Having minor flare - but what i hate most

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Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh

Rosie
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Post by Rosie »

Connie, I don't think handling is a problem, just being aware. I've made sandwiches a lot of times in the past without problem. To be entirely honest, I actually saw a crumb in my tea, but figured it wouldn't matter after I fished it out. Undoubtedly it was a bigger crumb before I fished it out, but I was lazy, didn't want to make a fresh cup and figured it wouldn't matter. Now I know better........ :oops:

Rosie
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Gabes-Apg
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

everyone is different. I have handled gluten products and had no issues......

hang in there...... some days are diamonds and some days are stones.
Gabes Ryan

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Stanz
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Post by Stanz »

Guess I'm having a "stones" day, Gabes, don't mean to rain on everyone's parade because I'm feeling pissy. Rosie, if even a large diffused crumb is too much then...

Finally went to the much-touted local GF deli yesterday to stock up on breads for my next job this Tuesday. Bread was abysmal. The pizza looked good, so 20 bucks later, which included 2 kinds of bread and one pizza the size of a lg. tortilla and was a gummy mess that I could have done better in my sleep, I just came home deflated.

Perhaps it was a bad move to think I could ever actually just have a sandwich ever again in my life. Reality is that I am at the lowest weight ever and I have no appetite most of the time. If I'm not working and preparing fresh foods for my crew, I just don't eat and I know that's my own failing, I am just tired and malnourished and have only myself to blame. Oh poor me.

Dee and I could do so much better if we had a deli.
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
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Gabes-Apg
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

everyone is allowed to wallow! look at my first post in this thread!
you are not raining on the parade we are just trying to make it a less stones day for you
and that what this family is for - share the wins, and share the bad days, we all have them!

and i agree - it totally sucks that we can not walk into a shop, buy a prepared meal and warm it up and eat it. We have carefully hunt and gather our ingredients, we have to carefully prepare the food. I figured out it takes me almost twice the time to prepare a meal now compared to pre MC being in my life.
(and the ingredients are 30% more in cost!)

hang in there. there will be times you miss certain types of foods/meals. we have talked before about the switch and at apprantly there is a time when you dont miss stuff anymore.
Gabes Ryan

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Post by Gabes-Apg »

and while we are venting.....

you know what else i miss. it is not any particular food or ingredient, more so that when i or one of my colleagues was having a bad day at work we would ditch having our bought from home lunch and jump in the car and go down the cafe and buy our lunch, we would sit there and vent about work, have a laugh, and feel free as we had escaped the office,

the last minute ones were always the best......
Gabes Ryan

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Post by Polly »

Tex, Ant, Rosie, and Gabes,

Thanks for the sympathy. It always helps, doesn't it? Just to know that others understand this demon disease. Am doing better but still have the D. Tex, you are correct - they slipped up big time. No excuse in this day and age. But I guess I had gotten complacent, so it was a reminder for continued vigilance. Rosie, loved the reference to Mad Eye Moody.

Connie and all,

We have found here that having to change diet is a major lifestyle change which often involves going through the full-blown grief process. Starting with the "why me?", proceeding through the anger stage, etc., until the final acceptance stage. And it can take a very long time. One member here staged an actual "funeral" for her old foods when she threw them out and replaced them with GF foods.

It is difficult enough without all of the cultural issues involved with food - holidays, rituals (like the one you describe, Gabes, with your co-workers), ethnic dishes, vocational food issues (Connie, I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you). Even psychological issues. For example, I have always loved comfort food. Especially those things moms fixed for us when we needed a little TLC, like grilled cheese sandwich, chicken noodle soup and crackers..........none of which I can now eat.

Connie, I was a sandwich lover, too. So convenient. Since I have never found any tasty bread without my intolerances, I make sandwiches now using rice tortillas or I put the filling inside a romaine leaf. It's not the same, but I have gotten used to it and no longer feel deprived. But it took some time!

