celiac3270

Funny--I used to feel the EXACT SAME WAY every morning. The last few months (until I had my surgery and then everything went away). But anyway, just saying that I felt the same way--lightheaded in the morning, sometimes a little nauseous, and a...not achey stomach, but...it didn't feel great. I knew I was 100% gluten-free, because I had had a biopsy done just a month or so before that said my villi were 100% healed...and I still eat the same diet now and don't get that symptom. Anyway, just saying I was in the same boat

Okay. First you need to get it on some sort of a photo editing program. Do you have one on your computer? What program is the photo in right now? Then you need to "crop" it. To do that you usually click on a dotted square/rectangle option. Then you drag the square to fit it around the part of the picture you want to keep. Then you hit crop and the part outside the square is deleted. This gives you a smaller pic. If your husband can do it, you might just ask him about it.

Glad that you're feeling better so quickly!

Your stool descriptions did sound classic celiac. Celiac is often associated with diarrhea or constipation--moreso diarrhea, I think. The cramps were symptoms many of us had (myself included). Loose stools, mucus, etc. all sound celiac. Another thing some celiacs have is floating stools, but your stools are celiac enough without that .

Once again, happy to hear you're having success so quickly. Keep up the good work!

It's gluten-free

Nope--everyone's special .

Click on "My controls". Then go to "edit avatar settings" on the side of the page. Then either upload a picture or pick one from the gallery!

I know what you mean....I'm also a little paranoid about this. Dog food almost always contains gluten, but you'll be okay as long as you wash your hands. If you find you get rashes or itchiness from it, then you should avoid touching it with bare hands--it won't damage your intestines, but you don't want your skin reacting all the time.

It will get easier.

Yes--you have to be on gluten for at least about three months before the blood test to get an accurate diagnosis (but if you were gluten-free for a week before the test or something, it won't affect it). If you were gluten-free for a year, though, your results would likely come back negative for celiac disease regardless of whether you actually have it. Simply, blood tests are only accurate if you're on gluten. Otherwise the antibodies will go down leading to a negative diagnosis.

You don't need an endoscopy if you get positive bloodwork. Blood is enough to diagnose--the reason for the endo. is just to make sure, since many wouldn't want to make such a drastic lifestyle change if it wasn't necessary. I had the endoscopy done...twice, actually, February 2004 and around October 2004. Both experiences were good...well, for having a test done, anyway. They put me to sleep completely, since I'm a kid. Perhaps your doctor wasn't very good so it was a bad experience; both of mine did an excellent job....You don't need the endo.--it's basically if you want further proof. Though some docs want you to have one if your bloodwork is slightly questionable.

Centrum -- gluten-free and easy to find.

That made me laugh. Such a young man you are to have to hear about all of this! 

You're referring to the bowels, periods, and rashes, I presume?

And thank you, Stephanie

Oh, I see:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

your problems are your diet - eat whole grains, steam a variety of vegetables. Don't take supplements, they are a waste of time.

A waste of time? What are you talking about?

Yes--everyone should be tested, symptoms or not, for celiac disease.

Perhaps she has lactose intolerance and celiac disease? It seems like if you have celiac disease, you usually have something else, too. Another allergy, casein/lactose intolerance, diabetes, thyroid problem, something. Not all people do, but it seems that these issues are more prevalent among celiacs than the general population.

When she is old enough, though, your daughter should be tested, even if the symptoms go away. Try not to worry about coping now, when you don't even know for sure. While it may be difficult to give up gluten as an adult or older child, a younger child who hasn't even been exposed to much gluten won't have as big a problem with it. Eating gluten-free since a young age makes gluten-free food "normal food" rather than some strange and restricting diet. The biggest problem for your daughter if she has to eat gluten-free might be the feeling that you're different--but giving up the food is easier at a younger age.......sorry, I'm rambling

My Mom is 100% Swedish and my father is 75% Swedish. Sooo, I claim Swedish!!

celiac3270 and I are the only Swedes so far ~ I knew there was something I liked about him!!

Yay!

Before gluten-free......D

Now....neither.

Sounds good to me .

I don't do this, but it's a very good idea. I would suggest that for lists, you go to Open Original Shared Link. Then click on health and wellness (on the left) and then choose the first one, Celiac Disease On-Line Support Group (or a name of the sort). I think you need to register, but then go there and go to the products list. It is maintained by a team of other celiacs and is the most extensive, yet reliable list on the internet. You can copy and paste the long lists or download a word document. They also come in categories, which would be good for a PDA (rather than having everything in one list): for example, dairy, health and beauty (floss, toothpaste, etc.), etc.

There is also a manufacturers' phone number list--good for checking on products. I think that a lot of celiacs end up using a PDA if they like to bring many lists with them.

