CoolCat1

jhmom: sorry about your negative experience.There are some terrible doctors out there. Do you feel like your celiac disease is better and you are looking for something else that is causing you pain?

Lovgro, that is bad news about Godiva...are there any Belgian/Swiss chocolates that are gluten free?

Hi, CanadianKaren: Hope all went well. From a fellow Canuk, Anne

Well I don't any reaction from drinking Amstel and I know a few other Celiacs that do it too w/o a reaction. To each his own I guess. I believe the company and I believe my body.

I watch what I eat and I pick my own battles. For the most part, since I stopped being so extremely careful . . . I've felt 90% better than before the diet and even after I started the diet and was watching every single morsel area I put my food.

To Pturse: There are some beers being brewed that are malt free. I heard there is one in Montreal Canada. I am sure there are more. I am not a beer drinker so I haven't investigated this further but why not take some time..use the internet or switch to liquor. I always wondered years ago before I was diagnosed for celiac disease why beer made me feel so bloated and awful. I don't think you should risk it.

When I made my own gluten-free pies after being gluten-free with celiac disease for a month I had bad gas and diarrhea. I told my GI and he said it was because my intestines were too damaged to absorb fats. I find if I eat too many fats I get gas. Has anyone gone gluten-free for months and then had another biopsy, found out their small intestine is fine but still experienced bloating? I have used Pepto Bismal successfully when my bloating is bad at night.

Keep a food diary for a few weeks and see if you can pinpoint the food allergy.I don't have the lip liner reaction but my lips are very dry and I'm always peeling them. It got really bad before I was diagnosed 4 months ago when I had anemia but in the last 3 weeks its coming back.

I was diagnosed on June 28.It may be a shock to have celiac disease but before I knew I had it I was told I had Crohn's Disease or Colitus. These would be much worse since they involved surgery and lasting effects post surgery. It was nice to know I could recover from the horrible fatigue, anemia, diarrhea, etc. I found a great health food store with a gluten free bakery in my city and have been buying pies,rice pasta, butter tarts, cookies etc. I was so glad I could eat chocolate but I found out I couldn't eat Lindt chocolates because of the malt ingredient. That was awful! I am still looking for other imported chocolates...Godivas are ok and other chocolates like Aero bars are ok. I have also baked pies from a receipe on internet...My family said the pies were 10's on a scale of 1-10. I found the only breads I bought that I like were made by a company called Kinnekinek (a company from Alberta, Canada). I can't get this bread in my city so I may end up making biscuits. Pancakes taste just the same when you mix up rice flour,bean flour, quinoa, tapioca flour, soya flour etc. and make them yourself...same with muffins. I got a brownie mix and put apples/peaches in the centre and it has been my daughter's favourite above anything she's ever had with wheat. Life is not over with celiac disease..its an adjustment for sure. You can get restaurant's to make you something if you press the issue...My favourite Chinese restaurant made me something gluten-free just for me. Check your area for restaurants with gluten-free menus. I found 3 restaurants with gluten-free items and a pizza place that makes gluten-free pizza. Think of it as a new adventure and a challenge that you can overcome. You will be able to eat almost everything again but in a new way!

Thanks, Tiffany. It seems as if I'm better today but my allergies(environmental: grasses,pollens) are better today and I'm not at work either. I guess I'll see tomorrow with increased stress whether that's the problem. I think I'll see how tired I am this week and if its bad I'll phone my gastrologist up and ask to see him.

Try Imovane(sleeping pill). I just take 1/3 of a pill. It gets me sleeping. I tried Melatonin and it only works sometimes. A glass of wine and melatonin worked though. I would think Tylennol is a bad choice for longer because could it not damage your organs?

I have the same problem with sleep. I tried Melatonin and sometimes that works(health food store). The rest of the time I take 1/3 of an Imovane tablet (sleeping pill). It can be taken for 4 days in a row.For exercise I take karate and if I take it earlier in the day I'm ok but when I take it later it makes me even more revved.Also I go for walks. I take Tai Chi one night a week and that helps a bit. Slow deep breathing from the diaphram is supposed to help. I think its because of having all that abdominal bloating for months and then trying to sleep...and now not having so much bloating but my body is used to going to bed at 12am and then I need to wake up at 7am but only sleep till 6 ish. Why are you taking an antidepressant? Some antidepressants have a side effect of restlessness and insomnia. Check it out on internet.

Thanks for trying to help. I doubt if I can get Long Term Disability because my GI said that I could be better in a matter of weeks to months. I have another biopsy scheduled in February. I suppose I could always take sick days but if they occur more than 3 days I would need a doctor's certificate. I guess I should take another blood test to see if my iron is lower. My allergies are bad too right now. Could it be allergies that make me so sleepy? Will allergies get better once I'm healed up? lovegro, I think I do need more than up to May next year. I guess I better get some more medical evidence first before I see the head of Human Resources. He should be able to overide what my control freak principal wants.

