jonked

Well that's me told. I'm really pleased you've adjusted and are getting well Pamela, but I think perhaps you've forgotten the learning curve, the frustration, the mistakes. I came to this forum because I don't know anyone else in my situation in real life and I wanted a space to vent, without having to deal with friends who mostly think I'm crazy. This subsection...

I'm mostly vegan Carole though I am flexible when I eat out or when stuck - eg when I can only get gluten free bread with egg in it. I used to eat out all the time and when I first went gluten-free I just thought it would be ok if I chose the right thing but now I've gradually reduced the places I trust so I eat out hardly at all and I won't trust my friends...

No I don't drink beer unless gluten-free. Although my story sounds as though I'm constantly taking risks actually I do completely as you say, I spend half my time cooking food to take with me in advance. The last time I was out for the day on a long hike, I took loads of food with me but we ended up in a pub. If it had just been me I'd have left earlier because...

There are lots of similarities between our stories, though I've generally avoided doctors. I also used drink (and drugs) a lot to cope with the symptoms which I thought was just depression / anxiety and a general lack of coping skills. There's a particular bit in your Robinson Crusoe thread which rings true for me about you finding it difficult to...

Thanks for the response Jmg, the info on Walkers Crisps is really helpful - I had half convinced myself that it was unlikely to be them and therefore perhaps nothing to do with gluten at all. Plus I've been staring at my ridiculously bloated belly in the mirror and questioning whether perhaps the truth is that I'm always this fat, but I just hold my belly...

I've been gluten-free now for a couple of years - not formally diagnosed coeliac as I don't want to do a gluten challenge. Before I quit, I had terrible IBS, brain fog & fatigue, swollen painful ankles and occasional intensely itchy rash on my hands and elbows that in retrospect looked like DH. After stopping all these things gradually cleared up to the...