My family's developing story

[GFPaperdoll]

back ground from a recent post:
Then my little sister's only child a son age 28 was killed in a traffic accident, Sept 14, 2006. He was a family practice doctor in his second year of residency. He was a remarkable person and got high accolades for his medical accomplishments in his short career. There will be a memorial schlolarship fund set up that will be awarded to second year residents that show exemplary patient care, he was known for that & also the cheesecakes & brownies that he made & took to the clinic & hospital staff, all the while getting up in the middle of the night to go to the hospital to check on his patients. Two nurses told my sister about the time he spent 45 minutes calming a woman that was having a panic attack, & they said at that time that he was not an ordinary doctor.

My nephew's & his roommate (an adopted child) were like brothers. He is taking it very hard. I was talking to him last night about celiac disease & they do check for it, when they have a failure to thrive child. I gave him some more info & will give him tha book "Dangerous Grains".

My little sister went to the GI doc today & took the printed out sheet that I gave her to get the blood tests. She has had her gall bladder out, has tubes in both ears, sinuitis surgery & it is still bad, has that ringing in her ears, IBS (bad), seasonal allergies, pouchy stomach, thin otherwise, gas, & our mother died of colon cancer (I had thought it was stomach cancer). When she is not crying with grief, she is reading that book "dangerous grains". I am sending her to Enterolab next, she is not GF yet, but I do not think it will be long. She has an endoscopy every three years, she is 52...

New Post from today:
Little sister's doc called today 3 of her blood tests were negative and one was a 14 with a 17 as positive. He advised her to go GF and offered to refer her to a specialist. She said "no thanks" my sister is an expert... sorry she did not know which test was positive. I have asked her to get the enterolab test also, but she already said she is going gf and dairy free. she knows she has a problem with dairy. She had not been eating much before the blood test because of her grief and before that she and her husband had already gone on a diet - cutting out carbs, she said her husband is not eating bread and she keeps thowing out the stale loaf :D

[GFPaperdoll]

I also have a 58 year old sister that I am sure has celiac, some of her issues are IBS, food addiction-cannot or will not give up wheat, overweight, seizures, rhematoid arthritis, depression, bad teeth, and a few other things that I cannot remember. She has one daughter that is 32 and a personal trainer, this girl watches everything she eats and is trim and in shape after being very overweight as a young person. Plus I think the constant exercise helps her.

This 32 year old niece has a daughter that is 12 now, she is average size to small. she is failing in school, she lies, she has the usual temper tantrums to go with it etc. She does not care about school & will not turn in the homework that she has done... I am not sure about any of her other physical symptoms. she has had counseling - both her and the parents etc.

I have two DQ1 genes, and think that those genes are in the whole family. My question is has anyone with DQ1 seen this type of behaviour in your children that our 12 year old is exhibiting? I am wanting to get her tested thru enterolab to see if any of this is medical and no one knows what is going on. anyone have any opinions or suggestions?????

[jcc]

I wonder whether pyroluria testing might be in order, too, given the temper tantrum/depression/seizure symptoms (can be related to B6 deficiency)....bad teeth (can be related to the zinc deficiency). Pyrolura is also associated with gluten/casein sensitivity. More info is in TGF. The test is under $100 and can be self ordered. Something to think about it. We never tested this daughter, but my younger daughter has two copies of DQ1 and so do I. So, my older daughter with the mood issues HAS to have at least one copy from me, and she might have another from her dad (we don't know if he has one or two copies).

My daughter with pyroluria had mood swings/temper tantrums...the worst I call rage attacks as that as what they seemed. Out of control, misplaced, rage. She did not have problems in school, but those issues can be so individual. Of course gluten/casein sensitivity alone has been tied to temper tantrums/mood swings/learning problems.

Cara

[annelb]

My heart goes out to your sister in this difficult time. She is brave to undertake the GF diet at this time. I hope that doing this allows her to feel better and find strength.

Convincing relatives to get tested for CD/GS is almost impossible. I convinced my two sons but my sisters and nephews have ignored me.

I don't know what the genetics were, but I have met so many people who have told me that their child's or children's behavior improved and grades improved with a GF life. I wonder what sort of student I would have been if I had been a GF child. As it was I was a terrible student all the way through 12th grade. I even found a note from my mother to the principal - worried about my behavior.

I am wanting to get her tested thru enterolab to see if any of this is medical and no one knows what is going on. anyone have any opinions or suggestions?????
Not sure what you are asking? As far as Enterolab, IMHO, it is a sensitive test and everyone who has CD and most people with GS will test positive with this test. I feel that blood and biopsy misses too many people who would be helped with a GF lifestyle. The big problem with Enterolab is that it is not mainstream and your doctor may question the results or totally blow them off. My children and I used Enterolab.
Anne

[Zonulin]

So sorry to hear about your nephew - sounds as though he would've been a wonderful doctor :(
It sounds like your family definitely has an undeniable problem with gluten! Certainly testing should be done to see whether these relatives are absorbing their food - there are two swallow-the-sugar and collect-the-urine tests which can be done in a doctor's office - the sucrose test checks for gastric permeability and the lactulose/mannitol test checks for intestinal permeability. It would be a good idea to test for Helicobacter pylori (a bacterium which lives in the stomach lining), which can cause all sorts of health problems - a lot of people have it and don't know if until they develop serious problems (stomach cancer). They still don't know how it's transmitted. Not a bad idea to have an immunoglobulin panel run to see whether the immune system is compromised - IgG, IgA, IgM.

Certainly behavioral problems can stem from health problems - Dr. Sydney Walker III (a neurologist and psychiatrist) wrote several books in which so-called "mental problems" were actually physical problems which were undiagnosed - A Dose of Sanity is just one of several books he wrote on this subject, and is probably in your library. I feel for the 12-year-old girl - sounds as though she might have an undiagnosed health problem AND is bored with school. Such an easy target for someone to prescribe Risperdal, Ritalin or Adderall. Check out www.autisme.net - there is a lot of great nutritional information on that site, and it's not just for people with autism.

It may take a number of tests and a number of doctors to get to the bottom of each person's health issues! But I think if a gastroenterologist could sit down just with the history of these gastro-related symptoms, he could maybe begin to figure it out enough to order the proper tests. It is frustrating to stand by and watch your loved ones suffer...

