LuvMoosic4life

This is taking a huge stab but.....Anyone know a good doctor near BUffalo NY or in the western NY area?

when the school nurse practitioner laughs at you b/c you have gas.

Any other musicians/artsists out there? I write my own music, wondering if there is anyone else here?

I'm glad I came across this because I've been experienceing this same thing. I never used to get headaces (accepts migranes when I was younger after eating), but now I've been getting persistant headaces that not even perscription IB profin will take away- and they'll stick around for days. I'm finding it may be that I am more sensitive to differant foods now- corn and peanuts being two of the major ones. ANd if I have gluten I get a really bad migrane on my left side through my eye- its one of the first signs of glutening for me.... but generally, even gluten-free, the headaces are in the forhead and tenple, I'll wake up in the morning with it, and it starts throbbing when I get up and walk, then dizziness sets in and I get the little black dots before my eyes

I'm trying to stick to a bland simple diet to see if it helps... avoiding caffine/sugar and chocolate will help also.

thanks. I have been reading other posts about this. I guess I'm just in denial once in a while since I havent had any doctor diagnosis and my family thinks I'm just going through another "health kick" phase. I'm definitly not getting any support from them, I mean, they recognize it but will never realize the changes I'm going through and now that I tell them I cant eat other foods like soy/dairy/corn they just think I'm being rediculous. I have family member that love to cok and bake and want to make gluten-free foods for me, but they want to make cookies and processed stuff that isnt agreeing with me right now to begin with. They have good intentions, but they dont realize how stict I have to be with CC. I had an aunt that offered me chicken wings, and I said, well I dont know what is in the sauce and what else was fried in the the same oil and she responded "well you could just rinse them off" ugh! and they want me to trust them in making baked goods? lol

it's really hard- I'm so glad this forum is here! I know it will get easier, it will just take time.

I am very interested in this also. I've never officially had an eating disorder, but there were definite periods in my life where I had disordered eating habits, at one point I avoided food, and then at other points I would binge, which often led to occasional purging, not because I was afraid of becoming fat, but because I felt sooo sick from the gluteny foods I binged on and the only way to fell better was to puke, sometimes it would just come up. Then I would get severely depressed and purposely eat things I know would make me sick, only I didnt realize the connection to it being gluten intolerance, even the depression. Funny how depression is the a major symptom of celiac and it is also the trigger in ED's. I have no doubt it's all connected.

My whole family is like this. I come from a VERY itailian family where food is the focal point and we learn from a young age that it almost like it's "everything". The whole day/year/every single event revolves around food. PLus my whole family is overwieght and has a host of digestive problems ranging from bleeding ulcers/gallbladder problems to pancreas and colon cancer. I watch my family memebers gain and lose wieght as they attempt new fad diets, give up, binge, and then feel miserable that they go back to thier old "fat" selves. depression is also very prevelant in my family. there have been 2 suicides and multiple people including my mom are taking depression meds. Many continuously complain about gas and digestive problems, but yet they fail to take me seriously when I tell them it could be gluten. And when I dont eat something or am picky about certain foods they dont believe me and jut think I am being "wieght concious" or on some new diet. and since I've lost wieght in the past and have become much thinner than the rest of my family, they think I'm using this whole gluten thing as a way to avoid eating

ok I way way off topic, but I just thought I'd share...i could go on forever with this topic.....

I believe celiac is a major hidden trigger for ED's in the case that someone doesnt even know they have it , but I also believe that the celiac can be activated by an ED since ED's are a major stress on the body! I think a smaller amount of people would get an ED after finding out they have celiac, I think finding out may actually help an ED, but I can see how in some cases it may trigger it later on since many become more focussed on food than ever before.

I wonder though if having the gene for celiac (not neccessarily having the full blown disease activated)makes one more prone to depression leading to ED?? definitly needs research- although this would take quite some time!

So I couldnt make it to my doctors appointment I've been waiting 2 months for because I dont have the money to get there!

