Confessions of a Celiac

Heads up for Thanksgiving

2008-10-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

Check out my other site for Gluten Free Thanksgiving and other Holiday ideas.

Please know that these are not my ideas, I found them elsewhere and just reposted them. I just did all the hard work. :-)

Gluten Free Food Ideas

Everyone has Celiac

2008-10-08T17:50:00.003-04:00

Lately, people have been coming out of the woodwork. Mostly just relatives of people who have celiac disease but you know... once one has it, look out. Then I have tons of people telling me their symptoms and saying that they are getting tested. Which is good, I feel better knowing that doctors are actually paying attention. There are other people that feel like crap and have been tested but don't actually have CD. Those people wish they did. Which I understand, not knowing totally bites.

I don't feel so hot today. Nothing special, just a full feeling in my stomach. It's probably all the dairy I've been eating. Sometimes I go overboard. I can't help, I love dairy.

If you know anyone who is new to CD and is freaking out because they don't know what to eat... send them to my other blog Celiac Meeting Room

It is helpful in making the right choices. The best thing to know is the safe companies that clearly mark gluten on the label. I know I keep repeating that but it really is super important.

Gluten free TGIFridays

2008-10-04T00:01:00.003-04:00

I just went out to Fridays to watch the Red Sox play the Angels in the ALDS and had a bite to eat. Against my better judgement I ordered potato skins (no bacon yuk) and spinach dippy stuff. I am keeping my fingers crossed that either those are gluten free or my tolerance is getting better. Please cross your fingers for all the celiacs out there.

If I can eat cross conatmination after a year of being gluten free than the past year has been so worth it. If a little but of gluten is not the end of the world than I will be so freakin grateful.

I'll let you know of course. Tomorrow I'm going to the fair and I can't wait to eat french fries!! love the stuff, ooh and the cheese on top. yummy

Peace

EDIT: ummm yeah, not good at all. I feel like crap. Remind me to not take those kinds of chances again. It's not the usual pains but my stomach hurts slightly. I'm afraid of going to the fair today though. We'll see what happens with time

Not scared

2008-09-19T19:03:00.002-04:00

I went out to eat with my ex the other day and asked him if he remembered the first time I went out to eat after being diagnosed. He did. I was so anal. They sat us at a table that had bread crumbs on it and I didn't touch it until the waiter came over and cleaned it off. We were at the Outback and I told them not to bring the bread because i didn't want to take the chance that it would some how land on my side of the table.

I remember being so nervous that the same person who brought the bread to other tables would be the one who brings my dinner. What if they cross contaminated the plate. Paranoia big time.

Now when I go to the Outback I don't flinch when people are eating bread at the same table. If there are bread crumbs, I'll wipe it off with my napkin and shake out my napkin after. haha what a difference.

I was so scared of being sick and thinking that if I ate gluten, it would set back any progress I had made. Now, I don't think of it as a disease or an illness, it's pretty much a way of life for me. I'm not jealous of anyone eating yummy (fatty) foods, which is great. People are always telling me they feel bad for me, I say "hmph, it's no big deal" or "I don't". What a change from a year ago. I'm impressed with myself. I'm not even afraid of kissing a boy :-) which is another plus.

So, good luck to you all in your first year. If I can help in anyway, shoot me an email. I'll try to post things as I remember them. On the side of this blog shows titles of another blog I write. It's way more informative and very helpful as far as what the heck to eat.

Gluten Free Travel

2008-09-05T22:19:00.002-04:00

I went to the Dominican Republic last year and before I left, I was worried that I would starve. haha I found this site online that will send you cards in almost any language that says you can't eat gluten. It really saved me and I was able to eat almost everything.

I wanted to share this info.

triumphdining

Happy Anniversary to me

2008-08-04T10:36:00.003-04:00

It's been a year (ish)

I have to go for my blood work to get the exact details but I just wanted to write a little first.

I think things are getting better. I had a real bad month in January but that's about it. Lately I have been feeling good. Not amazing or super but good. I'm pretty sure I have been consuming some gluten but the effects are no where near what they used to be. I hope this is how it is from here out. Oh man, imagine... you slip up just once and the worst thing that happens to you is 5 minutes on the pot. I can handle that.

Im not even running to the bathroom anymore. Not that I really had that problem before being diagnosed but after. It was only when gluten was present.

I promise to get my blood work this week and give you all the details. For now, Happy Anniversary to me!! One more year and my intestines will be on their way to normal and I can eat dairy again!! yeah. I miss yogurt

Ok. Peace

Gluten confusion

2008-07-19T20:38:00.002-04:00

I have been getting mildly sick lately which I'm sure it's from cross contamination and the fact that I have become lazy. I keep hearing people say that they can eat a piece of pizza and be fine but only sometimes. HA only sometimes? I'm afraid to look at pizza nevermind eat it.

I went to a local restaurant that was suggested from a friend with Celiac Disease and ordered exactly what she orders... onky to become sick. Ugh seriously? haha I think it's because I'm very new to this and my intestines are still in the healing process and she is well into her 5th year.

I called my doctor to order a blood test and he wanted to see me first. My checkup went well because he said I was doing all the right things. I guess he has quite a few patients with CD and they are constantly calling him and complaining about being sick. I think it's because people don't take it serious enough. I gave him my URL and suggested he send people here. Not so much for this blog but for the Celiac Meeting room or the random bloggers that I have posted. I get emails from people thanking me for posting what 'commercial' foods they can eat. It's pretty much and on going list that I've found online and compiled on here. Anyone can do it, if they have time and patience. I had a month to research after I was diagnosed. Everyone should take time out and figure out what they need to do.

Moving on, I am eating dairy again but not like I used to. It's kinda weird but I can tell the difference between dairy gas and other random food gas. Good to know? I figured you wanted to know that.

What have I been eating lately? I try to make a nice chic meal to bring to work for lunch. I've mastered a great chic fajita in a bowl. haha I combine rice, taco seasoning, chicken, black beans, onions and peppers. (Cooked) Then get some corn tortillas (soft ones) and put Tofuti sour cream and guacamole on the wrap (the more the better, those wraps are dry)then plop some mixture in there, wrap and eat. It's quite yummy.

I have been buying frozen rice pizza crusts and topping that with spinach and artichokes. Again, kinda dry and sometimes it doesn't cook all the way but if I make it right.. it's delish. :-)

I also cook a lot of thai food again. That's where I started last year and kinda left it for a while but it's really good.

I'll be going for my blood work soon but I'm afraid it wont be pretty. I'll post the results

Paranoia, no more

2008-05-08T13:22:00.000-04:00

I’ve eased up a bit on my paranoia. Last night I even let my beer drinking buddy take a sip of my mudslide. Of course, I made her take a sip of her water first. Haha. I’ll tell ya, we will drive ourselves crazy over gluten. Personally, I don’t want to be sick so I try to take as many precautions as possible but it’s hard to remember all the rules. I still won’t go to a restaurant if they don’t have a GF menu. I take a lunch to work everyday while everyone else orders subs. I save money this way and I’m pretty sure it’s healthier.

I no longer think you can get sick by using shampoo with wheat germ in it. Same goes for makeup, excluding lipstick. At home, I use separate cookware and dishes, I have my shelf in the fridge and separate food cupboards. At work, I share the same everything. Currently there is a loaf of bread on the microwave. I laugh because it’s right there, in my face. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is how everyone should be. I am just as confused as the next person. Everyone is about being careful at first but I talk to so many people that have Celiac Disease and they are way more sane then us newbies.

I never had my checkup so it’s possible that my lack of being sick is due to gluten in my system. I really hope not, cause if I find out that I have been consuming this poison…. Oh my, I think I’ll lose it.

SOME SOURCES OF HIDDEN GLUTEN

2008-04-20T17:28:00.001-04:00

Bouillon cubes
Breakfast cereal – may contain malt flavoring.
Brown rice syrup
Candy may be dusted with wheat flour; ask.
Canned soups – Most are not acceptable.
Cheese spreads & other processed cheese foods.
Chocolate – Check if contains malt flavoring.
Cold cuts, Wieners, Sausages – may have gluten due to cereal fillers.
Dip mixes
Dry sauce mixes
Envelope & stamp glue
Face powder and other topical cosmetics/lotions (especially for DH’ers).
Dry roasted nuts & honey roasted nuts – Check.
French fries in restaurants – Same oil may be used for wheat-containing items; check.
Gravies – check out thickening agent and liquid base.
Honey Baked Hams™ - based with wheat starch in coating.
Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt – check ingredients.
Instant Teas & Coffees – cereal products maybe included in the formulation.
Lip Balms
Lipsticks
Mayonnaise – check thickeners; Hellmann’s & Kraft Miracle Whip are OK.
Mustard – Mustard powder may contain gluten; check.
Oil, frying – Check for cross contamination.
Poultry and meats – Check out the flavorings and bastings; even when the label says "water"; this may be hidden gluten.
Soups, soup mixes and broths – Check.
Sour cream – May contain modified food starch of indeterminate source.
Toothpaste – Check out.
Tortillas, Corn – May be dusted with wheat flour on conveyor belts.