Karen

[GFPaperdoll]

If you think you are having a bad day - just read about this mess

My little sister ordered the Enterolab tests today. She ate rice crackers for dinner last night and I think is going GF.

I just talked to my daughter-in-law for over 2 hours…
Grandkids background: they were mostly GF from March 2005 thru September 2005.
Ages boy 10, girl 8, boy 6, they are all the same size. They were home schooled from Sept 2005 to June 2006. They are all back in public school as of Aug 2006. They are all sick constantly now…
My son who at 36 has some liver damage (unexplained) already and that I now know has had celiac his whole life REFUSES to talk about it and will not let his kids be GF because to quote “it’s ruining my life”.

I had the 10 year old tested at Enterolab after the blood tests were inconclusive or really what really happened was that my grandson fainted during the blood draw & another doctor wanted more tests & they were never redone and with my son not wanting it done it was never followed up… He has two DQ1 genes and his mother is emailing me the stool test results that I never got. But I am sure they were positive etc. I will post the numbers when I get them. So this week the 10 YO had to go to the growth doctor which knows nothing about the previous celiac tests & she is INSISTING that he have the celiac blood tests run again!!!!! After that my DIL admitted that they knew he had two DQ1 genes.

The kids are all getting stomach aches from their GF vitamins, DIL has tried several kinds, she knows to get GF. She is frantic to find a vitamin for them. The 10 YO is usually anemic but the iron gives him severe constipation and stomach aches. He now has that pain in his side, that people talk about. I know nothing about the right vitamin but told her to start giving them a B12 today, that they cannot overdose on B12…

The 10Yo is slipping into bad health pretty fast. He is addicted to wheat, and that is all he wants to eat. He is a A+ student in the 5th grade now, but hating school this year, & is being bullied and teased about his small size but is refusing to talk about it.

The 8 year old just got over walking pneumonia last month or so, and has worsening food allergies, and sinus infections etc. She is the one that presents with a DH type rash all the time, the dermatologists cannot figure out what it is… Now DIL said she has eczema behind her knees. Isn’t that one of the common spots for DH? She is loving school but is having a lot of tummy aches, fevers, etc, etc She loves fruits and veggies and had already mostly not eaten wheat before we took them wheat free, she did not miss it when she was GF. She has gained some weight after starting on the wheat again & is now a little chunky.

The 6 year old, has been running fevers, tummy aches, had diarrhea for two days after eating some birthday cake, he loves school, kindergarten for him this year, and he will eat anything and at 6 is the same size as the 8 & 10 year old…

DIL is trying to get the blood draw at a hospital or somewhere a doctor will be present in case her son faints again… I am about to call and write my son and I mailed the book “Dangerous Grains” to him. DIL is wanting to get their vitamin and mineral levels checked but you know it is the same old story, will the insurance cover it…

I would like to get the name of the doctor to thank her and give her the family history as I see it !!! But guess I will not but in and wait until the tests are done again. But this time I am not letting up on my son…

Any ideas, suggestions, are welcome !!!!

[jcc]

:(

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

The fact that gluten sensitivity outside of celiac disease is not widely accepted does not help matters...because it can be difficult to find a doctor who understands that non-celiac gluten sensitivity can have serious consequences.

There really is only so much you can do, and then, hard as it is, you need to let go. I doubt this is the advice you were looking for. You don't want to ruin your relationship with your son over this, and I worry this may cause harm to your relationship. Having said that, you know him better than I, and you are the best ultimate judge of how much the relationship can withstand.

If you DIL is willing to pursue this...if she believes that gluten is a problem for the children, I might suggest she see a DAN! doctor for them. At least a DAN! would be on the same page, so to speak, because they understand gluten/casein issues can extend far beyond Celiac Disease. Having a doctor in agreement might help your son accept this better.

Maybe someone else will have better advice :o.

Cara

[RathyKay]

The kids and I are GF; Mr. Kay is not. But, since I'm the cook, he's low gluten and eating gluten mostly at work. If you're DIL is willing, there's no reason it has to "ruin" your son's life. Mr. Kay was not thrilled when I decided to try this, but he now admits it's been a good thing for the kids.

As far as vitamins go... we've had no problems with the Kirkman ones. However, we really don't have the gastro issues, so it's harder to tell. The one thing that popped in my mind... a friend of mine has a corn allergy. She reacts to all the corn derivatives, which don't sound remotely like corn (citric acid, which used to always mean lemon juice, and well, check out this list for a depressing thought http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php). Anyway, I wonder if it's something else? I know my cornfriend finally found a multi-vitamin she's "sure of," but she commented that it really isn't much of a multi-vitamin as far as variety and amounts. So, I'm wondering about other food intolerances for your grandkids, in addition to gluten.

We're in the middle of DAN! testing. (You can read of it here: http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=138 if you want. It's very long.) We go back mid-November. I'm really looking forward to the food sensitivity results, among all the rest of it. We're also checking vitamin / mineral levels. We paid up front, and will submit to insurance after the next appointment.

Anyway, this is a little more disjointed than I usually write. Hope it helps. Oh, and Tom has two versions of DQ1, also. The rest of us haven't been tested. I'd like to do it eventually, but money is going elsewhere these days.

[kaylee]

My heart goes out to you in this time of enormous stress, and, as Cara noted, there may be a limit to what you can do directly in trying to help. Your care and concern is important in and of itself, though! Continuing to get useful information and figuring out if, how and when to present it usefully may help in the long run.

On the specific issue of vitamins:

I too have felt frantic at times regarding possible vitamin etc deficiencies due to my son's multiple food sensitivities and obvious signs of malabsorption, but am feeling much less so (most of the time!). I have been putting the emphasis on a varied diet, making sure he gets things like almonds and lentils and leafy greens (sometimes quite disguised) and very little in the way of empty calories, have been giving probiotics and digestive enzymes to help with the whole digestive process and a few supplements such as evening primrose oil. I started everything slowly, building up and looking for reactions. I still have to remind myself from time to time that my getting too worked up doesn't help matters - and it is sometimes hard to feel calm when I see recurring problems. But, this is a learning process and learning from mistakes and moving on is what I do try to aim for.

Best, Kevyn

[jcc]

I agree that whoever does the grocery shopping has a huge advantage :).

