lynnelise

Hello all,

I am also new to Celiac Disease, I was diagnosed today and have to start a Gluten Free diet ASAP.

-I am a little bit lost when it comes to food additives. When you guys look at food labels, besides the obvious, what are some things I should stay away from? I am already very disappointed about the beer brewing process, and WINE! I know I will change my eating habits and lifestyle a lot due to this, but I want to feel better. I have a small list of places I like to go, if anyone has any suggestions for meals and FAST meals I would be very thankful.

Panera bread company (soups, salads, breads)

Colters BBQ

Chipotle

Pei Wei

Starbucks

Potbellys Subs

Quiznos

I also go to nicer restaurants with my parents or co-workers, what should be my approach at these places? Should I look off the menu and for items that would least likely contain gluten? Call in advance? (Need help with this one) I know there are lists online that show gluten-free friendly restaurants, but I know there are going to be times where it is not my decision where we go.

One more thing, I have been drinking soy milk for a while. I originally thought it was causing the upsets, but obviously it was not. Are soymilks gluten free, or should I be searching for a specific type?

Thanks!

Armand

I believe I read that Pei Wei has a gluten free menu. Chipolte is usually okay, just have them change gloves and stuff and get a bol. Panera could be iffy due to cross contamination. Other restaurants I definately recommending calling ahead and speaking with a manager. Some will work with you and others won't.

Most soymilk is okay, check the labels thoroughly, though a lot of people on here seem to have trouble digesting soy.

I ended up with short stature and am pretty sure it's due to celiac. I was always on the tall average side until in 6th grade I mysteriously stopped growing. My family is mostly average to tall with a few short people thrown in but not extremely short like me. I'm only 4'11" tall.

I know that bread you are talking about. It's more like a hockey puck!

I'm only 4'11 too! I stopped growing in the fifth grade. (Taller at least, I continually grow outward! lol!) A lot of my family is short though. Most of the short ones have bad stomachs too. Interesting.

Unless you absolutely need a diagnoses to stay with the diet then I wouldn't worry about it. My bloodwork was also negative (though I later realized I had been on the South Beach diet so I may not have had enough gluten in my diet) and I tried gluten free anyhow. The results have been wonderful and I would not consider going back to eating gluten just to get a diagnoses. I've seen several doctors and they all agree that if I'm sick when I eat it and feel good when I don't then my body is telling me not to eat gluten!

I made a rum cake for a good friend's b-day, chocolate cupcakes for another, and lime cupcakes for my b-day. No one could tell they were gluten free! I'd make a gluten free cake and some gluten-free pizza for you and if they don't want to try it they can get regular pizza and cake. Then you are all eating the same type of food. The girls night should be about being together, having fun, and laughing...not the food.

The sickest I've gotten was from a McDonald's Mocha frappe. I don't know for sure it was gluten. It could've been too much dairy I guess. All I know was I was sick for almost a week and I'll never drink one again.

I agree it's probably the gastritis/duodenitis that is causing fruit to hurt your stomach. I've suffered from both and 90% of the time it felt like boiling acid was going to explode out of my stomach! I mentioned before my doctor gave me Carafate which helped to heal my stomach lining. I started feeling better within a couple of weeks.

I also wanted to mention I was taking milk thistle to help me recover from mono and it was causing me terrible pains in my right side. I went on vacation and forgot to take it while I was gone and the pain went away. Started back at home and the pain started back. I might eliminate it for now just to be safe!

When I was diagnosed with gastritis and duodenitis the doctor gave me a Rx for Carafate. After a couple of weeks I was able to eat pain free!

Last year, while still in elementary school, we arranged a plan that I felt was the easiest and safest for all involved. I would send my daughters meals, she would have access to her teachers fridge and microwave. She would be allowed to get up from class 5 min early to prepare her meal.

When entering middle school this fall, we made the same arrangement. She was in band for a few weeks, but didnt like it, so she was swapped to PE. The leaving early plan worked wonderful. Now this semester she is in Health class prior to her lunch block. Yesterday her Health teacher would not allow her to leave early to warm up her lunch. She gave the reason was that they had a guest speaker in the class and did not want her leaving to interrupt him. This guest speaker is in this class 2 days a week every week!

I called the teacher after school, and she said that she would not let her leave early those 2 days, but the other 3 would be fine. She claims my daughter should still have time to prepare her meal.

I have subbed in this school, I know, and my daughter knows, that she will not in fact have time to get her items put in her locker, get back to the fridge, prepare her meal, find a seat, go back and get her drink, utensils, etc and then eat. She wont be able to stay late in lunch because she has a class right after lunch, plus another lunch group is coming in.

We do not have a 504 in place.

We have sent daughter with her lunch to be heated again today, to see what happens. Guest speaker is there on wed and thurs, so we are expecting her to be turned down again, giving us more leverage when we speak to the principal.

Salads are served in the lunch room, so she was able to eat a small meal, but the salads are not large, thats all she can have if not allowed to her own foods, and its cold!

I am anxious to hear your advice.....

I would fight it out with the principal. In the meantime maybe you can pack her lunch in a thermos so it will be warm at lunch time?

I loved the program Meet the Natives on the Travel Channel a couple of months back. The tribesmen were visiting the U.S. from the island of Tanna and their perspective on our food supply was so insightful. They refered to canned sweet potatoes as "dead" food, questioned whether microwaving in plastic would cause them to ingest the plastic and harm them, and questioned why our cows weren't eating grass. Really it takes people who have no modern conveniences to point out our lack of common sense!