Gluten Free Avon

2008-04-20T16:37:00.005-04:00

So, I sell avon now. The list of products that you get from the internet is so small in comparison to what they actually have. When you go to the site and click on an item that you like, it will give you the option of seeing a larger picture or viewing the ingredients. Bingo. You can see for yourself if it has gluten or not.

Click Here

Check it out for yourself. Even if you live on the other side of the country, you can order from my site. Or not, whatever. It's tough being newly diagnosed and fidning out that you need to replace all of your beauty products is crazy. This site is a blessing!! Need lotion? Got it. Lipstick? That too. Foot scrub and cream, mosquito repelent, suntan lotion, eye shadow... should I go on? All right here with the ingredients listed. Perfect!

Check it out. If there isn't a special for free shipping, let me know and I'll send you a code so you don't have to pay!!

Have you seen the commercials for ANEW yet? Big sale right now.

Look for these ingredients to avoid

BARLEY DERIVED INGREDIENTS
HORDEUM VULGARE (BARLEY) EXTRACT
PHYTOSPHINGOSINE EXTRACT
BARLEY LIPIDS
AMINO PEPTIDE COMPLEX
BARLEY EXTRACT
HORDEUM VULGARE (BARLEY) EXTRACT

WHEAT DERIVED INGREDIENTS
AMP-ISOSTEAROYL HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN
DISODIUM WHEATGERMAMIDO PEG-2 SULFOSUCCINATE
HYDROLYZED WHEAT GLUTEN
HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN
HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN PG-PROPYL SILANETRIOL
HYDROLYZED WHEAT STARCH
HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN STEARYLDIMONIUMHYDROXYPROPYL
HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN
WHEAT AMINO ACIDS
WHEAT BRAN EXTRACT
WHEAT GERM EXTRACT
WHEAT GERM GLYCERIDES
WHEAT GERM OIL
WHEAT GERMAMIDOPROPYLDIMONIUM HYDROXYPROPYL
WHEAT (TRITICUM VULGARE) BRAN EXTRACT
TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) FLOUR LIPIDS
TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM EXTRACT
TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM OIL
VITAMIN E DERIVED FROM WHEAT GERM OIL

OAT DERIVED INGREDIENTS
SAVENA SATIVA (OAT) FLOUR
AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL PROTEIN
OAT (AVENA SATIVA) EXTRACT
OAT BETA GLUCANOAT EXTRACT
OAT FLOURSODIUM LAUROYL
OAT AMINO ACIDS

Oops not glutened

2008-03-23T19:27:00.002-04:00

On March 2nd I posted a blog about being glutened, yeah well, I wasn't. I ended up getting pretty sick with a chest cold and possibly a few days of the flu. That lasted 15 days. So I just wanted to clear that up. Although, sometimes I do question if I have CD or not.

Check this out, a reader, funny little guy, sent me a comment. I really want to talk about this, so read the whole thing. This was his comment:

"I work in a restaurant and have many Gluten free questions asked of my staff. We are not trained in the Nutrition Feild to know all of the quims and quirks of every disease. It is unreasonable and ignorant for someone with a disease to assume the general public will know all of the details involved with any disease. If you are feeling sorry for yourself fo having this disease and its restrictions that is your buisness. Please do not take it out on the rest of the world."

These are my comments if you will.
We are not trained in the Nutrition Feild to know all of the quims and quirks of every disease. Understandable, but you and your staff should probably know about food allergies. It's not about the disease Mr. Anonymous, it's about the fact that people who have food allergies would like to go out to eat too.

It is unreasonable and ignorant for someone with a disease to assume the general public will know all of the details involved with any disease.
People who work in a restaurant, around food, are not just anyone in the 'general public'. Again, it's not the disease, it's the allergy.

This is my favorite!!
If you are feeling sorry for yourself fo having this disease and its restrictions that is your buisness. Please do not take it out on the rest of the world I have never blamed anyone for CD, I have never yelled at anyone because I have CD so I'm pretty sure that means that I have never taken it out on anyone, especially the whole world. That sure is a lot of people. If it is in fact my business, like you say, then what are YOU doing commenting on MY blog? Mr. Anonymous.

Now I have to add one thing just in case anyone comes on here thinking I want everyone to feel sorry for me and that I hate everyone who doesn't understand. Oh boy, that is so far from the truth it doesn't even touch the outer layer. The point of my blog is to help others that go through these roller coaster emotions, to help them understand that you will have your ups and downs. I am hoping that after a while my blogs will all be positive and then you will see that it's all worth it. People forget what its like in the beginning, how hard the struggle really is. I'm jotting it down, on a public site, to not forget. I remember that grocery shopping took 3 hours but do I really remember how sad it made me? That I felt so disappointed when I left with $35 worth of groceries and nothing to eat? Do you remember that feeling? I mean really.

So please don't view me as Miss Negative or act like I'm feeling bad for myself. I am not, I can assure you. I am just going through the motions just like all the other Celiacs. I'm not afraid to blog when I'm having a bad day or a pity party. That's the difference. How could I possibly help others if I lie and say it's easy and it's all gonna be better one day. I don't know how it's going to be tomorrow or one day. But guess what? A few years from now, when I look back at my difficult journey, I will know and I'll blog it, so you know too.

To those of you who understand and continue to read Thank you, for not judging. For those of you who think I hate life and am a miserable girl, there's a psychology term for that, projection.

Peace

I forgot how to be Gluten Free

2008-03-23T19:12:00.002-04:00

So the other day I was thinking that it sucks that I can't go out to eat and I'm so limited as far as foods/drinks/life... Then it occurred to me, that I was too busy wallowing in 'pity me' to realize all the opportunities I have. I seriously forgot how to be GF.

When I was first diagnosed I knew how to go to a restaurant and carefully order to ensure I had a safe and good meal. Man, along the way, I guess I lost that. I have been going to the same 2 restaurants that have a GF menu, I am spoiled. That's it, spoiled. Because when my friends want to go someplace else, I'm screwed. That's when I realized, I have no idea how to order food in a restaurant.

Then, it occurred to me that I eat the same thing, week after week. In the beginning, I was trying new foods, playing with recipes, looking new things up on the Internet... etc.. basically, I am boring now. All I eat is food that can be cooked in under 20 minutes, manufactured or junk food. How is that healthy? Good news for you junk food junkies that are looking for mainstream commercial food ideas, just ask me, I can steer you in the right direction. Which in all reality is the wrong direction. I can't remember the last time I had a piece of fruit.

Check this out, waffles for breakfast, thai noodles (similar to ramen) for lunch, a balance bar or genisoy bar for snack and tater tots or noodles and sauce for dinner. HAHAHAHA seriously. What happened?

As far as food shopping goes, I forgot how to do that too. It's to the point where I just look for the allergy words in bold from the safe companies. Pathetic, I know. The food I have been eating is full of high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and a whole shitload of things I can't pronounce. So what happened? I need to get back on track.

The reason for blogging this today is because it's only been 7 months and I'm already stuck in a rut. I should still be trying new things, becoming creative.. I want to make sure that if the readers have this same problem and haven't realized it yet, they will now. Take control of your life and get back in the game.

That's what I'm about to do.

It wasn't so bad after all

2008-03-02T20:30:00.002-05:00

I was recently glutened at my favorite rest but it only lasted for one day. My stomach started to hurt bad and I felt weak/tired. I tried to "walk it off" and went outside to shovel... hahaha NOT a good idea. That landed me on the couch for a couple hours. (oops)

I post on this blog as a journal for myself and those who are newly diagnosed. So, todays 'point' is that the side effects or reactions are so inconsistent, and, that not every glutening lasts weeks. I really feel much better today.

I am so confused though, I don't have the urge to head for the bathroom, or else. I get the opposite reaction, I can't go to the bathroom most of the time. When, I do get glutened (although it hurts and takes a lot of energy out of me) I go to the bathroom like I'm regular. Well, plus some, but not crazy D.

To this day, I don't feel like I have CD. I really don't. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I want to test the waters. Thats the last thing I would want to do. It hurts so bad. I just want to know. I guess I don't believe its true. ugh

My Favorite restaurant gluttened me

2008-03-01T22:51:00.002-05:00

I went to CJ's last night with a group of friends and as usual I informed the waitress that I would be ordering a GF meal. She then proceeds to tell me that they aren't doing GF anymore. She said they were starting a GF menu but realized it was too difficult, yada yada, then soemthing about a nutritionist. Whatever. So apparently they are giving up. This is maybe 1 week after the assistant manager sent me the GF menu choices by email.

Well, I think it was my fault that they aren't doing GF anymore and that sucks. After I received the email, I decided to send him one back explaining what happened when I went to T-Bones the other day; it's their sister restaurant. The waitress suggested Broc and cheese soup, I said, I highly doubt that its GF and she went to ask the cook. She came back and asked me "Can you have Flour"? HAHAHA Are you serious right now? I almost walked out. So thats pretty much what I told him. I added that foods cooked in the same fryolator can cross contaminate.

So what I'm saying is that I think, I single handedly blew it for everyone. Why would they give up like that? I'm so disappointed. Now, I have 2 choices of restauranst and one is super expensive.