My relationship concern comes from my personal experience with my own daughter. Of course, age 16-18 was not the best time for this all to hit, but the push/pull struggle of my wanting her to be gluten free was damaging for our relationship. I did ultimately have to accept it was her decision and largely give up my pursuit. We even went to counseling...a large part of the problem being this very issue. The issue resolved in that as a parent I had the right to keep a gluten free house, but I had to come to accept that my daughter's choices of what she ate outside of the home were her choices to make. [Please remember she was 16-18 years old, and according to her doctors...there was no need for her to be gluten free.] I very occasionally still send her information, but my tongue is pretty scarred (from biting it :D). Whenever she comes to visit, I make a special effort to have the house filled with lots of good gf food so that she can see that gf living is not the end of good food. I do hope one day she will take the gf plunge. Even now, she doesn't accept it is responsible for many of her health issues. The wall is still up.

I could never get my youngest to take vitamins, until Judy recommended LiL Critters VitaWorms (http://www.gummybearvitamins.com/products/vitaworms/). My daughter just didn't like the taste or chalkiness of other vitamins. I tried many (like Kirkman's and other high end brands) but we've settled on the VitaWorms...she loves them. I also buy fortified orange juice... Kids MinuteMaid. I consider this a bare minimum, but because she eagerly takes this and doesn't have any stomach or other complaints, it does give me some peace of mind to know she is getting some supplemental vitamins.

There are powdered and liquid vitamins available that can be blended into smoothies. That might be worth trying, too.

I agree that trying to get the most bang for the buck out of real food is worth going for, even if we must get sneaky about it :). My daughter is quite picky, so it is always a struggle, and I don't do as well here as I'd like to.

My older daughter complained that certain vitamins made her feel sick. I've noticed that myself. It helps to take them with food, although certain ones are absorbed better on an empty stomach (like zinc, at bedtime).

Cara

[Zonulin]

Great advice here - I'll add my two cents... As Cara said, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him give up his precious oats. The dad in this picture is obviously NOT getting it. It would be great if Dr. Fasano at the University of Maryland could market a test which shows when people have too much Zonulin between their cells, causing them to "leak," which is really BAD when it comes to the cells in the digestive tract. Gliadin, the protein in wheat, will attack human tissue in a petri dish. Imagine the damage it can do when it gets loose in the body due to these leaky cells in the digestive tract.

Dr. Fasano has shown that people with autoimmune diseases have too much Zonulin - he cites not only celiac disease, but Multiple Sclerosis, fibromyalgia, Lupus, DIABETES, and others. He and a big pharmaceutical company are working on a drug called AT1001, which will decrease the space between the cells (sounds Dr. Frankensteinish to me). Dr. Fasano writes that people who have too much Zonulin have "tight junction dysfunction." I only wish that he had been able to produce an easy, accessible test to check for "too much Zonulin" instead, so we could individually apply our own genetics to this diagnosis and proceed from there, making changes to our diet and lifestyle in order to thwart destiny :rolleyes:

My 12-year-old son takes Rhino Gummy Bear Vitamins from NutritionNow, Inc - they come 70 "gummies" for $10. He also takes a probiotic for healthy gut flora, and a digestive enzyme (Enzymatic Therapy's Pro-Gest-Ade). And he doesn't eat gluten and avoids dairy (which still makes him sick every now and then). He is about 5'05" and only weighs 87 pounds. When he was 9, he weighed just 57 pounds. His relatives' health problems include stomach cancer, colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and plenty of diabetes for all. We're hoping to avoid all that with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Maybe you could make a favorite gluten-free recipe and offer it to these family members - make a comment such as, "Not only is it delicious, it won't cause problems while it's leaking from your gut." :eek: Well, maybe that's not such a hot idea (not exactly appetizing). Maybe you could say that AFTER they've eaten it :D

Karen

[jcc]

"Not only is it delicious, it won't cause problems while it's leaking from your gut." :eek:


Priceless, Karen :D.

[GFPaperdoll]

Thanks everyone, I will check out the vitamin info, they know that GF food is good they ate it for 6 months...
My daughter in law just does not put her foot down enough, she is one of those gentle soft spoken people... When people refer to her parenting skills they call her the "Mother Theresa". The kids are back in public school because my son insisted, although they were doing fine at home, at least the two younger ones are having a great year.

On the enterolab sensitivity test the 10 year old was a 20 against a scale of less than 10. & at that he was mostly GF & not eating much... he just reached 60 lbs and was very proud. He will be 11 in December.

Re incorporating food instead of vitamins, I completely agree on this and gave her some tips on adding in nutrition (they all love broccoli) and I also sent her the book SuperFoods.

My little sister is GF as best she can be... I am not stressing her out with cleaning her kitchen etc, I will wait till the enterolab tests come back and let her go at her own pace...

[jcc]

Well, she needs to become a member at our forum :). It can be hard when you feel you are working against the world, especially when the doctors aren't backing you. It does help to be around like-minded people.

My daughter loves brocolli. I recently made some "no" cream of brocolli soup, and she ate it for all of her snacking needs for two days :). This is so good!


(No) Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

Prepare one head cauliflower and one head broccoli: Chop 1/2 head of cauliflower into chunks and set aside for soup base. Break other half into bite size florets for steaming. Chop the stems of broccoli and set aside for soup base. Break broccoli heads into bite size pieces for steaming.

Sauté until soft:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic

Add, bring to low boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes:
32 oz of chicken broth/stock
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped
broccoli stems, chopped
2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste

Meanwhile, steam the bite size cauliflower and broccoli florets until tender, about 10 minutes.

Blend soup base with blender [the 'cream-less' cream of the soup], and add the steamed veggies.

[GFPaperdoll]

I gave my DIL the information on the vitamins that ya'll posted. She said they are taking a gummie or something like that & alternating with another vitamin but it keeps giving the kids a pain right above their ribs, on both sides & the same for all three kids. She started giving them a B12 liquid under their tongue & took it herself, but it gave all 4 of them headaches. I told her to trash the B12 & to just get NatureMade at Walgreens.

I know ya'll are going to want the specifics on the vitamins - I will email DIL for the info.

The 10YO went for the blood draw on Tuesday, they took 4 viles of blood, my daughter in law said that she was asking them all kinds of questions and it seemed like they knew what they were doing, they are in Austin, Texas, BTW, that is a young hip progressive area of the country. The 10YO went into the faint thing again, although there were several people talking to him etc, they had to lay him down etc. Anyway, he said that he was tired of being the guenia(sp) pig, so it was explained to him that the doctor was insisting that he get the test. I am praying the test come up positive. The 10Yo had a great week at school & was more organized this week & gained FOUR LBS. (B12???) and/or is DIL feeding them less gluten because she said she had to admit to a friend of hers that she thought that I was right with my first assessment of their situation, 2 years ago !!!

