Does anyone have coeliac disease and is also vegetarian?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

And if so can you ever eat out?

I've just been diagnosed with coeliac disease. I know quite a bit about it as my mum also has it so I know I can get gluten-free versions of bread, pasta, cakes, etc (and some of it on prescription) so I think I'll be fine cooking at home (once I get my head around it!).

But if I go out to eat anywhere I think I'll really struggle. Most places have two or three veggie options so that limits my choices anyway, and if all on those have gluten in I can't have anything! Not that I go eating out all the time, but for example in our work canteen at lunchtime there is always one meat, one fish and one veggie dish to choose from. If the veggie one has a sauce, or pasta, or a pie topping or whatever I won't be able to have anything.

I suppose I need to get used to taking my own food wherever I go - my mum normally has a stash of rice cakes on her person at all times. The doctor suggested I think about eating meat or fish to allow me to have a more varied diet, but having not eaten it for over 20 years I feel very uncomfortable about it.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

When I was first diagnosed I was veggie. I realised that this just wasn't going to work for me, so I started to eat meat again.

At home I still eat a lot of veggie stuff, but often out the only choice has meat, and I prefer to be able to have a full social and work life without making a fuss. I do have a gf veggie friend, but she v rarely eats out

Thanks. I'm wondering whether or not to start eating meat but feel quite upset when I think about it!

I've been thinking about it a lot today as I was only diganosed this morning with blood tests. Can I ask - did you have an endoscopy to diagnose as well as blood tests? My doctor said as all the blood test antibodies are positive for coeliac disease I don't have to swallow a camera if I don't want to and can just stop eating gluten and then she just sent me on my way.

I've since been reading up on it and everything says you need an endoscopy as well as the blood tests to be certain, and you also need to be closely monitored and possibly be referred to a dietician too. I feel as though my doctor was a bit blase about it considering its a life-long major change in diet.

I was diagnosed on blood tests by a rheumatologist. I did get referred to a gastro, but by the time the appt came I'd been off gluten a year, and the change in my health was so huge that I wasn't going to eat gluten for 6 weeks just to tick a box. AFAIK it is more common to have negative blood tests and a positive endoscopy than the other way around.

The dietician was as much use as a chocolate teapot in my case. I don't have any followup, but when pg I did get them to check my vit D levels etc to make sure that was all OK. If I had any issues, I'm sure the GP would help, but have been GF for 11 years now and it's all manageable, even though I travel a lot for work

I can't help too much, but I know I have seen vegetarian + gluten free recipes on some menus, so it's not unheard of. Some dishes you can ask if there is a way of getting round the items containing gluten as well, eg. different sauce.

i have a friend who is coeliac and vegetarian.

she actually copes very well.
eats a lot of lentils and pulses and nuts and things for protein (and eggs and cheese because she's not vegan)

she uses rice and potatoes and gets special flour, bread and pasta (free on prescription, apparantly).
she also makes her own gluten-free bread in a bread machine.

sorry, forgot to answer the going-out question!

she always calls ahead to a place and explains her diatary requirements.
usually they make her somethign nice, but she has had her fair share of boring salads (and this woman eats a lot )
and then she rings again before they set out to make surethat they have definitely catered for her.

oh yeah, and if you join the coeliac society, www.coeliac.org.uk, they send you out a book every year with approved products and restaurants etc in it.

Thank you. I had started to prepare myself for a lifetime of boring salads!

Good to hear of someone who is managing with it well. My DP said that we just need to adjust and make more things ourselves, soup, bread, etc - I just need to get my head around it because I can't work out how I'm going to have time at the minute (although obviously if cutting out gluten will stop me being so lethergic I will have the energy in the evenings to cook some batches of things).

My mum is used to checking and double-checking with restaurants and most are very good, although she often does end up with a bland piece of dry meat (she's not veggie!) so I was worried that that might be my only option.

She did say that most currys in restaurants are made with rice flour so I can still have those!

curries not currys

My DH is vegi and his best mate is celiac. We've found that Indian, Thai, Chinese are good. I can imagine that pubs/Italian would be very difficult.

Some friends of ours (mother and daughter) have coeliacs and the mum is also veggie.

Some places, like others have said, will come up with something if you phone ahead and warn them. Good stand-bys often on menus tend to be baked potatoes and salads.

Also some places (including Pizza Express IIRC) will let you bring in GF things that they can then cook eg. GF pizza base that they will then top and cook (although obviously there is the cross-contamination risk as its cooked in the same pizza oven as their own pizzas)

You need to be aware that some nutrients are far better absorbed from meat than veg and celiacs have numerous deficiencies - eg Zn, vit B's and various aminoacids. I would be inclined to restore some meat to give yourself a better chance of recovery.
Also, eating mainly carbs (which is what free prescriptions are about) are only substitutes for wheat and in themselves will not restore your health, as you need a wide variety of nutrients.
Another good source is celiac.com, which also has amazing forum.