celiac3270

Jill,

You can also correct spelling by going to the top of your post and clicking the edit button. I do that a lot.....don't worry about it, though....it takes time to learn all the features on the board... but you did get your signature made...nice. I can't answer the jaw question: I don't know too much about teeth in general or Celiac and teeth/jaws....sorry.

About teeth: my brother has a lot of tooth issues....all the more reason to think he's a Celiac. I don't have serious problems with wearing enamel and my teeth are aligned quite nicely, but I have had multiple cavities....(is that just bad brushing? ) But my brother....he's always had tooth thingys coming up....don't know what specificially, but......blood and biopsy said no Celiac, I think he has it, anyway.......

-celiac3270

Well now that I'm gluten free, all I feel is missing gluten foods! LOL

But I'm on day 2 now, so the feeling better part I figure will come with time. =)

Trust me...that'll go...I felt the same way in the beginning -- that if I could, I'd go eat a big pizza or something...now, even if I was allowed to, you couldn't pay me to.......well, maybe pay me, but I wouldn't go do it on my own ...it makes me feel sick just to think about it -- yuck....after this, you'll never look at gluten the same way, and I doubt you'd want to back and eat it, especially if you were a symptomatic celiac.

-celiac3270

Okay...thanks, for the replies...I guess if I can just avoid large amounts of dairy, that's better, anyway.

Flo,

When you post a new topic on the board, it goes to one of the last few pages, which may be why you don't see it. When a moderator sees it they have a decision to move it to another section of the board (for example, if you posted a recipe under the Coping section) or they can "pin" it. If a moderator pins something, it shows that they've read it and it's important and good to read. Pinning a topic also makes it so it cannot be moved. All unpinned topics stay on the last pages of the forum along with any "moved" topics....pinned topics are towards the front in order of date. Hope this helps....

-celiac3270

A Celiac.com moderator

Thanks...I was just going to make a post regarding this....

Hi,

A question about how to deal with dairy: I do not have any allergies to dairy/casein/lactose or lactose intolerance or anything like that, but like many Celiacs in the recovery stage, I react to dairy....in large amounts. For example, at the beginning of the diet, I ate a big bowl of gluten-free ice cream.....and I got sick that night from the dairy. I've heard something about using lactaid pills to deal with dairy (but I don't have any intolerances). Does that really work? Is it a good idea? Does anybody do this? I can deal with limited dairy, but I was wondering if anyone w/o intolerances uses this method so that they can still eat dairy....just interested. Thanks.

-celiac3270

Mildly positive....I think that means that they were borderline....probably positive, but not definite...mildly positive doesn't mean mild effects on the intestines. All three should be gluten-free.

Second, that is REALLY, REALLY stupid that they ask you based upon symptoms. They may not have symptoms now, but they're going to later. Arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis....if they don't follow the diet now, they'll die younger and will develop serious complications....all three should be gluten-free.

Sure, it would be easier for the entire family to be gluten-free, but it would also be expensive. If you have enough money to, I'd advise you to make the entire house gluten-free. However, gluten-free foods are really expensive, so if you're on a tighter budget, I would not advise you to put people on the diet if they don't need it -- I think this decision should be based on financial situation....over $4 for a loaf of bread is outrageous if you don't need it for medical purposes and it really adds up.

Finally, I, too, agree with Tiffany. The diet is not all that difficult to follow once you get the hang of it and symptoms should not affect your decision of gluten-free diet or not......if you catch it in them and make sure they follow the gluten-free diet, you're adding years to their life and saving them from miserable complications later in life. I find the symptoms the hard part...the diet isn't that bad or hard once you get the hang of it.

-celiac3270

It's hard. You start off in the beginning and go "this is impossible" or "this food stinks". Then you get into the groove...find good foods, really understand the diet and disease, and then it gets hard again...not following the diet, but dealing with the symptoms. I thought I'd be free in 2-3 months when I started. I was diagnosed in February, decided to "play it safe and limit dairy until school ended"....school ended a month ago and I know it will be another 4-7 months before I even think about introducing full-scale dairy into my diet...my idea is that I'll stay off until the symptoms go away for good...and then introduce it slowly. I still have some dairy in my diet....a fair amount, but not as much as I would otherwise...I just avoid obvious BIG dairy items like a bowl of ice cream, but am not cautious about other dairy sources....like butter and various muffins that contain it. Could that be slowing up my recovery? If it attributes to my sickness, does eliminating dairy just get rid of symptoms, or also help the healing time of the intestines themselves? The diet is nothing.........I can deal with this, no problem.......it's the symptoms. I used to wonder: is it only me? It's nice to know that others are dealing with the same thing -- or worse. I just hope that my symptoms heal enough before school starts....I have less than 2 months and 8th grade is a big year for me with applying out to a secondary school and a mandatory Shakespeare play which ties up many evenings.......wow, I hope symptoms get better by then..

