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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gluten free and dairy free diet

58 replies

Dallyw · 15/03/2017 22:51

I ate pizza two days ago and am going to the doctors tomorrow and asking to be tested for coeliac, lactose intolerant. I know I have this, I hate going to the docs. My question is Aibu to feel like I'm going to be totally restricted going out to eat? From what I have read it's just vegetables rice and meat anything else (unless packaged and saying "gluten free") is a no go area. Crumpets, pita bread, white/brown bread, cheese and ice cream are they all gone now? Obviously health is the most important. How do people manage with dietary restrictions when going out to eat? Is it just a case of getting used to it? I'm sitting here and my stomach looks like I'm going to give birth to a 12" pizza. I need to make the change, just wondering how bad it is. Will I be the one ordering salad with no dressing next time I go out with friends? Whilst they go by flavour?

OP posts:
Areyoufree · 15/03/2017 22:53

Places are better than they used to be, but say goodbye to pudding!

Original poster
Dallyw · 15/03/2017 22:53

This has been going on quite a while, I didn't eat one dodgy pizza, been getting on with life. Feel now is the time to get control of my body

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Original poster
Dallyw · 15/03/2017 22:57

Very rare I love puddings but when I do it's awesome, profiteroles gone I expect :(

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ImFuckingSpartacus · 15/03/2017 22:57

Why do you think you are coeliac and lactose intolerant? Most people who think they are actually aren't.
Think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself, planning very restricted diets when you haven't been diagnosed with anything.

Riddo · 15/03/2017 23:00

I'm intolerant to gluten and dairy - it's not too bad when you get used to it. Genius gluten free bread is nice especially toasted although not as filling as "real" bread. Waitrose do lovely gluten free crumpets and the M&S ones aren't bad. There are also a lot of books around with gf and df recipes in them.

Eating out can be a challenge, we don't go out very often and when we do I often end up with plain fish and potato and fruit salad or sorbet for dessert.

The worst thing I find is that gluten free food is so expensive. Plus I really miss pizza 🙂

Original poster
Dallyw · 15/03/2017 23:03

Have you seen the diagnostic criteria for ibs and coeliac? Ahead of myself? If I eat bread/ pizza/ cheese/ ice cream/yoghurt I feel lethargic, bloated, Bad flatulance, look pregnant, I have a very busy life and have put this off. I'm simply asking for advice from people who live with a restrictive diet. That is all. I'm going to the gp to see if they medically agree.

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BarbarianMum · 15/03/2017 23:03

If you are both then yes eating out will be very difficult but not impossible (Indian or Thai food will be your friend). But yes you are a bit cart before horse - it's unlikely to be both. What makes you think coeliac - are you ill?

Kpo58 · 15/03/2017 23:03

I'm pretty sure that Domino's does a gluten free pizza base...

JennaRainbow · 15/03/2017 23:04

There are lots of gluten free alternatives to all the bread, pitta etc you mentioned, although some better than others! Even pizza express does gluten free pizzas now!

Areyoufree · 15/03/2017 23:06

A lot of coeliacs have issues with dairy, although it's the casein protein rather than the lactose.

BerylStreep · 15/03/2017 23:06

I'm grain & dairy free and honestly it is fine. Eating at friends or family is probably most difficult, and tbh I now just try to go with the flow, but I will usually suffer bloating & other effects afterwards.

I tend not to go for gluten free alternatives as they give me heartburn.

There are loads of paleo websites which give great ideas for food.

BTW, why on earth would you order salad with no dressing when you go out? More like steak & salad with loads of creamy mayo!

cheeseandcrackers · 15/03/2017 23:08

It's not that bad. You can still have steak & chips, curry & rice, gluten-free pasta and sauce (many Italian restaurants now offer GF pasta) etc, but yes, your choice will be limited and it will be a pain working out what is in everything.

It is made more complicated by the fact that you (might) need to avoid dairy and gluten. It's easiest to avoid bread altogether, although you can buy plenty of types of GF DD bread now, it's mostly not that nice. It is, however easy to make your own GF DF cakes & biscuits that don't taste any different from 'normal' cakes, so you can still have chocolate brownies for example, with raspberry sorbet instead of vanilla ice-cream.

As far as I know there is no test for lactose intolerance, you may just have to avoid it to see if things improve, so it might be a while before you work out what you need to avoid.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 15/03/2017 23:08

i'm in the middle of tests for coeliac, colitis, and other potential alternative to ibs, its horrible

gillybeanz · 15/03/2017 23:09

My dh is glucose and dairy intolerant in addition to nightshades, this is really hard, we never go out to eat, it isn't worth it.
Even a carvery is difficult as you can't guarantee no milk in the gravy or butter glaze on the veg.
He didn't go to the doctors though, as ours is crap.

