Lisa

Guess what? I am not spanish either and I have Celiac Disease.

What you have described were the exact symptoms that bafffeled my GP and finally sent me to a GI DR. I received a possitive biopsy as a result to the endoscopy exam.

Please seek another DR and as you are calling, ask if they have had experience dealing with celiac disease.

Find one that won't laugh at your pain. There are many DR's that will be happy to sort out your problems.

Lisa B

I am guessing that you are now in Celiacland. Sorry to say, there is no going back. You are there now, if in fact you have celiac disease.

I can pin-prick the time and the situation that my stress was way beyond what it shoud be. I am in public service and one particular instance put me over the cliff.

I am planning a wedding for my youngest daughter , so weddings, I can realize the stress. Stress can play a major mind/body meltdown for your system.

I don't remember if you have had a blood testing or any other test of celiac disease. But I do want to advise you not to try the gluten free diet before you are tested. It will show neg. in the blood work and endoscopy (if you choose that) will not show the true results.

If your intent is to be tested, stay on your normal diet (not gluten free). Eat what you usually do before testing.

If you choose not be be tested. You may go on a gluten-free diet. If you try it for a month or so, and you feel better......perhaps you have celiac disease. Some times it takes months to heal the "villi" that have been damaged in your small intestines.

If you need the exact blood work needed to be tested I will send that to you. The endoscopy test/biopsy is the "gold standard" to a true diognosis. It is costly, unless you have good insurance.

Keep in touch.

PS I will be 51 on October 26.....over the hill, but barely.

I would certainly recommend a DR. that has knowlege of Celaic Disease or a Gastro Dr.

I, most likely have had celiac disease all my life. I am now 51 and just now diagnosed. I have had digestive issues for as long as I remember.........but it took a period of high stress to kick in the severe symptoms. At that point, at my insistance, my GP sent me to a Gastro DR. and had the endoscopy exam and biopsy. The results were a poss. for celiac.

This seems to be a mystic disease. You can be non-symptomatic (sp?) for many years.........but when it kicks in it really kicks in. Thats when the diognosis becomes clear for yourself and most doctors. But unfortunally, by that time some damage has occured.

I have recently explained to some of my friends that it is like a car in neutral on a hill, in front of a cliff. The car inches each day toward the cliff. The car is still good but still inching toward the cliff.... it get closer and closer, car is still good.

Then one day That Car falls over.... Well, maybe a little dramatic. But celiac disease usually takes a catalist to rare it's head.

But on the better half of this dreary tale. You will know what you are dealing with. It is not a life sentence and you have the power to "heal" yourself. It is not a cancer that you have no control of. You have the power within yourself.

You will have a wonderful life ahead of you, with or course a controled diet, but be thankful that your future is in YOUR hands.

Many people here will get you started toward a Gluten Free diet and as they have said to me "no question is unanswered".

We are all here for you. Ask away.............

G-mail me if you wish, but those on this site are very knowlegable.

Good luck and we will be with you as you process though, as call it Celiacland.

Lisa B

I can't answer that questions for you. I spend most days in a gourmet food business and we frequently sell alot of pre-packaged scone mix and pancake mix in paper pre-prepared "bags". When I ring them up, they always go "poof" from the bag sending powder all over my hands. I also lick my fingers to separate the special tissues that we put in to bags to "make them pretty".

It dawned on me just the other day what I was doing....so, yes I do get the creepies when I walk down the flour line at the grocery.

Injesting through breathing, that I don't know....but I do know the feeling.

I do wash my hands alot after realizing what I was doing.

In my small town of 6,500 at Food Lion I actually found something great.

Sweet Essentials Calcium Chews and they taste like candy. They are wonderful.

They list the ingredients and ALSO list: "This product contains milk and soy. This product contains NO wheat, gluten, eggs, shellfish, peanuts of tree nuts".

Great for those of us that need a suppliments due to age and celiac disease.

Just thought I would pass that on. I am learning slowly and get excited when I find something good.

Good after noon:

I have one question for the experts. Someone had posted a gluten-free Alcohol List and on that this was Seagram 7. I have search the Delfi Forum List and cannot find it.

Can anyone confirm the safty of Seagrams 7 for me kindly.

Thanks for your help.

Lisa B.

Sorry that things have been so tough. Hopefully, you will feel better soon and things will begin to look up again. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even though it may be a long one.

