Celiacs Disease makes me wish I was dead. Does that happen to anyone else?

I know this is tough. I think it is unfair we can't enjoy the foods everyone else is indulging in. It does get better, I guarantee you. Consider following the specific carbohydrate diet. And yes, you may have to consider not eating out anymore. Food prepared outside your kitchen is always suspect.

Please contact me as I have plenty of gltuen free recipes for cakes, cupcakes, etc that even my friends have no clue that they are gluten free.

Read the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. It deals with people that need to take out all carbs from their diet. I was Celiac for years. 11 years ago I took my self off of gluten and was better until I went through Menopause. It threw me into something else and I got very sick. I found a doctor who put me on the Breaking the Vicious Diet. It is avoiding almost all carbs. It has saved my life. I too, didn't care if I lived or died. I now am getting better and have a better out look on life.
As for what to eat: I would journal EVERYTHING you eat and see if there is a pattern to when you don't feel good. I found out some foods did not affect me until a day or two later. Watch for egg, milk, nut, shellfish, chocolate, potato, corn, and tomato reactions along with foods that have gluten. It is very hard, but has made my life easier.
I eat grilled hamburgers with salt, pork chops, roast beef, salmon on the grill, almond or peanut butter on my bananas, apples when I could tolerate them. Learn to eat tons of cooked and raw veggies. I always carry a bag of baby carrots. Almonds,walnuts, and pecans are my best friends. I stir fry a bag of cabbage colesaw blend with either browned hamb or cooked chicken with onion or garlic. This is good if you are really hungry, makes a big batch.
There are nut and fruit bars at Walmart called Lara bars (they are by the power bars and protien powders) that are nothing by fruit and nuts. They would be good to eat on the go. I love avocados and eat them on my meats. If you have a grill, buy boneless chicken breasts or thighs and cut them into chicken strips. Grill them till they are done. Cool, pkg them into baggies and freeze. When you need meat pull them out and warm it up. Use in the cabbage/coleslaw fry or chop up and put in salad. I would love to help you brainstorm more ideas if I knew what other allergies you have. That makes all the difference in the world. I have been where you are going and would like to make your life easier. Email me and I would be glad to help. Take care, and hope today is good to you.

Lyme mompi, I was going to email you and see if we could swap some recipes. I can't find your email address in your profile. Would you mind either posting your email or clicking on me and getting my email and replying if you are interested in swapping recipes. I have a wonderful pumpkin sheet cake/muffin recipe, crustless quiche, and pecan tassies that are delicious. I am always looking for new recipes.

GlutenFreeCupcake,

I am so sorry you are going thru all these problems. Pleez see someone to maybe help you get thru this difficult time. Do you have insurance? The good thing out of it was I then had to agree to see a Psychiatrist and Therapist. My psychiatrist has saved my life, just having her there for me and to help me with medical problems.

If you need anyone to talk to pleez know I would love to listen.
Hang in there, it will get better.
Serenitee

Daer glutenfree cupcake, I was in your same position in 2009, I was diagnosed but by the time of my diagnosis I was so sick it was all I could do to get through the day. And yes I felt the same as you at one point. feel free to contact me at anytime

Very good and glad for you. Now that being said my wife has a hard time breathing and doctors (and there have been many) Can not find out what is causing her labor breathing ,she has been tested many many times and they have run the whole bunch of useless worthless blood tests. And have not come up with a sulation I just want to thank you for sharing your stories with us,John Esparza

2Hawaii said...
Hi glutenfreecupcake and everyone. I have gone thru most of what all of you have been thru as well as other things. A ruined career, a ruined marriage (marriage can handle just so much, no matter what anyone says, it has it's breaking points, for anyone), loss of all my friends and loss on most of my family connections, 10 years of undiagnosed chronic d, 8-15 times a day and that's just the hi points. Finally after many many tests, all with negative results. I stared doing my owbn research and found this web site. Many here really helped me on my search. None of my Dr.s where any real help. They too were stumped and for all intents and purposes I was on my own to find my own treatment and hopefully cure. After a few years of steady research on the net, I found a web site that described my symptoms. This web site called it Habba Syndrome. Well, my symptoms finally had a name, but no treatment, never mind a cure. but at least I got the name of a med. that helped stop the D 8-15 Xs a day, Cholestryramine. That helped a lot, but only if I stayed away from things with wheat, flour, carbs, sugar, red meats, fats, and dairy...talk about a limited diet! It took a lot of years to finally figure out what I could eat even after I put myself on a gluten free diet. For me it ended up being nothing but mostly fruits, several raw or cooked veggies (no potatoes or carbs) and every few days, cooked turkey breast (it's very low fat) and oonly drink water. Yes, I do boil all my water (Boiled water was just a guess on my part that it might help and I think it did). I can eat a only few of the prepared gluten free products at the health food store, but not all. Some of Amy's frozen foods work for me and for a snack I can eat "Rice Works" (rice chips that actually taste good! Cozynana talked about the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle..I've read part of it and am now going without carbs and it has helped a lot. I too have had trouble with depression, as I have "inherited" my family depression problem, but for the most part I've found an answer to that too. I'm so glad after 10 years of being homebound, and not being able to be more than 5 feet from a bathroom, that now I'm able to get out for many many hours at a time, and that depression is pretty much a thing of the past, with my new freedom. Depression does still creep in at times and then I do lots of exercise. It's amazing how fast exercise will get rid of depression...even just a long fast walk outside helps a lot, but staying away from carbs and sugar is also a must. (and having my "tool kit of solutions" for times when I get depressed. Oh and when I am really depressed and need a fast boost, I take a GABA. It really works and its OTC and you can get it at any health food store. BTW I'm borderline diabetic, and I carve sugar, so staying off sweets is really hard for me...but fresh fruit really helps, as long as I don't take too much of it. As for going out to eat, I don't feel bad that I can't eat much on the menu, but it tends to make others feel uncomfortable. So I've learned what I can choose off any menu and as long as people see me eating, they are happy and they don't feel upset (or worry)..and neither do I any more. Almost all menus have fresh fruit and sides of veggies. Think of it as turning vegetarian and going organic...and you will feel a lot better and so will others around you. Trust me, I'm 65 and I've been battling one health issue or another all my life and you can be OK and happy, it just takes work and a determination on your part to be as healthy and happy as you can be.