ImFuckingSpartacus · 15/03/2017 23:09

Have you seen the diagnostic criteria for ibs and coeliac

Exactly my point. Those two things are not interchangeable.

Coeliac disease is a serious auto immune condition, its not an allergy or intolerance, and many people who claim to have it don't.

I mean, eat what you like, but wait for a clinical diagnosis before you decide what you have, if anything.

BerylStreep · 15/03/2017 23:13

I meant to also say that vegan websites often have lovely recipes, although I often end up adding an egg or steak alongside, which if you were actually vegan probably defeats the purpose. But all of their recipes by their nature are dairy free.

Coconut milk is really effective as a replacement for butter in doing mashed potatoes.

You might want to try the Whole30 which is fantastic for getting food intolerances under control, and helping you to identify what works (and doesn't work) for you.

gillybeanz · 15/03/2017 23:13

gluten, not glucose. No idea where that came from.
I second looking at paleo recipes or those for immune suppression or whatever it's called.

BarbarianMum · 15/03/2017 23:15

For coeliacs - nausea, diarrhoea and/or constipation, anaemia, weight loss, excess flatulence and pain are typical symptoms. It often comes with temporary lactose intolerance due to intestinal damage.

Original poster
Dallyw · 15/03/2017 23:17

Why do I think I am celiac? I'm not certain, but I have every symptom on the Nhs website, which is why I'm going to get tested! When you are a parent with children, and a job, children's health, education and everything else comes first. I'm just sick of being bloated and feeling crappy, looking for a solution?

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Thattwatoverthere · 15/03/2017 23:21

Gluten free only isn't too bad to stick to, most restaurants now have a separate menu or show what you can have with a gf logo.

I found pizza express to be a good one for eating at as they seem to have a lot more choices. Be wary of chips as I've been caught out by cross contamination before when they've been fried in the same oils as onion rings. Takeaway isn't too easy to find either but hey, saves money and loses a bit of weight so in the long run isn't the worst.

And eating at home is fine as the gf versions of things are available in most supermarkets. So home made stir fries, roasts etc can be done easily. M&S have a great range of free from as do Sainsbury's but it's not too cheap. The lasagnes from both are great and I think Sainsbury's was dairy free too. Pasta and bread you'll have to get used to though, gf versions don't quite match up as well...

Dairy free, I don't have too much experience with unfortunately.

Hope you get a result that doesn't impact on you too much

evensmilingmakesmyfacehurt · 15/03/2017 23:21

As others have said, make sure you get a proper medical diagnosis rather than using Dr Google.

I have IBS so am mostly GF but if push comes to shove can eat a pizza if round someone's house but deal with the cramps / bloating whereas people with coeliac will be nauseous / vomiting, have diaorreah and be incredibly unwell.

Also, lactose intolerance is very few and far between as well. What are the symptoms you have here? My LO has CMPA so we are dairy / soya free rather than lactose.

Dowser · 15/03/2017 23:24

I would eat some gluten in the morning.
I didn't have any gluten for three days and my test came back negative.
It may still be a negative but I don't know for sure now.

Ruralretreating · 15/03/2017 23:24

I'm on a restricted diet which is wheat and dairy free. Eating out is hard but some places are better than others. Giraffe lists all the allergens on their website for example. A 5* hotel I went to couldn't have made more of a mess of my meal if they'd tried. Calling in advance helps but not always. It helps to be able to give them suggestions for what you can eat such as fish and vegetables. Desserts are rare but a couple of places have managed an afternoon tea with flapjacks, fruit and the Nak'd range of snacks. Good luck.

Leggit · 15/03/2017 23:26

I have reduced my gluten intake massively and it is helped me feel better, I haven't bothered going to the GP though, I know I feel better with a very low gluten diet so these good enough for me to make the change. I don't buy substitutes though, I just don't eat bread etc

Original poster
Dallyw · 15/03/2017 23:26

Thanks for all the replies esp with eating out. I feel like I've down played this issue for a long time and relied on laxatives or avoidance just in case. I've worked in endoscopy before and know what happens, I've always blamed it on other things. But sitting here after a chicken and ham pizza two days ago, bloated, tired and wanting to make a positive change made me post this. Was just looking for others experiences and how restrictive the diet is

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