I've been trying really hard to stay gluten free, but I'm pretty sure I've gotten CC a few times going out and in my new environment, but for the most part I've really really been avoiding gluten and am gettig a very good grasp on what products I can and cant eat.. My lower digestive problems (diarhea and especially gas are almost completely gone I'd say 98% better) Now it seems like my stomach is acting up worse and worse along with more frequent Constipation and dry stools, and I wonder if I should just stick to a completely bland diet again for a couple months or so?

Here's the new things I've tried that I think may be aggrevating my stomach (ok I know they are not healthy, but I dont eat them all the time and consider them a treat.): Misson white corn tortillas, planters peanuts, wise potato chips and bakers chocolate. At first, the corn tortillas gave me no problem, but now I'm noticing that after eating them I start feeling tired, headace (more like migrane) and sometimes naucious with pain in my stomach. ANd I was so happy when I found out they were gluten free too

Also, I used to driink OJ every morning, and I'm talking every morning almost everyday of my life with NO problems (accept if I had it with bread) Now the OJ really bothers me (even alone) to the point I dont even crave it! And tomato sauce: I used to love it even though it always bothered me, now its 10 times worse

I feel like the only thing I can succesfully eat (plain)is brown rice, Tinkyada pasta, Bobs red mill creamy rice cereal and small amounts of plain chicken breast and plain brussel sprouts/broccoli(cooked well, raw veggies, especialy carrots give me D or C). If I add butter or miricle whip to anything its HEARTBURN and nasea and the heartburn comes hours after (sometimes soon after) and I'll even have it when I'm hungry. My stomach will be growling, but yet I'll be burping and I'll feel like something is coming up in my chest. SO FRUSTRATING!!! I hate having to be stuck to eating nothing but plain rice, chicken and cooked veggies b/c I know I need a healthy amount of fats. Even olive oil will bother me. I've tried rolaids, they take the burning away, but I still feel like what I eat wants to come back up, bouncing back and forth between my stomach and lower throat. I dont want to go on medicine for it b/c I truly believe in solving things naturally.

also when first going gluten-free I could eat KASHA successsfully as a hot breafast cereal, now it is very hard for me to digest, it just sits in my stomach

is all of this normal??? or may I have another stomach issue going on??? I've also been having menstrual problems, so sometimes it's hard to distiguish where the discomfort is coming from.

BTW. I havent really changed much of my shopping. The only thing I really replaced was pasta with Tinyada brown rice pasta, and instead of buying oatmeal (which I used to live off of every morning) I buy Kasha and Bobs red mill creamy brown rice farina. It adds a few extra dollars to the bill, but I mostly ate whole foods to begin with so the change wasnt bad at all. I stopped buying bread way before I went gluten free because I subconciously knew it bothered me, so I dont miss bread one bit!!!!

I will buy gluten-free cookies or snack on occasion as a treat- you have to treat yourself once and a while!! Once I get more money I want to experimet with baking my own stuff!

Now that I"m a GFCFer I've decided that I will enjoy my food or I will not eat it. I've opened myself up to more food in the past five months I've dealt with being gluten-free than I have in quite a while.

I'm a college student. A very broke college student between jobs.

I told my mother about my buying habits and she almost fainted. I believe that nutrition starts at your mouth. Be it the food you put in it or the toothpaste you brush with. Being between jobs I'm very tight on the budget strings and spend about $150-200 / month for two very active people. Buying what I want to cook and eat and crave I spend about $300-$350 / month for the two of us.

I feel that food is the one thing next to bills that you should spend a good portion of your money on. it's what keeps you alive and nourishes you. It smells good to cook, it makes you feel good and really satisfied to cook a meal and enjoy it. Good health starts at your mouth. If you put crap ( ie crappy food, not poo ) in your body you'll feel like it. I buy mostly online when I can and don't purchase meat of any kind. I like lots of fresh veggies and different rices. ( I <3 bamboo green tea rice ) I love to grab something off the shelf because it looks tasty and i've never tried it. I might spend a little more than most ( including my dear mother ) think I should for my measly income, but I friggen love food.

i AM ALSO A BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT and agree 100% with this!!!!

lays tend to give me a gluten headace- not as bad as eating bread tho. I always get this migrane type thing on the left side of my head through my eye whenever I'm glutened. wierd?