The 8YO is having major asthma type attacks & DIL has been to school each day to give her breathing treatments, she is on antibiotic again for I think a sinus infection, DIL thinks she has never recovered from the walking pneumonia. 8YO is having to walk at PE because she cannot run. She wants the blood tests for CD & told her brother that she would do it in his place :).
DIL is going to call the doctor to try to get her a blood test. In the menatime DIL said if I had the money that I could order the Enterolab test for her. I did, & I ordered the full panel for her with the gene test :D
I predict that this kid will be GF in a week or so, she told her mom that she wants to be GF!! (this kid is smart ;) ) She wants to be GF because she knows that she feels better. Well & somehow she is not addicted to the wheat. Plus she does not like it that she keeps having to give up her beloved fruits, right now she reacts with an itchy allergic type rash etc, to strawberries, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, lemons & a few other things.

Not sure what the 6 year old is doing, DIL says she is sure he has it also, but he seems to be the sturdiest of the bunch.

My sister has the full Enterolab kit with the gene test, she was going to send it off on Wed but did not get to it, so I am not sure if she has sent it in yet. We are hoping that since she is an xray tech & knows all the medical stuff that with her going on the GF diet & testing positive & trying to do everything to prevent colon cancer (that our mother died from) that her positve results will sway my son's postition on the GF diet. Actually his kids are getting so sick, he is not going to really have a choice.

So I will post back when the enterolab results and the blood tests are in!!

As an aside a friend of mine (age 56) that I gave the Dangerous Grains book to, had a positive endoscopy & was already GF, after she read the book, she has osteoporosis, & is awaiting her test results from Enterolab, I think she also tested for dairy and the gene test, so she would know what she is dealing with. Oh yea, she gave up dairy about the same time I did.

[jcc]

My daughter has reacted to strawberries and apples in the past with hives, and this doesn't seem to happen anymore. I've been sending little tiny apples about 2-3 times a week with lunches and she's been fine. I do think many of her secondary type intolerances have cleared. She even seems to be ok with corn on occasion.

I hope the kids will be gluten free soon! Let us know how the tests come in!

Cara

[kaylee]

sounds like things are on the move!

Just a note about the 8YO being on antibiotics again: with all the allergy/intolerance-type signs plus a frequent use of antibiotics, it might be useful to start her on probiotics. Using antibiotics messes up the intestinal balance of bacteria needed for good digestion, which is doubly needed if there are food problems. Probiotics would help in that area (although I do realize that suggesting yet another supplement may not be well received ...).

Best, Kaylee

[Zonulin]

The 10Yo had a great week at school & was more organized this week & gained FOUR LBS. (B12???) and/or is DIL feeding them less gluten because she said she had to admit to a friend of hers that she thought that I was right with my first assessment of their situation, 2 years ago !!! - GFPaperDoll

Wow!!:D That is fantastic!! And Kaylee is right - antibiotics totally muck up the digestive tract. My son takes BioBeads or Pearls - they are tiny and round and extremely easy to swallow.

Good for you!!!! Can't wait to read the Enterolab results!!

Karen

[annelb]

Glad to hear that everyone is moving in the right direction. Hopefully, you son son will get on board too.

I third the probiotics - good idea.
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

Info from my daughter in law - I got permission to post ;)

“In the past I have given them Flintstones regular and with iron. Vitaball Vitamin gumballs with extra C.Distributed by Amerifit Nutrition. Lit Critters, and KAL Vitamin B-12 2500mcg spray, one spray daily. I realized I was squirting two sprays under our tongue instead of one. Tonight I only sprayed once under my tongue and I did not get a headache. This B-12 has Vitamin stevia leaf extract 1.5 mg in it as well.I don't know what that is. I need to read more and find out. YOu probably already know. It says that 2500 mcg per squirt is 41,667 percent of our daily value. I didn't think we could get too much B 12 but this is probably too strong for the kids.
I also tried an Animal Vitamin from Whole foods one time. The kids did not like the taste. You know the kids....they are very opinionated. The did take them for a while, even though they didn't like them. We also tried some Dinosaur Vitamins one time. I think they are a store brand. Everyone on these multivitamins have caused constipation, headaches or pain in the stomach and rib area. After about 5 -7 days on any vitamin they start having problems. I have to give Drew iron at times because his iron count gets low.
My kids don't get hardly any veggies and fruits. However, Garrett ask for fruit bowls for breakfast three days last week. He also told me he ate a fruit bowl meal at school. I ask him why he was eating fruit so much and he told me, " I want to get well". Even Garrett is figuring out what will make him feel better and he is only six. I hope he keeps up the good work.
I think this covers just about all the vitamins they have tried.”

she is not giving the kids the B12 anymore, guess I will have to be careful about the advice I give her & get a specific vitamin - she has since researched the stevia & thinks it is bad - i would not take it & have no idea where she got this B12 vitamin.

[kaylee]

A lot of the regular multivitamins contain ingredients that people with food intolerances react to, including wheat, dairy, corn, artificial coloring, preservatives etc. In my son's case I have given up on the idea of a multivitamin for the simple (or not simple at all) reason that either they contain something he can't have, or he refuses to take them because of the taste (e.g. the Kirkman Super-Nu something or other). During the process, I discovered that in fact he can't have any chewable tablet as they all seem to contain magnesium stearate, and this causes major reactions, including severe headache. Unfortunately for my finances, but very fortunately for my son's well-being, I have found it necessary to go the top-of-the-line route(purity-wise) for most of his supplements. The incredible change in him makes every cent spent worthwhile.

Best, Kevyn

[pakisa100]

he can't have any chewable tablet as they all seem to contain magnesium stearate, and this causes major reactions, including severe headache.


Hi Kevyn,

Thanks for that bit of information!! It's very useful as there are probably many others out there who are reacting to it but can't figure out what. :)

I found that my children never did well on any kind of 'children's vitamins'. (I tried a countless number of them.) I've always assumed it was the sugars/fake sugars and moved on to chopping up adult vitamins for them.

