JayinUT

For me it isn't the ingredients that I fear though I do give them their due diligence. After four years of this I have found it is the cc that is the issue in restaurants. It is in the prep. Do they offer a dedicated prep area? If not there is a risk of cc and if your really sensitive like me, that could and usually means problems. Do they have dedicated cookware? If not ask did you replace pans when diagnosed? Why? Because of the risk of cc. If a restaurant doesn't have dedicated pans you run the risk of cc. In the end, each celiac must decide for themselves if the risk of eating out is worth it. Studies are showing even a minor intake can cause damageinternally. So when eating out, I ask very specific questions and if I'm not content, I don't risk it and just have a drink well my family enjoys. However, ymmv as I am extremely sensitive.

Eleanor's does indeed rock and is a wonderful place to eat for celiac's and those who aren't but go with them!

With PF Changs in SLC it comes downtown timing with me. If I go at night when they are busy I will get glutened each and every time from cc. If I go during their lunch or slow times, I'm fine as the cooks can take their time. I know when I'm glutened and I know when it is something I am intolerant of. When I emailed them last time I asked about their prep and if everything is prepared separate and in a dedicated wok. No, they don't do a dedicated wok, just a clean and fresh one. So I don't consider PF's to be totally safe. Just know if you eat out you will risk being glutened and that is the risk you take for eating out.

Varies by Location. The one in Murray UT is great but they had a waitress who had celiac who trained their staff. Provo UT is good but West Valley bad Riverton at the District I wouldn't eat at ever. That is a cc event waiting to happen every time.

Thanks for the replies. Our local Walmarts are just continuing to head in another direction in regards to Gluten Free. Management at the store or district level just says they label their products gluten free that are and leave it at that. So my wife and I have moved on. Bad move on Walmart's part because of the secondary shopping we often did while there. We'll just save the money we spent there on these secondary items now so it is probably a good thing.

My wife and I have noticed that the Great Value Brand at Walmart is moving many of their product line away from being gluten-free; or at least they are removing the gluten-free label from many of the items in their Great Value Brand that were gluten-free before. We looked on several of the products and they either now contain wheat or are made in facilities that process wheat. So we've decided to move on to other stores that contain more gluten-free items. Anyone else see this?

There are two cookbooks that I recommend very highly.

The first is by Carol Fenester and can be found at this link Gluten Free Quick and Easy

The other is a new book that is just incredible. We have tried about 6 entrees and his cookies, and his muffins and lets just say my 16 year old daughter who hates that we are gluten free said "These taste normal" which is the greatest compliment I can give. Robert Landolphi's wife was really sick and I believe in 1999 was diagnose. He is a trained professional chef and he has 100 receipes. Many non-gluten free people are amazed at his receipes. Here is the link Gluten Free Everyday Cookbook. His book alone is worth it for his flour mixes.

One of the things my wife and I dislike is that often gluten free food seems to come across as being what we call "Tree Nut Food." Were from California and sometimes it just reminds of fanatics who are health crazy. We know we can have great tasting gluten free food that is not only healthy but great tasting. One of the benefits for our family is that it use to be before I got diagnosed that we did quick cassroles and had left overs and did not help my wife with the cooking or eat together at the table. We now all pitch in on the cooking and we are sitting down to eat. That has been a huge blessing. Yes, you'll cook more as a celiac but your food should not only be healthier, but you'll be able to have awesome tasting food. Knowing you have to cook more, we just plan that into our day.

I am a celiac with lactose intolerance. My gastro told me I'll probably always be lacto intolerance. I've tried Soy Milk but my wife gets diarrhea with it so we went to Rice Milk (she is allegeric to nuts so no Almond milk though I like it!). Then I tried lactose free milk with no problems.

Warning!!!!! I have an email from the makers of the lactaid pills that their product is gluten free (if you want a copy, I can forward it, let me know). However, the store generics are NOT always gluten free. I assumed because Lactaid was gluten free that the generic would be and bought a bottle of Western Family from local grocery store and began using it. Two weeks later I knew I had been fighting a gluten issue and couldn't figure out where I was getting it (we are gluten free in the home). I then read the generic lactaid and in small print (and dummy me, I know better) I read that wheat was a component. At that point I decided to pay the extra for Lactaid regardless. I know based on their email they are gluten free. That was three weeks ago and I am just now starting to feel better. Lesson learned.

Try this again (lost the last post I was writing!). Good luck and I hope everything goes well for you.

I had the full series of tests done over a year ago. We started with a pillcam. My prep was no food (water only) after 6:00p.m. the night before and nothing 2 hours before my appointment. I could not be late for the appointment either or they would have to reschedule. I wore this huge belt like thing and had wires pasted to my skin on my torso like an EKG. Then I went about my day and returned that afternoon when they took everything out. The pill passed out late that evening, very easy procedure.

