Some Thoughts On Treating Microscopic Colitis

Post by **tex** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:00 pm

Zizzle wrote:People are getting fed up with the villification of their "staff of life."

I don't understand why they would be upset. If all us vilifiers eschew gluten, that leaves so much more for them to enjoy.

They should thank us.

Contratulations! And thanks for an inspiring post.

Tex

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:19 pm

Congratulations Zizzle - what a wonderful Christmas gift - and the best part is that you earned it!!! I totally agree with your statement of "preventing" other more serious issues down the road. Being super mindful of diet certainly stacks the odds in our favor for a long, healthy life. Hope Norman stays the course and you continue feeling good!!!

Love,
Kari

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:26 pm

OK, I have to admit it, all this backlash is my fault. I am waging an all-out war on gluten, and never miss a chance to point out to the Followers of the Grain that it doesn't actually have much going on in the way of nutrition or flavor, though it excels at texture... and also that it's a fabulous source of cheap, low-quality calories and a fine way to enslave and immobilize a population

Hail, Grain Overlords!

So now at least you know who to blame.

In seriousness, I did say to a neighbor that I was surprised at her intensity of interest (suspicion) at what I eat and don't (in my own home, mind you). I was quite civil, but not overly 'warm.' She has been minding her manners since.

And I might have said that part about the flavor and nutrition and texture, maybe once or twice. Like I said, it's all my fault.

And seriously (again, but really I'm always serious, even when I'm kidding), do people who don't eat gluten (other than me) seem militant? Any more or less than people who are lactose-intolerant (and you know I think they should all give up gluten, but I honestly do not go around telling that to strangers), or Atkins-eaters? I would say we are, if anything, much less militant, because this is not a true-believer stance; we're just grateful if there's something that can eat that won't ruin the rest of 2011 for us. And we are not so dumb as to imagine we can eat like a garbage disposal, and fix it with a purple pill.

And *still* seriously - DH & I got one of those holiday gift baskets, filled with things I can't eat (and wine, yay!). My genius idea was to bring all that stuff to the party we're going to, but I actually do not feel good about giving these foods to a friend. I'm not just talking about the gluten, but the many unpronounceable, non-food ingredients in these 'gourmet' items. I would go to some lengths to make sure that my dog didn't eat anything like that.

Anyway... send all your backlashers my way. Heh.

Z, I know you're actually inspiring people around you, because you're among the few who has had a loved one without some official Dx give GF a try.

Love,
Sara

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:36 pm

Zizzle - that post made me teary. I am SO glad you have reached remission. Whenever someone does I feel that I, too, will get there. AND I will get off entocort and as much else as possible.

Z, I know you're actually inspiring people around you, because you're among the few who has had a loved one without some official Dx give GF a try.

Umm no Sara. Adam has gone gluten free. We have a great sandwich place near us. He discovered that they have gluten free bread for their sandwiches, and he loves Udi's bread. He doesn't feel deprived at all!

Post by **tex** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:21 pm

To be fair to Sara - she said "few", not "only".

Tex

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:25 pm

Tex, you're right - but Lesley's Adam is in a league of his own ;)

And Tex, so is your niece.

xox/S

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:55 pm

Thanks for your cheerful replies.

I had a good dose of skepticism today...at work...

First, I brought in GF chocolate chip cookies made with the Betty Crocker mix and ghee. It was my first attempt at baking all year, and they turned out great. I put them out for colleagues to try, labeled them GF, and included "they're good!" Only 3 people out of 7 tried them.

Then our high-end holiday lunch reservations at a GF-friendly were cancelled due to a water main break, and the restaurant offered to send us to their nearby sister restaurant. No one checked the menu before agreeing to go. I thought about skipping the lunch in protest, but I can't say no to free food... turns out I could only have salad. But I could have a delicious scallop appetizer and duck leg entree if I was OK with using butter. I caved and opted for the butter-laden food, and it was delish. I thoroughly enjoyed the lychee-lime and blood orange sorbets too. I did hit the bathroom twice since then, but nothing terrible. I hope that means I can be less vigilant about butter in the future.

In other news... My GF mother-in-law shared that her brother is coming to visit for the holidays from Georgia and his college age daughter needs GF food!! She's not official celiac, but the GF diet cured all her symptoms (not sure what was wrong with her--yet). Not sure why her misery made me happy, but my husband said I was acting like I'd won the lottery.

I'm just hoping to see the family recognize their genetic predisposition, and stop acting like what I have is so "rare". Finally, when it comes to picking out the menu, it's not "all about me" anymore. Of course that probably means more gluten sensitive genes for my kids, so bummer there.

My ultimate triumph will be making my hubby go GF. He actually tells people he's GF "part-time" because of the meals I cook at home, but he chows down on sandwiches for lunch

Someday it will happen...hopefully not when it's too late to stop the damage. For now he's finally accepting that I will not buy regular bread for the house. He wants it? He gets it.

Post by **tex** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:55 pm

Sara wrote:And Tex, so is your niece.

I have a hunch that she was just sick of being sick all the time, because she was too easy to convince. I haven't had a bit of luck convincing anyone else in the family.

The best I've been able to do, otherwise, is to convince my brother, (her dad), to try a reduced-gluten diet.

Love,
Tex

Post by **tex** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:04 pm

Zizzle wrote:I put them out for colleagues to try, labeled them GF, and included "they're good!" Only 3 people out of 7 tried them.

If you hadn't "vilified" those cookies by putting a GF label on them, everyone would have pigged out on them, and they would have been a smash hit.

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:09 pm

tex wrote:
If you hadn't "vilified" those cookies by putting a GF label on them, everyone would have pigged out on them, and they would have been a smash hit.

Tex

You are so right. Next time!! Just to further perplex and annoy people, I decided it was time to have a dedicated toaster at work instead of faithfully wiping down the office toaster oven all the time. The cheapest toaster Target carried was a HOT PINK Sunbeam for $8, so it's on display in my office.

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:37 pm

Point taken Tex!

And Sara - have you met Adam? You described him to a T.

DebE13 · Post by **DebE13** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:20 am

I'm with you Fish & Lesley,

I'm just starting to sort through things after 4 years of everthing under the sun. My test kit is in the mail from Enterolab (which my GI ordered)

and I can't wait! I've been GF/DF again for about a month and am learning patience (not my strong point at all). I think I'll always miss my breads and sweets but at least I don't crave them like I used to. I look at them now and just remember sickness. Haven't noticed much of an improvement yet but know a month isn't much time for the years of damage already done.

I'm also on my way to getting off the drug merry-go-round but I felt like I was at death's door since last February and didn't have a choice and I didn't find all of you until recently. I'm focusing on letting that anger go and just looking ahead to getting my life back. Luckily someone on the Mayo Clinic Support Page recommended this site for my issues and that has been the best advice I've received in a long time.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:40 am

Ooh, hot-pink toaster... WTG, Z! When the shock wears off, perhaps you can jazz that up with some Hello Kitty stickers?

Deb, congratulations on ordering that test kit. Glad to hear someone on the Mayo support page pointed you in this direction. I hope you start seeing improvement from your GF/DF efforts.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:42 am

LOL Sara! I do love Hello Kitty, so I may just do that!!

I secretly hoped for a girl just so I could shower her with Hello Kitty gear.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:14 pm

My husband is the big Hello Kitty fan in our house, to the extreme confusion of our nieces!

I think your toaster is striking a wondrous blow for victory in the gluten wars.

S