So, at CJ's, i decided to order anyways. I got the chicken enchiladas. Well, I probably shouldn't have because the other girl at the table ordered that too. Which probably means, they weren't extra careful. Hence why I'm sitting on the couch with stomach pains and hating life right now.

I don't understand this disease. None of the reactions to gluten are consistent. It truly makes me wonder if I have CD. Well, the horrible stomach pains are pretty much the same, just different degrees thats all.

Crispy Crowns.. oops

2008-02-20T19:42:00.002-05:00

I had crispy crowns in my freezer. I went to the grocery store today and looked at the tater tots and I didn't see Wheat. I can't believe I did that. Well besides the wheat, what the heck is the difference. I still find it strange that I ate them and didn't get horribly sick.

So for now, tater tots are back on the menu and back in my freezer. Good thing cause I love those little buggers. haha

Oh no... Tater tots have WHEAT??

2008-02-19T19:00:00.002-05:00

Ugh.

I went to cook tater tots and noticed they have WHEAT listed on them. How did this happen? I thought I checked the label in the store. Last time I looked them up, the website and the employees said they do not contain gluten. They will clearly mark it on the label if they change and all of sudden do use it.

Well that day certainly has come.

The bag of tater tots was open cause last week I made some. That means, I ate the wheat. So why am I not sick? Last time I was sick, it lasted almost 3 weeks and that (I think) was due to CC.

All the more reason to think this disease hates me.

I can't figure all of this out. How long was it before everyone had a good idea of what they were up against?

Do not eat these. They contain WHEAT!!!!!

Feeling okay

2008-02-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

I don't have much to report because I have been feeling okay. I'm sleeping fine and no major problems. My bowels are by no means normal but I have always had a hard time going, so I don't really know what normal is. The one thing I don't have is the runs. Its so weird to hear people talk about that cause it's not me.

I have a gassy stomach everyday but nothing too bad. I've been doing normal everyday things so its not keeping me down. I really want to figure out what the heck thats all about though.

I'm sure the gas is from eating something simple like peppers or mushrooms. Hopefully its not corn or soy. We'll see. My nutrtion appointment is next week. I missed my gastro appt cause I'm an idiot. I'll schedule a new one soon.

Getting better!

2008-01-19T16:22:00.000-05:00

Well as the title says, I'm getting better. I'm back to eating normal foods again.

I figured it was one of two things. First, the fact that I was glutened on dec 22nd could have been haunting me. I mean it makes sense, every time I ate, it hurt. It didn't matter what I ate, it just hurt. So if you think about it, I was irritating an already upset stomach. The B.R.A.T. diet helped a lot too. It really does work. I don't think any of those foods gave me trouble.

Ok, if it wasn't the after effects of being glutened, it was the toxins in my house. I had plaster, dirt, paint, etc... hanging out in the air. I still haven't found out if that specific plaster has gluten in it. I found the website but can't navigate it very well. After painting a few nights ago, I felt like crap and realized it was the terrible fumes. I'm giving myself a few days before I go back and finish.

I also realized that no matter how you spin it.. a celiac needs to be dairy free for about a year. Apparently the tips of your villi are needed to digest dairy products. Well, celiacs have flat villi, resulting in, no tips. Census says that it is possible to consume dairy again, but just not now. I went out and bought some dairy free butter, milk and cheese. Like I said before, not a big deal, I was dairy free for 6 years. Of course, I keep eating foods with milk derivatives but I'm sure that will also come to an end.

I'm seeing a nutritionist. I really don't want too though. I feel like it is a big fat waste of time. Last time I had the appointment, I blew it off. My doctor says she specializes in celiac disease. So it can't be a complete waste of time. I can't imagine someone actually knowing as much as us celiacs do. All the research I have done and still don't know everything. I can't picture someone doing that kind of research if they don't have the disease. Ahh whatever. We'll see. I'll let you know what she said.

I also have a gastro appointment on the 24th. Hopefully they will send me for some blood work. That'll be a big waste of money too. Guess what he's gonna say? You should see a nutritionist. Yeah, no shit. LOL

Off to clean.

B.R.A.T

2008-01-13T13:47:00.000-05:00

The B.R.A.T. diet is what you eat when you have stomach ache. I have a stomach ache.
The part about the diet that I hate the most is the bland/dry rice. I need my butter. Can't have it.

Oh wait, do you know what the BRAT diet is? Sorry, its bananas, rice, applesauce, tea/toast.

I'm afraid to eat too much fruit cause people have said a lot of fruit will make you sick. So, how this diet works... no clue. But thats what I'll be eating. wish me luck.

Atleast my food diary will be easy to keep. I hate food diaries.

I'm so negative when I'm sick. It's kinda funny cause when you read a post of when I was feeling good, it's so positive. Good luck trying to find one of those. haha

Oh, I found a website of commercial GF foods and I have been updating my celiac meeting room blog with the lists. It's amazing how many things are GF and I didn't know it. The company phone numbers are there too, which is nice. Maybe I can gather a ton of people to call these companies and update the list. Most of the dates are 2003-2005. I was thinking that we could split it up into groups, then publish for everyone to see. How helpful is that? I wish I had email addresses, thats easier.

I'll go look for the email.

Here is some advice I have been getting

2008-01-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

"Do you mean you have been working around wheat stuff the last weeks, more or less the same time frame as this thread here, or did I read that wrong?

One thing that maybe is useful for you to know is... if I have been glutened, EVERYTHING will give me bloating and discomfort for a week or two afterwards. At least, it used to. Now, after three years gluten free, I recover more quickly. I get bloating and discomfort - you might very well get gas pains or something else.

This means that after a glutening, it's impossible to say what you may or may not react to for a week or two. First you need to recover from the gluten exposure. "

Ok that totally makes sense. I hate it. When glutened, everything makes her sick?? yeah, that right there explains it all.

let's see what else people have been saying.

"It makes perfet sense if you are celiac. Oats would be a delayed reaction that may have lead to your symptoms after you ate the next day. The number of folks who can tolerate oats is not real high you should drop those until you are symptom free.

Also the mayo and the salsa, did you make sure that they are derived from non gluten grains? Not all celiacs can tolarate gluten vinagers.
With your tummy being the way it is you shouldn't even consider salsa, whether gluten free or not right now. "

The oats I eat are from red mill. It's in a factory by itself. I thought these were okay. My mom just made oatmeal peanut butter cookies and now, I have to not eat them?? oohhh poop. I hate celiac disease. I shouldn't have done the salsa, thats true. I'm an idiot.

"You also should be dropping dairy for a couple of months at least. You need the villi that are damaged to digest dairy, without them a couple of hours after consuming it you will have symptoms."

So many people keep telling me that because my intestines are already damaged, dairy is bad. Basically dairy cannot be consumed until the villi are somewhat back in shape. 7 years of damage, I guess I have to get rid of the dairy. I sooo don't want to. I didn't have dairy for 6 years. I miss it. I love cheese. Real cheese. But I have been constipated my entire life, probably cause I love cheese so much. I actually have funny cheese stories. Let's just say that drinking mineral oil and crying to my mommy in 7th grade cause I couldn't go potty was not fun. Back then, I would put cheese in a coffee cup and melt it in the microwave and eat it. yum yum. lol

So, I am cutting out dairy, chicken and oats. Which dairy is easy, I did it before. Oats, no biggy, I don't even like them. BUT chicken? I eat chicken every day of the year. Looks like fish is about to make a major come back. But can you make fish stirfry? lol j/k I'll do shrimp.

Next month, mercury poisoning.

not funny? yeah, I know.

I need to lay down and stop typing. My stomach is killing me. It feels like I went to the gym and totally over did it with the ab work out.

Sore stomach

2008-01-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning with a gassy belly and didn't want to get out of bed. I hate wasting days though cause life is so short, that won, I got up.

I still don't feel very well but right now I can tolerate the pain.

I had to walk around Lowes today and it was quite the task. I feel like I have one big cramp. Its weird though cause its almost like, I know why I feel this way. Did that make any sense? LOL what I mean is, I feel like todays stomach pain is a direct result of last nights severe pain. It's a constant reminder of what I had to go through. I don't like it.

I think I was glutened. I don't think it was the food. You see we have been doing some remoldeling in my house. Drywall, plaster, adhesive, grout... etc well guess what has gluten in it. Plaster. Yup it is the filler. I have been inhaling the fumes and dust of this for a week. I've been terrible sick for a week, Which explains the headaches too. When you inhale stuff that is toxic to you, it causes a headache. I'm well aware of this feeling.

LOL, so how funny if it turns out that it's not the food? Which means that all this trouble I have been going through to try and figure out what makes me sick, isn't food at all. Well, not the food that goes in my mouth. If anyone asks if its possible to get sick from being around gluten and inhaling the fumes, I would say yes. I'm not eating the plaster. I promise.

I hope these pains don't last long cause I'm ready to not be sick. For now, I need to go lay down and rest.

Oh no, not again

2008-01-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

What am I supposed to do here? I eat, I get sick. Does this make any sense? I don't know what it is.
The pain tonight was burning and directly in the middle of my upper body. It seems like its right behind the lowest rib cage. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?