-celiac3270

I like the bread from Open Original Shared Link after a suggestion from a Celiac friend I use the "english muffins" for my sandwich's like tuna and hambugers! It is awesome!

Kristina? ...she suggested the same thing to me.

Hi there, I'm new to this site. Long story, but going back on the wheat free/gluten free diet for my 2 1/2 year old. Anybody know of a good bread that doesn't fall apart. We are so into sandwiches and I haven't found one yet?

I use "Ener-G".....never tried Kinnikinnick, but have heard raves for it.....and other products by the company such as donuts.........

-celiac3270

Applesauce....as long as it's all apples...and some sugar, perhaps, it's fine.......oh, yeah, I just saw that you said you found one that was fine.

There are plenty of gluten-free yogurts...don't know which cause I'm still dairy-free; in the recovery stage. Scroll up and hit "site map" on the left...then find something that says something like "gluten-free products" or "gluten-free foods"....click that...you can look at a category of things: such as gluten-free sodas or gluten-free hotdogs/corndogs......etc.

Choc. pudding....Kozyshack makes a gluten-free chocolate pudding which I ate before going gluten-free and I loved it -- it's great. Many Jello products are gluten-free......someone might know if their choc. pudding is gluten-free?

I posted on some other post that you wrote.....oh yeah, in this section......anyway, good luck with the cheese crackers in the shape of fish....

-celiac3270

Symptoms?

Mine:

- Abdominal Pains

- Vomiting

- Nausea

- Diarrhea

- Bloating

- Gas

- Weight (low)

- Smelly Stools

- Constant Rumbling/Gurgling in belly (gas?)

Other Symptoms:

- Constipation (instead of diarrhea)

- Height (short...little growth)

- High Weight (or low weight...both common)

- Arthritis

- Cancer

- Osteoporosis

- Rashes (DH)

Mariann (gf4life) made a long list of symptoms that she noticed -- really good one -- on the old board where she as "fernandofamily"....Jessica (angel_jd1) pasted it into a post on this board...I think it was in the coping section...I don't remember, though....you might want to check for it...it was awhile ago, though, so you might have to go back a few pages. I have heard of Celiacs having their teeth go bad on them.....

-celiac3270

Hi HeatherMelissa,

The most important thing is that you found it! How old is your daughter? Anyway, I'm 13 and consider myself to be a semi-picky eater ....celiac disease makes you less selective, though....you have to try new things to eat . I didn't get any cookbooks cause many of the recipes are too complicated and requiring many obscure ingredients in addition to being more adult-friendly. If your entire house goes gluten-free, it might be a good idea to invest in a cookbook (for the adults, primarily and maybe introducing some new things to your daughter), but for just children I think it isn't necessary. By the way, it is not dangerous for someone without Celiac to go on a gluten-free diet. It is healthy for anyone -- with or without Celiac to avoid wheat, rye, barley, malt, debatably oats, etc....it's a healthy diet for everyone. You mentioned something about breastfeeding...just as a warning: gluten does pass through breastmilk.

My suggestions: gluten-free foods are expensive -- you can get fruits, fresh meat, potatoes, chips, etc. at a grocery store but when you get into brownies, muffins, breads, pastas, pancake mixes, and other things that you purchase at a healthfood store....that's when it can get really expensive. If money is not an issue, by all means put your family on a gluten-free diet. It would make things easier for your daughter and would help avoid contamination (I'll explain later, cause I'm not sure how much you've researched ). However, it adds up really quickly. You can get a tax break for gluten-free foods, but you have to keep a meticulous record and it doesn't seem worth the effort....I don't know much about it, but maybe Kim could explain it to you if you're interested.

