Being Glutened

[Flaykee]

Official diagnosis on January 14 2013. I have been doing a lot of research and coming to terms with the gluten-free lifestyle. I've been enjoying eating healthier foods and feeling better. But on Monday Jan 21, tummy not feeling good and that night I had the night time panic attacks that have all but disappeared. My DH went crazy with itching and burning!

The next day I do some cupboard searching and there it is, salted sunflower seeds may contain wheat. We've been adding them to my salads and breakfast fruit & yogurt. Okay, so the salads continue for lunch the next 2 days (minus the seeds) and by Wednesday night, I'm feeling terrible. So I start figuring out what else it could be. The only other common factor each day is the pre-roasted whole chicken from the grocery store. Hubby and I head to the store and I read the ingredients at the counter and low and behold, the first few lines contain 2 ingredients I shouldn't be consuming! (must have been the basting juices or maybe injected??) I stopped reading at that point as I had my answer. It was an eye opener, a painful one though.

However, in a sense, I am kind of glad the glutening happened because it makes me more aware of how careful you have to be. Things we think are innocent and harmless can contain hidden harm. It makes me more determined to be careful AND it also showed me how I react to a glutening, where I was able to pinpoint the problem foods. A good learning experience that I hope I won't have to use too often.

It's also given my husband an eye opener, he does most of the cooking and meal preparation. My doctor has referred me to a dietician who I meet with next week and hubby has asked to come along so he can learn more about the food/eating as he helps me get healthy

When shopping we do label reading, our shopping trip time is now extended! And if there is an ingredient that I'm not sure about, I won't buy the product until I've had time to research it.

The main thing is, I am happy to have received the celiac disease diagnosis because for too long, there was no explanation for how I was feeling. To know what is causing the health deterioration is such a relief. If my previous doctor had listened to me 7 years ago and tested me despite the fact that I "wasn't wasting away" (his words), I'd have been further along in my healing journey. But I digress....

Happy and Healthy eating everyone, and be careful....that bad gluten could be lurking

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Annoying, isn't it? Glad you are on the mend now. I sometimes stand in the supermarket saying things like 'if I am buying chicken, the only ingredient I want in it is chicken'.

Great you got you diagnosis and are starting the healing journey. Sorry you had to join the missed diagnosis club first, there are a lot of us about.

This is a great place to celebrate the victories, and rant when it doesn't go so well.

[mushroom]

Sorry about the steep learning curve; hope you are feeling better.

Costco, if you are a member, has gluten free whole roasted chicken.

[ruuning like a zombie]

I'm in the same boat. Just found out abt gluten intolerance early January and having a hard time adjusting. I have glutened myself twice in the last two weeks and it certainly wasn't fun. Well I wish you the best of the non seasoned endeavor we are journeying on.

[mushroom]

No, no, not non-seasoned. Just don't let someone else do the seasoning for you!!

[foam]

Do all your cooking yourself any everything will be fine. I'm sure Mushroom would agree with this. Don't replace your gluten with other grains or gluten free commercial products if at all possible. Try and go as much and long as you can on vegetables and meat at least until you see some significant improvements in your digestion. Bulk cabbage too, it's a good food for your gut and get in those pro biotics..

[Flaykee]

Thank you so much for the responses! This forum is a wonderful support network and great for helping us who are new to this! Thank you!

I told my hubby today that it is going to be a bland diet for me for awhile while I attempt to conquer this and get my tummy & DH feeling better! And yep, that also means I do all my preparing. I know my husband means well but I've had to almost watch like a hawk in the kitchen. Case in point, before my most recent gluten woes, I was cutting my veggies for salad one day and went to the fridge to get my celery and my knife was no where to be seen. He was using it to cut his dinner rolls! I think my screech almost made him drop the knife! This is all new to him too and he too has unfortunately done things without thinking. It's a learning process for both of us.

Cabbage is something I eat frequently, almost like I'm craving it. As for the gluten free products, I am limiting my intake for a couple reasons: 1) With my celiac disease I have gained weight despite my best efforts and have always suffered from constipation. I can't afford to gain weight, my hope is weight loss in a healthy way and 2) I did a glucose tolerance test just after my diagnosis and I have to watch it. My sugar levels are showing me at what they used to call "borderline"

Funny, when I first went gluten-free, my hubby was following it with me, eating the same meals, and consuming very little gluten foods, and he commented on how much better he was feeling. His back wasn't aching (he has chronic back pain) and he had increased energy and his BM's were better. He's doesn't have celiac disease but it goes to show you that this monster might present adverse affects that we have always just sloughed off. Actually, hubby can't eat tomatoes and had a bad episode a few years ago, diarrhea anytime he ate tomatoes...and went through so many tests but everything came back clear. Nightshades....Maybe......

Best of luck to you all as we travel this gluten free journey to better health!!

[Celiac Mindwarp]

I told my husband we would have to go totally gluten-free if I didn't stop getting glutened (5 times in 6 weeks). Strangely, I have been fine for the past month.....