I'll be thinking about you.

Lisa B.

Rachel:

My new Dr. has perscribed a B-12 short for once a week....see how that goes and then maybe once a month.

I have only had one on Thursday of this week, but I do seem to feel a large difference. It is sort of a calming, more regulated feeling. I talk to my husband in a more "regulated" manner, I worked today and had no issues with "brain fog" and just feel calmer and more in control. I guess more at ease with myself.

I don't know if it is the B-12 shot or the continued gluten-free diet. But, perhaps you could look into that if you feel tired and down.

The Mom in me says....You are young and what are you doing on the site, when you should be out at the movies with friends. From an old lady (51 in October) and mother of 21 and 24 year old's.........go out and have fun. There are plenty of things that you can do and eat with friends that are "safe" for you.

Have you every heard of "Veni, Vidi and Vici".........latin for " I came, I saw and conquered" We all have our "crappy times" (pardon the pun). We all have to

conquer and eventually we all will........

My best advise for you is to inquire about vitaimin shots, it sure made me feel better and also, do go out and have some fun, I do.

Lisa B.

Shoot...........I thought that it was my shear brilliance and effervenscent personality that gave me those "boxes".......it appears that I just talk too much.

Honestly, I love this site and use it religiously and I have made some really good connections. I go through withdrawl when the comp. is down. I guess I am addicted to you all. I guess, I can call it a life-line.

When you sit alone and your family is "trying" to understand, your friends don't call because you are not being as social as you used to be and they don't understand your explaination ("Well you used to be ok with food") you just feel a little (or alot) alone...........I turn to you, all of you.

I know that many, if not all, have gone through this before, but it gives me a great feeling that many of you will come to my aid when it gets a little too much to handle, or simply, what can I put on chicken.

I don't know who created this web-site, but I thank him and all those who monitor and keep it going --- I truely appreciate your work.

I have joined the Celiac-Sprue Association and an expecting their book of products list shortly.

A simple thank all of you.

(I have no idea what forum I have ventured into, but I am sure that it will be put there properly).

Thank you very much....I now have a "new wrinckle" in my brain. (learned something new)

I have one more question for the day then I will stop posting and let someone else have a turn.

I think my question is for the monotors? What determines your status and what is the criterial for receiving additions "boxes" next to our name. Just curious?

Lisa B.

Anyone out there in Celiacland from North Carolina.

Lisa B.

I'm also sort of new at this so I will ask others for their imput as well.

What I DO know for sure is that there is no cure for Celia Disease other than a completely gluten free diet forever. If you continue with your diet you will gradually feel better. As far as finding the correct foods to eat, click on the forum with food suggestion or search for something specific to verify if an item is gluten-free.

Monitoring this site has been a tremendous help to me and I check it daily.

Everyone here has been in your position and it can be very overwhelming. But, knowedge is your best friend......take care and keep asking question.

Lisa B.

Oscar Meyer is gluten-free

Must be glutened, I can't even find the right keys to type a post.

Please excuse all the errors in typing my previous posts. Hands and brain are not on the same road.

Hey, someone tell celiac3270 that I finally found the search on the site, so I can not post redundent questions...( I'm so proud of myself that I can't stand it!!)...I'd put on one of those smiley faces.........but still working on that...as said before, "old dog, new tricks".. If you'll bare with me, I'll hang in there with YA'LL...

Thanks Karen, you always seem to be there for me, (as well as others)

Hope this will pass soon.

Lisa B.

Must be glutened, I can't even find the right keys to type a post.

Please excuse all the errors in typing my previous posts. Hands and brain are not on the same road.

Hey, someone tell celiac3270 that I finally found the search on the site, so I can not post redundent questions...( I'm so proud of myself that I can't stand it!!)...I'd put on one of those smiley faces.........but still working on that...as said before, "old dog, new tricks".. If you'll bare with me, I'll hang in there with YA'LL...

Thanks Karen, you always seem to be there for me, (as well as others)

Hope this will pass soon.

Lisa B.

Totally pure, handed picked crab from the beach ....(maybe the hand-picked?)

But most likely the chicked salad from the grill.

Saw on a gluten-free site that all Almay and Revlon lipsticks are gluten-free.

This is the pitts, I feel like I have "mono", like I had in college.

