pianoland

If you've been gluten free for a year, would it even be possible to correctly determine celiac from that?

Also do you mind sharing what the "acid reflux diet" is?

I would definitely get a separate toaster (you can find them really cheap).

I understand what you're going through completely, I share a small kitchen with 3 roommates. I recommend keeping stuff like your colander, pots, cutting board, wooden utensils (sometimes even spatulas), etc on a separate shelf, or in a separate bin in your room. It's less stressful knowing that even when you leave the kitchen, there's no confusion.

I'm very sensitive and don't obsess over my hair/makeup products. What's important is chapstick/lipgloss/anything that might come into contact with your mouth. If you touch your face/hair a lot then just make sure you wash your hands before you eat, which is usually a given anyway.

Sorry I don't have a better answer! 

At school, I only cook with my own pots, pans, cutting boards, etc, and have my own sponge.

When I go home and my parents use shared pans (no scratches) and sponge, I have often had reactions that seems like gluten. (I try to ask them to dedicate a sponge but it becomes pointless when going back and forth between gluten/non-gluten uses of the pan.)

At my sorority events I avoid the food (even fruits and veggies) and anything they cook for me, because I'm afraid of the shared pans. I could bring my pans to cook it myself there but the house kitchen makes me feel glutened just looking at it. My friend directly asked me today if they could make a gluten-free casserole in her casserole dish. It is so nice to be cooked for rather than bring a lunch bag, but I wasn't sure what to tell her.

Is there any basis to my fear? What have your experiences been using shared equipment?

Do you think trial and error is worth the possibility of a reaction?

Glad to hear you're setting up an appointment. So many of your symptoms relate to mine.. for starters, I believe mono was my trigger. I also had issues with chronic yeast infections, muscle fatigue and soreness, and the most obvious one, stomach issues. This doesn't mean you have celiac but it could mean a gluten intolerance or an intolerance to something else.

I recommend keeping a detailed food log and include reactions.

Good luck and keep us updated!

In my experience, there's not a whole lot you can do about acne, other than control it with topicals and antibiotics, and slowly weening off of those. I've dealt with acne since I was 15 and after my celiac diagnosis at age 19, not much was different in terms of my regimen and the results.

Hang in there, unfortunately it's a part of growing up!

It definitely influences me. I always check the ingredient list before making the final decision. But I mostly eat whole foods because it's cheaper and most of the processed treats/bread/pasta I get are certified gluten-free.

I've also reacted to Wegman's corn pasta (not consistently though) but don't react to corn tortillas/chips. I tried googling to see if anyone had issues with their corn pasta but didn't find any good info.

As for the peanuts, it could be cross contamination.

A lot of celiacs say it takes about a year to fully heal, so you might experience some glutening symptoms as you heal. (I recommend keeping a food log because it's the best time to discover any possible food sensitivities.)

Anyway, my symptoms pre-diagnosis were much worse than if I get glutened now. It only takes some cross-contamination to trigger symptoms though. Typically it's rumbles/gas and exhaustion. I can't speak for DH. 

I do remember thinking the same thing...kept hearing how symptoms would worsen the deeper I'm into the diet. However I don't find this to be true. The symptoms aren't worse but I've become much more sensitive.

San-J Tamari is also great if you can't find Kikkoman's.

NYC is a great place to visit without worrying about eating safely. My latest successes:

-Heartland Brewery (Midtown West location only)

Waiter assured me they prep in a separate location with separate mixing bowls, utensils, etc.

Open Original Shared Link

-5 Napkin Burger

Gluten free buns and separate frier. I've been there 3 or 4 times, no reaction any of the times.

Open Original Shared Link

In the past I've also had good luck at

-Bistango

-Nizza's

I walked past Risotteria but I'm dying to go there next time I'm in the city!

Feel free to add to this list.

Why not start up yogurt again? I eat it almost everyday. It's so easy to make it interesting. I tend to get plain Greek and add different fruit like kiwi, banana, blueberries, whatever is in season, homemade granola (especially since you can tolerate oats), almonds, dried fruit, honey or cinnamon if you want a sweetener. It never gets old!