I understand the stress, hopelessness, and frustration you are facing. All of us here do. But you did the right thing to ask for help from those who have the same problem. It will get better as you learn, and as you make friends who understand from experience and can share. Here are some tips that might help.

First, just because gluten ingredients are on the label, don't assume there is no gluten. Be careful, because even your Thanksgiving turkey might be injected with gluten. Gluten can be used to help mold a product, can be used as a carrier for mono and diglycerides, can be hidden in natural flavorings, and does not have to be listed as an ingredient. (Although wheat must be listed, I have read that when used as a carrier for glucerides it is called incidental and does not need to be listed.)

Call the manufacturers on everything and ask them to send you a list of their products that do not contain gluten. (800 numbers are on many packages.) Also, ask for coupons. Udi's website and mailing list often gives out coupons for $1. (Great bread/cinnamon rolls/muffins/bagels/etc) They also have a Joy basket now, over the holidays where they give out free samples/coupons.

To heal your intestines, you may have to give up dairy, at least for a while. This can aggravate the problem. So can other food sensitivities. (I can now have small amounts of dairy or chocolate on occasion, but if I keep it up, I get sick.)

A probiotic can help. I use Align. Just make sure it does not have gluten...or dairy if you are sensitive. And make sure it was not cultured using dairy or gluten.

The Lara bar tip is a great one. I am never without one. I carry them for emergencies because we can't count on McDonalds. Other sources of dried fruit can be iffy. It may be packaged on the same line as wheat/rye/oats/barley.

Buy Kraft foods when possible because they are one of the few companies that will use the words Wheat/Rye/Oats/Barley in the ingredients whenever it is present. ie:If the source of the MSG is wheat, they will list "(from wheat)" in the ingredients.

If you are on a meal plan, work with the college. Explain your situation and ask for a set of pans to be reserved as gluten free. Have them hand washed using scrubbers and cloths that are not used for regular foods. I'd want to use my own china and silver, or maybe use disposable. The problem is cross contamination. Don't eat anything from the grill or the fryer.

Cross contamination is a big issue. If someone dips their bread in the dressing for a sample and you take some just after, you get glutened. Instead, For your salads, either ask them to reserve a bottle just for you, with your name on it, or bring your own bottle of Kraft salad dressing. (Kraft is one of the few companies that list gluten ingredients using the words Wheat/Rye/Oats/Barley. If it is in there, they list it.) Rice, even though rice is gluten free, can be cross contaminated when made in a pot that is regularly used for cream soups, spaghetti, and other gluten containing ingredients.

Instead of bread, try eating rice chex or corn chex. There are sales quite often where it can be bought for about $2 or $2.50 a box. You can even spread your own peanut butter and jelly on them! Buy your own jars and don't share your peanut butter and jelly. Cross contamination is so easy, and even people with good intentions don't think about it. If you go nuts and need a cookie, try cinnamon chex or the honey nut chex.

If you can get access to a kitchen, stove/oven, a spoon, a pot, and a 9x9 pan, try making Quesadilla Casserole. The recipe is on the McCormack recipe cards and comes with the spices. Use Mission corn tortillas instead of the flour tortillas they ask for. It seems to absorb a lot of the moisture, so use a 9x9 inch pan instead of the larger one called for, and use just enough tortillas, torn in pieces, to make the layers called for. Use salsa or Pace Picante sauce in the sauce for a bit more flavor. Put portions in sandwich bags and freeze. Microwave it when you are ready. Great served with tortilla chips. (plain Tostitos are supposed to be gluten free.)

If you can get a hot pot or access to a stove, you can make rice and serve spaghetti sauce over it. Many of the Prego sauces are gluten free.

I hope this helps. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.