I cried tonight for 45 minutes. Partly because the pain is so unbearable but partly because this is not right. It's not fair. If I knew what it was that I did, I wouldn't do it anymore.

It's possible that the food is not the issue here.

I have been helping my Dad do drywall and laying down ceramic tile. I'm pretty sure these items that I handle, have some sort of toxic poison in them. Is it gluten? yeah, I don't know maybe. What am I supposed to do? I have to work on my house.

The pain comes about 20 minutes after I eat. Tonight I knew it was coming and I hoped it wouldn't. But it did and it came hard. It didn't last very long. Maybe an hour and a half or two hours at the most.

Don't get me wrong, it still feels very uncomfortable but it's not stabbing pain.

I am so irritated. I hate this. I absolutely am not happy at all. What happened to feeling good about being gluten free and being all positive and stuff? Why did things have to take a turn for the worst? I can cut out gluten, I can do this. Why does it have to be more than that.

why.

Debating on calling the doctor

2008-01-10T11:41:00.001-05:00

I can't figure out if I should call the doctor or not. I really don't know what to tell them. I have had stomach and gas problems for years, so its the same ole, same ole.
I was looking over my food diary and its not very consistent. I could always just get back to the basics and try again but its thursday. What if I get really sick on sat or sun. I have a terrible headache and I am pretty sure its food related. I have absolutely no energy. I am awake but my muscles feel sore and tired. (for no reason) The past two days have been really bad stomach pains, I can only take so much.

I just realized, thats what I'm gonna say to my doctor and they can tell me what to do from there. I'm calling.

UPDATE:
This is my post from celiac.com (if you are celiac and havent been there yet, please go to the forum and talk about whatever you need. Those people are an excellent support group right in the comfort of your own home.)

I made an appointment with my PCP tomorrow at 9. I just don't want it to be a waste of time, you know? Of course you all know.
I also called the Gastro who diagnosed me. That appointment is on Jan 24th and the girl who made the appointment could tell that this is more urgent and suggested I talk to the Dr's nurse and get squeezed in somewhere. So I left a message.

Any suggestions on what to say so I don't get the run around?

Both locations are aware that my food right now is very much limited and I am worried. I will add some stuff back but I can't be sick. I promise I wont stop eating. Hunger pains hurt too.
Plus that leads to even more problems, we all know I don't want/need MORE problems.

I can handle the uncomfortable gas but the pain that follows gets too much. Why is it that we have to feel this way? Sorry, there I go again.

BTW Thanks for everyones HUGS and support. I love this place.

It hurts

2008-01-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

My stomach is in pain. It went from gassy to slightly painful and now, I feel like my stomach is so tight and there is so much pressure on my abs. I keep holding my breath cause its the only thing I can control. I'm trying to hold back the pain. Sitting hurts, laying down hurts. this hurts.

All I had tonight was Chicken thighs baked in water and brown rice. No oils, just salt. Can salt do this? Maybe I'm allergic to salt. I never put it on my foods normally but since doing this elimination diet, I've needed some flavor. I swear I'm not going crazy with the stuff. Just enough.

Maybe its the chicken. I'll leave that out for a few days. It wont kill me to be a vegetarian anyways.

So now I'm down to rice and sweet potatoes.

I could always just stop eating. Its food thats making sick anyways. I'll just drink water, lots and lots of water.

I'm pretty sure its common for people with food allergies to just give up and stop eating. I actually have will power and look forward to living a happy, healthy life. Not everyone has that. I just gave away the fact that I wont starve myself. It's so frustrating.

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Oh Boy

2008-01-09T17:15:00.000-05:00

So It is suggested that I check my blood sugar levels. Because I have removed many foods and am still sick including these headaches and feeling so tired, I may have a GI problem or a different intolerance.

Here is the reply to the last post from a lady at celiac.com. (where I go for all my support)

"You can tell if it's a blood sugar issue if you find that you feel better after eating, for about half an hour, and then feel worse. You can also use blood sugar monitors to test regularly to find out if you have a sudden drop or spike, which can definitely cause stomach aches and headaches, at the least.

I am suggesting, given all that you've been trying, that it isn't a specific food (or small set of foods) that's making you sick. It could still be a GI issue related to food (for those who really have IBS, food plays a role in causing the symptoms, even if it's not the direct cause; and yeah, I know it's way over-diagnosed, or for those with other GI issues, fat is a problem), but it seems, based on what you've been describing, that it's not quite as simple as a handful of other food allergies/intolerances.

Though, as I type that, one other thing comes to mind - if you entirely eliminate fruit, you could separate out a fructose intolerance. True, clinically-diagnosable fructose intolerance is fairly uncommon (as opposed to an intolerance where you can't handle much, but can handle a small amount), but you describe a connection with the fruit, and cooking may not break down all of it."

hmmm. I think I'll make an appointment and get this worked out. Of course, you all know that I will post everything as it comes. Wish me luck.

Not getting better

2008-01-09T16:10:00.000-05:00

Ok. So I have been eating brown rice, sweet potatoes, baked in water only; chicken. Plain lightly salted rice cakes, Banana, applesauce and once a cooked pear. (which made my stomach go nuts!!!) I feel like I'm at the point where I can't eat anything at all.

I tried to add butter to my rice. It was canola margarine. My stomach didnt care for that. Just to be sure, thats what it was, I did it a few times. Yeah, not good.

I cooked two pears for breakfast and put some honey on them. aahhh hahaha NEVER! That was so not a good idea.

My stomach has been terrible these last few days and I can't eat ANYTHING without getting a stomach ache. This morning I had a few bites of applesauce, then a few hours later a banana. Then for lunch I had baked chicken. in water. free range chicken. Last night I made some baked sweet potatoes in the oven... maybe I ate too much, but stomach ache. I don't want a stomach ache anymore. I am seriously getting annoyed now, cause it seems the less I eat, meaning the more I cut out, the worse my symptoms are.

I am going to die if I don't get enough nutrition. well, arent we all. I don't have insurance so seeing a dietician is out of the question. Besides, they probably know nothing about celiac disease and will be a waste of money any ways.

I just don't know what to do. I would give up if it didnt hurt so bad.

Today

2008-01-06T18:50:00.000-05:00

Ate a banana, had a bit of coffee with international delight.
Lunch was turkey (plain) sweet potatoes and brown rice with canola butter.
Feeling okay. Little bubbles floating around but thats pretty much daily. I think I'll keep the butter in.

I keep reading that the 2nd year is harder than the first few months and that scares me. Why is it harder? I assume that the less gluten you consume the more sensitive you are to it. So maybe its the CC?

I am glad I'm doing this elimination diet now though. I want to get everything figured out all at once. I really don't prefer to feel good for a year then BAM! Sick again. NOT FUN. You could imagine.

I plastered yesterday and put down ceramic tiles today. I think one or both of those things has gluten in it. I washed up very well as soon as I was done. Hopefully I will be fine.

I'm gonna go make some sweet potato fries. Baked of course. Yumm yumm

Corn chips

2008-01-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

Ok. So I have been doing a really restrcted diet to try and figure out why I have been bloated and gassy. Please know that when I say gassy, it doesn't mean I simply have bubbles in my stomach or that I am releasing this gas. It is a bit painful and is just traveling around my belly, not really going anywhere. So, don't think I am stinking up my house. It would be nice to release some of this, trust me.

Last night I added some peanut butter to my diet. It's just peanuts and salt. No added oils. I ate it with rice cakes. They are GF. Then I decided to pig out on corn chips. Maybe 30 minutes later, I had gas. A LOT! Is it the corn chips or is it the salt. I did have quite a bit of salt yesterday.

I had 3 spoons of peanut butter about 15 minutes ago and I can already feel my belly acting up. So, salt? I should probably get back to the strict diet and drop all this salty crap.

Even though I am trying, I'm not trying hard enough. So back to the bland stuff.
I so badly want to get back to eatinh whatever I want. I just want to say screw this diet thing. But the problem is that something I am eating is making me sick. Until I figure that out... well you get the point.

So food store tomorrow. I will be buying
sweet potatoes, pears and peaches, chicken, rice cakes and possibly some rice milk. I was so excited to add some cinnamon into my diet but now that my stomach hurts, it's probably not the best idea. I'll have to go a few days feeling fine first.

Wow, my stomach really is starting to hurt. Was it the peanut butter or the salt? Probably the peanut butter, so thats done for a while.

Oh I hate this. Why? Everyday. ugh.

This title was renamed to: Fruit

2007-12-30T20:40:00.000-05:00

I need my coffee. I seriously am going to go crazy.

I woke up this morning and my stomach was hosting a fair or something. Maybe a huge concert. I don't know what the heck was going on there but it was a lot of action. Trust me. If I spoke the language, my stomach and I would've had an entire converstaion this morning. Ok, you get the point?

Sorry. I do that.

The people on celiac.com tell me it may be all the fruit I am eating. I guess its possible. When I first starting eating GF, I didn't know what to eat so I ate fruit. All the time. Oh Wait, haha. This is the same feeling. Now if I had a stupid food diary, I would've figured that out already. I remember the gassy stomach. I was just happy (back then) that it wasn't just bloated. That there was actually some action going on there. It's the fruit. hahahahahaha You have no idea.