I was just wondering if anyone has had a reaction to them? Thier web site has an allergen listing and clearly says the plain natural ones are gluten-free. I've been eating them and have been ok...I think-lol

Very Interesting......I'll have to check the lables to see what they contain as these two are mixes (just add eggs and whatever other ingredients they ask throw it in the over and you're done). Heck I'll jsut try them and if they're nasty I just won't try them again!

I love thier products. I've tried the biscuit mix, which I believe has garbonzo bean flour in the ingredients, and it tasted fine to me although I dont think the pancake mix would taste good with the bean flour, but I could be wrong..

Hello...I have been gluten-free since May after being diagnosed on endoscopy for reflux/lump in throat feeling. Otherwise I felt physically OK, with hardly any stomach issues. since I began this diet I have been getting progressively worse. My stomach is still OK, but I feel dizzy, and out of it all the time. All I want to do is lay down. This week I have started getting nauseous and don't want to eat anything. In the beginning this diet wasn't so bad because I felt fine, but now I feel horrible and don't know what is going on. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I super-sensitive now that I'm gluten free? I feel like I've made myself worse on this diet. Will this go away?

Thanks,

Kristen

The exact same thing happened to me!

it gets better. your body is just adjusting- its a major change! It takes time

"How important is it that someone gets OFFICIALLY diagnosed?" - I've been on the diet for quite some time (without doctors involved or knowing b/c I dont have a doctor) and cant go back because I get sick to the point where I can't function.

"Can someone not have celiacs, but only a gluten intolerance and still be doing damage to the gut?"

i just find it s ohard to explain, and everyone comes off thinking i'm just a picky eater, if you're not serious enough, people will gluten you, but if you really explain whats going on, they don't want to talk to you anymore, lol when i get glutened i get very nauseous and sometimes throw up, and i don't want to have to explain that to people i just met at school or anything, but to tell you the truth, alot of people think i have an eating disorder, because i only eat salad when out, dont eat at anyones house, rarely eat in front of anyone, and then sometimes get sick after i eat!

my whole family thinks I have an eating disorder lol. I'm the only thin one and I avoid occasions with food/or am picky....it doesnt matter how much I explain...they just dont buy it..

HI,

I wasnt sure where to post this, just a littel story I wanted to share b/c my mom doesnt think anything of it.....

I am 22 and self diagnosed. When I was younger and would go shopping with my mom (way before I knew I was Gluten intolerant) I always remember passing through the gluten free section in the store and stopping and looking. For some reason I was always drawn to looking at the food, especially the pretzels. I ended up bugging my mom to buy me the pretzels, and of course she got upset b/c they were more expensive, but i kept bugging and bugging So evetually she bought them for me and after that I ended up craving them (even though my mom had no idea how b/c she thought they were absolutely disgusting- haha) My mom got pretty upset everytime we went to the store and I wanted Gluten free pretzles haha she said "why dont we just get regular prtetzels?, they are much cheeper" But for some reason I just craved the gluten-free ones really bad!

Maybe it was an early sign for my mom as if getting sick all the time and almost missing a few grades in school wasnt enough!!!

just thought I'd share

I can relate to having to prepare meals on a fixed budget while juggling a busy schedule and not having local stores which carry gluten-free products. It can be a challenge, but it's not impossible.

One thing that you may want to consider as you start to earn more money is a checking account. From there you can get a debit card that acts as a credit card for your on-line purchases. That will also allow you to use PayPal for products. Sites like A.m.a.z.o.n or V.i.t.c.o.s.t can really help as far as stocking up on some essentials you can't make yourself. Or, you can look into buying those pre-paid credit cards sold at groceries, Walmart and gas stations.