Tips.... keep it alphabetized (in the list) or it will be a pain in the neck to find anything. The list at Delphi is in alphabetical order by brand name.

I don't think it's overly paranoid at all. How many 4 1/2 year-old think to wash their hands before every meal? And then make sure every particle of playdoh is washed off, make sure none is under his nails, etc. Better to be safe than sorry.

No harm at all whatsoever. Whether you have celiac or not, this diet is better for you than a diet containing wheat. While we fully digest some grains, such as rice, we don't digest 10% of wheat--in fact, we were never meant to eat wheat, since our bodies weren't made to...digest it. So even if you have no problem with gluten, you're doing a service to your body. 1 in 133 in the US have celiac disease so the chances of having it are pretty high. Many here don't have a formal diagnosis and wouldn't think of going back to gluten to get one. If you feel better, that's what really matters--regardless of whether it's celiac disease or an allergy only to wheat, or something entirely different.

Also, welcome! We've had posts here on everything...discussion of bowel movements doesn't offend anyone here ...you name it, it's been discussed: bowel movements, menstrual cycles, gross rashes, even one about "sensitive nipples"......and the great thing is that nobody here knows you so you don't have to be embarrassed

Yes--you have a great attitude. I felt the same way when I was diagnosed--knowledge is power....you seem to be right on track

The General Mills company will clearly list gluten. That is to say, if gluten is hidden in....flavorings or modified food starch, they promise to put parentheses after it that say "wheat" or "rye" or "barley" if one of those ingredients are contained in it. So just read the label and you can find out if it contains gluten w/o even calling the company.

Hmm...not sure why they put the celiac in...is it because she had diarrhea due to celiac? It's a cruel punishment, nonetheless.

For general celiac stuff--definitely a GI

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

You need to register to see the latter, I just did and here's the article:

Lawsuit accuses teacher of forcing 5-year-old girl to unclog commode

By KRISTEN ZAMBO, klzambo@naplesnews.com

April 7, 2005

After becoming sick in her Bonita Springs kindergarten class washroom, a little girl's teacher made her don rubber gloves and manually remove the clog, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Lee County.

Lori Januska of San Carlos Park filed suit this week against Bonita Springs Charter School after she said her 5-year-old daughter, Heather, clogged the toilet Sept. 22, 2004, and her teacher made her remove the clog "in front of the entire class."

"Ms. Katherine Ring ... did ... subject (Heather) to a cruel, unusual and traumatic punishment for a 5-year-old child, manually removing paper towels and human feces from a restroom toilet," the suit says.

Lori and Heather Januska are suing the school, saying staff were negligent in hiring Ring, 36, of Bonita Springs, calling her academically and psychologically unqualified to teach, the suit said. They are suing for an unspecified amount in damages.

Calls were placed Wednesday to Ring's home, but she was unavailable for comment.

Neither Lori Januska, nor her husband, William, could be reached for comment Wednesday. Messages were left for Lori Januska's attorney, Joseph Gaeta, but he was unavailable for comment.

Mark Levinsen, senior vice president of administration and human resources for Charter Schools USA, said Wednesday that he hadn't seen a copy of the suit, but investigated the original complaint.

Saying Ring "has an absolutely clear record," Levinsen said "we took proper action. We did hold the teacher accountable. The teacher was disciplined."

He declined further comment.

Heather suffers from the gastrointestinal disorder celiac's disease, the suit said, and she admitted she clogged the toilet after Ring confronted her. Celiac's disease, also called celiac sprue, is a genetic disorder that damages the small intestine because of an intolerance to gluten. Gluten, a protein, is found in oats, wheat, rye and barley.

The condition is incurable, according to the Celiac Sprue Association. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, constipation, back pain and diarrhea.

The suit says the school is liable because "a vulnerable 5-year-old was subjected to cruel, unusual and traumatic disciplinary actions which directly resulted in severe emotional distress, pain and suffering and mental distress." The school didn't conduct a background check on Ring before hiring her, didn't interview prior employers "to determine whether she would pose a risk to the well-being of the children ..." and didn't conduct psychological testing on her.

Ring has no disciplinary record, according to Florida Department of Education records.

Lee County School District attorney Keith Martin declined comment on the suit. Principal Pamela Franco said she didn't know of the suit and also declined comment.

Bonita Springs Charter School is one of the school district's 11 charter schools, according to district records. Children attend tuition-free.

Hi and welcome!

Just want to stress that there are definitely long-term effects!!! Whether you get gastrointestinal symptoms from ingesting gluten, long-term ingestion can lead to the development of many other complications, to name a few: cancer, osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes. Long-term ingestion of gluten will greatly increase your likelihood to develop cancer and could lower your lifespan by 20 years.