Are you eating too much fruit?

Avacados are yummy, by the way.

So how much fruit is too much? I am really trying to figure this whole thing out. What else am I allergic to? I cut out dairy, soy and eggs. I miss my eggs. Now, I have to kill the fruit. Well, not all of it.

I had a salad for dinner. oh no, with fruit. haha oops. So anyways, the salad was butter greens with cukes, carrots, oil, vinegar and avacados. So delicious.
I am taking a break on food for a bit to see if the salad is going to make my belly sick.

When I eat a banana in the morning, I seem to feel better. Maybe it's just some fruit. They say that bananas, strawberries, melons, dried fruit, pineapples and a few others are not easily digestible. And guess what I eat as a fruit salad? Yup. All of those. The people on celiac.com must think I am so dumb. I list the foods I eat and they reply saying it's all bad.

I need to go write about this fruit thing. I'll be back. maybe

Happy New Year!
you fruit

This diet sucks

2007-12-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

This is the third day and my stomach has not stopped being gassy. This stinks. I am eating fresh fruit. cantaloupe, pineapple, grapes, dried cranberries, Sliced almonds (they are allowed), avacadoes, strawberries and bananas. Thats my breakfast and/or lunch.
Dinner is chicken (free range), red and orange peppers, mushrooms, brown rice, brocolli (Not a lot), safflower oil, tyme, sage, rosemary.

I think thats about it. I have had a plain rice cake.
I wonder if its the meds I take at night. The worst part of the day is first thing in the morning. My stomach just goes nuts.

I am so sick of being sick. Can't I just have a good day, or two? Sorry, I know it's the pity me that's talking.

Anyways. Do I just continue this elimination diet? Obviously what I cut out is NOT what was making me sickif I am still sick.
Advice?

A post from Celiac.com

2007-12-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

OK. Just when you think everything is getting better. Bam. stomach ache. It's been going on now for 4 weeks. Someone suggested that I do an elimination diet which as you can tell, I'm psyched about.

Anyways. I really don't know what to eat. It is so limited and I'm a tad bit confused. Why should I eliminate everything? Wouldn't it make more sense to eliminate one problem food at a time? Cause when you start to add this stuff back in, you may feel sick. Or should I say you will. And the diet goes as this... if you feel sick. don't eat it again. Well, I don't want to be sick thank you. So, like I said before, would it be more practical if I started with soy and milk then went to nuts and corn? Or something? Probably not

I wont eat lamb. Thats cruel so please don't suggest that. Here is what it says I can eat.
Foods to eat on an elimination diet:

Starches (all cooked), including:
brown rice, sweet potatoes, winter squash,taro (or poi), tapioca rice flour, puffed rice

Most Green, Yellow, or Vegetables (all cooked), most veg exp corn, potato, tomato, peas, beans, legumes, including:
beets, beet greens, chard, summer squash, artichokes, celery, string beans, asparagus, spinach, lettuce,
carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, avocados, garlic, cukes, eggplant, broccoli, peppers,

Fruits (all cooked), most fruit cept apples and citrus. Most non-citrus including:
peaches, cranberries, apricots, papaya, plums, prunes, cherries, bananas, grapes, pears, pineapples, kiwi, mangos, melons, cherries, berries,

I'll be honest. Most of this stuff, I have no idea what to do with or how to eat. I don't even know if I like it.
Any help would be great.

Oh and what is my protein?

One reply was this:
The reason to eliminate *everything* and add things back one at a time is to do a controlled experiment. If you have four things affecting you, and you remove only one of them, there are still three things affecting you that you have to "see around" to determine that the fourth is affecting you. And then also figure out the other three. It's simply not a clean, scientific test.

New Blog

2007-12-28T13:21:00.000-05:00

I am starting a gluten free food ideas blog. There are many already out there, so the more the merrier right? Check it out. Add yourself to my list and link your site with mine. I need to get permission first but there is a blogger that is linking all GF food blogs together and as soon as I ask her, I will post her link. We can be one big community.

Inconsiderate people

2007-12-26T11:51:00.000-05:00

Feeling better. Not 100% but better. I just got to work and someone had left a container (opened) of brownies sitting on the filing cabinet. In front of the door that constantly opens blowing air onto/past the brownies, possibly in my work area. Sorry I mean def in my work area. I asked that they be removed and believe it or not, I got an attitude. I get it, you don’t understand, that’s fine. BUT I have a disease that is killing me. Right now, as I type. The only way to recover and get better is avoid consumption and cross contamination of these gluten containing items. Otherwise, I die. Not just get real sick and have a stomach ache. Or even ‘cramps’ as they like to refer to my pain. (They meaning, all the uninformed people I associate with everyday). Its fine that you don’t know everything there is to know about celiac disease but guess what? That doesn’t mean you can make light of my disease. I wouldn’t do that to anyone.
It’s really annoying that just because people don’t know, they judge. You would actually think that is backwards. Like, if you know everything about a certain subject, then you can judge people right? But, it’s the people who don’t know about shit, that judge. I’ll tell you this, sometimes, when people judge me… Let’s just say I would prefer they judge my fist in their face for being ignorant.

Let’s go over some crazy details about gluten.

The amount of gluten it takes to do damage to ones intestines is microscopic. In the case of gluten, a lot or a little does the same amount of damage. So, yes, that little crumb you leave on my desk, keyboard, phone... can and probably will kill me.

Gluten kills. If a person with celiac gets gluten in their system by food consumption, cross contamination, breathing particles, etc... It will kill them. Does it really make a difference if they die right now or in 10 years? Would you be more aware of gluten if it killed me on the spot? Cause if the answer to that is yes. Do me a favor and never speak to me again. Because as far as I’m concerned, you are contributing to my slow and rather painful death. Thanks for that by the way.

Cross contamination. What does that mean? You eat gluten and have particles on your lips, then take a sip of my drink. Bam. CC (cross contamination) you ate gluten and believe it or not, still have some on your hands, then touch my pen. Bam CC. You ate something and you sneeze on my keyboard (gross) and CC.

How many times a day do you put your hands to your mouth? Think about it? I apply Chap Stick, lip gloss etc... A few different times a day. I scratch my lips, wipe my lips, rest my face on my hands, lick my lips, wipe my mouth on my shirt sleeve or my wrist, wipe the sweat from my upper lip/nose area, did I mention scratch my lip? Cause I do that all the time. Apparently.
Not only do I have to make sure gluten doesn’t end up on my fingers and lips, I have to make sure it’s not on my shirt, wrist, back of the hand. In my laundry soap, lotion, nail polish, lip stick, toothpaste, mouthwash... etc... Get it? It’s bad enough that I have to watch everything I do but I also have to watch everything everyone else does? Great. Now, all you non-celiac, are you starting to get the point? By eating a brownie and typing on my keyboard, you are clearly CC’ing me. So, next time you decide to give me a dirty look for cleaning off my counter space, my keyboard or even the damn door handle, I’m gonna put cyanide in your coffee. Don’t worry though; it’ll be so minute, you won’t even notice. Right? Cause that’s how it should be. Just a little wont hurt, well, too much. Although it may seem I am speaking to one person, you need to realize this is supposed to be a blog for all celiac and non-celiac. To learn from each others mistakes, including mine. So Thanks to all of you who keep me on my toes and are now stars of my blog.

Gluten is in post-it notes, on stamps, envelopes, the beginning and end of the toilet paper roll. Gluten is in shampoo, hair gel, Chap Stick, nail polish, lotion, hand soap. Washing your hands after using a public bathroom is risky because of the hand soap. Oh, I never thought that through. I just went to the bathroom and washed my hands with soap that I have no idea what brand it is. Wow. How crazy.

OK this blog is done. Thanks for stopping by celiac.

Still Sick

2007-12-24T23:03:00.000-05:00

I went to work today but it was very hard. The truck was bumpy and getting in and out was tiresome. It was also the easiest day I have had at UPS. After 3 hours I had to leave. I am still feeling terrible. The pain isn’t as bad but it still hurts. I can’t explain exactly what it feels like.
I took a nap for an hour and ate a little before going to my other job. Not even 10 minutes in and I regret going. My stomach pain started to get worse, and then it started to burn. Now this feeling is familiar. Normally running to the bathroom and sitting there for 45 minutes quickly follows the burning, but not this time.
I went home after only 3 hours; I just couldn’t be there anymore. Now I’m at home and although I feel better... I don’t know if I feel better. Did that make sense? Haha no. I don’t seem to have bad stomach pains but I am also sitting on the couch with my warm laptop on me. It could be relaxing my muscles but then again, I don’t know if that’s even a good thing. For all I know, I could be making things worse.
I am trying to do some more celiac research cause after all this, I feel like I have a lot more to learn. I’ll say this though, If I end up being allergic to corn or some other random thing that is “in” everything (like gluten); I’m seriously going to lose my mind. The only reason I say that about corn is because my snack of choice is corn chips with cheese or salsa. I get pretty gassy at night and in the morning. The only time I eat corn chips is at night. I thought it was the requip that may have gluten in it, that’s why I was feeling crappy. It could just be the chips. Corn. Not good.

