurants who offer gluten free menus.

It is also a a risk due to staff uneducation. It's often advised to eat naturally for a month or two, until you have some intestinal healing behind you. Eat at home and cleanly. Once you feel better, you can venture out a little bit at a time.

If you can't do that, we can help you to eat out as safely as possible.

Do some reading here. It's a great source. And feel free to ask any question.

Welcome to the Club.

[Darn210]

It's worth trying the OTC meds that correspond with the different symptoms . . . like benedryl for the allergy-type symptoms, advil for joint pain, etc. Might not help, but it shouldn't hurt to try (as long as you are following dosing instructions and know it's gluten free).

[SugarBiscuit]

When I get gluttened, I always take two charcoal capsules, which you can get near the Pepto. I also take some Nyquil for sinus issues, and lay down with a wet cloth over my eyes. This whole method seems to help me greatly. Usually after that, it just takes 3 or so days before I am fine again. Beware though, charcoal capsules will turn your feces black, which alarmed me the first time I saw it.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

[kareng]

Nothing new to add: Just that agree, Applebees is terrible for the gluten free consumer. They don't have a gluten free menu, and when questioned, the servers can't even give suggestions about what *MIGHT* be gluten free/ wheat free. Last time I looked at their online menu, the only gluten free items were basically condiments and soda.

Actually, now they have a "gluten allergen menu" for what it's worth. This is the disclaimer because this menu includes fries, etc. they are basically saying they don't add gluten to these items but they don't try to keep them free from cc.

"Gluten Allergen Information

As America’s Favorite Neighbor, the health and safety of our guests are top priorities at Applebee’s. Our commitment to you is to provide the most current allergen information available from our food suppliers. The menu items listed on this page are not prepared with gluten or made with ingredients that contain gluten when prepared according to the standard recipe. Please be aware that during normal kitchen operations involving shared cooking and preparation areas, including common fryer oil, the possibility exists for food items to come in contact with other food products. Due to these circumstances, we are unable to guarantee that any menu item can be completely free of allergens."

[evilette13]

There are vitamins you can get from the pharmacy called 'Gluten Ease'. They are designed to help your digestive track get back on track once you have been 'glutened'. I hope this helps!

[Newings]

I also got "glutened" at Applebees a few weeks ago. I went online and saw their "gluten free" menu and was excited!

I ordered the santa fe chicken and while I suspect the chicken was fine, no one mentioned the rice on the plate. My guess is that had something "seasonings in it" UGH!

I feel your pain.

So, I have just od'd on water the next few days so will have to look into these suggested items to speed the process along. Luckily, I have been gluten-free for a few months so it was bad, not horrible.

[Patriciamae]

We went to dinner at Cody's in Gainesville, as usual I had to explain my dietary needs. The waiter was aware of the complications as an aunt also has celiac. He went back to the kitchen, talked with the chef. I had the most delicious, guaranteed gluten free meal that I have ever had in a restaurant. I have been on the diet for about 1.5 years after suffering for 10, and going out to eat was almost impossible. But Cody's has given me a place to go and feel safe. Thank you Cody's and if anyone is near a Cody's , just make sure to explain and I believe you will have the same great experience.

[Juliebove]

Hmmm... There is no such salad currently listed on their menu. But they do still have the disclaimer that they can not guarantee their food to be free of allergens. Which is one reason I would never eat there. AFAIK their chicken is not gluten-free. Restaurant chicken often is not.

[Juliebove]

Hmmm... There is no such salad currently listed on their menu. But they do still have the disclaimer that they can not guarantee their food to be free of allergens. Which is one reason I would never eat there. AFAIK their chicken is not gluten-free. Restaurant chicken often is not.

I stand corrected. I now see that salad on the menu. It is just at the bottom and there is no picture of it. It does say that the chicken is gluten-free.

[luvs2eat]

I'm almost certain that any fried tortilla strips in their salads are made from flour tortillas so that'd sure explain your being glutened!