Part 5: Ok…now what happens?
Am I mentally prepared to go gluten free? Check.
Am I emotionally committed to a gluten free life? Check.
Is my house a gluten free sanctuary? Check.
Will I be my own best advocate when going out to eat? Check.
Well…you’re off to a great start. You are indeed way ahead of the game.
And I wish I could say it’s all downhill from here, but the truth is, my friend, your journey has just begun.
Every day is a gluten-free challenge…
It’s monotonous talking about gluten all the time. It’s annoying checking Google three times a day to see if something has gluten in it. It’s frustrating watching everybody else eat whatever they want while your choices seem so limited. It’s painful not being able to eat Mrs. Dude’s Rum Cake (you have no idea how sinfully delicious it is.)
Let’s face it. It pretty much sucks.
…but you will prevail.
Why? Because you’re smart. You’re strong. You’re disciplined.
And if you want to live a long, healthy life, you simply have no choice.
I was at a friend’s house last night and our lovely host was telling me about another friend of hers who has celiac, but “she isn’t as careful as you are.” Part of me felt bad for her, as I know what is happening to her insides every time she cheats, whether she feels sick or not. But another part of me felt angry. If you’re gonna play that game, then you know what, don’t tell people you have celiac disease. If your gonna cheat once in awhile, keep your disease to yourself, as it makes people like me who treat it as a life or death situation look like we’re hypochondriacs.
You will not be that person. You cannot be that person. You understand me?
You’ve got a long, wonderful gluten-free life ahead of you.
Enjoy it. Savor it. And if you’re ever in a moment where you feel you might break, ping me, and I’ll talk you off the ledge.
Hey Dude! My wife is a celiac and I have just made the decision to go GF with her. I am pretty excited to feel better. Thanks for your encouragement.
My pleasure. Love the fact that you’re going gluten free to support the Mrs., but curious why you expect to feel better going gluten free. You have gluten issues?
Yes, I believe that I will feel better. I have had GERD for 20 + years and when ever I eat bread or other food that has gluten in it I get massive heartburn.
I follow the Underground Wellness site and have gained much info on not eating certain foods that are helpful to my problem. (I have Barrett’s esophagus)
Awesome. Not that you have health issues but that hopefully going gluten free will help. Keep me posted on your progress.
My 15 year old daughter wanted a fresh cream cake with fruit, for her birthday as she is a coeliac. I found Sharon at Cake Art in Staines, Middx, who made me the most beautiful and delicious gluten free cake, tasted better than a gluten cake. It shows you that gluten free can be just as good as the gluten version.
Well…may be the exception rather than the rule. All depends on the chef.
I have just been diagnosed with celiac at age of 34 and I think I have had this my whole life but was never diagnosed. I came upon your website shortly after coming home from the doctors. I have told my husband about it and we have both been reading everything on it. You have made it so easy to understand what we need to do so I can get better. I just wanted to say Thank you for what you do!
I was just diagnosed with Celiac this month (July 2014). Today I found your website and have been gorging on it non-stop (thank goodness it’s Gluten-Free!) 😉 I just wanted to say thank you for the information contained in your website. Today is my 19th gluten-free day (with NO cheating). Is it easier yet? Nope. But I’m looking forward to the day when it is. Your website has just taken me one step further in the right direction.
Welcome to the jungle Brenda. Glad you found this blog. It’s a wonderful community.
Hey, just faced the truth. I am a celiac. Hurt like heck too. After praying one night, I came across your website. Thank God! I thought I was so alone. Family and coworkers don’t understand celiac-that is if they even heard of celiac in the first place….anywho, God bless you sir and keep it coming.
Hey Dude, any advice for family members of someone with CD. My wife just found out she has it and I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the changes we will need to make.
http://glutendude.com/category/relationships/
Lots of good discussions above regarding a family member. Best of luck to you and your wife. You got this.
I was finally diagnosed 6 days ago after nearly 16 years of “IBS” diagnosis. Ended up in the ER at Christmas…and its been a ride ever since. I’m definitely in the anger stage. Yes, I’m going completely GF, and will be committed. I want to feel better. Just super sad in my kitchen right now…I cook and bake all the time, and watch Food Network like porn. Going out to new restaurants is/was my joy and fun with friends and family. So I feel like I’m in mourning. Know it will get better. I appreciate your straight forward attitude. It helps and I’m sending your blog to my husband. He needs help understanding. So thank you for sharing your side and advice.
p.S. I discovered you through Mandy..I guess you’re the Brother-in-law of her sister? =)
Hey Dude! I’ve been speaking to my doctor about my symptoms for a while now (mainly the runs after any day with gluten and some pretty extreme weight loss, 15kgs in three months), he’s still not convinced so we are currently running more tests to try and confirm. I’m 35 now and up until 6 months ago hadn’t had any serious issues like I do now, my question is whether you can develop the disease this far on or whether it’s always been there? The doc couldn’t give me a straight answer (no surprises there). Any info/opinions/similar stories would be great to hear. Top work, keep it up!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this website and all you do. For living and speaking your truth. Found out I was celiac last year and honestly I still struggle — your posts have helped SO much. Its not an option. Looking forward from here on out.