Most stores send out weekly sales flyers in the mail. I shop sales and stock up. Things like whole fryer chickens, other meats, produce and chips are listed and with a bit of planning, you can eat very well for a minimal amount of money. For example, whole fryer chickens can go for as little as 79 cents per pound. That means a whole chicken can cost as little as $3 and you can get a lot of meals out of that. I often bake a chicken for dinner and serve with mashed potatoes and home-made gravy. Leftover mashed potatoes can be mixed with some freshly grated potatoes, some ground flax, chicken broth and a bit of grated onion and baking powder to make potato pancakes which can be frozen for breakfast or other meals. Leftover chicken can be used in chicken salad, chicken tacos/nachos and I sometimes use it with the leftover gravy, other veggies and serve over rice for another lunch/dinner option. Ground beef can be used for hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, cabbage rolls, tacos and plenty of other recipes. Frozen shrimp can be used for seafood pastas or even as a cocktail to go with lunch. If you can get your hands on some cashews, you can make a relatively good alfredo sauce that is dairy-free (and can be made soy-free).

Easy sides are fruit cups, nuts, dried fruits, veggies sticks with hummus, fresh fruit (you can blend extras into smoothies for breakfast).

Baking is definitely a must once you get more established. I've taken to pre-making single serving pizza crusts (use a cake pan instead of a pizza pan for a "personal pan" size) and I freeze them for later, quick meals. Once again, cashews can be used to make a "cheese" for the pizza, giving you a food option that is free of gluten, dairy, soy and eggs.

I also make mini-muffins: banana bread, zucchini bread and also Carol Fenster's breadstick recipe can be used in muffin pans. Those can be used to make "sandwiches". They don't take long to make and by using mini-muffin pans, you can stretch those more expensive gluten-free foods a lot further.

Also, soups are so easy to make and really do go far when packing a lunch. And thermoses are relatively inexpensive as well as easy to find. That will give you several more options to take along.

Depending on your housing situation, you may want to try a bit of container gardening as well. One cherry tomato plant can yield several dozen tomatoes over the summer. It's an investment that can cost less than a dollar, is easy to care for and you've got fresh tomatoes to go with your meals. It may seem silly, but these little things pay for themselves relatively quickly.

For inspiration, you can also visit the parents board on this site and do a quick search for "bentos". Bentos are a great way to pack a whole food lunch that is appetizing, healthy and made with whole foods available anywhere.

Best of luck!

thanks! I will definitly use this info! especially the pizza!

I just want to say that you really shouldn't worry about dried beans and rice. If you are, you can always rinse them off before you cook, but generally, beans and rice are considered safe foods for celiacs.

thanks. I guess I was just leary b/c I've had reactions more than once to dried beans and also lentils, I will defintly try washing them! I know they are gassy foods to begin with, but I also got the tirdness and fatiguing.....eh....who knows gotta love this disease

Does going gluten-free effect the body enough to cause irregular/missed periods at first?

I've always had irregular and often heavy periods and also have had ammenorhea in the past, but since going gluten-free my PMS symptoms have been all over the place at random times of the month. I missed a period this month (only have brown discharge) and then 2 weeks after the missed period I got my period. I just feel like I've had PMS for 2 months! not horrible, but tired all the time/lower back aching and circles under my eyes.... is this a normal reaction?

Then find yourself some Tinkyada rice pasta. It's delicious!

Ditto!!!! this stuff is amazing, an you can barely tell the differance from regular! especially if you are eating it hot, ts basically the same!

yeah. keep us posted. I've been bugging my mom to try the diet just for a week. She has heart problems, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, hemroids, rash and water retention, is taking heartburn meds and all kinds of stuff for her heart problems. She is always complaining about having gas and stomach problems and is overwieght. I was even sitting next to her one day and could hear her stomach, as she was sitting there in discomfort. I told her "try it, just one week? I can almost gaurentee you'll feel so much better and lose wieght in the long run." I am the type of person who packs on wieght if I eat gluten, gluten free I cant keep it on!!!!! SO it wouldnt suprise me if she's the same way....I just wish she would try it!!!