I’m off to bed. I really hope tomorrow is a much better day. That’s my Christmas wish. haha

I hate this

2007-12-24T14:29:00.000-05:00

Can I give up?

I am so stressed and I don't care if I am sick, I just want this complicated 'stuff' to be done. I can't take it anymore.

I do not see a light at the end of the tunnel and I am driving myself crazy with worry.

Glutened Right NOW!

2007-12-23T16:22:00.000-05:00

It hurts so bad. My stomach. Oh…. It feels like a rock or a knot. I don’t know but I hate this. I have no idea what I ate and why this keeps happening but I can’t take it anymore. Everyday I am sick. I am trying to get ready for work and the pain is almost unbearable. I can’t sit cause that hurts, I can’t lay down cause I won’t want to get up. Which we all know that as soon as I lay down, I’ll have to run to the bathroom. Of course, this time, I am not so sure it will end in the bathroom. It hurts to much. I just want to stick a needle in my stomach and release the pressure. It’s not gas so that won’t work. (Not that I have a needle long enough.) I need to go to the hospital so they can cut me open and take out or repair whatever is causing this pain. Just please get it out of me. Whatever I ate, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do.
Its funny, I keep thinking that the name why me celiac is whiny. It’s sounds like pity me, I have celiac disease. I have thought of other names that would be better appropriate but its times like these... where it is so very fitting. What did I do, why me? How come people walk around every day with no problems and I walk around with a stomach ache. Or worse. I am trying to make money to pay my bills and I can’t even get ready to go to work. I am stuck here. In pain. So yeah, why me? I am a hard worker and I love money. I have been working 14-16 hour days the last few weeks just to get some bills paid. No breaks. No lunch at UPS and no dinner at National. I don’t even have money for Christmas presents. Not even for my Mom. No one. All because a little piece of gluten has been holding me down for 2 years.
You may know that I have struggled to hold a job for the past 2 ½ years. Sometimes I am stuck in bed for weeks. Now that I know what’s wrong... why can’t I be working and making all of that back? It’s so frustrating. Gluten is everywhere. Lotion, make-up, toothpaste, my counter, the cars I clean, on door knobs. I’m not safe. This is so hard. I feel like I am gonna cry. I can’t take it.
So I looked at the clock, I have been sitting here for 25 minutes in terrible pain. I just want to crawl in a ball. My truck is running. I went out to warm it up and bam (!) pain.

Help me.

I stopped writing two hours ago cause the pain ended up being really bad. I was in the fetal position with tears streaming down my face when my mom came home. She gave me a heating pad and some tissue, to start with. I think the heating pad worked a little cause I could hear the gas bubbles starting to move and that’s always a good sign. I still haven’t gone to the bathroom which is confusing but I could be all bound up from the eggs, milk and soy that I over-consume daily. My stomach still hurts (not terribly like before) and its been 3 hours now. I am looking up all the products I use for GF status. This is so irritating as you probably already know.

Seriously

2007-12-12T23:26:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I feel like everything I eat is making me sick. It is so hard to feel good. I thought I had this “gluten thing” figured out but I was wrong. Tonight I had a salad. That I made. What could have made my stomach turn? I don’t feel “glutened” as they call it on celiac.com, but I don’t feel very well. My stomach hurts. I don’t feel like I have been kicked or punched in the stomach (that’s what I read on other sites). I just have a simple stomach ache. But what’s the point of eating gluten-free if I’m just gonna have stomach aches anyways? Honestly. I am so frustrated, like I can’t figure it out. I want to call my doctor that diagnosed me and punch him in the nose. Maybe he is wrong. Maybe I have some other disease that makes the villi in your intestines lie down. Because lets say I do have celiac disease… why do I feel sick still?

The only thing that has changed is the fact that I can actually use the bathroom. Before I was diagnosed it would be days even weeks before I could go. Not weeks but maybe a week and a half. Now, I just eat something my stomach doesn’t care for very much and voila.. potty. Haha that’s funny and TMI. Sorry.
How can I help others if I can’t even help myself? I need to find out if other people went through this stuff when first diagnosed. If it’s true and these are the stages.. then some new celiacs are going to be psyched that I decided to blog this stuff. I just get so aggravated and don’t know what to do. I wish I could read someone else’s blog to know if this is real. Am I going through the stages or not?

I know that in 6 months, I’ll forget the fact that I went through a very emotional stage when I cried over everything. Everything happy that is. (insert story here)So funny. I was stopped in traffic one day and a friend of mine informed me that there was a race going through our city. It was a pre-Boston marathon. But still a marathon. I thought that was great. All those people out there running to raise money for a good cause. I wish I could do that. I have never been able to run. I’ve tried. A couple times actually. Anyways, my point. Sorry, I do that. We sat there for a good 30 minutes cause you can’t stop the marathon runners and I could hear the people clapping. I thought “how sweet”. Then I saw some firefighters out there clapping, supporting the runners. That’s all it took, I lost it. I started to get all choked up and just started to cry. My friend had no idea what my emotions were capable of so he looked at me like I had two heads. I called my mom to inform her that there was a marathon going on and I was crying. I also told her that there were firefighters cheering them on and I thought that was amazing. She laughed at me and asked “Did you really just call me to tell me that you’re crying?”. I sure did, and it was funny. Cause you see, I didn’t just cry. I laughed at the fact that I was so emotional. Every time I cried, I laughed. So you see me with tears (not watery eyes have you) streaming down my face and laughing. Not the kind of.. oh I’m laughing so hard, I’m now crying. Nope, I’m laughing, cause I am so stupid right now for crying. haha funny huh? Hopefully everyone with celiac disease goes through that stage cause its awesome. Back thankfully over. Ready for the next stage.
OK. Gotta run. What the heck am I going to title this?

Gluten Free vacation in the Dominican Republic

2007-12-03T01:52:00.000-05:00

I went on vacation. To the Dominican Republic. I was NEVER sick! I felt great. The people there were more than accomodating. I ate amazing food. I talked to the guest relations people and they helped me pick my restaurants. One day we got a note that said for me to go to the front desk. I had to meet the head chef cause he wanted to talk to me but we needed a translator to be there. Every restaurant I went to, I handed the waiter/waitress my gluten free card (I'll explain). It was funnt to see their faces as they read what I was handing them. Then they would go to another eprson and show them, then the manager.. haha It happened like this every night. It was kinda neat, I felt special. They really wanted to help. Unlike here.. where everyone seems to be put off or maybe they have to work a little harder. ugh. lets not go there.

So I bought this card that explains I can't eat gluten in spanish. Here is the info.

Soy alérgico al trigo, al centeno, a la cebada, a la avena, a la salsa de soja y a la
malta.

It says that I am allergic to wheat, rye barley and oats. Then it adds soy sauce and malt. I think thats there because people dont realize they have wheat or gluten in them too.

This thing was my life saver. Seriously. I thought I lost it once and almost cried. It was bad. Of course, I practically had the thing memorized. haha

OK OK, so where did I go? Iberstar Bavaro, in Punta Cana. Also the Iberostar dominicana and punta cana. You can barely tell the difference between the restaurants. My only suggestion is this!! If you drink, plan a few different ways to drink rum and vodka. I was limited enough, and running out of ideas was terrible. And I used to be a bartender!

Ok. time for bed for real this time!

Update. Sorry it's been awhile

2007-12-03T01:27:00.000-05:00

So, life as I know it is not as easy as it was before. Oh wait, thats not quite an update is it? What I mean is that I don't feel so well. I'm thinking that I was so careful at the beginning and now, I'm not and must be getting alittle gluten everyday. I haven't been too sick since diagnosed which is probably why I havent blogged.
I need to find out if the meds that I take are gluten free. 1 out of 3 are. The other two, I need to call the drug company and find out. Thats extra work and I'm so lazy.

Oh Gold bond (lotion) is gluten free and only the best lotion ever! I was using lubriderm but those people test on animals. So, they suck.

I went from 141 to 128 lbs. I havent been under 130 since I was 24. I am 32.

At first, I was going to the bathroom regulary everyday. (TMI?) I'm not anymore. Thats another reason why I think gluten is sneaking in to my mouth. haha

Someone in my house came very close to contaminating me the other day and thankfully, I am very anal about this stuff. Otherwise, I never would've noticed. It's hard to live with others that are not gluten free. There is a loaf of bread in my house and it scares the crap out of me. I know that sounds crazy but I dont want to be sick. I can't afford to be out of work and too busy to be bed ridden.

One strange thing that I noticed. I used to have a very dry scalp. My hairdresser never could figure out why. So, I bought a product that was supposed to work. It didn't. Not even a week after cutting out gluten, my scalp is fine. No problems. Strange huh?

I never should have read all the candy and bad foods that are safe... dangerous (in a different way) I liked how I was eating at first. Fruit salad, chick or tuna, yogurt, chic stir fry.. Now, I have added noodles (rice noodles), chocolate, cool whip, potatoes (too many potatoes!!) rice, cereal. Seriously. There are tons of things celiacs can eat. I tell people, I can eat the same thing as everyone else. Just not the same brand.

