New And Full Of Questions

[vegas]

I just began the strict gluten free diet a few days ago. On day three i had an increased energy i haven't felt in an extremely long time, but on day 4 i was glutened (imitation crab) and was super sick, more than normal. Is it normal to react more violently to gluten after its been out of your system? Three more days have passed and im starting to feel slightly better again. But my stomach feels tender and achy, is that normal healing maybe? Im excited to start feeling better, 15 years ago in high school i went threw several tests and they never checked for Celiac. I thought all these years my symptoms were normal or in my head. I've gone on and off gluten and always dairy for most of my life because they made me sick but i just thought i was sensitive. After a 2 week family visit and one more week eating gluten at home i got really really sick and just knew it couldn't be normal to be that tired and in pain all the time, plus the depression and horrible brain fog. So i got tested. I've been careful knowing that i can already see improvement in not eating gluten, but how strict is this with new pans and spoons? I have a husband and 2 young children that will be continuing to eat gluten, is it important that i buy new things? Im on a very tight budget. And is there a list somewhere of lip gloss or makeup that is already gluten free? Do i assume it isn't if it doesn't say on the label? And kissing your partner, thats gonna be so hard..... These are all risks? Is everyone that degree of sensitive? I had an event the other day where i had 6 drinks over and several hour period. Normally that would give me just a nice slight buzz, i found myself wasted (embarrassed) and hungover. The hangover went away with a few glasses of water (that never happens) can this be due to me already starting to absorb things better? Has that happened to anyone else? Also i'm not very hungry anymore, is that maybe due to and increased absorption to vitamins? And i have green powders that contain wheat grass, i read somewhere that we cant have that? Thank you so much. I just want a solid recovery, i'm sick of being sick.....

[LauraB0927]

I just began the strict gluten free diet a few days ago. On day three i had an increased energy i haven't felt in an extremely long time, but on day 4 i was glutened (imitation crab) and was super sick, more than normal. Is it normal to react more violently to gluten after its been out of your system? Three more days have passed and im starting to feel slightly better again. But my stomach feels tender and achy, is that normal healing maybe? Im excited to start feeling better, 15 years ago in high school i went threw several tests and they never checked for Celiac. I thought all these years my symptoms were normal or in my head. I've gone on and off gluten and always dairy for most of my life because they made me sick but i just thought i was sensitive. After a 2 week family visit and one more week eating gluten at home i got really really sick and just knew it couldn't be normal to be that tired and in pain all the time, plus the depression and horrible brain fog. So i got tested. I've been careful knowing that i can already see improvement in not eating gluten, but how strict is this with new pans and spoons? I have a husband and 2 young children that will be continuing to eat gluten, is it important that i buy new things? Im on a very tight budget. And is there a list somewhere of lip gloss or makeup that is already gluten free? Do i assume it isn't if it doesn't say on the label? And kissing your partner, thats gonna be so hard..... These are all risks? Is everyone that degree of sensitive? I had an event the other day where i had 6 drinks over and several hour period. Normally that would give me just a nice slight buzz, i found myself wasted (embarrassed) and hungover. The hangover went away with a few glasses of water (that never happens) can this be due to me already starting to absorb things better? Has that happened to anyone else? Also i'm not very hungry anymore, is that maybe due to and increased absorption to vitamins? And i have green powders that contain wheat grass, i read somewhere that we cant have that? Thank you so much. I just want a solid recovery, i'm sick of being sick.....

Ok - I will try to help answer some of your questions the best way I can, but I am not an expert yet and there are TONS of people on this forum that are! It is normal for you to become more sensitive to gluten after you've been gluten free for a while - I know I'm the same way. My reactions are more sensitive now, as opposed to before I was diagnosed and didn't have any stomach reactions at all.

As far as the pans and spoons, you can share as long as they aren't porous materials like wooden spoons. The only ones I share with my family are the metal and I make sure they go through a full round in the dishwasher to get all the crud off. If you're making pasta, use either a different colander or if you're making both gluten free and regular pasta, strain yours first before you strain your family's pasta. Then make sure it gets washed really well! The only appliances that I would watch out for is sharing toasters and toaster ovens. Those can be risky, so if you love to toast your gluten free bread in the morning, I'd suggest buying a separate toaster. Your pots and pans should be fine unless they have a lot of scratches on it where gluten can get trapped inside.

I was also concerned about makeup, so after contacting the company I switched back to using Bare Minerals face makeup and lip gloss. It is a bit expensive, but I have been using it with no problems at all...plus it makes my skin look great!