I'm not very good about being consistent with taking a probiotic but I think they really help with digestion. This is what I take, not sure if it's easy to get your hands on though: Open Original Shared Link

Something I've had to tell myself over and over is that food should not stress me out. Stress is enough to trigger what feels like a reaction (often psychological for me).

If you give your mom the knowledge/understanding of cross contamination, the foods that are safe for you, and buy separate cutting boards/strainers/pots/pans/stirring utensils, she can certainly cook for you. 

You should never let celiac get in the way of social events...going out to eat is more about being with the people than it is about the food. Bring something if you're not comfortable eating what they serve.

I have an upcoming interview that involves eating breakfast (in a group), then a one-on-one lunch.

Should I include in my RSVP that I'm gluten free, or handle it by declining breakfast and just hope I'll have an option with lunch?

I don't want a job interview to be about the meal, so any tips on how to approach this?

I wake up feeling good and rested, and keep my energy throughout the day. I can fight off colds like a champ. It's changed my life for the better!

mawmaw- It's an off campus apartment so it's unaffiliated with the school.

eatmeat4good- I agree with you about making things inconvenient. I was brainstorming with my mom: we have a living room closet where I can keep my stuff tucked away in a bin. (We don't have a pantry in the kitchen, just cabinets.) My mom was annoyed, "WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO GO INTO THE LIVING ROOM TO GET YOUR STUFF?" ...she has a real issue with me being treated differently/losing convenience.

So now I'm looking into getting a pantry on wheels like Open Original Shared Link That way I can store my stuff out of sight and just wheel 'er in when I'm cooking.

Also, I don't plan on segregating my glass dishes and silverware since we have a dish washer.

Sharing a kitchen with gluten eaters has been a big source of anxiety for me. I do it at home, and I'm quick to yell at my parents when they contaminate something. But I know that's not going to fly with my friends who I'll be living with this school year.

I know that I'm going to keep all of my cookware separate and foods labeled and separated as best as possible. Unfortunately we have limited kitchen space and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to pull this off.

Beyond that, how do I inform them, remind them, etc, without being a huge pain in the butt? With my parents, it's always, "Did you use a new utensil?" "Did you scoop instead of spread?" etc, and they roll their eyes at me.... I don't want to create this type of tension with my friends.

Anyone who shares a kitchen have tips? I'd so much rather be proactive than learn the hard way by getting glutened...or worse my friends being fed up with me!

Fast food - "Hi, I eat gluten free." If they give me a blank look... "which means I have a severe allergy to wheat. Do you mind asking whoever handles my order will change their gloves and be sure that no bread or wheat products touch my food?"

Sit down, with gluten free menu - "I eat gluten free, does the kitchen prepare (what I want to order) on a separate surface?" If they can tell me exactly what they do to keep things separate, then I ok it. If they can't tell me, I ask them if they can ask a manager my question.

Sit down, without a gluten free menu - Call first!! They usually can put someone on the phone who knows what can be made gluten free. When the waiter comes, tell them "I called ahead and was told (what I want to order) can be made gluten free." Usually they like to double check and can come back and assure you about the preparation, too.

You will get better at having this conversation... I've found that restaurants are very accommodating. It's better to speak up about your needs than get sick.

I had a meal plan on campus (also a medium sized state school) and it literally became my safe haven to eat. At first it was a struggle. I was in constant contact with the executive chef, finding out what I could eat, and how to get more options. The exec chef wasn't doing what I needed, so I arranged a meeting with the top guy, the director of our food services. I explained to him the importance of gluten-free and what needs to happen to make eating gluten free safe. I also reached out to a manager who was really interested in helping me. Things really started to change after that. By the end of one semester, the all-you-can-eat dining hall personally prepared my dinner every night based on my schedule and what I wanted to eat. They fully trained staff on gluten free. They had "allergen-free zone" kits that they prepared sandwiches on, separate pan/utensil for stirfry station, fully stocked gluten free fridge/toaster/microwave... I can go on.