My pillcam showed extensive celiac sprue damage in the very low areas of my small intestine. I then had to undergo another procedure called the balloon endoscopy and colonscopy. That was not a good day. Five hours of procedures because I have sleep apena, told them about it, and they didn't prepare for it. I fought the endoscopy and when they put me deeper down, I stopped breathing. Then they had to wake me up, take me to the OR to have a anesthesiologist run that aspects and control my apena. Well, I never want to have that done. I felt like I had the World Champion Heavy Weight Boxer had used my torso as a punching bag for about 4 days. The biopsy from the upper small intestine showed nothing but the lower portion of the small intestine came back positive though they had not been able to get to where the pictures where because of how my small intestine turns (couldn't get there either way) as it was too dangerous to try the turn; they feared they would tear the intestinal wall. Thanks heaven for the pillcam!

So my pillcam was correct and how I wished I hadn't had the balloon endoscopy or colonoscopy (I had had an original colonscopy before the pillcam which took out some polyps but that was it). The original colonoscopy wasn't bad but the balloon procedures just aren't fun, at least for me.

Glad I did it? Yes as overall I am SO much better now that I am gluten free. I was diagnosed in 1989 as having irritable bowel syndrome (disease) but my gastro is sure I had Celiac going back to then. That means I went 19 years undiagnosed. Better late then never. I hope everything goes well for you.

I saw my Gastro on Monday and he told me patience. I cannot know everything all at once, the big thing is I am making major steps in the right direction. He told me to keep a personal journal to record what gets me sick, or what happen to make me sick and journaling have helped.

I do think of Randy Pausch's Last Lecture where he discusses the brick wall and I know on the other side is a life that will change my life, my family's life and those who know me. I want it so I will not be denied and I'll work through it. I have also found that a local friend has Celiac and lets just say in some ways he is becoming a mentor who can assist me through some of this. I do believe with the diligence we give to it, it will get better.

I went to the dentist today for a cleaning and I won't mention the rest . . . .

Thanks everyone for your help. We are going to go to a support group locally that meets once a month on the 1st Thursday, but my wife is understanding more now; she just doesn't want to give up her Holiday Baking, but that can be worked out.

I have another question. If my kids eat something with gluten and leave it in the sink, can I do the dishes or do they or my wife have to do it? I think if I do it I run a chance of CC but I'm not sure. Thanks again.

I just got diagnosed 3 weeks ago and I need some help. I'm doing pretty good on my diet, my wife is checking labels and we are cooking gluten free here at home. Here are my issues:

For the first week and a half I was doing my cooking and that was working. Then my wife wanted to be supportive and took over the cooking. She is using gluten free food but not the pans we bought for my cooking, she is using the Celephon pans (not teflon but non-stick yes) we've had for a couple years for cooking and I am having my symptoms again. Can the pans be cross contaminating?

My wife also thinks it is ok if she does her baking with the 40lbs of wheat flour she has in our pantry. I let her know we cannot store any of my products in the pantry if the flour is in there and that if she cooks with the flour it can contaminate my cooking materials and me via the air. I hate being sick when I get this. I get that memory fog, fatigue and the impact on the digestive system is not worth. Just to clarify, I was diagnose with IBS in 1989 and my gastro thinks I've probably had Celiac since back then. I am really sensitive to gluten and was confirmed with two biopsy's from a balloon endoscopy from different locations in the small intestine.

So here are my questions. Should we only use my cookware whether the cooking is for just me or the entire family? Next, can she use regular flour in the kitchen and not cross contaminate with my items that are in the cupboard? Finally, how do we find a balance between my dietary needs and those that my wife and two teenagers may want some of the items they enjoy ie cookies, brownies etc, realizing that the teenagers will adjust regardless. My wife wants to help, and has helped, yet we are just unsure how to proceed since I am the only one with issues, and what we can and cannot do and how to do. Any help or advice?

I know after about 2-3 hours. Some react right away and others will not react for 24 hours or more.

I'm one that reacts right away, within 20 to 30 minutes. Then when I'm done in the bathroom I need to lay down for some time. I find a nap has always helped.

Being new to this (3 weeks in) I've noticed this week that I've had more issues with certain foods that are gluten free (tomatoes are the big one). Is it possible I just don't have a tolerance for them and thus I suffer since not enough time has gone by to heal the villa?

I just received my diagnosis 3 weeks ago after going through a balloon endoscopy and colonoscopy with the biopsy proving I had celiac (after 20 years thinking I had IBS) and have been gluten free since. I haven't had an issue adjusting, but the cost, man the cost. Thanks for the tips on the Asian Market. I believe we have several nearby. I'll say that I am actually cooking far more than I did and my wife is getting really good already at modifying receipes that are working quite well and are still tasty. We are finding that by planning out our menu, that is helping as is finding 6 to 8 main dishes that I'll repeat and that work with the family. My two teenagers actually like the diet better, say it tastes better (while, minus the bread).