The hardest thing to get used to is saying no. People offer me food all the time and even if its gluten free, their hands may not be. You really need to keep with the attitude that you cant trust anyone. haha that sounds terrible. Its true though. People dont really know. I had to do a ton of research to find out what I know. and I'm not about to try to educate everyone else. Maybe just one at a time.

Thats it for now. I need to take my meds (gluten free or not) and go to bed.

I promise to write again soon. Although, I dont realy think anyone reads this site. haha oh well.

Eating Out

2007-10-07T00:39:00.000-04:00

We all know how difficult eating out can be for Celiacs, so I have avoided it. Tonight was my sisters wedding and it was unavoidable. I didn't have time to pack a lunch and I knew I had to eat. On the way there, Jordan's girlfriend called and informed them that I had to have a gluten free meal and they said that it would be ok. Sounds too good to be true, right? Exactly. So just after they served soup (I didn't eat it), I went up to a lady and told her we had called and I needed a GF meal. She seemed confused at what GF was but hopeful. Not even 2 minutes into this little conversation, she said this; Is that like a vegetarian meal? Haha. Nooo.. it's not at all like a any-"THING" meal. This is not a thing. People choose to be vegetarians and when I was asked if I wanted to have Celiac disease and live GF.. I'm pretty sure I declined. Oh wait, no. I had no choice, did I. Well, luckily she is not the cook. Stay positive.
After trying to explain all this at the table, in front of everyone, I suggested speaking with the cook. I forgot how hellish it is working in a banquet kitchen so that was impossible. Then, I decided to write down what I felt I could have. Safe foods. Salad, oil and vinegar dressing and steamed veggies. So, I tracked down a lady and asked if I could write a few things down. I wrote salad first and stressed that croutons couldn't be in the vicinity of the area. The more a person doesn't seem to get the gist, the more I exaggerate. Then I wrote steamed veggies and said butter should be ok. Thats when I told her that spices and seasoning of any kind are off limits. Guess what she said. haha. "Well it's okay if they are cooked with it right?" As much as I could dwell on what she said and think of all kinds of horrible remarks that would be fitting, they are not appropriate. NO. It can't be cooked with them either. Then I suggested instead of cooking a meat, just take a cantaloupe and cut it in half and bring it to the table. I know that sounds mean but I would've been fine with that. I would've been great.
Dinner came out and they even put some roasted peppers on the chicken.. yumm. I felt okay.
My cousin comes over with choc covered strawberries... I jumped up.. Oh I am so sure I can have that. Hell yeah a choc fondue. I figured because I use choc chips for baking and haven't found any that are off limits yet, I would be safe. Two marshmellows and a huge strawberry. This is the life.
So guess who got vilantly ill tonight? I wouldn't know cause it wasn't me!!! :-) It was a success. I am so happy cause that public bathroom was not where I wanted to spend the night.

Stomach ache

2007-10-01T13:12:00.000-04:00

For the past couple weeks I have had a stomach ache. I dont know if somehow I am getting glutened or maybe there is more to my illness. I started reading the ingredients of my hair gel, make-up, shampoo.. etc.. They all contained gluten so I threw them out. Of course, I am still sick. I am watching my foods and got rid of gluten from products that may enter my mouth through my hands. I wont eat anything that someone else offers me. Gluten free or not, their hands could have gluten on them and I can't take the risk that I will be glutened.

Now, I can't even protect myself at home and work but I am going on vacation in 2 weeks, in a spanish speaking country. I am so nervous. If I successfully have a great vacation; I will go to every Celiac website and talk about it. OK, well not every one, but I know how hard it is to go places and I am going to a place that doesn't even speak English.

Just wanted to give an update, I know it's been awhile. The last few days or weeks have been frustating but still manageable. I will post more.

Food trouble, no longer

2007-09-26T01:22:00.001-04:00

All Celiacs need to join Celiac.com

This is an ongoing list of name brand Gluten-Free items.

Here

I can only hope to keep up with all these items. The thing that confuses me is that Hersheys bars are GF right? But the minis aren't? It's the same food but smaller. Its so hard to remember. When in doubt.. leave it out. I can't say how many times I've thought of that in the past month.

There is plenty of food to eat and so many options for quick meals, dont get discouraged. Just wash your hands, dont eat from the same chip bag as others, read labels every time..

Being Celiac has it's positives too. For instance, we eat better and are aware of germs. We wash our hands.. a lot!!, we don't bother with foods that have ingredients we cannot pronounce.. see? It's not so bad. (I say this now.. wait till tomorrow or next week.)

I am trying to stay positive.
can you tell?

Links to GF Foods

2007-09-25T23:39:00.000-04:00

Which Necco products are Gluten Free?

woot woot!! Love these things.

KRAFT will label their products clearly and if something contains gluten, it will be in paranthesis. Here is a good place to look.. KRAFT

Dove and Ghiradeli are GF. Always check for yourself.

Hood products that are GF are here

Gluten-Free pasta

This is one of my favorite places to find new GF foods

The following candies are gluten-free:

Andes Mints, Blow Pops, Butterfinger, Canada Mints, Candy Stix, Charleston Chew, Charms Pops, Chunkys, Clark Bar, Dots, Dove Chocolate Bar, Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, Junior Mints, M & Ms, Mary Janes, Necco Wafers, Nestlé Turtles, Peeps, Peppermint Patties, Russel Stover (almost all), Skittles, Sky Bar, Snickers, Spree, Sugar Daddy Pops, Sweethearts, Conversation Hearts, Swedish Fish, Three Musketeers, Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Rolls, Wonka; Bottlecaps, Gobstopper, Laffy Taffy, Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip, Nerds, Pixy Stix, Runts, Shockers, SweeTARTS, Tart N Tinys, and Nerds

Will that hold you over for a bit? haha

The best way to find out if an item is GF is by going right to the source. The second best way (IMO) is typing in.. is _______ Gluten free? In the search engine (Google of course)and reading the article. Most of the time I will see the topic is from celiac.com and I click on that. I trust anything I read from there. Those people are Celiacs and would not steer you wrong.

I love Food.

2007-09-25T23:24:00.000-04:00

More shopping is making me realize how much stuff is gluten free and also how badly I need a PDA. I am constantly calling someone to have them search for items for me, while I shop. I just found out that Jelly Belly (Jelly Beans) are in fact gluten free. How cool is that? I'm going back to the store and buying them tomorrow. What a quick, yummy, picker upper. That's a weird looking sentence huh? Anyways, I am about to make some GF dessert and first I have to Google all the ingredients. Last thing I want is a delicious treat making me sick.
I had pizza tonight!! I was in the local health food store and happened to notice a pizza crust that said GF. I was skeptical cause they say, although the company may declare an item GF, you still need to check. Well, I did and it was. So, I got some GF pizza sauce, shredded cheese, feta cheese, spinach in a can and home I went. It was quite crunchy but ooh soo good. The crust was made with rice flour and potatoes! yea for me.
So now I am going to make something out of GF for dummies. I think the PBFudge is the winner here, just gotta make sure I have all the ingredients. And of course Google them.
So the more I search I find myself excited about trying new foods. In the past, I would hear about something that sounded good or saw something I knew I could make at home, but never did. Now, I see something and realize that not only can I make it, but it will be fun too! The best part about making all these new things.. knowing that after I eat them, I wont be sick. Food is so much more fun now. Maybe I'm crazy but I seem to enjoy food better and actually get excited when it's time to eat. What I eat and what I see my co-workers eating are two different ends of the spectrum. They order fried and greasy food every night. I find it funny that although it smells yummy.. I really have no interest in putting that crap in my mouth. It's funny cause I'm serious. So far I haven't been bored with my options and I feel like now that I know whats been making me sick.. I actually am open to trying new things. That is.. if they are gluten free.

Is it gluten free or not?

2007-09-24T23:52:00.000-04:00

I have missed my burritos from taco bell so much. I love mexican food. So, tonight I decided to make my own little fiesta. It was so good, of course. Just after, oh no, I think it was during.. I felt a bit Ill. Hmm what could possibly be wrong? I started to look at all the labels on the stuff I ate tonight. I have researched everything I ate and read the labels. The only thing I haven't done was contact the manufacturer. AND I DONT WANT TO!! Anyways back to my situation. I ask my friend to google an item.. oh wait, it's what?? No longer Gluten free? No! what is this? Oh yeah a website with a nice large list of no longer GF products that I consume on a regular basis. You have got to be kidding me. As if it's not hard enough. Whats the deal, is it or not? Why do the ingredients have to change everyday? Where can I go to find whats right and not right.

For now, until I find out whats the best way to approach this disease, I will not share the links to the sites that confuse me! I dont want others to follow down my path and that is the point of this blog. Good Luck

Ohh what now?

2007-09-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

Ok. I know what glutened is. I know what it's like to feel good!! But what the heck is this? Two days in a row I feel like crap. I must have some sort of intolerance too. Ha. Like being a celiac isn't hard enough.

My stomach is cramping and bloating, I feel gassy, okay no lie, I am gassy. Oops don't tell my co-workers.

I am trying so hard to eat right. I wont take anything from anyone and always wash my hands. I even make an effort to keep my hands from my face. I'm one of those. Oh no, I just realized. I wonder if its my lipstick. The other day I went to put my lip gloss on and I saw wheat oil. Wheat oil? In this??? nooo. So needless to say, that $10 went down the drain. I wonder if maybe I am having the same problem today. Shoot.

