penguin

Thanks everybody, I found out that the Immodium advanced chewables are gluten-free...Yay

And they worked!

I'm still feeling loopy and slightly crampy, but way, way better.

I think eating PB cookies make me feel better...sugar high, anyway

I guess I have to buy some different chips, eh

(I do think it was the chips, it seemed too cause and effect not to be. I haven't had anything in the past few days that could cause a reaction other than that or the Van's. Guess we'll find out when I eat waffles again, eh?)

I'm new at this too, but here's what I've been eating today:

(oh, and I don't seem to have a dairy problem)

Breakfast:

Van's gluten-free Waffles w/pure maple syrup & milk

Took to work:

Potato chips (either these or the waffles glutened me, but only mildly _)

Tuna salad (tuna, mayo, sweet relish)

2 ricecakes (to make open faced sanwich with tuna)

2% milk string cheese

Lemon Chiffon yogurt (I like to give good bacteria a home in my war torn digestive tract )

Sliced apple

PB cookies (I still have these and the apple left)

Having gluten-free chicken parmesan for dinner (yay $6 breadcrumbs ) to use up leftover marinara from last night

And my guess is that I'll have kozy shack tapioca pudding for dessert or a PB cookie, provided DH hasn't eaten all of them

I take so much food to work because I'm hypoglycemic and terrified of being without food, passing out = no fun. I don't always eat all of my food, and I drink 12-16 glasses of water a day

I really don't like chocolate, and yet, since I started gluten-free two weeks ago, I'm eating tons of it!

(Actually, its only been like, a tub of kozy shack pudding, 2 little bags of m&m's and a 3 musketeers bar, but that is usually the amount of chocolate I eat in a year.)

I'm really hypoglycemic, so I'm generally afraid of anything but a side of beef before noon, but now since I went gluten-free I can eat a bowl of puffins in the morning and go on my merry way!

I used to binge a lot, then in college I started getting sick a lot and just didn't eat as much. And I was convinced dorm food was killing me. I'm a snack throughout the day kind of person.

I've always been pretty heavy, went from 225 to 170 my first year in college but I never knew how. Hmm, I wonder...

I binge on some things, like rotel (regional thing, velveeta and a can of rotel until good and melty) is rotel gluten-free?, ritz crackers (not anymore), and sour patch kids

Honey Rice Puffins from Barbara's Bakery are awesome! They almost have a cherry flavor to them and the texture is a lot like captain crunch.

Some people react to them, though I haven't had a problem.

You have an excuse now to treat yourself to a nice cheesy omlette and hash browns

I posted elsewhere on this list... can't I go buy some fries and have them tested? Would that be expensive? Does anyone know where you would go to do that?

If you live near a university with a food science department, you might be able to find a professor, or even a grad student, that might do it for you.

I should have mentioned I had the waffles a good 3 hours before getting sick, who knows? The Kettle brand website says they don't reccomend their chips for gluten-free people because of shared equipment.

But van's says there's a possibilty of CC...I dunno

I hear you! My son is anaphylatic to peanuts, and also allergic to tree nuts, milk, eggs, the list goes on. Finding candy is HARD!!

Beyond making your own! You can check:

Open Original Shared Link

also

Open Original Shared Link (These people are great!!!! I happen to be lucky enough to live close by and can pick up stuff!)

Why not make your own? In the Betty Crocker Big Red cookbook, there is a caramels recipe there that calls for only 4 ingredients - sugar, corn syrup, butter, and cream

And oh my god are they good! And easy!

OK, I'm pretty convinced.

I ate Kettle Brand chips (black pepper variety) and not ten minutes later my stomach was ouchy and upset and I was running for the bathroom.

Twice.

At work.

And I can't even focus on spelling my name

I thought I had read those to be gluten-free somewhere, I guess not.

The only other thing I had to eat today were Van's gluten-free waffles with real organic maple syrup and uncontaminated butter with milk to drink. This was my first time having the regular gluten-free waffles, I've been eating the buckwheat ones without incident in the same manner. I kind of doubt that was it, since it would be pretty coincidental immediately after eating those chips. And I seriously doubt it was the evian.

