3.5 Weeks Off The Gluten And Man! Am I Frustrated!

[ReneeMartin]

So I posted here a while ago with symptoms and my doc kept putting me off the tests for various reasons. However I finally got them done and after what felt like a century they all came back positive! I have no idea as to figures and whatnot he just talked me through them and told me to go completely gluten and dairy free for three months at which point he would try re introducing dairy and see how that went. If it went well then that's fine and i can eat dairy but if not then i'd have to come off it again for a while and reintroduce it a wee bit later and see what happened again. This all seems to go with the advice I've been given so far...

There's just two problems... I have now been gluten free for 3.5 weeks (even though yesterday i was absent mindedly decidedly making a sandwich and boom i ate 'normal' bread! Ooops. Which may explain how rubbish i feel right now?) And at first when I was saying no to Pringles and stuff that i was offered it actually made me feel really proud of myself, however now it's driving me INSANE! I just want to eat like a normal person! I have no idea what I can eat I'm constantly checking labels and questioning things that people offer me cause I'm not sure and I'm sure i can see them rolling their eyes!

I get that people are not necessarily going to understand it and whatnot but UGH!

I'm really struggling to stick to it with work and college and everything! I just want to be able to grab something and go! but no i have to think about it all the time and everything.

I also can't find anything to eat for breakfast which is killing me! and Im sick of eating gluten free pasta with cheese sauce (which i make from scratch so i know its gluten free)

I know i should get online and find out some recipies etc and im probably edging towards being a martyr but it I can't be the only one that is fed up and just wants to eat like i did before!?

Sorry for ranting, and thanks for listening/reading

Renee

[Persei V.]

I think the bread quite explains what you are feeling

And, yeah, I understand your frustration... Having to cook my own meals is taking its tool on me as well because I spend long hours starving because my school simply doesn't do gluten free not to mention I can't travel or go to a restaurant anymore. BUT I think the priority should be health, here. It really sucks not being able to eat like everyone else, just grabbing something and eating, however there's no solution to that, and eating gluten anyway isn't really worth the consequences. At least not for me.

So thinking about how healthy I will be and how ill I was before makes me go on. Maybe it'll work for you.

[sa1937]

Welcome, Renee! A lot of us have been in your shoes as we try to figure out what to eat on a gluten-free diet. Once we get used to it, we find it gets easier and we can eat very well.

You might find it helpful to check out these topics:

Newbie Info 101

And What's For Breakfast

Also check out the Recipes - Baking & Cooking Tips section...lots of recipes have been posted as well as ideas on meal suggestions. Hope this helps.

[1desperateladysaved]

I was there at about 3 weeks after I started. I became overwhelmed at all there was to learn. I also had suffered through some accidental reactions. I think one's body is working hard at recover. At 5 months grain free, I am still feeling a bit tied down, but I have been realizing the benefits. I don't want to eat out. I don't want to eat anything in doubt. Hang on through this, if you do, you will begin to feel the benefits one day.

Poached eggs for breakfast. (Quick and Easy) you can finish another task as they cook!

Heat water to medium high, when it boils

Drop in eggs, turn the heat down to medium

cook about 5 minutes I have been instructed to let them stay soft.

Eat.

I have a pancake, muffin or granola made with no grain (Often almond flour) with my eggs. Some butter, coconut oil, or olive oil with it will give you energy.

[GottaSki]

Welcome Renee-

No apologies needed - this is the perfect place to rant. Personally I don't understand how anyone could not be frustrated during the transition - I was in tears more than once while reading teeny tiny labels at the grocery store during my first months gluten-free.

You will hear it again and again - it does get easier. I had other severe food intolerance and can honestly tell you the transition to gluten-free was absolutely the hardest - because it is nearly everywhere in processed foods. Someone recently mentioned that it used to be easier to go gluten-free when diagnosed with Celiac because there were not so many options.

Sylvia's links offer great options.