Having been recently diagnosed with Celiac desease, I have been doing some research. It has come to my attention that the Gluten and lactose intolerent population is growing at a fast rate of speed. Could it have something to do with the way are food is grown and raised. With all the hybrid growing of grains and grasses, as well as Feeds that are used for milk producers [Dairies] I believe that we are being poisoned into these deseases that are causing our immune systems to shut down. Long gone are the family run farmers. Replaced by government run and owned food producing monopolies. Production having to be boosted somehow. As I see it artificial and genetically engineered food has been replaced by the wholesome foods the 50 and over age group grew up with. It is just a theory on my part, but I am shocked by the numbers now affected by this and other deseases that have affected the way our bodies absorb nutrients and respond and digest our much needed sources to sustain life. Anyone else out there have any thoughts on the subject.

I would agree. I have recently learned I have multiple hormonal imbalances and issues with my adrenal glands. My doctor said he's seeing a lot of these issues in younger and younger people and he blames the food supply. I recently watched Food, Inc and that was real eye opener!

First off I'm sorry for your loss!

The other posters had great ideas. Larabars and Kind bars have saved me many times. Fruit is easily transported. Also I keep Thai Kitchen and A Taste of Thai entrees on hand for emergency travel. They don't require refrigeration and you can just add water and microwave! Of course they are low on protein so you might want to supplement lean meats, nuts, ect.

What actually led me to a gluten free diet (I'm not diagnosed as celiac) is that vitamin deficiencies wore my immune system down so much that I was sick an entire year! I had three outbreaks of shingles last year, mono, the flu, strep throat 5 times (I don't even have tonsils), sinus infections, UTIs...ect. I know how you feel about being worn down and sick of being sick!

Of course my problems are miniscule compared to your near fatal dental infection and the brown recluse! I'm so sorry you've been through so much!!!

So basically I'm not much help except to say I know how frustrated you must feel! Also I wanted to second the olive leaf extract recommendation. It treats a whole myriad of things but taking it daily REALLY helps to supress shingles outbreaks!

I have had eggs and hashbrowns there without problem but it was very hard to get the waitress to understand my issue. I think other locations would be better but my local Ihop hires mostly college students from Nepal and there are some communication barriers. I could tell she wanted to help but just couldn't understand my request. So for now I am sticking to a local diner that doesn't even make pancakes! I feel much safer there!

Haha... I like your posts Takala... I read that and had the same thought... my mind just went UGH.. PLEASE. I'm iffy about the rest of that article but some of it is good. The bread maker thing is annoying to me also because like you said so many people haven't figured out what their other intolerances are after going gluten free. The article is okay but it doesn't seem to address that most of us are intolerant to a lot of stuff due to our leaky gut damage from celiac...also I've read that magazine before and it has some good stuff in it but nothing compared to these boards or the interwebs in general. I also dislike the title, LIVING WITHOUT... just sounds so damn negative. I don't feel I'm "living without" ANYTHING other than a poisonous death.. I would prefer to see it called living free or finally free or something like that. Maybe its just me.

I definately enjoyed the article but I have always thought the title Living Without is depressing! lol!

I know this is an old topic but I live about a mile from Charleston and have recently gone gluten free. I'd be interesting in knowing anyone else in the area!

I'm going with phyllo dough. Baklava and spanikopita. Most anything else I can make a suitable substitute. Though a biscuit from Cracker Barrel would be awfully good too!

I forgot to include a few things!

1. Acid Reflux

2. Severe Vitamin D deficiency (take supplements)

3. Got tested 4 years ago..came back negative, but the doctor kind of thought it was a joke asking to be tested so I honestly don't trust that...

Thanks!

I am not diagnosed as my blood tests were negative but I have many of your symptoms. I have been on gluten-free diet since November and I really feel a difference. My acid reflux is gone. No more diarrhea. The rash on my legs disappeared. I've gotten glutened a few times by accident and each time I get the rash back so I don't think it's a coincidence or placebo effect. If I were you I would of course keep my doctors visits in case there is something else at play but otherwise stick to the gluten-free diet and see if it helps!

I have had shingles three times...twice this year alone. Shingles doesn't itch very much. It does burn/sting. Mostly though you will be in pain. Nerve pain. It's a very unusual feeling and it's extremely uncomfortable. Shingles is typically limited to one side of the body so it would be either on the left or right of his back and shouldn't cross over to the other side. It also travels the nerve pathways so it will usually make a ring of blisters around half his torso. He needs to go to the doctor ASAP because the sooner shingles is treated the less likely you are to have lasting nerve damage.

I'm new here as well and have many of the same symptoms as you do. I actually had an EGD several months back, but they were looking for an ulcer and did not biopsy for celiac, it was noted that my small intestine was quite inflammed. My bloodwork for celiac was inconclusive so I took the plunge about two weeks ago to just try the diet. I know it's hard to commit to without a positive diagnoses but I just have felt so terrible for so long that it's worth giving up gluten to feel like a human! So far (2 weeks in with a few accidents) I am feeling a lot better! Less joint aches, less fatigue, WAY less digestive pain and trouble. So I guess what I'm saying is yes it's restrictive but you can work around that and experiment in the kitchen and if it helps trust me you'll be glad you tried it!