Coeliac Anybody?

[growingthings]

I'm on a bit of a downwards spiral regarding my Coeliac diagnosed c.3 years ago.

I'm feeling like s**t after every meal, and despite being careful about contamination I can't seem to even manage a full day without feeling unwell, not easy with two smallies to care for...

I've felt great for ages, and then, just like a year after I had DD1, a year after DD2 the weight is dropping off me, I'm tired all the time, and feeling bloated and ill. (Someone even asked me when the next one was due at a party!! I'm around 8 stones atm, and 5'8' so my tummy must have REALLY been sticking out that night! ) I'm not keen on being skinny again and want to gain that much needed two stones.

I'm fed up of feeling ill and I can't seem to get any practical advice of the net, as all I seem to end up on are American Forums where they are busy self-diagnosing food allergies and cutting out entire food groups, which IMHO is NOT a good idea, when you already have a restricted diet. And they're blathering on about how terrible it is all the time, rather than giving good advice

DH thinks that it is just because I am knackered and I need a break (okay then I'll have two weeks off while you deal with it all ) I personally think that it is his one man vendetta to cover my entire kitchen with wheat breadcrumbs !!

Anyway, I needed a rant, and there it is over now...

so I guess what I'm asking for is some practical advice, then again thinking about it now, there are several more things that I could do to keep myself from being glutened (like the order that I am washing my pots up - sad but true you have to be THAT careful), anyone else out there in ISHland on a restricted diet and knows how I'm feeling?

*sigh* and I'm taking DD1 for her diagnosis bloodtest on Wednesday, maybe if theres two of us in the household, we can make him eat his toast in the garden?

Lorna x

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

Sorry Lorna, no practical advice just wanted to it's not nearly as bed here we have one boy with a problem with dairy, but that is easier to solve, we all have the same things, and not nearly as hard to avoid as gluten is. Perhaps if DH is thinking you need a break you should let him take over, perhaps book yourself a nice little spa weekend or the like and see how much he appreciates you when you return

Bet you can't guess which luvpie this was! Thats right Mr luvpie is currently ironing his shirts whilst I play on the computer!

[Annpan]

I don't know how practical this would be, but how about banning easily contaminating food from the house? Like bread, and its crumbs.

My MIL is coeliac and every Christmas I do a full GF christmas dinner, I started by just doing enough for her, but it became simpler just to do one type of stuffing, one type of gravy, one type of chipolatas, etc. The day before, I put all the normal flour out of reach in the cupboards so I don't grab them by accident and I only use GF flour for thickening sauces etc.

So I would advocate changing everyones diet a little, to try to remove as much contamination from the house as possible. They can always eat it out of the house.

I wouldn't have thought pasta a big problem (as it is solid when raw and cooked) but flour and bread I would have thought would dust their gluten everywhere they touch, so I would be inclined to make them the priority.

Maybe you have another allergy too? is it worth getting tested? or are you certain it is just the gluten? and what about the different types of gluten? MIL is allergic to barley and wheat, but not oats.... but I know some people have a different balance.

[flyonthewall]

I have candida problems and IBS, and have had to be on yeast and sugar free diets in the past so I sympathise, certainly with the bloat factor - yuk!

I agree with Annpan - changing the diets of the house just a little can help. Or, confine an area of your kitchen for non-gluten free cooking - have the toaster etc in that area and make the whole of the rest GF - and make DH wash his own gluten contaminated utensils

Also something that has really helped alleviate symptoms for me is having Oriental Body Balancing therapy, which is a combination of deep tissue massage, cupping, and acupressure. I've found it helps alleviate bloating and cramping, gives me more energy, and helps me de-stress.

Also, do you have a good GF recipe book? Sometimes the good GF stuff is so nice that the non coeliacs won't notice the difference!

[growingthings]

I think the idea of a GF area is a really good one. Probably half of the reason the contamination is so bad is that the kitchen is in pieces as we are putting in a new to us kitchen, so everything is all rather up in the air right now.

The family do eat GF on a regular basis, but I have to make sure that DD1 has been having a good dose of gluten in the last 6 weeks so that she gets a true result on her antibodies test the day after tomorrow.

I have never had any additional therapies or medicines in regards to Coeliac so that is something for me to definately look into.

Thankyou

Lorna x