My first major gluten mistake

[Fiona]

I'm really not a big packaged foods person (with Udi's GF chia-millet bread being the primary exception), but I've been extremely careful about reading the labels on everything I ingest since going gluten free. Recently, I decided to try some gluten-free Applegate Farms chicken tenders. My husband likes Applegate Farms lunch meats, and I happened to see these in the freezer case, so I thought what the heck. I don't normally eat things like this. I buy whole chickens from the farmers' market and roast them myself or cut them up and braise them any number of ways. But, as I said, this was a what the heck moment, and, as they were on sale, I bought two boxes. Or so I thought!

I heated them up for dinner, and the following morning, after a night of gurgles, I had serious D for the first time since getting off the Pepto. This was a big surprise because from a digestive standpoint, things have been going very well for me since then. I couldn't believe it; I've been super strict about no raw fruits/veggies, no dairy, no gluten, low fiber and low sugar and haven't added anything new to my diet for months now. So I asked myself, "What changed?" which sent me to the freezer to look at the label on the chicken tenders (remember, I bought two boxes). It showed a short list of ingredients, none of which should've caused a reaction. Next stop? Garbage can. Pulled out the box, and there it was. Turns out I managed to buy one gluten-free version and one regular version. That's "regular" as in "breaded with wheat flour, you numbskull."

Moral of the story? Don't be an idiot! Or maybe a better way to put it would be read every label before you eat something, even if you've already read it at the store. That, and make sure when you buy a GF item, that you're actually buying the GF version and not the similarly packaged regular item that could easily be incorrectly shelved.

Just thought I'd share. I'm glad I've healed enough that this hasn't put me back to square one, but I've had D once every morning for the past three days, and for what? It's not like I had a slice of chocolate cake or deep dish pizza. I had a convenience item that I wouldn't even normally eat! The only upside is that it's just further proof that gluten is not good for me. Not that I need the proof--I gave up gluten as soon as I found this forum, and EnteroLab put my Anti-gliadin IgA number at 40 units several weeks later. Still, a good confirmation that it isn't "all in my head."

Thanks for reading,

Fiona

[sunny]

Hi Fiona... New here but not new to buying items with gluten...sometimes because it's disguised, but often cuz I'm in a hurry or distracted. Funny how one little slip can cause such misery! Hope u are recovered from this one.

[tex]

Fiona,

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. When GF Chex first became available, I picked up a box, carefully red the label, and added it to my cart. Then as an afterthought, I decided that I might as well buy 2, while I was at it, so I grabbed the next box off the shelf, and tossed it into my cart.

A couple of days later, when I decided to try a bowl of it for breakfast, I picked up one of the boxes and for some reason I just happened to notice that I didn't see the "Gluten-Free" banner on the front of the box. I looked all over the box, and couldn't find it, so I read the ingredient list, which naturally contained barley malt. Then it dawned on me. Apparently the boxes of the new version were just added to the older packages that were already on the shelf. After that, now I read every label before I buy it.

Thanks for sharing, and I hope you're as good as new soon.

Tex

[Fiona]

Thanks, Sunny. And thanks, Tex, for your similar story. Makes me feel a little less ridiculous!

Fiona

[Gloria]

I'm visiting DD and remembered that I left some frozen raw turkey strips here from the last visit. Before I flew out here, I asked DD if she ate them, and she had not. She checked her freezer and only found a package of CHICKEN strips. I insisted that they had to be turkey. She took a picture of the labels and one said chicken; the price label said breast strips. They were right next to the turkey and I must have assumed they were turkey strips.

The odd thing is that I didn't have any change in my symptoms after eating them two days in the week I was here. Now I wonder - am I intolerant to chicken? I registered a 3.0 on the MRT test nearly four years ago and haven't eaten chicken since.

Gloria

[DJ]

Fiona, If this is your first gluten mistake, you are doing REALLY well!

[DJ]

Thanks for your stories. After reading Tex's, I checked my cereal box....MALT
There is so much to learn.

[Fiona]

Thanks DJ, but I've only been GF since the end of June, so avoiding gluten for 3.5 months is really not an impressive achievement on my part. I just felt especially dopey because I've studied all the lists of gluten-containing and potentially gluten-containing foods and additives and have avoided them scrupulously, then I go and eat something that has wheat four as a primary ingredient by accident.

I've also stopped eating oatmeal and GF granola completely, even the so-called certified GF ones. It's not because I think they're necessarily cross contaminated, but ever since developing MC and paying a lot more attention to how I feel after I eat, I've found that oatmeal and granola make me feel bloated and nauseated, no matter how I prepare them or how little I eat. It's definitely a process!

[DJ]

You are ten steps ahead of me Fiona! I was diagnosed on 5/31/13 and I'm just now learning how precise I need to be with elimination of gluten, dairy, and soy (chicken and other legumes too at least for now) so I can heal. I am avoiding oats too. I continue to learn a lot from this site and the book should arrive soon. My goal is to avoid all offenders while I heal. It's a time consuming project but I'm convince that I will save time and money in the end and that my quality of life will improve.
Be well!!

[Leah]

Maybe you should try a three day test Gloria. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to add chicken to your diet?
Leah

[CathyMe.]

Moral of the story? Don't be an idiot! Or maybe a better way to put it would be read every label before you eat something, even if you've already read it at the store. That, and make sure when you buy a GF item, that you're actually buying the GF version and not the similarly packaged regular item that could easily be incorrectly shelved.



Fiona

Hi Fiona,
It happens to the best of us. Early on in my diet change I bought a cereal @ trader joe's and assumed that because it was on the Gluten free shelf, that it was GF. Of course it wasn't and I paid the price. It's a learning process for sure.

[UkuleleLady]

I agree with Leah, Gloria. I wonder if your body has "forgotten" about chicken. I would love to try chicken again someday. Maybe you can tolerate it.

[Gloria]

It would be nice to eat chicken again, especially chicken soup. Chicken is readily available in restaurants, too, though probably in breaded form. It also can be purchased year-around in contrast to turkey, which is seasonal. I've been trying to stretch my turkey until the holiday season when I'll stock up again.

I might try testing chicken in the future, but not right now.

Gloria

[carolm]

Hi All,
This summer I became sick and even had D which didn't slow down after 4 Imodium because I ate something that had Yeast Extract in it. Yeast extract contains gluten because it's a wheat flour product apparently. I had the infamous gluten headache for the next 3 days following the D.

Learned a huge lesson that weekend. If it's not an ingredient I'm familiar with then it's better to look it up and don't assume it innocuous. Yesterday I looked at Oscar Meyers Carving Board meats. The turkey had the usual nitrites etc, but was gluten free, but the chicken had yeast extract! Why would there be a difference? IDK but there is.

Carol

[dfpowell]

Thanks Carol, It's really helpful to know that information!!