lynnelise

I doubt I'll be much help but I have been gluten free for over a year and still get sick within a week of resuming exercise. I have no idea whether this is related or not. I used to exercise intensely 5 times a week (pre-gluten free). Then in April of 2009 I got the flu. Started exercising again after resting a week or so...then in July 2009 I got mono. I rested for over a month, tried going back to light workouts and would get sick/exhausted within days. Now here it is a year and half later and I cannot exercise for more than a week, even light activity, without becoming ill and being exhausted for a week. I thought going gluten free would help this but so far it hasn't.

I have no great solution for you as far as getting your family on board (mine was on board from the beginning because I nearly died from untreated celiac) but whatever you do, don't just stop seeing them. That's the worst decision possible, IMHO.

Don't eat their stuff at either place. Take your own food and just be nonchalant about it. At your sister's, it sounds like she doesn't expect you to eat her stuff since she's not making much of anything you can have. Make your own gluten-free lasagna and keep it far away from the beloved crumb snatchers. At your mother's, you just have to be firm. She might be annoying about it, but you can live with it.

Not to be morbid, but you never how much more time you have with anybody you love. Six years ago turned out to be my last Christmas with somebody I loved with every fiber of my being (and who was very young and apparently healthy). Thank goodness I didn't let anything get in the way of spending that last Christmas with her.

richard

You make a great point! The holidays should be about spending time with the ones you love and no one should be worrying about whether you eat what was prepared! We are all guilty of spending too much time focusing on issues that don't really matter in the end!

I am very sorry for you loss Richard!

I have the same issues with my nephews. They are always sticking crumby fingers in my mouth! Once I brought my own safe salad to eat and my nephew threw his cookie in it!

So as for the sister...I would bring my own meal in tupperware and hide from the kids while you eat it! Then don't pick the kids up or let them sit with you unless they wash all the gluten off of them. It is kind of hard and you feel bad rejecting the kiddos but what can you do?

As for the mom...can you go over there and cook the food to make sure it's done safely? Bring her safe or disposal cookware to use? Supervise to make sure she doesn't use a gluteny spoon to stir or something?

Honestly if the stool test was positive and I had the celiac gene then I would just keep eating 100% gluten free. CC happens, don't freak out if it does but don't take risks either.

I understand your frustration. I too had negative bloodwork (wasn't on full gluten diet either). I had an EGD to look for an ulcer and they noted inflammation in my small intestine but did not biopsy it. So basically I don't know for sure that gluten is my issue and I'm not willing to go back to eating it to find out. Sometimes with CC I've just had bloating and fatigue...other times I've had less than 2 minutes to find a bathroom! So I don't know for sure that I am at risk for the types of diseases celiacs are prone to while on gluten but I avoid it just in case.

I wish I had some better advice for you but I'm not sure where to go from here. Maybe go back to the doctor? Is it possible you could have an issue with your gallbladder maybe? My symptoms were similar minus the weight loss when my gallbladder quit functioning. I couldn't eat anything without getting sick.

Also maybe other grains are affecting you. I would try eating just meat, fruits, and veggies. No processed foods like cereal or anything for a few weeks. Then you could start slowing adding in grains like rice?

Good luck and prayers to you! I hope you get on the road to recovery quick! I hate that you are so miserable right now!

I would just say thanks and pass it on to someone else. If it really was an oversight (and I'm pretty sure it probably was) then she'd probably be really embarrassed if you gave it back. I know I would be mortified if I realized I gave someone something they couldn't eat. Christmas shopping is stressful and it's easy to forgot who likes what and who can and cannot have this or that.

Poor thing! That is a nightmare come true for sure! Even worse to have been on your birthday. Hope you recover quick and have an awesome birthday regardless!

I was going to say that I have a friend who gets sinus congestion when she eats a lot of wheat so while she avoids it for the most part she will occassionally eat white bread (for some reason enriched bread doesn't cause as bad of a reaction in her, only whole wheat). I thought maybe the nurse had a similar situation but since you've clarified that she said it was the gluten causing her reaction then it would be in her best interest to not be so rude and to accept your help!

I agree the public is worse than dealing with the diet.

When I bring gluten free dips with crackers or chips it never fails that someone will dip a piece of bread or a regular cracker in there. Then they act like they don't know why I can't eat anymore...Infuriating!!!

I voted more than one year, less than three and relatively easy. I cook most dinners myself, I have a few trusted restaurants I go to, and I bring a lunch to work daily. I pack Larabars in my purse for emergencies. So 90% of the time I find the diet easy to follow.

Honestly since you are still having issues, I would try eliminating corn for at least a month and see if you feel better. Then you can try it to see if you react. Since testing isn't 100% accurate I think the elimination approach is the most accurate way to know.

