You need to make sure that your friends and family know that the GF diet isn't just some stupid "Fad-diet" thing but a food allergy that could make you seriously sick.

One way to deal with eating out is to research ahead. Many national restraunt chains offer gluten-free menus. "http://www.celiaccentral.org/" has a great brochure that lists these chains as well as tons of useful information.

I have researched many resteraunts, but some I just plain avoid knowing there is nothing much I can eat at them. I have explained to them how serious it is, most of them are very understanding now, they didn't get it at first, I think part of it is that I have a lot of medical problems other than this and my friend thinks I'm trying to get attention or something, she doesn't really understand. I don't know. Thank you for replying though, I appreciate any response!

Usually all restaurants have salads. they can also grill some type of natural meat or fish in a separate pan for you. Call the food you want naked. Salt and pepper only to season. Try going to the movies with friends instead of eating out. It is hard but I have learned to eat before I go to someones home just in case there is nothing I can eat. Fruits and vegetables are usually always available. Good luck!

Here's a quesiton for everyone: When you are offered something you aren't supposed to have, like a cookie or a muffin or something, what do you say? Do you just say "no thank you" or do you say no and go into the explanation about why? When I say "no thank you" politely, people get a strange expression on their faces. How do you handle it?

hello, I know exactly how you feel. Although I am still in the early stage and have only been dealing with this for 6 mos. it has put a big strain on my marriage. I still cook normal stuff for my family, you know like pasta's and hamburger helper and stuff like that. I will eat the vegtables. I am dealing with a lot of stress from my husband. I do buy some GF but it is so expensive. So sometimes I do without. My family says Oh you can some stuff, it won't kill me. I say it makes me cramp very bad, and I have alot to deal with afterwards. I tell my sister it is so nice to have no attacks and how wonderful I feel. Oh well is usually the response. I know others have this to in my famliy. They will not get tested. They rather deal with it. Everytime we go out it is a ordeal. Even though we go to places that have GF, it is hard to watch them eat my favorites from before. I shop for everyone in the stores, buy all the stuff they like. I whine alot too.

Hi I dont know what the answer is either. At Thanksgiving I asked some friends politly what what in their dish and they were actually hostile in their answer. I too have other medical problems and wonder if they just think I too am looking for attention. Basically I dont want to have abdominal pain and vomiting after I eat. Makes one not want to eat with others. Thanks for letting me vent. Without the others here I would feel so alone.

My friends/family try a little too hard to help, and it hurts me so much to tell someone who went out of their way to make something special for me, that they overlooked something and I can't eat it. I feel like such a disapointment sometimes...

Lappy9000: Thanks for the info I'll check out that website. They know it's a serious diet, just don't really understand because I've been lactose intolerant my whole life but I can eat some dairy sometimes and it doesn't hurt me, so they don't get that I can't have anything ever with gluten in it.

omastoy: I don't usually eat out w/ friends unless it's a resteraunt that I know, in that case we shopped from 6am to 8pm so I had to eat!

Teachermom322: sometimes I explain and sometimes I just say no thanks, depends on the situation. If i'm at a resteraunt and order a sandwhich and say no bread, sometimes i say I can't eat bread, I guess I don't want people to think i'm on the atkins diet (that was really popular when I was diagnosed and I hate when people though i was not eating bread cuz of the diet) It's a stupid and dangerous diet.

chensley: my boyfriend was the same way saying you can try a little it won't hurt all the time. He won't eat any of my food either. A lot of the GF foods are expensive but a cheap alternative when you are making dinner for your family is to buy some GF noodles (walmart has some now at a reasonable price) and the Ragu sauces (cheese, alfredo, parmeson etc.) they are GF throw in some chicken or other meat and you have an easy meal that you can take leftovers for lunch the next day. It was hard on my relationship for awhile too, until I got into a routine of planning coordinating meals (if you only have to buy GF for yourself its not quite so bad, but feeding it to your family would cost a fortune)

dy8736: I had trouble last year at thanksgiving, all i could eat was mashed potatoes and turkey at my bf's family thanksgiving. My family went out of the way for me using GF flour for gravy and my grandma made me stuffing out of GF bread that my mom went out of her way to buy, it was great. this year I made all the dishes i knew had gluten in ahead of time and took my own GF versions of everything with me to dinner with my b/fs family. they were relieved that I had brought my own and could enjoy the meal with them.

Amiranda: I know what you mean, my mom will buy me all kinds of GF foods when I go home to visit but often it is stuff that I've tried and don't like and I don't want to tell her because I know she spent a lot of money and went out of her way to buy special foods just for me. It's hard to create a balance. It does get easier but it takes a lot of time.

Do any of these people realize that you can actually die from this disease if you do not follow this diet strictly. I nearly died before I found a doctor who believed me when I said that I was sick. (The others thought that I was "a complainer", "drug seeking", or "a hypochondriac". Try explaining this to them when they give you looks. I have also asked them how they would feel about eating food with just a little bit of rat poison in it. Most people get the point. The ones who don't get it aren't worth your time (sorry to say).

Some people require lots of patience. My aunt has been trying for 8 years to make food for my sister and I. She is just starting to understand what she needs to do.

wow I wish I could yell at your family and friends. they are so mean.

I guess it has been easier for me. Something that really has help is to tell people I am allergic to bread, so they will be more careful with my food at restaurants.With my friends and relatives I have talked a lot about the disease with them, explaining them how I feel, etc, etc.
I am sorry you had to go through that with your friends, I guess at this point in my life I would change friends if I were you. Maybe too drastic...
Hope things get better for you
Adriana

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When will "THEY" get it!!!!!!!! I just had a bad couple of days with my Mother and husband...They DO NOT GET IT! Sorry.....Too long of an explanation but I am sure you all feel the say way! We need to tell each other our problemx, as the old saying goes, Birds of a feather, flock together, Hank in there...I am trying to! Donna21

P.S. Sorry for errors, I was typing fast and furiously!

My mom luckily has alot of support around her and my dad's cousin even bakes her gluten free muffins each month for her Christmas gift. My grandmother for whatever reason though has made passing comments when she says she can't eat a certain thing which is upsetting. I also am trying to get my husband to understand it better. He is fatally allergic to shellfish and has recently started to become allergic to nuts so I thought it would be easier for him to understand how hard it is to sometimes eat at a restaurant. We went out one time and she got a salad with croutons on it, she thoroughly explained to them that she needed to have a brand new salad made and the waitress looked at her like she had 3 heads. Afterwards hubby said something to the affect of what was the big deal, it's not like she'll need to be rushed to the hospital cause she might die like I would if they had put shrimp on there. I think I'm going to give him the rat poison explanation. That's a good one!

I can totally relate since my husband has celiac disease & is allergic to shellfish & chocolate also. It is hard but very doable.