[Zonulin]

she has since researched the stevia & thinks it is bad - GFPaperDoll

Here's why stevia has not yet been approved (below) - the author mentions something about Americans overdoing things (as usual) ;) Many Americans slurp their diet soft drinks all day...I use stevia liquid drops in my two cups of coffee every morning. But we do not use sucralose (Splenda) or aspartame because I have read really scary things about them. http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html

[GFPaperdoll]

I am almost to the point of understanding my lifelong battle with food allergies. I have gone back & reread parts of the book “Eat Right 4 your Blood Type”. This book was right on with most of my food allergies except for the gluten grains and the dairy. I would encourage anyone with food issues not resolved with omitting the gluten grains to consider these lectin foods as a problem & to read the above book, in the sections for your blood type you can just mark thru all the gluten grains and dairy stuff, that is what I did, I also marked thru a couple of these other lectin foods that I knew that I could not tolerate. I think you might be surprised with what shows up. It has made a difference in my food choices and I think in my overall health, although I was already feeling really good!!

I have googled Lectins and found the following:
Lectins in Foods “Consider the group most likely to be causing a problem:
Deadly nightshades including tomato, potato and eggplant
Glutens found in wheat, rye, barley, malt, and oats
Legumes, all beans including soy and peanut
Dairy including all milk products, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, kefit
Eggs”
http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html by Krispin Sullivan 2-28-2000

This sounded very familiar to me as it covers most of the foods that people have a problem with when they go GF. Out of this list the only things that I can tolerate at this time are:
tomatoes which is also as good for me in the blood type book,
peanut butter but not roasted peanuts
pinto beans and navy beans – which is also mentioned in the book as ones that I can tolerate
I eat an occasional egg – in a baked good or in summer maybe a deviled egg

I am not going to be eating any of the other foods listed as likely to cause problems due to Lectins, well certainly not the gluten grains!! I also will never eat oats & am glad I do not have to think about the cross contamination issues, because I have been allergic to oats & barley since I was 25, (& that was a loooong time ago) when I had food allergy tests done on myself and my son. I think this is why some people can eat oats and some cannot – besides the cross contamination issue.

Out with the corn syrup & saturated fat:
I also used to be more in the normal range when it came to food choices, although a bit different due to my complicated food allergies. But no longer, I have now crossed over to the health nut side. I have bought my last bottle of ketchup that contains corn syrup & have switched to tomato paste, I ditched the jams and jellies containing corn syrup a few months ago, now I make my own or purchase a pricey no sugar fruit jam. I have also this past two weeks thrown out the last bottle of salad dressing and am now using olive oil & vinegar & am shocked how delicious the stuff is when combined with mustard, or any multiple combination of seasonings – I will never go back to bottled dressing again, it is sorta like going GF, once you make the plunge you think, really this is great, what was the big deal!

My new lunch time salad has a base of chopped kale & broccoli and I cannot get enough of the stuff. Tonight for dinner I just had to have stir fried cabbage and onions over salmon patties. I have a bunch of new GF cookbooks & I cringe when I see all the recipes that use Crisco type shortening. I will be converting anything that I make to extra light olive oil.

I also really liked the book “SuperFoods” by Steven Pratt, M.D. & Kathy Matthews that a friend sent me. There again, I just ignored the part about wheat & dairy. I think with our knowledge of the gluten foods and the lectin foods combined with other known food intolerances that you might have, will give each person a good place to start when looking for foods that are causing health problems. Add to that a refresher on healthy foods and you will be making progress !!

[annelb]

I am happy to hear that you are discovering your keys to better health. So many of us have found that the fewer the processed foods, the better we feel. Also finding those whole foods we cannot tolerate is easier when not eating processed stuff.
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

My grandson’s blood test came back negative. I have asked my dil to get a copy of the test from the doctor so that I can see what tests were run and what the results were. I was just there for a visit & I saw that they had GF cereal. So I wonder how much GF eating he was doing before the test… My granddaughter ate the same things that I ate while I was there. She is so easy, all you have to do is say, “why don’t you have this?” & she says “okay” Her Enterolab results are not back yet. The kids were having tummy aches while I was there but otherwise seemed to be okay.

My sister’s (52YO) Enterolab results came back. She will be going to the doctor again in a couple of weeks & will get a copy of her positive blood tests.

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 21 (normal 10 or less)
Fecal antitissue transglutaminase IgA 18 (normal 10 or less)
Quantitative microscopic fecal fat score – normal
Fecal anti-casein IgA antibody 19 (normal 10 or less)

HLA DQB 1 molecular analysis allele 1 – 0303
HLA DQB1 molecular analysis allele 2 – 0501
Serological equivalent HLA-DQ 3, 1 (Subtype 9,5)

I goggled Transglutaminase but I still do not know what it means – could someone explain this to me?

I talked to my 58YO sister this afternoon, the one with the arthritis and all the other problems & after she heard that our younger sister was positive she is cleaning out her pantry while I was on the phone for an hour answering her questions. She is really going GF this time, not like the half hearted try that she gave it last time. She said that her daughter (my niece) is having major stomach problems and now she thinks that she has it also. She agrees with me that it is a probably the problem with her 12 YO gd that is having behaviour issues, and she thinks that my niece will be on this full force & that if we just talk to the little 12 YO that she will be amendable to change her diet. (I think girls are easier to get to change the way they eat) this 12 Yo she says loves broccoli and all veggies & fruits and really there is nothing that she does not like. These kids live near my dil & grandkids, so we are going to send her over there to borrow dil’s gf books – IF this girl goes GF she will be the force that will change my son as they are close, more like brother & sister and she is just one of those kinds of people that gets things done. My 58 YO sister thinks that her daughter will pay for the Enterolab tests for her 12 YO.

My grandkids came over today & we went to Pappasitoes for lunch. Well we got there & the kids were okay, (they had donuts & kolaches for breakfast at the other grandmothers house this morning), they had chips & queso, & before the kids food could get there they all three had stomach aches, I mean they were all three down like rocks, laying their heads on the table, looked sick in the face when you looked at them etc. They were hungry but were in such pain they could not eat, my dil gave the oldest,(the 10YO) a kids Tylenol or something because he also had a headache & his eyes were hurting. I think what happened was that they had nothing to eat except wheat today then when they added the corn & dairy in they got a reaction. I used to be like that, when I ate wheat I could not eat corn on the same day – you think it is the corn or something, when all along it is really the wheat!!!
They all took some of my homemade fudge home for a snack on the car trip home. My son did not know that it was dairy free !!! - I felt no need to tell him, smile…

Oh, I also have a daughter that is a petite 5 ft, had lactose intolerance as a baby, she also has neuro symptoms (yep I am sure she also has it), she has a 19 YO boy, a 13 YO girl & a 12 YO girl. The 13 year old looks like a clone of me. My daughter does not like to talk to me, so she had to call my dil because the 13 YO is having major problems with hives and the doctors cannot find out what it is. My dil said she spent 30 minutes giving her an earful of information about her kids and what I have found out etc etc.