And I was feeling so good.

Please tell me the chewable immodium advanced is gluten-free, that would be horrible insult to injury.

You know, I don't think I really thought having celiac was a real possibility until now

Ok, I can get used to not eating normal bread...

I can get used to getting a PhD in label reading...

I can get used to having to mix three-hundred flours to make anything...

I cannot get used to spending $6 on "bread" crumbs! They better be good!

Sheesh, this gluten-free stuff is expensive! I'm still having trouble with paying $5 minimum for a pizza crust. There's only so much I can do with masa mix...

I wonder if that brick of Pamela's bread I made would make good breadcrumbs...

So DH noticed that I've been in a better mood since I've been gluten-free for two weeks. I noticed the better mood almost immediately, and the fog has cleared significantly.

However, the day after I started the gluten-free thing, I had to travel to go see my grandfather who is in the hospital and not doing well and I was gone for 5 days. Anyway, I left on a Friday and fully intended to come back Sunday. Needless to say, things took a turn and I stayed 2 extra days.

I was supposed to start a new pack of BC pills that sunday, but I left them at home and couldn't get a refill since it was too early to refill and insurance wouldn't cover it. So I'm not on the pill this month.

What DH and I are trying to figure out is if the mood change is due to being off the pill or being off gluten...

Thing is, I don't remember being in a better mood when I wasn't off the pill, but that was a long time ago, I've been on the pill almost consistently for 7 years, and anytime I was off the pill it seemed like I was more prone to flying off the handle.

Anyone else deal with this?

If it's a pot luck kind of thing, you can bring a big bowl of potato salad, which should be pretty easy to make gluten-free/SF. None of that hippie (no offense, I eat the hippy stuff all the time ) substitution stuff, I'm talking full blown southern potato salad! And, since its loaded with mayo and boiled eggs and whatnot, lots of calories!

Other than that, fruit with a nice yogurt based fruit dip. (I can give you a great recipe if you want)

Veggies with easy cheese?

I'm trying to think along the vein of family reunion food

This is from the gluten free in San Diego website:

Starbucks

www.starbucks.com

Last verified 10/28/05

1-800-23-LATTE

The following information was given by several Customer Service Department representatives for Starbucks via telephone. They require you to call to receive information about their gluten-free menu items, rather then email.

Not gluten-free:

Any frappachino with "chips" (Java Chip, Double Chocolate Chip, Mint Mocha Chip, and the malt mix (an optional additive).

All other beverages are gluten free (as long as they don't have any of the "chips"). One representative specifically mentioned their chocolate sauce(?) as being gluten free.

Open Original Shared Link

HAPPY BUZZING!

I'm new at this, I'm the gluten-free one, and so my husband is new at this also. He shouldn't be a jerk about the pizza thing, but think about if you could never have your favorite food ever again, it's depressing.

Being a celiac is not comperable to a diet like atkins or weight watchers, because with those you can look at the person eating ice cream and say, "when I lose X, I can treat myself to that" or, "if I just have one little bite, I can go back on the diet tomorrow."

For celiacs there is no cheating, no end of the diet. The goal is to keep your intestines intact and functional, not to lose weight or anything.

He, however, should not make you feel guilty. It's his cross to bear and all you can do is be supportive.

My diet is my cross to bear, though I do appreciate it when he makes an effort to make me comfortable and happy (V-day he tricked me, we stayed home and he made a gluten-free feast! My paranoid post was in vain )

Also, since the relationship is relatively new, he may be seeing what his limits are.

I had a "sensitive stomach" as a child as well. I also had stomach aches and a battery of tests from which the Dr. concluded that I had a nervous stomach. And yet, here I am.

Encourage your sister to look into it, if nothing else, maybe they'll find another reason her stomach is so sensitive.

That sounds like me! I'm afraid of orange juice, it's sent me to the emergency room more than once.