Keep in mind that although you're strictly gluten free now, your body may start having random reactions as its trying to heal. I thought I was glutened a couple times in the recovery process however I think it was just my body trying to heal.

I hope this finds you well and I wish you a speedy recovery! Hang in there, you'll feel much better soon!!!

[eatmeat4good]

Hi! Welcome!

Congratualations on figuring out it was the imitation crab that "got" you!

Yes, it is VERY common to have more violent and severe reactions once gluten is entirely out of your system and then re-introduced even at trace levels. I was absolutely shocked at the severity of my illness when I got glutened after going gluten free.

How strict is this new pots and pans thing?

You just got a really good indication of the reality of gluten exposure and what it does to your body. ugh....so yeah, the pots and pans must be examined.

If they are stainless steel you can clean them really well with SOS pads. If they are teflon and scratched...um don't try it. You need a toaster...the toaster can get you bad. So can cutting boards and collander's. You can't use the collander to strain your potatoes or gluten free pasta or you could get gluten.

Get yourself one pan and only you use it if you can't replace things. Remember not to use things that have been used with gluten though...it's very tough.

If you are going to live with gluten eaters...my recommendation is to never let wheat flour in the kitchen anymore...it is easily aerated and you can breathe it in and then it is swallowed and then you can get sick. It's real.

You need separate condiments for sure. Never stick your knife in jar where a knife has been that went to gluten bread.

Kisses can gluten you and so can little kisses from your kids. Your young children's hands and mouths will have to be cleaned before you kiss them. My first glutening was handing cookies to my nieces and then eating my gluten free food...contact with gluten had been made...but I had no idea I could get sick from it...I was sick for a week.

Sensitivity does vary. You can do the experiments if you want. I didn't believe the kissing thing...but now I can tell you...it's true...I got a migraine for 2 days after kissing a gluten eater. Your husband should brush well before kissing you. Kids are more impulsive with their kisses....so you may have to watch that one after crackers are handed out. Watch out for crumbs...keep counters clean...

make-up- This one baffles me....even now. If you have money google gluten free cosmetics and this thread and you will find recommendations. And then you will find most companies have not tested their products for gluten. I just try to make sure there are no gluten ingredients...but wow...this can be a real homework project. there are recommendations online about gluten free cosmetics. Revlon may say they don't include gluten ingredients but they cannot say their product is gluten free...I just put on my lipstick...blot...and try not to lick my lips.

Getting drunk- I have no idea...but your theory that you are absorbing better is a good one.

Loss of appetite- Happened to me too. It is common when healing or when getting glutened by cc repeatedly.

I would not dare use wheat grass, though I have heard wheat grass doesn't have gluten.

Your next challenge will be to figure out if you react to products that are "made in a facility that processes wheat." I didn't think I would be...but I am.

There is so much to figure out...you asked good questions. Keep reading and learning.

Sorry you got sick from the fake crab.

Hope you get well fast and eliminate chances for contamination with gluten.

Knowing what I know now, I'd probably take my children gluten free if I had small ones. Too much risk of contamination when you want to be spontaneous with kisses and touches from little ones.

I hope your hubby is supportive.

[GlutenFree-MLDub]

Everyone here has good answers for your questions. The one thing I'll respond to is about the alcohol. I have no idea for sure, but I have lost my ability to tolerate alcohol. This happened BEFORE I was gluten free though... in the last couple years. I have read that this can happen with leaky gut (which is effectively a damaged gut that allows stuff to leak into your bloodstream that's not really supposed to). This is a likely effect of the beating your intestines have taken. My point though is that I think the alcohol is going into your bloodstream in a different way. I can't find research on this at the moment, but my hope is that when I'm all healed up I'll be able to have a couple drinks without being sick for the next 2 days.

[GFinDC]

Hi Vegas,

You got some good advice already. Something else though. Many of us (celiacs) have problems with dairy at first. Sometimes it gets better as the gut heals the villi. Sometimes it doesn't change if you are reacting to casein (a diary protein). So it might help to avoid diary for a few months. Soy is also a good thing to avoid.

It is helpful to stick with a whole foods diet at first. Meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts are good. Processed foods are hard to digest when you are healing. Plus they have a lot of things in them (chemicals) that are not real good for your body. Avoiding sugar and starchy veggies can help also. Sugar and starches feed bacteria which can get a bit too numerous when the healing process is ongoing. There are lots of changes in your gut when you stop eating gluten. Many times people have a kind of up and down progress when going gluten-free for the first 3 months or so. Taking probiotics and using digestive enzymes may help.

