zarfkitty

I can't claim an "official" diagnosis of celiac, either. I don't even have the celiac genes. But I have rock solid proof that I have an immune response to gluten: I eat gluten, I get sick. So I call myself a celiac because that is best word to describe my body. It's not like anybody has ever asked for my membership card! Please listen to yourself...

Our entire family eats gluten-free and attends a Lutheran church. (Lutheran = potlucks at least once a month. ) I don't have any particular ideas to add, but here are my experiences: One woman at our church always brings the most amazing baked beans to potlucks. Because we are friends, I was able to ask her about the ingredients and the preparation...

I wonder if Frito-Lay products vary in safety by region. At a support group meeting, someone told me that the products processed in the Plano, Texas plant were safer than other Frito-Lay products. This was only her subjective opinion based on eating Frito-Lay products on road trips that had been processed at other plants. Since I live in Austin, most...

Thanks to everyone for your support! This is the best forum I've ever belonged to. Just for the record! I have been properly taught my manners. The thank you note went out in the mail immediately and I absolutely know the family didn't mean anything by it. I know that $40 is amazingly generous for a teacher gift. I would never, ever ever ever ever...

Thanks guys. I've realized I have a reason to celebrate: this will be the first Christmas in a very long time that won't cause me to gain 5 "holiday pounds"!

I haven't posted in awhile... mostly because we're rockin' and rollin' on our diet and I'm uber-busy. But I really need a gluten-free friend today! I just received a $40 gift certificate to California Pizza Kitchen as a Christmas present from a mother of a student where I teach. Luckily I didn't have to open in in front of her or the student, I would...

You don't sound ignorant, don't worry! A "504" is a document that enforces section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The law says that people with disabilities have to have equal access. Most of the time, when someone has a "504" it's a document at a school that states what accommodations must be made for the student for the student to have...

Alamo Celiac has a chapter in Austin. I've been to one of their dining outs at Central Market (gluten free pizza - yum!) and had fun. I've seen lots of people from Austin here on this site, too. Are you newly diagnosed?

Here's another log for the fire: Drink 24 oz of milk in 24 hours and you'll lose weight! God, that annoys the heck out of me. I'm very biased against the dairy industry, I'll admit it, but if I drank all that milk it would kill me. Who needs to be skinny when she's dead? I also think the talking shredded wheat is annoying. All IBS commercials...

I personally think you should decline the endoscopy. A firm diagnosis of DH is a firm diagnosis of celiac. Have you had the DH biopsied? In any case, you don't need a prescription to stay on the diet, so feel free to tell the doctor to scope himself instead if he's so keen on it.

My advice is to go off dairy completely (including whey) for awhile before you try something like that. Then you'll know if you are reacting to it. You won't be casein-free if you eat whey. You'd be more like casein-lite.

I think your dogs are likely suspsects here! Check their food and biscuits for gluten ingredients! We continue to feed our dog as we always did, but we always, always, always wash our hands after any contact (food or play) with the dog. Also, have you segregated your kitchen stuff from the gluten eaters in your house? You can share dishes, stainless...

Do you live with gluten eaters? (Maybe your adorable furry friends?) Could you be getting gluten on old cookware or through your cosmetics and personal care items? Do you take communion at church? The stool test is supposed to be way more sensitive. Maybe those high numbers are "down" for you. Since you don't know what your Enterolab numbers were...

Anti-gliadin is an antibody for gliadin (part of the gluten molecule). If you have it, your body has identified gluten as an enemy. Tissue-transglutaminase is an enzyme that works on gluten. If you have an antibody against it, your body has identified one of your own enzymes as an enemy (hence the label auto-immune disorder). High numbers mean that...