When meds didn't work, my GI doc said I must have been taking the nexium wrong

Sorry, but there is no false positive for Celiac. If it came up positive on the biopsy, you've got some flattened villi. Flattened villi are only caused by celiac, and that's why you can't tolerate milk, either. Flat, inflamed villi can't secrete lactase, which is what breaks down lactose.

Only cure is a gluten-free diet for life. Sorry

The Riceland rice website has a gazillion rice recipes, and many of them are gluten free! They even do some creative things with rice where you might otherwise use wheat (can't wait to try the 3-cheese rice quiche!)

Open Original Shared Link

Even some of their bread recipes are gluten-free, and they don't even use rice flour

Also, they have a lot of allergy information under their FAQ's, listing not only gluten but lots of other stuff they might have in some of their rice products.

Just something different, and I like to support a business from my home state

Go Arkansas!

Are Quaker Soy Crisps gluten-free? I know Quaker says they can't guarantee blah blah CYA statement. They are so good, but I think they made me sleepy and bloated, although that could have been the McD's french fries

Anyone eat them? React to them? Anything?

Wow, that's a great list!

Thanks for sharing!

"Greek" Rice- I doubt it's really greek but it's a family recipe and it's awesome! Glad it's gluten-free, too

1 lb ground beef (I suppose turkey would work, too)

2 c. chicken broth (I usually use boullion and make it strong)

1 c. rice

1 tbsp butter or oil

Applesauce

Put rice and butter into a large saucepan (we use a wok, actually ) and saute over medium high heat (like you're cooking rice a roni) until lightly toasted. Add chicken broth and bring up to a boil, once boiling, break apart the raw hamburger and drop the pieces into the pan. Cover and cook over low heat until all the broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve with applesauce

The applesauce sounds strange but it's really good, I know I mix the applesauce right into the rice on the plate

I'm a sweedamickacanuckaho

Translation: Sweedish, Irish, French-Canadian, Native American

In my family, we embrace the bad nicknames

Nobody on Mom's side have celiac (though stomach problems), but my Dad was adopted, so who the h-e-double-hockey-sticks knows? (though I do know that that is where the sweed and french-canadian came from)

Oh, btw, incredibly pale, ash blonde hair, brown eyes

I've had the h. pylori blood test about sixteen THOUSAND times, and that's what they biopsied me for a few years ago with the endoscopy. Everyone was CONvinced that my horrific stomach pain was from an ulcer. Idiots. How many times do you need to do a friggin' test before you can say that's not it?! They also did several occult blood stool samples. Negatory every single time.

Then a dr told me I had bulemia Uh, sure.

The drs just started throwing narcotics at me and told me to go away.

Anyhoo, make sure they do other tests for ulcers, in case that's another problem.

Also, the h. pylori blood tests aren't terribly sensitive, so vigilance is key! I don't know about the other ones...

I do hate Valentine's Day, however, it's not a made up holiday (tell your husbands and boyfriends!)

As anyone with any kind of parochial education can tell you, it's a saint day:

(From the history channel.com)

"Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France."

Other fun facts:

*Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women.

*In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

* an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year.

Thanks for all of your help! Here's hoping I don't get glutened!

Richard- I didn't want to eat out, I had to because I had to travel to see my grandfather who is in ICU out of state. I tried eating at my friend's house when I could (and did a lot of health food shopping), but some of the time I couldn't. I did a lot of research before I left, I think I did ok. It was all bad timing.

Also, there's a pretty safe restaurant chain here in Austin (Chipotle) that I eat at in a pinch.

In an effort to surprise me, DH won't tell me where we're going

He's bad at surprises, so at least he's trying. He's trying to make it more special since it's our first married valentine's. I'm not sure he knows enough about the gluten-free stuff, but he assures me he'll take care of it.

I can only hope he did some research and made reservations, for pete's sake

Did I mention I hate Valentine's Day?

I just started the whole gluten-free thing a week and a half ago (and apparently my comfort McD fries are no longer safe ). DH is taking me out to dinner tonight, how do I approach the gluten-free thing without coming off like a hypochondriac?!

I've tried eating out a few times and I feel like a paranoid idiot, any tips?

And the candy flying at me from all directions, ACK!