It looks like my sisters are going to join me in this struggle to get our kids GF, so far it looks like 100% of our family has a gluten problem.

[NancyM]

Tissue transglutaminase is an enzyme that is normal in the body, used to repair cells I believe. Anyway, what they're testing for is the presence of antibodies to this normal, very helpful protein. Something about celiac or gluten sensitivity causes the body to turn on itself by making antibodies against it.

Wikipedia says:
Physiology
tTG is expressed ubiquitously. It requires calcium as a cofactor. Transcription is increased by retinoic acid. Amongst its many supposed functions, it appears to play a role wound healing, apoptosis and extracellular matrix development[1]

Anyway, it isn't something you want to develop an autoimmunity to!

[annelb]

In is interesting to read the continuing saga of your family's journey to GF living. You persistence seems to be paying off. I hope your sister quickly sees the benefit of GF eating - that seems to help convince people they truly need to be GF. It is a lot more difficult(but not impossible) to stick it out if the improvements come slowly.

Keep us posted.
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

Talked to my DIL for over an hour… She is amazed that my 58 YO sister is really going GF. She is not so surprised that my 52 YO sister is learning everything and ordering cookbooks etc. She is going to take the book “Dangerous Grains” to my niece and said yes, she is having a lot of stomach problems. I cannot remember if I have added this in, but the niece was tested two years ago from my initial info to the family (the only one to test) but the blood test came back “negative”. So now we know more & have more people diagnosed. We think that she will get tested again with her mom and two aunts now gluten free!! You all must know that I am dreaming of a family gluten free Christmas.

My dil raved about the gluten free/dairy free fudge. The kids are all still sick with stomach aches. She has already started talking to the 8 YO re making choices that do not include bread. We are holding our breath waiting on the Enterolab test. The 8 YO has got some messy rashes that are extremely itchy, they are never going away now. DIL does not want to test her for DH because they take a plug of skin & you have to get stitches. I know the kid is suffering with the rashes & late night showers to help the itch, but my dil is so anti suffering, she cannot make herself take her for the test. I must say that I really do not blame her because I know if she is just GF she will be okay.

Also, oh my!, my dil said that she needed to be gluten free also, wow I am not saying a word, I just know that I have to do something for the 8 YO right away, I am letting my dil come to her own conclusion. But I think that I know one thing that is swaying her is that I am the healthiest person in the family and I am the oldest!!! Then she sees her mom who is the same age as I am and there is a HUGE difference her mom has IBS, osteoporosis, as in very bad osteo, not to mention the neuro stuff because we believe that she has DQ1 although we only know that her daughter has one DQ1 (but she is almost classic DQ1 symptoms). To clarify we know DIL has one because her son has two DQ1's.

[GFPaperdoll]

But for all those people that say that you never get a negative from Enterolab, here is one for my granddaughter - you know the one with the rashes etc. etc.
here are her results:

A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value
Fecal Antigliadin IgA 9 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 7 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score <300 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody 7 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0303

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0301

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 3,3 (Subtype 9,7)

So since I suspect that she has DH, does that mean that with this result that she does not have DH? Of course I think that she was not eating enough gluten for long enough, although dil said that she was, I think it was only for the week or so before the test. So now my son knows the test was going to be run & will know that it is now negative. The argument that a dietary trial is the true answer is not going to hold up. I have done everything that I can for this child, if her mother does not take her gf then I will have a clear conscience when she continues to have ill health. I am soooo dissappointed...

[annelb]

Do you know if your granddaughter is IgA deficient? This can give a false negative Enterolab test. Here is what Dr. Fine says about results that are slightly under the cutoff of 10.

What does it mean that my antigliadin antibody level is just below the upper limit of normal?
All clinical laboratory tests must define a normal range that best distinguishes those with disease from those without. Depending on what range is used to define normal will determine how many people with disease will fall into the normal range, and conversely, how many people without disease will fall into the abnormal range. Our determined cut off for normal of 10 Units was derived after years of comparing antibody levels with gene and malabsorptive test results, as well as clinical histories before and after treatment with a gluten free diet. Although our stool test is multitudes more sensitive in picking up gluten sensitivity than blood tests, no single diagnostic test can rule out gluten sensitivity with 100% certainty (we estimate our antibody test misses about 1 in 500, about equal to the frequency of IgA deficiency in the general population). Thus, while it is very unlikely that a person with an antigliadin antibody level in the normal range has active gluten sensitivity, anyone with symptoms of gluten sensitivity and/or having an autoimmune disease, especially if accompanied by an antibody level just below the cut off, or with a gluten sensitive gene and/or intestinal malabsorption, should consider a 6-12 month trial of a gluten free diet, looking for improvement in symptoms, autoimmune disease severity, and/or intestinal malabsorption. It is only in this population that a gluten free diet should be considered a "trial"; all other people must consider gluten-free diet for positive tests definite and permanent therapy.


Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

Thanks Ann, yes one in 500 that sounds like us !!!!
I know that something on that test was not right, but I have done my due. I sent dil the info that you posted.
I am working many hours doing my nephew's scrapbook for his parents. I am a part time scrapbook designer/instructor. It is good that I have a major project to concentrate on...

[GFPaperdoll]

Just a few notes for an update.
The 8 YO granddaughter had "pneumonia like" problem again and was on antibiotics.
The 10YO grandson and his mom are going to counseling for "emotional issues" (remember they both have DQ1).
I am happy with the work that I have done with them & do not feel compelled to say anything about their diet. It is their choice. But I will keep you posted on any developments. :)

My two sisters are gluten light & preparing to go completely GF Jan 1.
We just cannot stress out my 52 YO sister that is already under extreme stress from the loss of her only child but she has bought some cookbooks and is getting ready to clean out her kitchen. She is also already mostly dairy free.