Hi Gluten-Free members,

Wow... honestly only today did I finally do a self diagnosis and realised that it was very likely I had an allergy to gluten (celiacs disease).

Here are my symptoms:

* Stomach Pain and bloating

* Diarrhea (been constant for months)

* Weight loss (I eat like a pig and never go above 53 kgs - I'm 5ft7)

* Irritability

* Depression

* Constantly Tired

* No energy

* Mouth Ulcers

* Mild IgA deficiency

* Anal fissures/bleeding (sounds gross I know)

* Felt like I was absorbing any nutrients

* Weakness

* Stomach gurgling and noises

So from all those symptoms would most of you conclude that I had celiacs disease? I know self diagnosis can be dangerous. I actually went to see the doctor about 6 months ago for my symptoms and she was absolutely useless! Only about 25 yrs old... she did a few tests and although I had a mild IgA deficiency she couldn't tell me what was wrong with me.

When mum suggested today that I might have celiacs (coz of my symptoms and my cousin has it too) - I went online and couldn't believe how many of the symptoms I fitted.

Now this is going to sound kind of gross - but did any of you have an embarrassing problem like an itchy anus? I developed this about a year ago and felt tiny lumps around there... and I just knew that it must be related to my stomach pains coz it all seemed to stem from my intestines.

I am a BIG bread and cereal lover and have never gone a day in my life without them - so I have never been gluten free long enough to realise that that was my problem. So from today onwards I am embarking on a gluten free diet and hopefully I'll notice a great improvement. I knew I was unwell for so long but I didn't know what was wrong with me! I am sooo happy that I might have found a cure sooo sooo relieved that all my problems haven't been in my mind and it hasn't just been me feeling stressed or "run down". To have possibly found an answer is amazing - I would much rather know that I have this disease than be living with all the symptoms that have been causing me a lot of unhappiness. I don't know why people seem so dissapointed to have found out they have celiacs - for me it is the biggest blessing to finally have found an answer!!!

I am also self diagnosed and 22. I completely agree with you that it is the biggest blessing. I mean, there are times it sucks and can get stressfull, but in the end I am so glad I found out the cause to my problem. I just wish people around me could understand how grateful I am. This forum has definitly been so helpful since doctor and family definitly arent!!

What about salad? You can put chicken or tuna in. White Corn tortillas (Mission brand is gluten free) you can make wraps wtih the chicken or tuna. Also peanut butter and jelly on the tortillas. Fruit salad.

If you don't like mircrowaves, then what about a thermos sometime down the road?

I can't think of many things for now without a larger store and not wanting to use a mircrowave.

I like to heat up taquitos and cut them up in a salad. I make my own bread at home (gluten free panty sandwich bread is really good and easy) and bring sandwiches to work with gluten free past salad or gluten free chips.

It is hard in the beginning but once you catch on to what you can eat and how many normal type of foods are gluten free (no gluten ingredients) it does get easier. If you like spaghetti Classico sauce is gluten free. Dinty Moore Beef Stew is gluten free and Stagg Chili is also gluten free.

Good Luck.

thanks. I actually dont mind eating hot foods cold. My break at work is very short and I'm usually starving by the time I get to it so I could care less if my food is heated, especially something like gluten-free pasta and sauce or even rice. I'm a college student, so I'll eat just about anything inany way (gluten-free of course!

I don't eat processed foods at all and I don't starve somehow. The vast majority of the foods I eat never contained gluten so I don't need to find substitutes. Anyway, I'm not gloating, just trying to explain that there's lots of things to eat that are very healthy and naturally gluten free, if you want to consider changing your diet a little.

thanks. I actually dont eat too many processed foods. just gluten-free crackers or cookies on occasion as a treat. The only reason I wan to ge to a bigger store is for the gluten-free pasta, hot breakfast cereals and a snack that doesnt need refrigeration and that I can carry with me that is convenient in case I get hungry. I am very active and athletic so I try to eat a well balance of everything, I get hungry very easily after a few hours of not eating and will start feeling light headed... I prefer eating small things throughout the day.