Are you 100% sure you've removed all potential sources of cross contamination? Are you eating things that could share assembly lines with gluten? Did you change out your pots and pans, colanders, toaster, and so on? If so then your issue could very well be corn.

In my town Wendy's, Chickfila, and Burger King all have dedicated friers. Just make sure to ask first as it varies by location.

My cousin used to work at Austin's in DC and she says it's a great place to eat gluten free. I grew up in Arlington and I visit the DC area a lot. I never have trouble eating gluten free there and I always stop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to stock up on goodies before I leave. I now live in WV and we don't have either store here.

I had this conversation with a friend the other day and she said "because it's a great thickener and it's delicious!" :angry:I pointed out that it is also a top allergen not to mention gluten containing so why not use something less people react to???

I should add that she works for the Dept. of Agriculture and goes on lots of wheat grower sponsored luncheons.

I feel your frustration. I'd say these people probably don't even know how they are coming across with these comments. Anytime we are with a group and deciding where to eat my husband does the really annoyed "you choose, you're the one with special needs" and for some reason I think it comes across as snarky but I don't think he means it to.

The most annoying thing is when my in-laws literally wave food in my face and go on about how good it is and then say "oh no, you can't eat this can you? I forgot." Somehow I don't think they really forgot but who knows maybe they did. Gluten is not on their mind 24/7 like it is mine.

Not sure how much I can help but I have acid reflux and gastritis and find that after a few glutenings close to together these conditions will flare up. I usually eat very plain and very strict for a couple of weeks and drink coconut water. It really soothes and some research says it can help to heal the lining of your GI tract.

I would definately see a doctor as soon as I could!

I've noticed that a lot of my meltdowns seem to coincide with hormonal swings or happen after I've gone too long without eating. I've been gluten-free for a year now and it does get easier.

I came close to breakdown on Saturday because I went to a cookie party just to be social. I brought fudge to share and sat in the corner away from all the baking. Everyone made a point to talk to me and include me as much as possible but I just felt so sad that I couldn't eat any of the delicious cookies. Plus the hostess served the most delicious lunch and I couldn't eat any of it. Due to a miscommunication with my husband I didn't have my purse with my safe snacks so I was hungry and a bit miserable. I just kept trying to focus on how nice it was to see these friends and spend time with them.

My worst times are usually caused by my inlaws. They tend to go on and on about how great something is and practically shove it in my face and then say "oh you can't have this can you?" GRRRR!!!

I would call your hosts and just say that you wanted to give them the heads up that you have recently been diagnosed with celiac. Tell them not to worry about finding food for you because you will go to the store upon arrival and buy yourself neccessities. Also buy disposable foil baking pans and the like to avoid CC. If you make it sound like no big deal and display confidence in yourself attending to your needs then they should be cool with it!

My Thanksgiving went really well! I made a lot of the side dishes and my mom made the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and deviled eggs. My sides were a sweet potato and cranberry casserole, cranberry sauce, Chebe rolls, and wild rice, sausage, and apple stuffing. For dessert I made pumpkin struesel cheesecake bars and Impossibly easy coconut pie from the Live Gluten Freely website. I also made homemade eggnog ice cream. I wrote about it in my blog which is listed in my profile. Even the gluten eaters were happy!

As for pots and pans, make sure there are absolutely no scratches because gluten can stick in those and you can't clean them out properly. Try buying your own jar of peanut butter and other condiments and labeling it gluten-free so your family doesn't mess with them.

A helpful thing someone used in another thread was think of it as being raw chicken. Would you wash your hands if someone touched raw chicken and then touched the microwave or the remote? Of course. Treat gluten the same way. Sounds overwhelming now but believe me it becomes almost second nature really quick.

I'm all for the island idea. As for Applebee's. Ugh. They get me everytime. Last time I had a plain salad and a plain hamburger and got sick, the manager was supposedly cooking my food personally and on foil too. No need to feel like an idiot. We all slip up!

I would say the bloating and brain fog are indication enough. Strangly before going gluten-free, back when everything under the sun gave me diarrhea McDonald's food did not. In fact it was the only place I could eat on road trips...Go figure.

Also not all of my glutenings have been the same. Usually I get hit by CC and get diarrhea within an hour...Then one day I ate 1/4 of a burger before I realized the mushrooms were actually gluten containing mushroom gravy so I got a good dose of gluten and no diarrhea...just brain fog, fatigue, and bloating.

I make this exactly as the recipe states using the Betty Crocker Gluten Free yellow cake mix. Works perfect!

How sad! I can see why your feelings are hurt. I hope you and your husband have a great Christmas together!

There is a mill near my home that alternates grinding wheat and corn so I agree with the above to test yourself by eating corn on the cob not corn meal. You could be reacting to CC and not the corn itself.

Oh no! Feel better soon! I know how you feel though...I always wait til the last minute to go to the doctor because I'm never 100% sure it's not a glutening.