The 58 YO sister, did her Christmas baking for friends, but noticed that she only ate 2 cookies, and has not had any extreme food cravings, just from being gluten light, & she was less hungry. I sent her all the flours and mixes and am giving her a big basket of goodies for Christmas and a cookbook. She is waiting to go GF the same time as my sister. I sent her the GF for Dummies book and she must have read it (I have not read it yet) because she said she was not using any of her GF stuff until she got her kitchen cleaned out really well.
Merry Christmas to everyone.

[Zonulin]

The 10YO grandson and his mom are going to counseling for "emotional issues" (remember they both have DQ1). - GFPaperDoll
Nothing steams me like THIS!!! :mad: I know it sounds CRAZY but TALKING just won't cure a leaky gut. So many people in my Gluten Intolerance Group were referred to psychs because their medical MDs could not diagnose them properly. Very very sad. I have two fat files; one labeled "Misdiagnoses" and the other "Misdiagnoses with Drugs" - clippings from newspapers, magazines, websites about people who were suffering from real physical problems who were referred to psychs and/or put on psychotropic drugs which had NOTHING to do with their real illness (whether it was cancer, H. pylori, parasites, etc.).

I sent her all the flours and mixes and am giving her a big basket of goodies for Christmas and a cookbook. She is waiting to go GF the same time as my sister. I sent her the GF for Dummies book and she must have read it (I have not read it yet) because she said she was not using any of her GF stuff until she got her kitchen cleaned out really well. - GFPaperDoll
Well aren't you a sweetie! You've done all you can - let's hope these poor dear folks are tired of feeling horrible and are ready to embrace good health! :D

Karen

[GFPaperdoll]

My son is sick again with the sore throat, sinus type stuff.

My DIL has had an MRI she either has a tumor near or on her pituitary gland (center of brain) or the doctors think she has one there - not sure on that, because as she was telling me how they would do the surgery and that it might be cancerous, I was saying "so you think you might have to have brain surgery but you would not change your diet first?" She has finally quit eating artificial sugar, that I have been telling her not to do for 15 years now. She sent me home with the gluten free books that she has because at this point she has totally abandoned the idea of going gluten free, for her or the children. I was going to take the book "Dangerous Grains" back to pass onto someone else, but she picked it up & was reading the chapter on the brain, so she thought she would keep it.

I think that it is unusual if a person rises anywhere above where their family is or the way that they were raised. I have come to realize that my DIL is very uncomfortable doing anything that is out of the ordinary from the way that her family functions, and I think that is the case with a lot of people.
People have gotten so used to not being responsible for their own health, that they will not take any steps to become healthier when they can just take a pill or failing pills will have surgery.

[annelb]

I am sorry to hear that you DIL has a brain tumor and you son is sick again. If it is a pituitary tumor, these are usually benign. I do hope that is what it is and that it is not cancer.

I have met a couple of other people who were considering a GF diet but then got a "real" diagnosis and gave up all thougts of going on a GF diet.

I know you had such high hopes that your family's health would improve with a GF life. Are your sisters still on track for a Jan 1 start to the GF life?

I do wish your DIL well.
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

Thanks Anne for the well wishes. Yes my one sister is now GF, and the 52 YO, is just getting back from out of town, so have not talked to her yet, but at Christmas she mentioned to me that she was anxious to get on the diet as her stomach was a mess. I took my own food to their Christmas dinner. They are already planning a GF dinner next year.

re dil, she said that the reason that she had the MRI was that she had elevated Pituitary Hormones. One doctor said it was a tumor & then the specialist said that there was nothing there (on the phone I think). She is getting back with the doctors for a followup. She is overweight, does not exercise, eats a lot of wheaty stuff, drinks coffee, and has other not so great eating habits, mostly due to living with my son, whose habits are just as unhealthy. She is also on medication for depression. IMO most people eating wheat might as well just be on medication for depression.

I did some successful baking yesterday, I will post the recipes when I get a chance.

[annelb]

Which hormone was elevated? Elevated prolactin levels have been related to celiac disease. Here is one article http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=7988065&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum
1: Dig Dis. 1994 May-Jun;12(3):186-90. Links
Infertility, obstetric and gynaecological problems in coeliac sprue.Sher KS, Jayanthi V, Probert CS, Stewart CR, Mayberry JF.
Leicester General Hospital, UK.

There is now substantial evidence that coeliac sprue is associated with infertility both in men and women. In women it can also lead to delayed menarche, amenorrhoea, early menopause, recurrent abortions, and a reduced pregnancy rate. In men it can cause hypogonadism, immature secondary sex characteristics and reduce semen quality. The real mechanism by which coeliac sprue produces these changes is unclear, but factors such as malnutrition, iron, folate and zinc deficiencies have all been implicated. In addition in men gonadal dysfunction is believed to be due to reduced conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone caused by low levels of 5 alpha-reductase in coeliac sprue. This leads to derangement of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Hyperprolactinaemia is seen in 25% of coeliac patients, which causes impotence and loss of libido. Gluten withdrawal and correction of deficient dietary elements can lead to a return of fertility both in men and women.

PMID: 7988065 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Wish your sister an easy transition into the GF life. Looking forward to the recipes.
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

My sister had a gastric bypass surgery 31 years ago due to being overweight.
She has had constant diarrhea since then. Well she has been GF since 1-1-07 and now has constipation!!!! She had to go buy a laxative!! I am thinking that her intestines must be a mess and they have "forgotten" how to function except in cases of extreme irritation.

She is eating the same foods as before GF except for the gluten stuff. Now she thinks it is just a lack of fiber... But she is getting the same amount of fiber from carrots, potatoes etc. She does not eat GF pasta, neither do I, we do not like pasta...

I thought I would post this as it might be of interest to someone else that has had gastric bypass surgery & think that they have to have a lifetime of diarrhea. I think that probably almost all of these obese people that have these surgeries have a problem with wheat to start off with, that is why they are obese (addiction to food for them, I think from the wheat).

I find this new development very interesting...

[Zonulin]

I thought I would post this as it might be of interest to someone else that has had gastric bypass surgery & think that they have to have a lifetime of diarrhea. I think that probably almost all of these obese people that have these surgeries have a problem with wheat to start off with, that is why they are obese (addiction to food for them, I think from the wheat).