Actually, in my case, with many intolerances, it was easier just to move to the caveman diet, once I learned about it. Initially, I was spending hours in the grocery store reading labels, and more hours on the telephone calling manufacturers and trying to adapt recipes to be free from all of my intolerances. I'm sure this is much easier if one has only one or two intolerances. (I WISH! Sigh). Now I eat only fresh meats/fowl/seafood/, veggies,fruits, and nuts/seeds. The shopping is so much easier (the "perimeter" of the store), but cooking still takes time because I have to make things like soup from scratch. But I find I am now actually enjoying it, compared to the days when I used processed foods.

Anyway, this diet issue is a BIGGIE, and it is definitely a PROCESS to have to change it. I can totally relate.

Love,

Polly
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tex
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Post by tex »

Connie,

Sorry that you had a bad day yesterday. I'm hoping that today looks much better.

Concerning the "crumb" that Rosie mentioned: We all have different reaction thresholds, of course, but many of us do indeed react to only a tiny crumb, containing gluten. One member told a story of how she ordered soup in a restaurant, and when it arrived, she noticed that a tiny, (quarter-inch long), piece of noodle had fallen into it. Since it was so small, and she was hungry, she took a chance, and fished it out, and then ate the soup. Six hours later, right on her usual reaction schedule, she had a classic MC reaction.

So yes, we have to be very careful to not allow any crumbs containing gluten, to be transferred to our food, especially if we eat processed foods, because they can legally contain up to 20 ppm of gluten, and still be labeled as GF. If we eat enough of those during the day, then a crumb may be all it takes to trigger a reaction, even if we are not exceptionally sensitive to gluten.

FWIW, I searched for the elusive GF substitute for bread for several years, early on. It finally dawned on me that it wasn't worth the effort, and I just lost interest in it. I don't miss bread at all. Like Polly, I use tortillas, for a wrap, except that I can use corn tortillas, which are very economical. In Texas, tortillas are very popular, anyway, so I certainly don't feel deprived.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Stanz
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Post by Stanz »

Thanks to all for the sympathy on my pissy day. I start a new job today so will be baking cookies, slicing bagels and pastries and handling breads for the next several days. I will be careful.

Most of the time I don't miss bread, but I do actually dream about eating it, usually it's a dream where I am halfway through a sandwich or muffin and I realize - "hey, I can't eat this!". Guess my subconscious is messing with my conscious.

Fortunately I don't have a problem with corn or rice, so I always have them available, I just don't take the time to actually eat most of the time. I remember when I first noticed that I was rapidly losing weight and I thought this was kind of fun - I'll worry when I get below 140, then it was 130, then it was 125, 120 and now 115 and I am 5'7" med. build.

I've found that the rice tortillas are not too bad if you thoroughly brown them on both sides. I've been using them for the breakfast burritos I make for the GF people on the job and have gotten good feedback, so I will try one for myself tomorrow.
We have found here that having to change diet is a major lifestyle change which often involves going through the full-blown grief process. Starting with the "why me?", proceeding through the anger stage, etc., until the final acceptance stage.


Thank's Polly, I guess I am still somewhere between "why me" and anger.
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
ant
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Post by ant »

Just got back from a major business meeting and was reading this post.....

So all my colleagues said "let's celebrate" and we all go off to an excellent cheese and wine bar. The wine I can have and I order smoke salmon to go with it (but NO garnish and no bread or biscuits). Everyone else is ordering cheese to go with the wine. I go into the "cheese room" with them......I can see and smell all the most wonderful cheeses from France. I enjoy the smell for a minute and then have to leave the room since I am tantalizing myself knowing I can never ever taste it again. I go and wait for them in another room with my wine and salmon while they take FOR EVER choosing various cheeses... and I think ----- life is not too bad I have the wine and salmon - and they want rotten cows' milk!!!. Later as they order more cheese and french bread I order some smoked ham. Even though I tell the waiter just the meat - no garnish etc - it arrives with a raw salad and grated CHEESE on top. I try and say "please I need another plate just the meat nothing else", but my colleagues say "hay, surely just a small piece of cheese cannot harm - just pick the cheese off". I say "No. You have this plate (I'll pay) and I will order another plate". What a hassle!!!! but my colleagues need to learn that there is no compromise on this. I said "If I eat a grain of cheese you will not see me for a week and there is work to do" (sorta learned that attitude from you Gabes :cool: ). They must think I am nuts, but I do not care any more ---- anything to try and keep the D away.

