LauraTX

I would use a test blob of dough on plastic wrap before you put all of it in there and can't get it off without losing half of it.  I also say do garlic blobs... maybe you can put down a blob and then use a sharp knife to make a swirly on the top so they don't look too bad.   Would still be just as delicious  I haven't tried that brand crust mix, so I am not sure how it handles. 

I can't wait for the Dallas area expo on the 26th, I will have to post about that.  I am making my husband come to help me double up on samples, lol.

I got their care package after I was diagnosed this year, I had to give them my doctors name and info and I think they got the info from them, but of course that involves the doctor's office cooperating.  A lot of really good magazines, pamphlets, coupons, and some nice full size samples.  It really helped me out a lot. University of Chicago is going great things for us Celiacs

Hi Scriddle,

A lot of people will use laxatives to lose weight which they become dependent on, so at least you aren't doing that.  But yes, if you partake in harmful activity to lose weight, and you are unable to stop, it may be a good idea to go talk to somebody.  If you have health insurance, usually there is a number on the back of the card you can call and they can help you find a practitioner in your area, and sometimes through your employer they will have people you can talk to over the phone.

I wish you the best!

It is like soy sauce that was not fermented.  Still that dark rich kind of flavor plus tons of sodium.  It is used in a lot of the really weird diets, I wish I could go into more detail, but yeah I would use gluten-free soy sauce

You said the pain is in your upper left side of your abdomen, any pain on the right side?  That is where your gallbladder is, I have gallbladder polyps and they cause pain and nausea like the dickens when they decide to act up after I eat certain foods.  The pain is mostly in the upper right quadrant, but I get phantom pains in the upper left and lower right quadrant as well, and it will also cause crushing chest pains.  If your doctor is him-hawwing about what to do with you, maybe ask to get an abdominal ultrasound before they send you off for the more invasive and expensive endoscopy.  I also agree that seeing a chiropractor or D.O. (osteopathic doctor) for an adjustment check up may help as well, sometimes pain radiates to weird places.

Also, I had a CT done right before my ultrasound, and it did not detect the gallbladder polyps, only the US did.  Weird right?

That is great, we really need more good gluten-free role model types out there, other than crazy celebrities who embellish and tack on their own weird stuff.  

I don't know of any that specifically are just to review products, but a lot of the blogs will talk about specific products frequently, especially when they are new.   A google search of the product will usually bring up anything written about it, and a lot of people will mention products on here as well.  If something is expensive and you are afraid to try it, you can always ask here as well, and post when you try new things to let us know also

When I was first diagnosed celiac, I wrote to a few places like Schar and Bobs Red Mill asking them to help me out with samples and coupons, and I got some free product coupons from Bobs Red Mill.  So that can also take the sting off the cost of trying new stuff if you aren't sure on whether or not to drop the cash.  

I had to look up the Blumenbrot, those look tasty!  I think in the US they may call them more like melba toast or crackers.  But I do love crackers  Pre-celiac diagnosis I probably ate more wheat that the average wheat-eater, haha.

Yep, Missbean, that is correct.  I think the NPs probably rarely get people doing re-gluten challenges, they probably forget what to tell us!     

 every time I come over, it's "here's your bag of pretzels", like I'm obligated to eat them since they're gluten-free. I do appreciate the gesture, though.

One of my friends bought me these weird vegetable chips, she was so excited she saw they were gluten-free, they tasted like crap but I felt it was so sweet she wanted me to have something safe to snack on at her party  It was right after my diagnosis, too, so the niceness made an extra impact on sad Laura.  By the way, snyders gluten-free pretzels, if you can find them, are the bomb!  Good with hummus

I saw the tasteguru groupon deal and almost bit at it.  If I wasn't about to drop a ton of money on a vacation I would have!!!  Let us know how you like it.

Don't ever be pressured into eating food that may not be safe for you. Its not like the zombie apocalypse and wheat bread is all you can find to eat. (long story short, that is what I told my husband what it would take for me to cheat, lol).  I think bringing a container of your own food you can heat up is very reasonable, and a shared side dish or dessert may delight people very much.  If your grammy seems insulted just make sure to tell her in detail what happens to you when you consume gluten, it is possible she has only heard dismissive second hand comments about what is wrong with you and doesn't have a full proper understanding.

Thanks for the report!  

Made corn grits with scrambled eggs. Corn grits taste the same as regular grits, i like to add a lil milk to give a creamier taste.

But regular grits are corn... no? 

It will probably be a gradual response, depending on how damaged your intestines were to begin with.  But it definitely will not hurt to take a vitamin supplement, and in a few months have your doctor do some blood tests to check vitamin levels.  My iron was low for no known reason for a long time, even though I took an iron supplement daily.  5 months after going gluten-free after my celiac diagnosis, my iron levels are normal.  I didn't have it tested in between those 5 months so I don't know how long it took for it to get back to normal.

Since you are in a different country than the US, I would start by seeing what brands of multivitamins are easily available at your local stores, and contacting the brands to see if they are gluten-free.  That way you don't have to pay a lot by mail order.

Wow, thanks for posting this, it was very informative and I am so glad you were able to get some answers.  Having that "click" moment is one of the best things ever.  

Everyone should read this.  Thanks for posting.

Also, for things like pies, unless the host is one of those people that insist that everything has to be from scratch, you can get them some of those frozen gluten-free pie crusts and have them make their pies with those.  Then the stuffing would be the only thing to worry about CC with.

Yes!!!!

I was at a liquor store and they were sampling pre-made jello shots.  I don't normally drink but I thought I would taste one. The lady at the table is the company founder and makes it all herself.

Me: "Are these gluten-free?  I have a medical issue where I can't eat gluten."

Her: "Well they are vegan I am sure they will be fine!"

Me and my husband:  "..... that is not the same thing......"

Luckily about half the stuff at Thanksgiving dinner is usually gluten-free naturally, like turkey and mashed potatoes.  Of course people like to put crazy stuff in everything, so I would say, go early and offer to help cook, that will at least help you monitor what is going into what.  

I was thinking about using this for thanksgiving for a pumpkin and pecan pie, was thinking I better test it out before I make it the day before and there is no backup.  So yes, I would love for you to post a review and any tips

If there is a patient advocate type of person, try to get in contact with them.  The facility has an obligation to meet your basic needs in the form of a balanced diet free of your allergen.  French fries and a plain salad are not a proper meal, and if that is what they are offering there is a problem and they need to consult with a dietitian that is familiar with celiac disease, at the least.  Don't be afraid to speak up to someone above who you are already speaking with.

I ditto this, enjoy it while you can.  Maybe the first few days try consuming the bread at different times and see which feels the least bad.  At least you will be getting some solid answers!

I didn't replace my kitchenaid mixer, but I did give away my bread maker.  Also wood, plastic colanders, baking pans, anything that stuff would get crusty on.  I kept all my glass cookware though because when I clean something, no spots are acceptable. If you are the kind of person that leaves baked on stuff on cookware, things of that nature I would replace.  Since you said you got your KA mixer recently, I would assume it hasn't had time to get really grimy and crusty so you should be able to clean it with confidence.  I also took the chance to re-prganize my pantry and cabinets and wiped them all down really well because of crumbs and such.  

If you have an expensive appliance that you think you need to replace, you can probably sell it on craigslist to help offset the cost of a new one.  For my birthday after my diagnosis, a few family gave me gift cards because they knew I would have to replace a bunch of things, also with Christmas coming up, don't be ashamed to spread the word about your need for kitchen items