Thanks for the input....

Lisa B.

Hey all:

I have been (as best able) to be gluten free for about 4 weeks. WAS feeling better and stronger.

I added a new Revlon Lipstick, Progresso Cream of Mushroom Soup and a Chicken Salad tray at our local grill (which may have come out of a large pre-prepared jug).

Does anyone know of any "kooties" in the Lipstick, or Progresso Soup.

I made a crabmeat casserole with the soup, everything else was natural and used Hellmans Mayo.

I feel so weak, exausted, my eyelids feel like they have weights on them and I stare at the dishes in the sink, like they are going to jump into the dishwasher. I also have some dia.... and feel sharp (pin-like) pains in my small intestines, most likely from inflamation.

Is this was what "getting glutened" is like???? I recieved a B-12 injection today and will have more once a week for a month. Hope that that will bring my energy level back.

Thank goodness that I am able to stay at home and not have a full-time job. I just don't know how some of you do it.

Would welcome any inpute.

PS - Hurricane Ophelia was good to us. Not so good to those south of us.

Lisa B

Thanks I feel mentally stronger.

Hey Fellow celiac disease's (or rather guys with celiac disease, better?)

Just got a call from my new internist Dr. at 6:30 this evening. He saw his patients all day and he sits down and calls who he feels he needs too. Boy was I impressed. I certainly made a point of telling him that. As long as he stays here, he will be my Dr. for life.

Results: Anti-body test for Celiac was Neg. BUT....I told him that by the time they drew blood for testing, I was on (as best as I could) the gluten-free diet for about three weeks and he said that that would definately effect the results. Good news is that every thing else looked good....Liver, pancreas, gall blatter, bla, bla, bla...

So that is good. Yeah for me.

B-12 level was the ONLY thing that needed addressing. So he suggested B-12 shots once a week for a month, then once a month. Fatigue is a very real issue for me now.

gluten-free diet is working. Acid, mostly gone, am. poops sink, (after lunch sometimes not), but improving every day.

Just wanted to say that you all have taught me alot and would encourage any new members to read as much on the site that they can. It is VERY time consumming, but well worth it toward improving your health.

Yeah for me...now I just need to keep the pine trees off my house tomorrow night. Now that's the pits.

Thanks you all for your help Lisa B

Well....

Ask them if they really want to know? Then ask them if they are sure that they really want to know.............then give it up.

Seriously, I have had so many people come up to me and ask what diet I was on, because I have lost so much weight. I have said, "you don't want my diet, I have digestive issues that you don't want". That usually ends the conversation. Many people just don't know what to say after that. And then, you can go about your business.

Lisa B.

Hey guys:

Can't remember who was doing research on chapstick, celiac3270 maybe???

I found a web site called www.clanthompson.com, and they list chapstick (cherry, mint and regular) that are gluten-free.

It is a private web, family, with six members with celiac disease. Don't know anything about them. They do have a pocket grocery list of products names that are gluten-free. (also a small fee to purchase them).

Any history on authentisity (boy am I stretching my spelling range!!!)??

(when I was young there was a short avenue of educators that thought "sight" reading was the way to go. It did not last long, but I was in the "not last long kid". Therefore, if I cannot visualize the word I cannot spell--- during the late 50's.

Excuses, but legit. Bet I have a witness out there.

Back to the new found web site, anyone know anything about this?

BTW---The Hurricane is projected to affect us. Will keep you posted if any are interested. Maybe cross our roofs. Not a Katrina, but a pain-in-*** (nothing new to any of us, huh???)

Lisa B.

This is VERY easy. Fry six strips of Oscar Meyer Bacon in a soup pot. Remove cooked bacon. Chop up fresh potatoes put in same post as bacon grease with water to top of potatoes. Boil until soft. Mash, or blender cream potatoes. Add whipping cream or 1/2. Season with salt, pepper, fresh chives and top with bacon crumbled.

Lisa B

Just checked a list. Almay and Revlon lipsticks are all gluten free.

Can anyone confirm? -- Lisa B

Thanks for your repy...without getting into a new forum.....

any lipsticks that are gluten-free? I am about as pale as a church mouse.

Bad night, (emotions) but will be good in the am.

Good night to all, thought and prayers to all Katrina's people.

Check back in the am. Thanks for you all being there.

Lisa B.