Just thought I would say all this, 'cos we all have to deal with this in our different ways, and hope it helps.

Love Ant
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tex
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Post by tex »

Ant,

Good for you, for not caving in, and then having to worry about the consequences, later.

:thumbsup:
Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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JoAnn
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Post by JoAnn »

Hi to all on this thread. I am the famous roll maker in the family and so it seems extra cruel that I can't enjoy something I'm known for in the family. But I think I have found a good replacement which I'm sure others on the board probably do. I was inspired by the magazine Living Without and bought a bread making machine from ebay and I bought Annalise G. Roberts book "Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine". I mixed up the basic bread flour mix in a large quantity and put it in a large bucket which I keep in our 2nd refrigerator in the garage. I use this to make bread in the machine and it tastes pretty darn close to "real" bread. There is a grain store nearby where I can purchase the different flours. I think the ingredient that makes the texture and taste better is millet flour. I couldn't find millet flour but I could find millet. I have a grain mill so I just ran it through the mill. It did take some time in the beginning to mix everything, but now I just scoop out the amount I need and put in the other ingredients and I soon have homemade bread with the wonderful smell and all. For us MI people, you can substitute the egg with egg replacer. I have found that even though I tested positive for egg problems, they don't bother me when they are baked in something. This might be an option for some of you who want something that tastes way better than anything in the store. Good luck, JoAnn
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Gabes-Apg
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

**Sigh**
it feels good to vent (and to realise that I am not insane, what i think and feel is the same as everyone else)

Ant.... did you manage to 'gob smack them'?
I hope the wine was delightful! and congrats on the celebration.
i work on theory that I have the right be true to myself ( including diet) and live life how i need to GUILT FREE. the amount of effort we all put into managing this demon we have the right to ask for a meal to be recooked (when we had clearly requested how it was to be cooked the first time)

Connie ...as Polly mentioned this is a grief process, and everyone grieves differently. There is not right way or wrong way there is your way.....

i am a vocal griever (hence all my posts :bashful: )
and i think i would have almost gone insane had i not found this family to get great support to my vents!


as i ponder my incident the other weekend, and polly and ant situation in the past week, I am thinking that i am going to type up little cards to give to waitresses to attach to the order as there is obviously an issue in communicaiton between the waitress and the chef

** Attn: Chef / Owner **
due to chronic food intolerances i request that this meal be cooked with no gluten/wheat, no yeast and no lactose/dairy.
I have chosen to eat at this establishment as you offer gluten free meals, and would really appreciate if you can prepare the meal to my request above.
If there is an issue with this request please let me know
your support is appreciated

or something to this effect......
Gabes Ryan

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tex
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Post by tex »

Gabes,

I believe that's a very good idea. It seems so logical, that I'm surprised that I haven't seen it suggested somewhere before.

Anyone could print a similar message on business card stock, and the individual cards could be easily separated, without even requiring any cutting. Most word processors have built in templates for printing business cards, so it wouldn't even be necessary to locate new software for this project.

I would suggest substituting the word "sensitivities", for the word "intolerances", in order to encourage better attention to your requests.

Thanks for an excellent suggestion.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by JMulkey »

Ive tried Udi's bread and it's not too bad.

Stanz, thank you for your reply by the way and all the info you shared with me, I really appreciate it. I'm going to try really hard to stay away from the prednisone. :)
ant
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Post by ant »

Gabes,

That is good. I might add "according to medical tests" to ram home the importance.

Best, Ant

P.S. I cannot "gob smack" people like you :wink:
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