.

Here are few threads they may help with getting started. The breakfast, lunch dinner threads are good for ideas of things to eat.

FAQ Celiac com

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/forum-7/announcement-3-frequently-asked-questions-about-celiac-disease/

Newbie Info 101

What's For Breakfast Today?

What Did You Have For Lunch Today?

What Are You Cooking Tonight?

How bad is cheating?

[vegas]

I just wanted to thank everyone so much for the great advice. Its wonderful beyond words to feel like i have support and encouragement from people who understand. My husband is being incredibly supportive because he knows how sick i've been and is very hopeful as am i for me to feel better and have more good days than bad. Thank u on the condiments, btw, i did separate my butter but i didn't think about mayo and peanut butter. Thankfully i haven't used either, probably because i haven't bought any gluten free bread yet, lol. Its gonna be hard with the little kisses, especially my son who's only 4 and doesn't quite understand. I can't believe how much better i'm already digesting food. Not 100% but the improvement keeps me very hopeful. I haven't been able to tolerate dairy since i was 19, i almost never have any with the exception of goat cheese. I found it very difficult to digest soy for some time now too (with the exception of soy sauce which will be greatly missed) so i've already been avoiding that too. The more strict i am the better i feel and i'm so grateful to see an increase in energy that keeps me very motivated. I have a few more quick questions though.....

I was wondering if anyone else has had a difficult time digesting meats in the past and has found that after some healing time they are able to tolerate those foods more too? I haven't been able to digest red meats or pork in some time and was hoping that maybe I'll be able to one day eat them since the rest of my diet is so restrictive. And my other question is do i get my kids tested? Or wait to see if they start having problems later down the road like i did? I have a feeling my daughter may have some issues because she had such bad colic as an infant and she will never admit it but has trouble still with dairy.... I didn't notice any signs until i was in high school but i was mis diagnosed with irritable bowel they never even tested for Celiac. They seem to be much more aware these days though, Thankfully

Thank you soooo much everyone!!! The help and support is so greatly appreciated!!

[LauraB0927]

I just wanted to thank everyone so much for the great advice. Its wonderful beyond words to feel like i have support and encouragement from people who understand. My husband is being incredibly supportive because he knows how sick i've been and is very hopeful as am i for me to feel better and have more good days than bad. Thank u on the condiments, btw, i did separate my butter but i didn't think about mayo and peanut butter. Thankfully i haven't used either, probably because i haven't bought any gluten free bread yet, lol. Its gonna be hard with the little kisses, especially my son who's only 4 and doesn't quite understand. I can't believe how much better i'm already digesting food. Not 100% but the improvement keeps me very hopeful. I haven't been able to tolerate dairy since i was 19, i almost never have any with the exception of goat cheese. I found it very difficult to digest soy for some time now too (with the exception of soy sauce which will be greatly missed) so i've already been avoiding that too. The more strict i am the better i feel and i'm so grateful to see an increase in energy that keeps me very motivated. I have a few more quick questions though.....

I was wondering if anyone else has had a difficult time digesting meats in the past and has found that after some healing time they are able to tolerate those foods more too? I haven't been able to digest red meats or pork in some time and was hoping that maybe I'll be able to one day eat them since the rest of my diet is so restrictive. And my other question is do i get my kids tested? Or wait to see if they start having problems later down the road like i did? I have a feeling my daughter may have some issues because she had such bad colic as an infant and she will never admit it but has trouble still with dairy.... I didn't notice any signs until i was in high school but i was mis diagnosed with irritable bowel they never even tested for Celiac. They seem to be much more aware these days though, Thankfully

Thank you soooo much everyone!!! The help and support is so greatly appreciated!!

If you're having trouble digesting meat, I'd try giving grass-fed steak a shot. Grass-fed steak doesn't contain any chemicals that they stuff cows with that you find in the regular food stores. Since they don't have all those chemicals in it, they are much easier for us Celiacs to digest. They are a bit more expensive, but its worth it for me because I LOVE my red meat!!! I actually think it cooks and tastes much better too.

I too almost cried when I thought soy sauce was out of the picture. But they DO make gluten-free soy sauces that actually taste exactly like the original. I found them in Whole Foods; hopefully there is one near you. They also had gluten free Teriyaki, BBQ, Thai Peanut, and other sauces. Hope this helps!