nettiebeads

Hi,

I have a meeting for work next week at Old Chicago and I am not sure if they have anything that is gluten free. I called the restaurant and talked to the manager and she told me i could just request a big veggie salad. Has anyone eaten there with success?

Thanks

Jennifer

I don't know about Old Chicago, but if you eat out often on the job, you might want to invest in the Triumph Dining cards. I don't leave home without them.

Annette

After a year of gluten-free and two weeks of eating gluten for a dh biopsy, I'm back to square one with the symptoms. Am I going to have to wait another year to feel better? Am I eating too much fiber?

Ack...

I will cook all veggies. I will do something...better...?

No, your body will heal a little faster this time. You're not all the way back to square one. I don't quite understand why you had to reintroduce gluten - it's poison to our bodies. Anyhow, You might try L-glutamine - it promotes intestinal health - it makes my accidental glutenings a little easier to bear physically.

Still can't find anything that eliminates the dreaded brain fog.

Annette

Oh, yes celiac can cause major brain problems. For me, when I've had gluten, I get major "fog", depression, irritiablity - My husband's breathing will make me want to jump out of my skin. My dr is of the opinion that the current common tests for celiac probably aren't sensitive enough to be completely reliable. There may be more things that could be tested but the medical community doesn't know about them yet. And believe it or not, there is a growing faction in the medical field that thinks that the diet challenge is the most accurate test. You feel lousy, lots of stomach and intenstinal problems along with aches and pains. You go gluten free for three weeks or so. If you reintroduce gluten and the same old problems reappear, you got celiac! You alone know your body the best. If you felt better while gluten-free, then you've got problems with gluten. Watch out for all the other places gluten can hide like in meds and toiletries. Good luck and keep asking questions!

People here are very happy to help.

Annette

Well, I'm glad you stuck up for yourself!! Maybe you can keep a nutrition bar (gluten-free of course) in the glove box or your purse when you're out for a long time. At least here you can vent safely here with people who understand the stress this disease puts on you in trying to stay healthy, but less the stress when you do get glutened! People who don't want to understand diet restrictions that WE don't choose to have really get me irked. The employee kitchen is just off of my office and those people sit and eat EVERYTHING in sight w/o any problems!! Gets to me at times, but most of the time I can tune it out. Hope this week is better for you.

Annette

Ours is "Food for Health" and carry quite a selection of foods, supplements and books. They also have a room where a Reiki master does her thing. It's a relatively big store for our little town. I remember when it started decades ago in a little hole in the wall place off of downtown's main drag. What ever you do, get lots of feedback from your clientel. I'm sure you'll have success with it.

Annette

My sil has had cellulitis. I read where it's suspected that ladies who shave in the shower and keep their razors there have a higher chance of developing it. As my sil was NOT the outdoorsy type in any way, that's probably where she got hers. But she was treated at the Navy hospital so I won't tell you her outcome. You are getting better care than she got. I pray this passes quickly. I think upping your vit C might help some. I've read that it promotes healing in the tissues. Just a thought.

Annette

How do I get family and friends to take this seriously?. Without an official diagnosis, my family seems to think sticking to a gluten-free diet is unnecessary. I keep getting the "I didn't even know you were sick". Should I even bother?

To convince them? No. Don't waste your time and energy. Focus on yourself and getting better. What's the big deal to them if you eat wheat or don't? You do it because "for some reason I just feel better if I don't eat that.." is all they need. You're an adult, you can choose your diet. You are eating for your health, not theirs. You don't monitor what they eat so they don't get to monitor your diet. Anyway, you have enough problems with the general public and general food fare. Get the Triumph dining cards, (good investment) and stick to the diet. I'm sure that as you regain your health they'll come around. But stick to your guns! And feel free to come here with any questions and to vent. Lots of experience and knowledge here, most of it first hand. I'm healthier now that I've been here! Great bunch of people!

Annette

I’m curious if some of you can relate what your symptoms were like before you received an official diagnoses.

Were your symptoms sporadic? Were they constant? Were you asymptomatic and was celiac disease discovered because of a non GI issue. Thanks!

