Possible coeliac disease - no support from family!!

BethWilliams24

I discovered this week I may have coeliac disease - and if not a severe intolerance to gluten - so obviously, I’ve cut gluten out of my diet (on doctors instruction).

Thing is, while ever I am trying to cater for myself, buying free from products, eating loads of fruit and veg, I have family members who have gone as far as to say “well this is going to be a pain for us all, of you can’t eat what everyone else does”... thanks... I’ve not asked for this! And I’m not asking anyone else to eat gluten free or anything!

I guess I’m just looking for supportive friends who might have similar experiences?

TavistockToad

How old are you OP?

my evening meal is usually GF on account of my husband, it's never bothered me in the slightest.

BethWilliams24

TavistockToad wrote: »

How old are you OP?

my evening meal is usually GF on account of my husband, it's never bothered me in the slightest.

I’m 28

kommodevaran

The situation seems very chaotic.

Usually, when coeliac is suspected, you are adviced to not stop eating gluten before a diagnosis is set/confirmed, because you have to have the symptoms in order for the testing to reveal that there is something wrong, and if you have coeliac, and stop and then reintroduce gluten, there will be much pain and suffering, worse than before.

If you are catering for yourself, what does your food choices have to do with your family and what they eat?

Dessilicious

Hi Beth, I don't understand your family's reaction. It's a pain for you, not for them.
I am sorry they are being so unsupportive and insensitive.

I have severe reactions to wheat products and have eliminated them from my diet. I am a mother of three, I bake and make pancakes. Of course I don't eat them, but it has had no impact on the rest of the family.
I am also allergic to casein. Yay me! Have to opt for vegan ice cream and I'm not even a vergetarian, lol. It doesn't stop me from baking quishes though. I just eat something else, it's no problem.

It is good you are an adult and not dependent on somebody else to serve your food.

Keep your head high and put them in their place. Fingers crossed.

TavistockToad

BethWilliams24 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

How old are you OP?

my evening meal is usually GF on account of my husband, it's never bothered me in the slightest.

I’m 28

So who in your family has a problem with you changing your diet? Your parents?

BachataDancer

I'm intolerant to gluten as well. I didn't change my family's diet, that was key.
I try not make a big deal about it, but unfortunately I think most people, family included, get sick of hearing about how someone can't eat something; whether it's gluten or vegetarian, etc. We can't change them because we only have control over ourselves so don't worry about what they think.
I plan ahead for myself when I know that my family is going to eat something particularly hard for me to say no to such as pizza , like a baked potato covered in gluten-free chili.

alymariee91

I’m 27 and my mom was just diagnosed with this a year ago so maybe me being on the other side of it can offer you some insight.

I make sure to cater to her intolerance. I’m severely allergic to squash and she’s never fed it to me but she has made it for the family. No one ever said anything to me about it, made fun of me for it... it was just a thing that existed. So once she realized she was intolerant of it gluten, the rest of my family saw it as an allergy.

Maybe explaining it to them like that and not saying it’s a disease can alter someone’s perspective on it. I understand you’re frustrated with having to deal with it (I deal with that every ‘pumpkin spice’ season) and constantly checking and asking if it contains gluten. (Do you know HOW much healthy stuff contains pumpkins?! I understand asking about contaminations).

So explain it as an allergy and that you can’t come in contact with it.
My mom still makes food with gluten in it for parties or for my dad. She just washes her hands.

People don’t like hearing about “diseases” but since 90% of people are allergic to something, it normalizes it.

smolmaus

kommodevaran wrote: »

The situation seems very chaotic.

Usually, when coeliac is suspected, you are adviced to not stop eating gluten before a diagnosis is set/confirmed, because you have to have the symptoms in order for the testing to reveal that there is something wrong, and if you have coeliac, and stop and then reintroduce gluten, there will be much pain and suffering, worse than before.

I noticed this as well. Have you had the blood test done OP?

I'm sorry your fam are focusing on how hard it will be for THEM that you have to change your entire diet forever, that sucks. I was diagnosed with ceoliac when I was about 9 years old, my whole family is full of it on my Dad's side so everyone is used to it but at the beginning (20 years ago when Free From was a distant dream) it was really awkward and I always felt I was putting people out but your health is more important than convenience! Your family will get used to it eventually.

Cooking gluten free in a family isn't actually that hard, it usually just takes a bit of planning to modify the meals you're already having. It's a separate pan for your pasta, you do your own gravy/ sauces on the side, you have your own little biscuit cupboard, depending on how sensitive you are you might not have to go so far as needing your own toaster etc, I never did. Or you can choose to cook meals that are just naturally gluten free for everyone. Eating out can be a bit more difficult but restaurants are getting better and better every day about catering to intolerances and the ones who do make an effort? They tend to be better restaurants in general so actually, everyone wins!