That brings me to another thought. I haven't looked up my toothpaste or laundry detergent yet. My GI said not to worry about cross-contamination right now. I think he is wrong. I think that my symptoms today are mild glutened-like reactions. Hmmph, did I just invent that word?

I hate this. I hate feeling sick, especially when I know "how not" to feel sick. This is hard. very very hard. Anyone who doesn't think it sounds too bad should be punched in the stomach for a straight 12 hours after taking an entire box of laxatives. Ooh rough.

I'm not trying to make light of celiac disease with my sarcastic remarks and please dont ever take it that way. I will be the first to tell you that life as we know it has changed forever. Is it for the better? Thats still a mystery to me. (but I hope it is)

Shopping

2007-09-19T22:41:00.000-04:00

So today (the 17th actually), I went shopping with my mother. She actually set out to go food shop on her own but remembering what my initial experience was like.. I could not let her go. Now, remember this person is not Celiac but has chosen to be gluten free in the house for me. She had done some research on which food brands were gluten free. I told her that although they say they are (GF), you still have to read the label, every time. It is hard to explain this to people. I have to though, cause I dont want them to think I am being crazy reading the labels every time. The best way I could think is to say, "gluten is a cheap protein they use to keep the foods consitancy". Most people seem to get that. Although I made it up, but whatever. So maybe 5 minutes into shopping, she's stressed. Poor Mom, I chuckle but offer encouraging words and chuckle again. I know thats mean but come on... I've been there. My mother even read somewhere that the food should not be put on the conveyor belt. I told her that its too early to be crazy. haha.

Do you know how hard it is to tell someone who is not celiac that one of the foods they picked up is not okay? Oh, tough, I'll tell you that. I let her get away with a few things. The house is not completely gluten free and I'll break it to her another time. As long as I am not the one ingesting these items.. who does it hurt, you know?

Maybe to some of, I sound optimistic and carefree but it's still really hard. I try to pack a big lunch for work. That way, I have plenty of food. I pack something sweet, protein, carbs, etc.. Who knows what you'll be in the mood for and if I crave something and deprive myslef of that item.. things will be bad. It's like going on a diet and craving chocolate. You can't deprive yourself, or you'll just break down. Well, breaking down is not an option for us Celiacs. Breaking down means paying the price and paying the price ultimately means death. Harsh I know, I wrote it.

Soon enough I'll be giving out advice on what is a good lunch to pack. I'm still learning remember. Just bring enough to keep yourself happy. You may look like a pig at first but think of it this way... as people say, oh wow if you cant eat all this stuff then what CAN you eat?? and you show up with a huge lunch bag... who's jealous now?? haha

I Was Glutened

2007-09-14T02:21:00.000-04:00

Oh Boy. I don't know what I did wrong today but it hurt! I knew right away, stomach kinda hurting, sweating a bit.. oh I know this feeling all to well. I was glutened.

I just want to say "How did I go 6 years feeling like this?" These last two weeks have been great! Now that I really have something to compare. I don't ever want to eat gluten again. So all those yummy desserts and filling breads.. forget it. I am so done with you. Nothing, and I mean, Nothing in this world is worth going through that. Not even Sam Adams October.

So do I have to get into detail? I'll say this. Picture your worst stomach pains (I'm talking to Celiacs), remember the sweats? Oh and the feeling that you are about to explode. Well, I know I didn't have it as bad as I've read. I know it hurt and I was at work and wanted to be at home. I know that I never ever want to be there or worse. I can't even imagine worse. Ok If you are newly diagnosed and are reading this cause you want to know what to expect, you got it. Do not eat gluten, it is not worth it. Try so hard to avoid it. Do reasearch!! Google everything you have in the house and want to eat.

Thats it for now. BTW, my stomach still hurts. It's not something that just came and went.

Exhausted

2007-09-11T23:36:00.000-04:00

Hello readers (or not)
I woke up today and had a few missed calls and text messages. The three people that made me feel like I was alone yesterday called to talk. Each in thier own way had apologized and said they would do anything to help. I believe it's true. I also know it will be difficult and unless they had to research hours and hours on end, they will never understand what it's truly like to be me.

I still feel like I'm all I have. What I mean by that is, no one is going to do the research, buy the food and teach me how to be. It's up to me. I have to start all over. Life has thrown me a big curve ball and the best thing I can do is be on top of it.

I think I want to talk more about how I felt yesterday. It was very hard for me to hear my friends and family making it seem like this was something that would pass. Like all of sudden when I cut gluten out of my diet, I will be fine. Yeah fine, not sick anymore, not having a disease, then I can go on and continue my life. Well, although I am still in the learning phases, I can tell you that this... is not going anywhere. It is part of me and as life goes on.. it goes on. There is no cure. I'm pretty sure that I will never be normal again.

After typing that last sentence, I realized that many people who get diagnosed with 'something' feel that they will never be normal again. Like whatever that has just happened, has turned the world against them. I have always been one of those people, it isn't fun.

For years I have asked myself.....WHY ME?

and now that I have celiac disease, it seems to be just fitting, why me celiac?

My first GF breakdown

2007-09-11T01:17:00.000-04:00

Today was the worst day ever. (well the new Celiac diseased me)
Picture me on the internet (again) reading some more, getting even more discouraged, feeling sad.. and my mother comes in. I started to tell her about cross contamination and how we may need to separate the cooking utensils.. etc.. and she looks at me and says "umm I think you're exaggerating this a bit too much, don't you think?" That's kinda funny that she said that cause I just read a forum about friends and family being hurtful due to lack of knowledge. I asked her to please read more about it and that I had just found out so much. I still need to figure things out.
I can't begin to tell you readers (if you're out there) how confused I am. I'm lost. I feel good as far as the pain goes, no belly aches, going to the bathroom daily, and nooo gassy bloating feeling. But my head hurts, my eyes are tired and my heart just wants to rest. You know that feeling when you just want to crawl in a ball and lay on the bed and NOT TALK to anyone? well, today, that's me.

My mother and I start to fight. She is trying, really she is. But I didn't see that. She said a few things that are hurtful. It gets worse.. stick with me.

Friend comes over. I told her that my dry scalp is possibly due to gluten in my shampoo. (first I need to tell you that I am in no way over loading these people with GF info.)(I promise) She rolled her eyes and kinda smirked. She said something along the lines of not believing shampoo would have gluten in it. It got worse in the car but I'm not about to insult her because she is uneducated.

Last part, I promise.. My ex came over. Small chit chat and he asked how I was. I told him I got into an argument with my mother and friend was snotty tonight. I began to tell him about the strict kitchen guidelines that my mother and I fought over and before I could get half way through.. he said some smart-ass remark like "Do your dogs have gluten too?" I said, yes actually and I have to change their diet cause if they lick me.. he then said that it's good I feel better but my 'condition' is making me bitchy. My condition? haha oh is that all it is, geesh and I was all worried. phew

haha WOAH... That's it. I stopped talking. I went upstairs and cried. I am so upset and this is not easy. I feel alone. No matter if my friends and family say they will help and they will go gluten free, there is no way.. no way... they can possible go through what I am going through. Are they doing the research? Are they worried about what to eat everyday? They never were before how can they start now.
I think I'm gonna vomit.

OK. I will keep posting to record my new gluten free journey. Today sucks.

You have Celiac disease

2007-09-11T01:15:00.000-04:00

Aug 27Th. Monday my doctor called and told me I have Celiac Sprue. He suggested I look up some information to learn more about it and set up an appointment with a dietitian. At first I was happy. I couldn't believe it. We figured it out. I knew for 6 years that what I had was more than IBS. I text'd my recently ex-boyfriend, my friend and my Mom; to share the news. It took a few days but I understand that I must remove Gluten from my diet and I will feel better. Hmph.. that doesn't sound easy. Two days later I head out to the food store to buy some gluten free stuff. It took three hours, a big headache and a feeling of failure before I paid for my groceries (all $30 worth). That's it, 3 hours for $30.
Now I knew I had a lot more to learn.
I love the Internet!

I googled everything I could possibly think of. I started a file for foods that are gluten free. I separated it by breakfast, lunch, dinner, dairy, meats, snacks... You get the point. I have every major food company in my favorites for quick look up. Then I found this website that said ingredients change all the time. ppffftt.. are you kidding me? I did all this research to find out that I still have to read the labels?? Not only that but I have to read them each time I buy the item cause it could change... WHAT??

Lets speed up a little with a summary. I am feeling great. I can't believe it. I mean seriously, I want to go for a run. I can't wait to be 100 percent. (The reason I'm not 100% is because of a prescription drug side effect. I'm not trying to change subject so I'd like to leave it at that.) In the past week, I think I've had some gas and minor bloating, only two of the seven days. I'm on top of the world. Except for the Insomnia. I guess its a common reaction when re-introducing gluten.

More research... and on and on.. I'm talking hours of Internet searching and blog reading. I even bought a few books to read. Right now my world revolves around this. Get the point? Cause it's essential to know whats going on.