You might feel better if you stick with simple whole foods - meat, vegies, fruit, rice, potatoes. I know it helps in our home to make things in larger quantities so there are plenty of left overs. I usually make a large pan of chicken on Sunday for myself and my gluten-free teens - you can easily pack a piece to go by itself or add to a simple salad or dice with gluten-free BBQ sauce, etc, etc, etc. Extra rice, steamed vegies, boiled or baked potatoes in the frig make it easy to throw a quick meal together. Leftover chicken, rice and vegies with a gluten-free soy sauce - easy meal.

This will get easier and once you find healthful options you'll feel better - once you feel better and have more energy, you'll have more time to make healthy food.

Now all that being said...make sure you know which processed foods are gluten free. It is important to know what you can purchase in a pinch - junk food isn't good on a regular basis, but when out somewhere and feeling frustrated, better to grab a bag of gluten-free potato chips or M&Ms than become even more frustrated.

Hang in there - this absolutely gets easier with time!

[Celiac Mindwarp]

I am loving rice, avocado and bacon for breakfast at the moment. Or steak and eggs, yum.

I have pre cut carrots in the fridge, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I'd have nuts if my son wasn't allergic!

gluten-free chips, string or mini cheese, dried dates, apricots.

I am keeping the direct gluten-free substitutes to a minimum, as I find them to sweet with loads of fat and salt, I managed to make myself sick.

I have been going the same time as you and it is driving me bats too, but happy to share ideas

Good luck x

[rosetapper23]

I think every single one of us felt like you in the beginning. Even though we were happy to finally have an answer to our lifelong health problems, we still felt deprived, uncertain, sad, and bitter. Many of us have related stories where the first time the boss has bought the entire office pizza for lunch, we ended up retreating to the bathroom to cry. The grief surrounding a diagnosis of celiac can seem overwhelming at times, especially at potlucks, family gatherings, dinner parties, and restaurants, BUT, as everyone has pointed out, it really, REALLY does get better with time. Not only will your cravings stop, you will also learn to accept responsibility for yourself without worrying about how other people view your diet decisions. Forget them! Always bring your own food (I carry apples and bananas with me) and learn what you can and can't eat outside of your home. There are lists available to tell you what products are gluten free (e.g., Lay's potato chips, various protein bars, Hershey's chocolate bars, etc.). Also, simply tell your friends that you are responsible for your own diet and that they don't have to offer you food EVER. Eventually, they will understand and accept your conditions. This is a learning experience for them, too, and they'll now understand how to treat the many celiacs they will undoubtedly meet in the future.

As for breakfast, eggs and bacon are easy to prepare....or bananas coated with nut butter. Or you could buy gluten-free bread and do any number of things with it. Once you can drink/eat dairy products, you'll have a lot more options: gluten-free cereals, smoothies, etc.

The gluten is getting you down at the moment....but tomorrow's another gluten-free day, my friend. We know you can face it!

[ReneeMartin]

Cheers guys! The thing that actually prompted my rant was waking up from a dream where I was sitting eating domino's pizza! HAHA! crazy brain!

Persei V I totally understand the hunger thing. I'm Currently trying out a few things that would mean I can totally avoid the canteen at work and make a bee line for a table and eat what i have bought with me

A few of you have re-enforced the fact that this is in the long run going to be so good for me! I guess that slips my mind every so often... the headaches have already gone. Although after yesterday's bread disaster my joints are SCREAMING at me. So hears hoping they shut the hell up tomorrow haha!

Thank you all for your kind words! This is a REALLY good support network I spoke to my flatmates today about it and they have all said they would make a conscious effort to keep the kitchen cleaner so I don't have to scrub it before making anything to eat!

Some of the breakfast options you've all mentioned I would never have even thought of and I just found an excellent breakfast muffin recipe which is basically an all day breakfast (minus the beans) in a muffin, sounds odd but it's pure genius! I'll post it in the recipe thingy bit.

Thanks to Sa1937 for those links! They are really helpful

Wishing you all (i think you're all across the pond eh?) a healthy and positive day. I'm off to dream about Hershies Now i know they are gluten free i'll be finding my nearest american candy store and stocking up for when I need a boost so if anyone knows somewhere in Scotland (Edinburgh) that sells it give me a shout?

Love and hugs

Renee:D