Yes I was told during my Endoscopy on June 28 that I had celiac disease and when I went to my office visit on Aug. 4 ths GI told me my small intestine was severely damaged with completely flattened villi and no ridges. I have been gluten-free since June 28 with a few errors. I had a medicial certificate from my doctor saying I have celiac disease and I had a severely damaged intestine and that I needed a work change because of my physical condition and also stress. He said he couldn't definitely sayI needed to work mornings because of law suits relating stress to celiac disease. I made a deal to stay mornings until May 05 with the help of my union. There was no way I wanted a transfer and luckily there wasn't one available. I guess I'm worried if they tell me I need to go to the afternoons in June and stay there the following year and I just don't know if I could cope with the stress. Last year's teaching was just awful with me having anemia, fatigue,stress from my class, which had at least half of them with emotional problems/ADHD etc. and my husband's depression. I also couldn't sleep because of bloating and I'm still having problems with sleeping and am now taking half a sleeping pill at night. Labour laws in Ontario, Canada say I should be accomodated but I hesitant to make waves because of the control freak principal I work for.

I lost weight,had anemia for months, diarrhea/bloating for years and finally had a biopsy in July. I have been on sick leave from May till this month.I started working half time mornings after much flack/opposition (I was working afternoons teaching for years and my principal didn't want to let me change to mornings until I got my federation to help me). I am feeling so tired I'm wondering if my iron level is way down again. In April/ May, I got 13 iron injections. By the time I saw my GI (August)he told me my iron level was now low normal. I find that odd since I should have been higher. Now, I'm working again and I'm so tired in the afternoons. The school board said they would only have me work mornings until May. I will also be getting another job evaluation done. This is also stressful to me. I am dreading that they may force me to go back to afternoons or transfer to another school. This too will be stressful. I have only one more year till I can retire after this year. There are still other stresses...my husband's depression, environmental allergies, my teenage kids etc. Will it do me any good to go back to the GI or will he just say I'm tired because my body isn't absorbing iron and forget about it? I've been thinking I should go to the head of Human Resources and ask to be kept on mornings.

It could be Lupus. Also, my friend's husband has rhematoid arthritis and I suggested he go gluten-free and she says he's way better. He's starting to get more movement and has no more abdominal pain.

I was interested in your question because I'm wondering if my husband might have celiac disease. I was really sick this last year and found I have it but I was only marginally depressed. My husband has been on antidepressants for the last 3 years and can't find anything that keeps his moods consistently steady. Have any of you noticed depression before you were diagnosed?

I understand you worrying about your son. I just had my kids tested too and am waiting for the results. If he does have celiac disease its certainly not that bad and you will feel relieved to know whatever the results are.Cancer is only a remote possiblity for anyone after years of having celiac disease. If you have financial concerns, check to see if you can get a tax break(in Canada there is tax form for celiac disease). Also, so many health food stores carry Gluten Free products. I started baking alot more after I found I had it and my kids like the gluten-free muffins and brownies. Life is not over with celiac disease.

I tried internet and haven't found anything about gluten-free restaurants or health food stores in Cozumel. I'll be there for 2 weeks. I just had my kids tested for celiac and I don't know if they are or not yet but if my daughter is it will be worse because she is vegetarian. I would appreciate any help with this.

Not having folds is bad. I was told when I had my first biopsy about 2 months ago that I had no folds and my villi were severely flattened. I'd say to look for hidden glutens. I almost ordered something in my favourite Chinese restaurant that had been marinated in kikomen sauce even though I brought my soya sauce to the restaurant. However, when they all understood my problem they were able to make me something with rice noodles,scallops and vegies and my favourite soup with no soya. Also, from reading this forum I never even thought about my shampoo and I am going to check my lipstick asap. I hope you have a seperate toaster. Good luck@

I am going to Cozumel with my family again but this time I need to be gluten-free as I was diagnosed in June 30/04. Anyone know of any gluten-free menus or health food stores there? Any help/ advice would be appreciated? We are staying in a cottage and can buy groceries/cook.

I felt tired for years and then I got really exhausted but thought I was just stressed. I then lost weight and eventually tested low iron and was definitely anemic. I tried iron pills but they gave me diarrhea. 2 months ago I found out I had celiac disease and am on the gluten-free diet. i still can't sleep without a sleeping pill and I'm still bloating/constipated and then I have diarrhea in the morning. But, hey, it was way worse a few months ago. I am only working mornings and I'm trying to rest pm's but I still have insomnia. Melatonin doesn't do it for me..neither does valarian. Jendenise, good luck!

I would like to know too. I am still tired and can't get to sleep at night. I work mornings only. I sometimes rest afternoons for awhile but whether I do or not I can' t get to sleep unless I use a sleeping pill. I had Iron injections when I was anemic in May. I am still low normal and have been gluten-free for 2 months.

I have been gluten-free for 2 months and I just recently found out that my favourite chocolate Lindt/Lindor has malt. Cheaper chocolates do not. I am looking for a comparable Swiss/Belgian chocolate. Anyone know of any? Chocolate withdrawal uck!

Thanks, Jill for the shampoo advise. I colour my hair...is it ok for coloured hair?

I had to get iron injections because the iron pills gave me really bad diarrhea. Ask about this.

Canadian Karen, I had the gastroscopy, colonoscopy etc a couple of months ago and got diagnosed with celiac disease. The demoral they give you made me so relaxed. It's a fantastic drug. Don't worry. I love Demoral.