Welcome to the community.
Great process for newbies. Wish I’d found it before stumbling my way thru coming up with the same 5 steps!!!
Am not celiac myself and still not sure if my intolerance us wheat or all gluten. The tip I have learned is the shopping angle…. each store within 2 hrs will have one GF product to keep on hand at all times. Just one, usually. Thus I have ‘my’ GF bakery for my own custom made bread, which I wrap in 2-slice baggies before freezing. I use only the Toufayan Original wraps because they can also be used like pasta (cut and briefly boiled), thin crust (pizza or dessert, briefly fried first for dessert shells), taco salad bowls…. oh yes and wraps: two layers briefly nuked or steamed roll with stretchInes if a very thin layer of shredded cheese inside), chips (make triangles and fry)… oh yeah and cut with bottle caps into communion wafers (oven dried). Pasta ditto– one or two brands/shapes work, for a break from rice.
An affordable dinner-grain-starch is Bob’s Red Mills multigrain GF cereal. Yup. Can be pilaf’ed.
I do have a restaurant ray of hope. Our fave has an open chef station where you can sit close by to watch and interact while he cooks as questions arise. I regularly take them my wraps and I have spent some time teaching them how to use them to GF-adapt regular menu items for me and I encourage them to play with the wraps in slow moments. The best results have been taco salad made mex or italian– imagine a deep dish pizza flavor, but drier like a taco meat sauce. And GF seafood manicotti alfredo– their sauce is made with no roux, and the wrap holds up without melting in the liquids, for a fork-eaten frenzy of flavor. Gonna have them do a veggie manicotti next, why not?
PS since lab testing is so expensive and unreliable I’m just going with my gut. Doc totally trusts me on it and highly cooperative– incl antipoop meds as needed for situations where this clergyspouse sometimes can’t be sure what’s in front of me (but yes I tend to carry my own fud).
I am not celiac, but I am very allergic to wheat and have Crohn’s disease and it is somehow easier to “just” go gluten free. I am also allergic to one of the major components of gluten free flours -working on finding out which, so I know the ropes, a bit. Thanks for this series of articles and the other stuff you write. I am always in favor of straight shooting and you do.
What an encourager!! Thank you so much I needed that slap on the head of truth. I’ve been messing around with gluten for over 35 years. I have DH. I tell everyone I can’t eat gluten but do so anyway. This last outbreak with blistering rashes all over got my attention. I don’t ever want to suffer through that again. I do have a problem with three families living together But I will make it work- if Mama’s not happy nobody’s happy!! Thanks again!! I’m looking forward to reading more.
I too, don’t have celiac disease, but was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus) when I was about 14. Since CD and Lupus, both have to do with inflammation, I’ve decided to go gluten-free, to see if I feel better. I do have bowel problems and never have been tested for CD. I’ve always have been a carb lover. Most my life, my diet has been based on it, so this is hard. I’ve bought gluten-free flowers, but need to get xanthan gum, arrowroot starch, sorghum flour, brown rice flower and a host of others. I bought coconut flour, almond flour, all-purpose GF flour, and GF Biscuit mix. I thought these would be a good start. Any suggestions for other pantry staples I need for baking.
I have bad food allergies and my gluten & wheat allergy are out of control. I have 2 questions for you, do you think I should get tested for celiac. I was also wondering if you know of any relation of ear pain associated with a gluten allergy? The sinus cavity behind my ear swells, I have pain and it pops at certain tones. I’ve attributed to when I eat wheat or gluten. Thanks for the info I’m excited to start following your site!
Totally just had stomach biopsies and have it as well. O well at least you break it down simple for my crazy brain to understand. I honestly found your site by looking up alcohol with celiac because i like my booze (BEeR) in the summer on my boat! Also in the winter because i am cold ,hunting in the fall, and spring because i am happy winter is over……………I cant lie to myself. Anyway do i really need my own plates and forks?? Seems KRAzzyy, but your the master