If you don't put the entire family on a gluten-free diet, I'd like to make a suggestion that has helped me and would help your daughter, especially as she gets older. Once a child starts making their own food choices, they may not immediately know what is good or bad, so if you can, I'd recommend designating some cabinets in the kitchen or pantry as being just gluten-free. This shelf can be trusted as a gluten-free stock of foods where a child can mindlessly pick something out and also where parents, at the beginning, can find all the gluten-free foods....this reduces your chances of making a mistake.

Contamination is a BIG issue with Celiac. Contamination is when a gluten-free food comes into contact with a gluten food. Since the tiniest crumb of gluten can wreak havoc on the intestines, it is critical to avoid contamination. To do so, have a separate toaster or toaster oven for gluten-free and gluten-containing foods. In addition, pots and pans can retain gluten, even after washing. You should get new pots, pans, and cooking utensils.....at the very least, make sure you replace anything teflon or wooden (such as wooden spoons) as these two materials retain gluten more than others.

I have a list of gluten-free foods that I've posted too many times on this site, so I won't post it again. It contains a summary of what I think are the best gluten-free foods....and it's a good starter...you'll form your own opinions, but it's helpful to have food companies to build on. There are some really amazing gluten-free foods out there, but there are just as many bad ones.....the key is finding the good ones quickly with as little experimenting as possible .

Shopping spree?....first make sure you know exactly what you're going to get...what foods you need, what you have in your house that isn't gluten-free (and there's gonna be a lot...I can tell you that), and make sure you know all the bad ingredients. Natural and artificial flavorings are questionable, so you'll have to call any company that doesn't say on the packaging "gluten-free". Remember that wheat-free and gluten-free are different. Whole Foods really close? That's great!

Feel free to e-mail or PM me with any questions you might have .... Jessica (angel_jd1) has a site, USA Silly-Yaks, which has a lot of recipes, gluten-free restaurants, and a message board. I believe there was one post on gluten-free baby food (you have an infant?). You can find the site at: Open Original Shared Link. It's very helpful, but you have to become a member (free) to view anything: links, downloads, recipes, message board, etc. Most importantly, read these boards often, ask questions, and you'll soon find you know a lot more. I've been gluten-free for...exactly 5 months and I know MUCH more than my doctor about celiac disease... ....good luck and ask a lot of questions!

-celiac3270

Coca-Cola is gluten-free: regular, caffeine free, diet, diet and caffeine free, etc...I don't know about that C2, but it's probably fine as well. I didn't check into Vanilla or Cherry Coke, but I don't drink those that often....the regular kinds that I listed above are fine.

Pepsi is gluten-free: regular, caffeine free, diet, diet and caffeine free...I didn't check into any variations they might have....like something with vanilla....

Most sodas are gluten-free....just be careful with root beer. A&W Root Beer is fine. Other gluten-free sodas that I'm aware of include Coke, Sprite, 7up, Canada Dry, Sunkist, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Schweppes. I drink Sunkist, Coke (and Pepsi), and Sprite somewhat "regularly".

-celiac3270

Thank you, Kathleen....some good information. My grandparents live in Stamford, CT!...I don't think I'll end up changing dentists, but it wouldn't be too inconvenient....after all, you only see the dentist every six months and I go see my grandparents at least that frequently so I wouldn't even have to make a special trip....

Thanks for the floss brand....the dentist kept telling me to floss, but, of course, I wasn't going to chance the gluten....and I didn't care enough to call the company (lol).......good to know which brands are gluten-free.

Richard, I think that although I didn't have a reaction, I was poisoned at my last visit. First off, he used floss...I knew immediately that he shouldn't have, but he just did it really quickly.... second, there was something mint in there.....I think it was something he put in my mouth before he gave me the shot third, I didn't get sick from it, which is good , although it is bad that my intestines were possibly damaged.

I'm not going to let this happen again.....Next time I'm gonna take charge!.....lay out the no-floss rules, etc. and make sure he listens. Thanks for all the info.

-celiac3270

I've been on the diet between 1-2 months and I'm nowhere near "normal" yet, although I haven't been normal for so long I don't know how I'd measure it. But I have had a lot more energy and my digestive problems are slowly getting less severe and less frequent. I doubt I'll ever be "normal" since I've been incurring damage for most of my life. If I get to be half as bad as I used to be I'll be happy to have that, although wouldn't it be great to be completely healed? 

