Kissing

[Nicolette]

Just got back from my doctor's surgery to have my pneumonia jab. When I got diagnosed with Coeliacs this Monday, he also discovered my low white blood cell count so apparently I'm open to infection, especially pnuemo, apparently. Teamed with my acute anaemia...

Anyway, been reading this board all week and now I'm concerned about kissing my husband! He's not gluten free and last night he wanted a serious bout of tonsil tennis and all I could think about was, "he's just eaten a sandwich, oh my god, he's just eaten bread".

In the end, I pushed him away and made a joke of it, but i could tell he was offended. Not much. But a little. He understands my concerns about celiac disease and has said that we all ought to go gluten-free, as soon as he and the kids have finished off all the other food in the house.

Great. It's nice to have that support and not to have to cook two lots of meals and do two lots of seperate shopping.

But what about the kissing? He said if there was just a teensy bit of gluten in his mouth it wouldn't hurt me, but all I could imagine was that it would be like using a cyanide mouthwash.

[aikiducky]

It's new for your husband, he'll need time to adjust to the thought that things are different now. Refusing to kiss him might feel like rejection to him, so you need to keep that in mind.

That said, a breadcrumb in his mouth could get into yours when you kiss, and make you sick. You CAN get glutened by kissing! So he needs to keep that in mind.

What works for us is my husband usually rinses his mouth and wipes it after eating bread etc. So far I haven't been glutened by him. But in the beginning, he did have a hard time believing that it really is that serious a deal.

The other day I wanted to give him a kiss and he said "careful, I just had a cookie!"... aaaww... He knows the way to my heart.

Pauliina

[Guest nini]

I know the feeling well... my husband only recently decided to go gluten free so that I don't have to worry about kissing him anymore!

When he was eating gluten, I wouldn't kiss him until I had made sure he had brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth really good... I didn't outright reject his kisses, I just made him brush and rinse first! It's an adjustment for everyone really, but eventually he'll come around (I hope)

[KaitiUSA]

Yea, you can definitely get glutened by kissing so be careful. Have him brush his teeth or mouthwash before kissing you to get all the gluten out. It is especially a risk if he just ate something like bread, etc. that would clearly be in his mouth and transfer in that kind of kissing.

Also, the smallest amount can cause damage so that little bit will hurt you.

If he wants to go gluten free thats an option. My whole family eats gluten free in this house to keep it safe but I understand this is not an option for everyone and you can find a way to work with it either way.

[bluelotus]

I have to admit - I am a bit upset with my husband at times. He has started getting used to the limits on kissing (after 7+ months), but sometimes I think that if he went gluten-free, this problem and others could be avoided - such as contamination through using the same pots/pans if they weren't washed properly, whatever. And he isn't always 100% supportive either, making me out to be a hypochondriac or too senstitive to gluten. I don't appreciate it and it hurts sometimes. I know it has meant a lifestyle change for him too (no more restaurants, at least, not with me eating anything; bring my own food/worries on travel and vaca.).....but....I don't know. It just bothers me sometimes. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little, but always there. Anyone else or have you all married the perfect men and left the not-so-perfects for the rest of us?

[Guest Leidenschaft]

I have been glutened by my hubby.... passionate kisses one evening he'd been drinking beer!

Now if he wants to get passionate... he drinks wine!

Ron will eat whatever I cook, however he is a BIG sandwich and Toast man, fends for himself quite often, and mostly cleans up thoroughly. He has his gluten zone that I take the responsibility to be extra cautious around. The rest of the kitchen he must keep gluten-free! Every once in awhile though, he'll forget, and I'll have to ask if the deli meat is still safe, or the chedder was not cut with the bread knife, etc. It's part of life!

If I'm getting a quick kiss during the day, and I know he's just eaten, I just turn my head and receive on the cheek! He knows if I get sick there won't be any kissing later, so he's a good sport about it!

[skbird]

The other day my husband had a non-alcoholic beer and for some reason I got confused, thinking it was gluten free (you know, at some point it's hard to keep track of which thing is free of what...) and so I leaned over to kiss him and he turned and kissed my cheek. I said, "what the ?" and he said, "I just had this beer, you could get glutened..." I couldn't believe he was being a quicker thinker than me...

Anyway, sorry ladies, he's taken!

Stephanie

[kabowman]

Ditto to my husband...when I offer my cheek instead of my mouth, he rarely complains because he lives on bread, cheese, crackers, beer, etc. However, a nice one on the mouth when he isn't eating all that stuff that would kill me is very nice...nothing passionate unless he brushes first.

[Nicolette]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad I wasn't just being paranoid. I'll get hubby to read your replies and it might sink in a bit more that I'm not just being difficult or neurotic...