I find this new development very interesting... - GFPaperDoll

Yes, that IS interesting. I saw part of a program on The Learning Channel called "Resolutionists," and this episode had people who had made resolutions to lose weight. One young woman was working out several hours a day and taking in very few calories, but was unable to lose any weight. Her trainer couldn't believe it, and suggested she see a doctor. It turns out she'd had gastric bypass surgery ten years earlier which she didn't actually need because her inability to lose weight was due to a problem with her thyroid!! Makes you wonder whether doctors are even thinking to check for things like gluten sensitivity or thyroid problems before scheduling this questionable surgery. :mad:

Karen, President of MADD (Mothers Against Demented Doctors)

[annelb]

Dr Kittley wrote a book called Obesity's Answer and says that weight gain is a symptoms of "celiac syndrome". She goes on to say that people have to remove foods they are sensitive to in order to lose weight and in her practice 10-15% had to eliminate wheat. http://www.celiacsyndrome.com/index.php?id=18

Is your sister eating dairy? That can cause constipation. http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/faqs/faq009.asp
Anne

[GFPaperdoll]

I thought ya'll might like to see the latest info on my son. This is an email I got from my dil...

"Hi (gfpaperdoll),

I hope you were able to go the this meeting. I know it would mean a lot to you.

I honestly don't want to hurt your feeling but Mark is never going to be gluten free and I have given up on the whole thing. I don't mind talking to you about your wonderful cakes and all the great things that are happening in the Celiac group. However, I am not going to be attending any meetings or even play with the idea of being gluten free. I plan to let this whole thing drop.

I know this is a great disappointment to you and you worry about us. However, we do not wish to embrace Celiac or any other disease. If this changes in the future, I will be sure to let you know. I truly am sorry for leading you to believe otherwise. I know that you spent a lot of money trying to help us go Gluten Free, I regret this very much. I really do appreciate all that you have done to try and help us. We did give the diet a fair try for 5 1/2 months. It didn't work out for us. Now, I am ready to move on to other things.

In the meantime the discussion of Gluten and Celiac are a thorn in my side. It makes Mark very stressed and I do not need this kind of stress in my life. Also, Mark and I do not chose to be sick or claim that our children are sick. If one says they are sick enough or claims to be sick long enough, then they will become sick. However, if one is very positive and looks to happy things, then much of sickness can be avoided. This is not always the case but much of the time it is true. If you think this is wrong, I am sorry. I have to do what is best for me, Mark and the kids at this time.

Please understand I am not angry at you in any way. I simply must stand up for the things that I feel are right.

We love you.

Sincerely,"

I guess she thinks that I am just not positive enough and must just be thinking myself sick. And she has managed to come to this conclusion with only a few "counseling" sessions. Isn't the brain wonderful!!! I am also moving on. I will be doing a lot of things for me & my sisters this year. I replied that I sent my first email to her by mistake, and I actually did, I was forwarding it to my sisters, the Houston group leader and our favorite GF baker were on a TV show here in Houston. The baker is a vet, she had crohn's but recently got diagnosed as celiac, went on the diet... She was misdiagnosed with Crohn's, now no more Chron's

Tomorrow, I am going to my 52 YO sister to clean out her pantry and take her shopping for some GF foods. She asked me to come over & help her, at least she has enough sense to do the right thing.

[jamietwo]

How discouraging! But you truly can't help people that don't want help or are in denial or whatever. Best of luck to your sisters!! And maybe, in time ... their own time ... the rest of the family will come around. Or a grandkid or two. ;)

[annelb]

I am sorry that your son and DIL are in denial about gluten. I know how frustrating that must be. I have two sisters who have told me they have heard enough about gluten and don't want to hear any more.

Glad to hear that you sister asked for your help - the kitchen clean-out is so much fun. I know I was amazed how many products in my cabinets had gluten. Wish her well in her GF journey.
Anne

[Zonulin]

However, we do not wish to embrace Celiac or any other disease. ?? How bizarre - It didn't work out for us. Now, I am ready to move on to other things. Will the health problems go away because they're "ready to move on to other things"? :confused: However, if one is very positive and looks to happy things, then much of sickness can be avoided. It's a "happy thing" to feel healthy, to eat foods that contribute to our health and don't make us sick. This is a lose/lose situation. They'll either continue to think you are making this all up and blowing it all out of proportion, or they WILL get sick and realise you were right. I have relatives with diabetes who continue to eat gluten...I have an uncle battling colon cancer who continues to eat gluten. Very sad.

You have done the very best that you can to help these people, and you should give yourself a big hug. :)

Karen

[GFPaperdoll]

Both my sisters are gluten free now!!!!!! They are doing so great. The 58 YO is baking carrot cakes, and some other things, but she is using dairy which my 52YO sister & I cannot have. She is surprised that she has gotten into the swing of cooking gluten free. She has been taking the baked goods to share with other people & has not told them that it is GF !!

The 52 YO is closer to me so I have been keeping an eye on her to help get her started. She is going on three weeks now, I think. Weekend before last she went on a Sunday outing with a friend, so I cooked dinner and took it over there just as she got home & was starving. Last weekend she went out of town with her husband & was packing some food, so I picked up some things at Whole Foods, & went home & packed what I would take & sent it over to her in an insulated lunch bag & another hiking bag that would hold a water bottle & food. They picked up some smoked meat somewhere & she ate that for breakfast with what I sent. She said that she would not have made it without the lunch stuff I packed for her.

She takes something to help her sleep. As I found out my other sister & brother do also. But she said that she has noticed that she is starting to get sleepy on her own!!! She is wondering if maybe it is the B12. I just talked to her on the phone & she sounded like she is feeling so good. She has been organizing her art room, made the best gumbo ever today with a potato starch flour roux, and was putting some chocolate meringue cookies in the oven. She has also made the brownies that were on the Martha Stewart show, Baby Cakes Bakery in NY. Next she said she is going to get all her paper work organized & filed, said she has it all in a stack on the floor. Sounds to me like her energy level is going up a notch!!!
I have been invited for dinner!!! - so I think I better get on the road...

[annelb]

Wonderful news! :D

I love to hear that someone is feeling better with the GF diet and your sisters make that 2 someones :cool:

You are a nice sister to help out with the travel food.

My sleep got somewhat better with the GF diet but is much better now that I am taking Melatonin.
Anne

[jcc]

I'm happy to hear your sisters are gluten free and happy! I had lots of insomnia when I was B12 deficient.... and it was such a new thing to actually sleep through the whole night! So...I think it could be the B12.

Cara