I was one of the rare ones to be dx'd after being ill for only 6 weeks. Had a sever sinus infection, put on Keflex, developed D. The D was constant, no known causes, was put on the gluten-free diet, immediate relief, voila! celiac disease! But after all these years, my responses have to cc or hidden gluten has changed. Sometimes it's D, others it's C, or D immediately followed by SEVERE C, but always the fatigue, brain fog, irritability and depression.

Annette

Very rarely do I have a reaction w/in hours of eating something that has hidden gluten. Usually it's 24 hours which makes it harder to pinpoint the cuplrit. I know you are frustrated at your dh for doing this to himself, but it's a very natural reaction in the first stages of coping with celiac. (been there, done that. )After awhile he will equate the forbidden items with stomach distress and realize that the pleasure of eating the wrong things is greatly outweighed by the problems they cause.

Annette

I'm glad to see you're feeling better and looking forward to things. I see you're already aware of beer and malt based liquor drinks. It seems to be trial and error with each individual. Me - I'm strictly tequila. Bourbon, whiskey and scotch are supposedly safe, but give me wicked wicked hangovers - even before I developed celiac. Vodka sometimes leaves me a little "icky" but not bad. Rum is okay. Have fun! Let us know how it was after you, uh, recover.

Annette.

Just wondering if a true celiac stool will float or is this only in the later stages when lots of damage is already done?

Has anyone had stools that do not float and still have been diagnosed celiac? Thanks.

Well, I've had both at one sitting - even when I've been clean for weeks. I dunno. But with my C I'm happy I'm going.

I agree with nini. Couldn't the dr give a gluten intolerance dx or something based on diet results? I was dx'd via diet alone and that's been fine for all of my drs since. Anyhow, I'm so happy she's doing better.

Annette

Just think how much money you'll save on liquor now that you'll absorb more of it!

I like your thinking!!!

tequila is safe (celiac-wise)

i found some of this in an asian market. is it the same thing as sweet rice flour?

christine

glutinous means sticky. It'll work great for sushi.

I need to order some vitamins and was going to order from Dr. Becker at bioinnovations (they are expensive but is having a sale). Anyone used Swanson? My energy level is way down. Thanks, LindaLee

Save your money and get over the counter stuff. Consumer reports and other consumer product testings have found the expensive stuff was not any better than the other. I'm using Spring Valley from Wally world. $5 or so for a bottle that has EVERYTHING! Plus I supplement with Selenium, L-glutamine, Calcium, potassium and Vit C. Just check for gluten of course.

Annette

I would suspect the chicken sausage or the red beans and rice if they were not made from scratch. I made something from Zatarans that wasn't the usual jambolya mix (it's safe, I think) last Sat and got glutened way big time. Even missed a day of work. I never thought of Propel - I'll have to get some to see if it helps with my recovery. All I can say is thankfully I've been taking L-glutanmine pretty regularly. I think it really helped with my recovery - in four days my energy level was almost back to normal and I didn't have the extreme depression and irritability I normally get. Of course, my husband is understanding the celiac more and was extremely nice to me over the weekend

Annette

I agree with nini. Although you could try Enterolab, I suppose. My dr. thinks that the current tests aren't sensitive enough to rely on them completely. And he belives that maybe as more is learned about what celiac does to the body, that more sophisticated tests will come about. I read somewhere that some in the more forward thinking medical community are doubting the reliability of the current tests and think that the diet challenge IS the most reliable (that's how I was dx'd). If one's body feels better w/o gluten, then go w/o gluten. And as one mother to another - TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!!!!

Hope you get the answers you need.

Annette

Yesterday......digging through my purse so I could find my keys to let myself in the house......digging more....taking things out........finally decide they're in my bf's car, so I turn to go back, all annoyed with myself, so I turn in a "huffy" way, and hear the lovely jingle of my keychain dangling off of my pinky.

He realized they were there a few seconds before I did, though, and he was looking right at me, so I guess I'm not the only one.

I'm experiencing one myself - I've LOST my work keys!!!!! I think I got glutened this past weekend, had the runs like crazy Sun a.m. (couldn't go to church) and have been dead tired fatigued since. Yesterday afternoon I barely made it through work; bought stamps, mailed one letter, came home and crashed. This a.m. NO WORK KEYS! I have no friggin' clue where they are!!!! Not in my purse, not in my office, not in my car, not where I bought the stamps, not in the house ---- I'm going crazy (or -ier as the case may be) I am a blank as to yesterday and last night. All I know is the two things I did afterwork and then coming home and sleeping for an hour. (at least I can blame the celiac)

Hmmm- Seems just one step farther than the pop psychology used in the 70's (did I just date myself?)

