Totally Confused and Frustrated

[yogaprof]

I am married to a "teaser" and I tell him "NO one likes to be teased," and most teasers realize that is true; they were teased as kids and it hurt them.

you have enough to deal with trying to feel well. spend time with those who support you and limit those who try to undermine you as much as possible.

[ostrich]

Not necessarily true. I'm a teaser. For me it's a sign of affection and trust. The more I tease you, the more I like you.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[celiacmaine-iac]

Yeah, second that Os. In our family if someone isn't teasing you, you think they don't love you anymore. I think it depends on the nature of the teasing. There is a big difference between a little loving teasing, and mean-spirited torment. Mean people go for your Achilles heel every time. And hopefully, in a family where teasing is the norm, people are sensitive enough to know when someone's having a rough time, and zip it.

Steph

[yogaprof]

of course, gentle ribbing is common and amusing...you know what I mean. when someone goes for someones weakness, fear, flaw and make them feel even "lesser" it is cruel. and I think often people who do it had it done to them as kids.
that aside, I think it is good to address what families and friends try to do to us when we are sick. they love us, they are scared, too, and sometimes they do things that are hurtful. we can be kind and help educate them, but try not to take it on too much.

[ostrich]

Their humor could also be a coping mechanism. They don't totally understand what you're going through. It's big, and sometimes scary. So they use humor (teasing) as a buffer. I sometimes do the same thing.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[krisnkar]

I try to keep it simple and usually just tell myself that Family sucks sometimes.

Some progress in narrowing down the gluten free issue. I've been following the gluten free for over two weeks now. Friday evening my husband and I went to dinner and with all my efforts to keep if gf...my veal came out breaded. Doh! I scraped it off...but still had a horrible stomach ache after dinner. I also had ranch dressing on the salad.

I had my first gf toasted pb and j sandwhich for breakfast yesterday...and my first breakfast w/no stomach ache. I've been taking the acidopholis since yesterday morning. So...I'm starting to be able to link the stomach aches to gluten-accidents.

The second thyroid test came back with a little higher levels...now they are at the lowest end of the normal range. Dr. offered some meds...but I'd rather try to get the levels up naturally.

[ostrich]

Keep working at it Kris! Sorry dinner didn't go so well. Next time that happens send it back. Even if you scrape the breading off you're still eating gluten. Did the restaurant have a GF menu? If not, did you try talking to a manager, or just a waiter?
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[krisnkar]

Bad experiment with Benefiber. As previously stated...I'm having some other "issues" so I decided that I needed some fiber. I bought some Benefiber and followed the directions putting 2 tsp in my glass of water. Within five minutes I was doubled over in pain. Later...I used the same glass for another glass of water and over I went again. Needless to say...it was a bad enough attack that I spent the night in the bathroom and no longer feel like I need more fiber. I looked on the label and see that the first two ingredients are Wheat dextrin and modified food starch. At the bottom of the ingredients it says gluten free (less thanXXX% gluten per serving). WTH?? Well...I know it wasn't the water that effected me that way. Bad night.

The whole debacle did convince me to to call and get a referral to a GI specialist. My appointment is on 4-17...with a group referred by my local CD assoc.

I also talked to a good friend of mine who has been gf for three years. She gave me the scoop on the local restaurants. She is meeting me at our local groc. store tomorrow...then we are going for dinner. She told me to bring my notebook...so she can share all her favorites (mixes, flours, places to eat, snack ideas).

Making progress.

No stomach ache after my gf cereal and soy milk this morning. More progress.

[celiacmaine-iac]

[krisnkar]

They didn't. I thought about asking...but the office clerk I was talking to really didn't seem too concerned with anything but getting my info and getting me off the phone. If this Dr. hadn't been highly recommended...I would have hung up.

To be honest...I don't know if I could handle two + more weeks of eating the gluten and continuing with the stomach aches. I'm starting to notice a bit of relief.

I was planning to call today to see if I could get on a cancellation list. I'll pose that question too.

[aklap]

Keep in mind, the registrar/receptionist that is making your appointment may not know what the doc wants you to do. If they don't offer to let you talk to the docs nurse, please ask to. The nurse will then check with the doc and someone should let you know.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[krisnkar]

Well. I called back and asked to be put on the cancellation list. I posed the question...and her response was that "the Dr.s are layed back about that stuff, so they will tell you what to do when you come in." Whatever that's supposed to mean.

I had dinner with my friend who has been gf for 3 years. She has won baking contests w/her gf products...even in contests that were not gf. She took me to two stores and showed me the good and bad products. Then we went to dinner at one of the local restaurants that offers a gf menu. She brought me tons of info and I took three pages of notes. What's funny is that we alway compared our stomach issues, which seemed to be in cycle with each other. I remember doing the daily morning metamucil shots together...laughing that other women in their 20s would think we were nuts.

She will be an excellent resource.