If you ingest some gluten, you still cannot indulge. A little gluten will do a little damage, but indulgence will result in complete villous atrophy. There is a chance you'll get contaminated, but then, there's a chance every time you eat out. You very well may not. Just make sure you explain your dietary restriction very well to the chefs in restaurants and be aware of who has a gluten-free menu (Outback Steakhouse, Arbys, McDonalds, to name a few).

Inhalation of flour won't necessarily cause damage. Now, theoretically it won't, but if you inhale it and it gets in your mouth or nose and it gets all the way down to your digestive tract, then it will.

For cross-contamination, replace teflon (pots/pans) and if they're stainless steel you can use the same pots and just wash them carefully. Many prefer just to get separate pots/pans for gluten-free cooking. Also, then you can cook a gluten-free noodle and regular noodle at the same time, etc. Definitely get a new wooden spoon--wood is the worst--and get a gluten-free collander, as it's impossible to clean that well enough.

You can touch gluten and not react, but be careful, of course, that you wash your hands before touching anything gluten-free. Umm...make sure your family knows that they cannot double dip in the peanut butter, since some crumbs from bread might get transported from the knife into the jar. Then when you come along, you get contaminated. We can tolerate about 100 ppm and that's it. 100 ppm is just a crumb or two and the average gluten-free diet does contain a few parts per million since it's impossible for everything to be 100% perfect.

Separate toaster is a must--

For travel in the US, you can usually find the chain restaurants that have gluten-free menus. If you're traveling outside the US, try to post here in the travel section so maybe someone can help you. In European countries, however, they have a greater understanding of gluten-free. In Australia they regularly label items on the menu as gluten-free. The UK, Ireland, Italy, etc. are other good gluten-free countries. Basically, Western/Northern Europe and Italy.

Not all celiacs are thin. More, actually are overweight than underweight.

If you have anymore questions, shoot!

Okay, I'll keep 'em coming! Just didn't want to post it and bump this in front of the other posts in this section if people didn't want to see it...lol.

Open Original Shared Link

Oh, the stuff from this Baltimore newspaper requires a registration....so the text of an article that you used to be able to get online and now can't:

Cookies are both crunchy and soft

Recipe Finder

By Julie Rothman

Special To The Sun

Originally published April 6, 2005

Isobel Clayton of Santa Rosa, Calif., was looking for a recipe for chocolate macaroon cookies. We received several versions in response to her request.

I chose to test a recipe sent in by Carol Katsampis of Ellicott City that used only egg whites, no flour. It was a quick and easy recipe that made a cookie that was wonderfully crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It is completely gluten-free and would be an ideal treat to make for the Passover holiday.

Recipe requests

Helen Orem from Baltimore is looking for a recipe for a fresh fruit dip "similar to the T. Marzetti's brand cream cheese fruit dip that is sold in supermarkets."

Gerry Smaidris of Woodstock, Ill., is looking for a recipe she lost for a carrot casserole. Some of the ingredients are slices of carrot, yellow onion, cheddar cheese and a can of cream soup.

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request for a hard-to-find recipe, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278. If you send more than one recipe, put each on a separate piece of paper with your name, address and daytime phone number. Names must accompany recipes to be published. Letters may be edited for clarity.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chocolate Macaroons

Makes about 1 dozen cookies

2 egg whites

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6 ounces melted semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Grease cookie sheet and cover it with a sheet of greased wax paper or parchment paper. Set aside. Beat egg whites until foamy.

Gradually add sugar to egg whites, beating after each addition until peaks form. Add salt and vanilla and fold in melted chocolate; then add coconut. Drop in small mounds on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool a few minutes on pan before transferring to cooling rack.

Per serving: 162 calories; 2 grams protein; 8 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 90 milligrams sodium

Open Original Shared Link

....and another w/o link:

On July 20, Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) ensuring that people with celiac disease and food allergies can read ingredient statements and easily determine if the product is safe to eat.

"This will take the guess-work out of eating for consumers with celiac disease and food allergies," says Beth Hillson, owner of the Gluten-Free Pantry, and a member of the American Celiac Task Force (ACTF), which was instrumental in obtaining passage of the bill.

"Manufacturers will find the activity on their consumer hot lines decreasing dramatically as they 'tell all' on their labels," according to Hillson who is also a celiac and the mother of a celiac teenager.

Representative Nita Lowey (NY) a sponsor of the bill, explains "With no treatment for celiac disease, the only alternative is to follow a strict gluten-free diet

Yea--I, too, doubt it's nationwide...but you could probably visit a lot of pizza chains and see which ones would do something for you......

Sicker? Probably, but perhaps not. But definitely more damaged in the intestines, regardless of whether you feel worse as a result.