OMG! as my kids would say....new allergies, need diet support!

I was sat down and told...you are severly allergic to gluten..I sighed ok need to give up most carbs to loose weight, then..you are allergic to dairy..my brow wrinkled no ice cream, I have to learn to like soy? and then the big one..you have acute adrenal gland failure and you need to give up all caffeine and artificial stimulants...I cried!  I am now embarking on a new diet that entails no gluten, no dairy and no coffee (I live where there is a starbucks every 25 ft)...I need help, advice, a laugh........

Two monkeys are sitting in a bath.   One says 'Eek-eek, ooo, eee--eeee, ooo-ooo-oooo!!!!'  The other says 'You should have put a bit more cold water in then'.

Wow, you were told all this bad news by an MD?  I might seek another opinion!

I have given up caffeine (about 5 years ago).  It was easier than I thought, because I immediately stopped having headaches.  I guess I always knew that coffee didn't "agree" with me, but I still loved it.  I can drink the occasional decaf (even though it still has some caffeine), but if I drink too much or too often, it also triggers a headache.  I also gave up shellfish for about 7 years, which was easy because I had 3 episodes of violent illness in a row after eating shellfish.  I had heard that your allergy system (immune system) changes over every 7 years, so I started (cautiously) adding shellfish back into my diet about 5 years ago, and I have had no problems (but I don't go hog wild, either).  Once again, it was easier than I thought to give up shellfish (vomiting all night long is a perfect negative reinforcement), but I am glad to be eating it again now.

Do you have to make all these changes at once?  There are substitutes for gluten and dairy, but they may take some getting used to.  Although, maybe like me, you will feel so much better once you quit that it will be a good reinforcment on the changes.  Good luck!

Original Post by gi-jane:

Two monkeys are sitting in a bath.   One says 'Eek-eek, ooo, eee--eeee, ooo-ooo-oooo!!!!'  The other says 'You should have put a bit more cold water in then'.

 

 LOL

Who told you all this bad news? A specialist? A doctor? Or a nutritionist etc? Do you have celiac disease and lactose intolerance? Or did you have one of those 'poke you in the arm' bloodtest things that is supposed to show up ten million allergies all at once? Because they're not very reliable, and before I cut everything out of my diet I'd seek a second opinion.

The good news is that if you are suffering from celiac disease, treating it (by eating right and cutting out the gluten) will often ease off other symptoms as well, like lactose-intolerance. Once your body heals up from the assault of the gluten, it's better able to handle other substances... even if you have to cut out all dairy and caffeine as well as gluten, when you're feeling better it should be okay to reintroduce them.

The other good news is that giving up caffeine and artificial sweeteners never hurt anyone. It might suck at the beginning while you go through withdrawal, but after a few weeks you won't miss them. There are plenty of decaffeinated drinking alternatives that taste just as good without the caffeine buzz.

Obviously you were having problems in your diet for a while and have been tested properly for these allergy warnings to be given.

This means a new life style change, use CC to start setting up your food log menu and focus not only on calories but on the nutrient values of the foods you can safely eat.  Might want to go vegan for a while to really get the system working and then introduce other foods as you go.  Decaf coffee is good..here in Canada I like the PC brand of decaf coffee...many of my guests who are avid coffee drinkers at Tim Hortons and Starbucks are fooled by it. 

A challenge..yes... but not impossible.  You can do it..chin up, and get at it!

A smile for you:Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?' 
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.' 
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?' 
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.' 

Obviously you were having problems in your diet for a while and have been tested properly for these allergy warnings to be given.

This means a new life style change, use CC to start setting up your food log menu and focus not only on calories but on the nutrient values of the foods you can safely eat.  Might want to go vegan for a while to really get the system working and then introduce other foods as you go.  Decaf coffee is good..here in Canada I like the PC brand of decaf coffee...many of my guests who are avid coffee drinkers at Tim Hortons and Starbicks are fooled by it. 

You have a challenge..yes... but not impossible.  You can do it..chin up, and get at it!

A smile for you:Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?' 
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.' 
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?' 
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.' 

Well, like you I can have no gluten-I have Celiac Disease. If you'd like, I can give you quite a list of things you can try. When I found out 6 years ago, all the GF food tasted like cardboard. Now it's MUCH better. I even prefer some GF foods to their gluten-filled counterparts. So does my fiance =] Anyway, I digress.

I went through some testing and was also told that I had several allergies. However after getting a second test, was told the previous test was bogus and I was freed. Unfortunately, an intolerance to dairy products is something that many Celiacs either have when diagnosed or develop. But here's where you have to distinguish exactly what you were told.

Were you diagnosed with Celiac Disease or an intolerance to gluten? They are different. An intolerance can make the transition much easier. 

Are you lactose intolerant, or are you allergic to dairy?

Knowing precisely what your diagnosis is is the first step to creating your new menu.

Me too!  I have celiac so there's no gluten for me either, not sure if you're gluten intolerant or have celiac, big difference!  The cross contamination issue with gluten for celiac's is really tough.  I'm also allergic to soy, egg, navy bean, kidney bean, casein (all dairy).  It's difficult for me to even eat gluten-free with all the other allergies, I so wish I could go back to gluten free::::sigh::::::

I don't do caffeine either per the doctor.  I drink maybe two cups of decaf a day, but that's it. 

I also have adrenal gland failure (and heavy metal poisoning and low thyroid...geez, does it end!).  It's so overwhelming, I know.

You'll feel so much better when you get off the food that makes you sick, and once you're adrenal's start working a little better you'll also feel better. I'm sure you're pretty tired between the allergies and the adrenals. 

I feel for you, feel free to message me.

I too was just diagnosed with Celiac as well as lactose intolerance, a soy allergy, and a casein allergy. I don't drink anything but water so caffine isn't a problem for me, but I just wanted you to know I understand what you are going through! But just think how much better we will feel once our bodies heal from the trauma ensued upon them by the evil gluten and dairy and other things! I already feel so so so so so much better!

SOS - No doubt, I definitely feel better.  I was diagnosed celiac 7 years ago, egg and soy allergies 4 years ago, casein and bean allergies (and I think brewers yeast too) 1 year ago.  I still have deficiencies and continue to have other problems.  I am sooooo much better than before, so I am not complaining one bit, I am probably healthier than most people I know (or as my friend says 'the healthiest sick person she's ever known') but it continues to be a struggle...

We should start a Celiac group. There are obviously enough of us to start a pool of information and support for one another. I turned snoopini on to this great salad dressing I found that pretty much literally contains NOTHING bad for you, including calories =] I'm sure we could all bring some things to the table!

There's a Gluten Free Living group already!

http://caloriecount.about.com/gluten-free-liv ing-g189