Helping Boyfriend Understand

[runnergurl2012]

I am been newly diagnosed and my boyfriend is being difficult (to put it lightly). We got into a tiff about using a separate strainer for gluten-free pasta. He went on and on about how he things that is over kill. I tried to explain to him but he already shut down on me. After explaining to him as best I could and telling him how I feel he finally was about to tell me what was really going on. I then realized I have given him very little information about celiac disease. I had him read a chapter in this book I have been reading called "gluten-free Survival guide" that is for the non-celiac people in the house. That seemed to help.

What I want to know is how have others handles this situation especially if your partner is resisting the changes and is feeling inconvenienced by the change in diet. He knows he can eat whatever he wants when he wants; I haven't said he has to be gluten-free, too. I just want to know what others have done to help their loved ones understand and cope with this life style change.

[kareng]

Honey...its late for me but I live in a household of male gluten eaters. I will post tomorrow so check back.

[nvsmom]

My hubby thought it was overkill too until my bloated belly went down over the first few weeks, and then I was glutened by accident and he was shocked at how bloated I immediately became. It was a visual thing that made it real for him I guess. The fact that I was glutened by a "gluten-free" that had less than 3 parts per million made him realize how sensitive I was.... I think he would have come around but that episode sped it up for him.

They need time. They are slower to learn to anal details of this diet since it doesn't affect them directly, but he'll get it eventually. Hug.

[LauraB0927]

Although my fiance has thankfully been supportive the entire time, he still didnt really understand about the cross contamination. It wasn't until my first glutening that he saw how serious it could be (keep in mind I never had GI symptoms before my diagnosis, it was kind of a surprise really). After he saw my abdomen triple in size, my joints stiffen up, and not to mention I became a nasty, wicked b****, then he knew how serious it was. Now he will stop and think if he's had gluten before he kisses me or takes a sip from my water bottle. And he's now always the first one to question the waiters about the cross contamination precautions - I honestly think he's trying to spare himself from my awful mood swings hahahaha.

I am NOT suggesting you gluten yourself on purpose to prove it to your boyfriend, that would just be cruel, but maybe as time goes on he'll come to see just how much of a struggle this is for you. Maybe you should also let him read some posts on here about cross contamination and accidental glutening - it might just scare him enough to make a change! Good luck!!

[KMMO320]

I am gluten intolerant, not Celiac, and I notice that cross contamination doesn't affect me, but as far as making your other half understand, I get it.

My husband wasn't all that supportive at first either. He kept telling me that I was Gluten-phobic and it was all a fad, the "newest thing" and it was all in my head.

After 3 weeks gluten free, he noticed a difference in my mood. I was always irritable, tired, emotional. Then I had more energy and wasn't passing out at 9pm. I stopped complaining about headaches, nausea and aches and pains. He saw how I felt and became a believer.

It really took some time and for him to see changes in me to "get it"

[runnergurl2012]

Thank you all for your replies. He is slowly coming around to it after reading about gluten and celiac. I think it is just going to be a long road.