Having a meal plan is convenient when you live on campus. If you find the right people, make your needs known as well as the solution to any issues, and if you really stick to your guns, you can see a lot of change in a short amount of time.

Another thing... you're not alone. Guarantee there's a handful more people on your campus eating gluten free.

pianoland,

Please try eliminating iodine in your diet for a while--you might be surprised to see your "acne" disappear.

I've never heard of this...why iodine? What foods would I have to eliminate? Temporarily or permanently?

I think you need to find a doctor who will test you for celiac. You'll have to eat gluten leading up to the test. If you're not willing to re-introduce gluten, then I believe you should commit 100% to a gluten free diet... because if it is celiac, then you're hurting yourself by cheating.

As to your parents not wanting to buy gluten free snacks, then stick to whole foods... fruit, veggies, nuts, eggs, meat, etc. You can have snacks like rice cakes and peanut butter, tortilla chips and salsa...crunchy snacks help my cravings the most! I hope once they see how much better you're feeling eating gluten free they will become more supportive.

I've struggled with acne since I was 15. I go on topical routines and antibiotics, ween myself off, end up breaking out and having to go back. I went on Yaz when I was 16 which was like a miracle pill, but you probably have heard all of the bad press on it.

I was really hoping my gluten free diet (almost 1 year) would be the answer. Unfortunately I had a breakout a few months ago at age 20 and am back on my routine. It seems that gluten free wasn't the answer.

I'm really curious about trying a zinc supplement. Also I never considered the possibility of DH, I only get acne on my face.

Welcome! I've been gluten free for almost a year. With cross contamination I get stomach gurgles and a lot of gas... it puts me in such extreme discomfort. My mom tries telling me it's normal to get gas and I'm like, 2-3 hours worth of constant burps and painful bloating? Eh not so normal.

A few times when I think I was legitimately glutened I got REALLY tired. I never take naps and if I do they're 20-30 mins. After gluten exposure I'm out for about 2.5 hours. Luckily I usually feel better when I wake up.

Hi! I'm a 20 year old girl with celiac so I can relate. It sounds like your friends are willing to go to places where you can eat so I wouldn't worry about adjusting plans..people are flexible. Also don't worry so much about food. If you think you can only eat a salad, then eat before you go and ordering the salad won't seem like such a big deal. Or bring a protein drink with you (I love Orgain, it's lightly sweetened so I'm not sure if this is a good idea for your diet).

As for feeling alone at college.. I've met about 6 other people with celiac or gluten sensitivity at my school..and my school isn't that big and in a rural area. It really is great having a couple friends who know exactly what I'm going through. I've also met countless people who live with/are friends with/are related to someone with celiac. Any time you make a connection like that you should try to reach out to that person...email/facebook/whatever can get you in touch with them.

I also recommend talking to your school's dining service, they probably have a special diet chef on staff who might be able to help you connect up with other gluten free people. The chefs at my school actually prepared an individual meal for me every dinner because I was struggling to get a safe/healthy meal in the regular lines. It was like having a personal "gourmet" chef (compared to the mass produced mush they give everyone else). My friends would always tell me, "AH I'm so jealous." And I would just look at them like.. don't be.

Wow sorry this was a novel. PM me if you ever need to talk it out.

Welcome to the community. It's hard at first to take the news. But once you get used to the diet you realize, hey this isn't so bad. We can treat the disease by simply changing what we eat! No medications, no serious life altering illness, no surgery. I didn't get the biopsy because my doctor didn't feel it was necessary since my symptoms were resolved on a gluten free diet. I did get another blood test after 3 months to make sure my numbers were in the normal range. I'd recommend doing that.

On top of the switch not being so bad, you will start to feel better (you didn't mention if you had any symptoms but even if you are asymptomatic I bet you'll notice a difference in your general health).

You will find what works in your diet and realize you can still eat your favorite foods in a gluten free version, and you will be surprised that they're still delicious. If you have any questions this forum is a GREAT resource.