"Every day and every way I'm getting better and better"

But who knows?

Annette

Hiya. Im actually 22, and from the UK, but havent been diagnosed very long and thought you guys may be able to help me out. Do you know if it is safe to kiss guys who have eaten gluten? And if not, is there a certain amount of time you have to wait before you can kiss them? Please help, thanks x

I think of it as an extended safe sex approach. My hubby and I always pause before kissing thinking "safe?"

I'll wait until he goes and brushes his teeth before I kiss him if he's eaten anything with gluten. Or drank out of his water bottles that he refills but doesn't wash - CC!!!!

It's SUCH a pain, but whatcha gonna do?

Annette

Oh I [giggle] want to put it on the record; my next hubby is going to be a doctor this time.

He will be a Gastroenterologist -- I can just feel it. [giggle]

Could you see it now?

Think about it -- pretty funny stuff.

Someone who could know you inside and out?

Im always bloated after eating rice cakes. Now Im wondering if Ive been the victim of cross-contamination and never knew it.

Im so upset now. I have practically lived on these things since diagnosed, 78 years ago.

Does anyone have any recent/updated info about this? Or, a response from the company itself?

If so, can someone please post it?

You guys are great........

Erica

Here you go (this email is from November 2005):

RE: Quaker Rice Cakes , REF.# 025522610A

Hello Annette:

Thank you for contacting us about Quaker Rice Cakes. We do our best to

provide accurate information so that you can make informed choices

about the products you purchase.

We are concerned for your health and want you to know that grains are

handled and transported in bulk by our suppliers. We understand that

individuals sensitive to gluten cannot digest even trace amounts. It is

important we let you know that this product may contain trace amounts of

grains that may be grown, harvested or stored with other grains and we

cannot guarantee this product is gluten free.

We thank you for your interest in our products and hope this

information is helpful.

Amy

You are going through a normal grief cycle mourning the loss of a relationship. I got put on Zoloft during my divorce from a really emotionally abusive but distant guy. (AH#3). If your therapist thinks it would help, then maybe you could try something. But remember, it takes nearly 4 weeks for SSRIs to build up enough in the brain before you notice a change. In that time you could get over your down episode on your own. But I agree with the others - excersize has many proven benifits for emotional and physical health. I'm excersizing more now and have cut my zoloft in half with plans to get off it entirely. Good luck and keep us posted!

Annette

I am looking for someone who has celiac and type 1 diabetes. I need help with coping skills. I have 27% kidney function and heart disease. What CAN I eat??? I know what I cannot eat. Anyone with advise??

All the veggies you want, of course. Protein is good. I'd start with those and as you heal you'll feel better. A good rule of thumb is the outside aisles of the grocery store. All of the highly processed stuff in the center is most likely to have wheat products in them. Read labels - takes longer to shop, but you'll be less likely to contaminate yourself. I don't have type 1, but 1 and type II run rampant on both sides of my family. When were you dx'd with celiac? I noticed some of your other problems like the peripheral neurapathy - I developed that earlier this year because I hadn't been 100% gluten free. I kept eating cereals with malt flavoring and drinking malt based alcohol products. It cleared up a few weeks after going completely 100% gluten free. You may find a lessening in some of your other problems the longer you are gluten free.

Hope this helps some; sorry I couldn't address your question directly.

Annette

[That wonderful doctor told me "It's a simple blood test" and after a few clicks on his computer I was off to the lab for mine. A week later he called to tell me I was right; my blood test was positive for Celiac.

My husband says, forget all the darn tests. Just quit eating gluten, and if you feel better - there's your answer.

After all that I've been through with my Hodgkin's, I'm really sick of doctors and tests and hospitals and procedures and needles and........ you get the picture.

So what do you think guys? I have the positive blood test, a sister with a positive dx, oh, and I STRONGLY feel that my 15 year old son has this. What the heck should I do.

P.S. When my son heard all the facts, he went gluten free immediately. today is day 4 for him.

Thanks, Margie