I completely understand what you mean, catfish......I've been on the diet for....it'll be 5 months tomorrow. Like I said in an earlier post, I still have they symptoms. I had the abdominal pains, vomiting, some diarrhea, bloating, gas, low weight (not losing, but not really gaining)....the works . I always had a lot of energy so that hasn't been an issue. Diarrhea has never been a big deal and still isn't. It comes every now and then, but it isn't really frequent and it's not at all severe. My bloating stopped very quickly and I used to be very gassy...that's gone too. Although my less severe and less disruptive symptoms have disappeared, the abdominal pains and vomiting is....still there. It's much less severe and shorter in duration, but still comes just as frequently as it used to...usually every 10-14 days, but sometimes more frequently. Half as bad wouldn't be good enough for me ....I want so badly to not have to worry about getting sick.......it's really weighing emotionally. Anyway, I finished that ramble: I agree, it would be great to feel completely better. I haven't been that way since I was.....I guess 5 years old......

-celiac3270

I read that article.....a few days ago.....none of these articles, obviously, give us anything new except for statistics...but it's still a really powerful statement and something to think about.

-celiac3270

I agree with Celiacfreeman.......I wouldn't eat out in the beginning, either....then again, this is coming from someone who was never a big fan of restaurants to begin with . It is scary to put your health in the hands of others, especially in the beginning. I only trust my mom or myself to make a truly gluten-free meal..........and I'm gaining trust in my dad....but this is after months! To put this trust in someone who knows such a minimal amount about the diet is difficult...and scary. Your friends should, and, I hope, will understand if you don't go out to lunch with them. They're not the ones with health issues to worry about.

-C

ugg...I still have all three (not so much diarrhea, but mostly vomiting, nausea, and cramping).... .....but it's much less severe

-celiac3270

I know what everyone else will recommend so I may as well say it now: Open Original Shared Link. You get advice on what tests to take (and they're supposed to be more inexpensive)....you have choices on how many and which you choose to take. Someone else can give you more info. I haven't taken any tests there, but many others have.

-celiac3270

thanks for the list....

-celiac3270

Personally I don't think you need to have the tests done. i can understand why you want to but they cost a lot and also if you feel better that is a test within itself. I think the diet improment is the best test. It doesn't involve paying and no tubes anywhere or having to do stool tests, Just my opinion.

A good point....you said that you've had a blood test done. If that gives you enough confidence that you have it, that's all that really matters. Some people never get any kind of formal diagnosis, but try the diet out of desperation from their situation. If a bloodtest is already enough evidence in your mind, Molly's correct: you don't need more testing.

-celiac3270

P.S. Thank you for the correction on how long the tests are accurate, Tiffany. I have minimal knowledge of enterolabs....just the little bit I've remembered from others' testimonials. Just out of curiosity, what is it that you most doubt about Enterolabs?

I did a bloodtest, then a biopsy.....and came back a positive for both. Although I didn't do the enterolab tests, MANY on the board have, and can probably tell you a lot about them. You don't need to know which tests to do; I believe you're told what would be the best tests to run....and, unlike the biopsy, there are no tubes stuck down your throat .

Enterolab tests would be good for you, now, since they work at any time. The biopsy has to be done while on gluten...and having been on gluten for a significant period of time. The same goes for the bloodwork. The great thing about Enterolab testing is that even if you've been gluten-free for years, the tests still work ....so your period of gluten-free eating wouldn't screw up the Enterolab test results. Anyway, I hope that I have semi-addressed your question. Someone will come along soon enough who has been tested through Enterolab and I hope they can be of more assistance.

-celiac3270

First off, if they're real friends, they'll continue to be friends regardless of whether or not you choose to eat with them. Second, perhaps you could make a compromise. Read about which restaurants are gluten-free, do some research, and maybe next time, YOU choose where to eat out . I don't really like restaurants, either, and am anxious about put my health into their hands......

Anyway, good luck.

-celiac3270

Talk to the chef, of course, but I'd be very wary of any buffets....it's too easy to get contaminated...either utensils changing spots and being used for multiple foods or crumbs getting into something that might otherwise be gluten-free. Be extremely careful with eating anything straight from the buffet -- if a chef brings you something you can eat, I think you can trust it more....but buffets are dangerous places for celiacs.

-celiac3270

Avoid mint-flavored anything and have them use plain pumice for cleaning and you should be fine.

Will do....just out of interest, why?....do mint-flavored things usually contain gluten?

-celiac3270