Something really big has come up. Really big.

[Tiramisu]

Maybe I'm overreacting but I don't think so. 

 

I just got a call from the allergist. Dd11 is allergic to milk and wheat! Milk and wheat! She has these things everyday, multiple times a day. No wonder she hasn't been the happiest, easiest child.

 

Oh, please pray for us as we undertake this major change in our life. It will be hard but now I can't not make a change. I very, very much hope taking these things out of her diet will help her.

 

Maybe all my kids GI problems will go away. Can I dare to hope?!!

 

 

[jeninok]

We are starting a gluten free trial at our house, to try to clear up some digestive issues and lack of energy/more joint pain and soreness in my 12 year old. So far we are 4 days in, and while it is early days, he has been complaining much less about stomach pain and seems a bit perkier overall.

[Random]

Maybe all my kids GI problems will go away. Can I dare to hope?!!

 

Yes!  Dare to hope!

 

:grouphug:

 

Best wishes with the transition.

[Grover]

my kids are dairy and wheat free - we've been doing this for 5.5 years now. Once you wrap your head around it it is not too hard... fruit, meat and vegetables are all safe and easy.  Good luck, and watch out for the "hidden" dairy and wheat... one thing that caught us out was a number of things that are listed as "gluten free" still have wheat protein in them (apparently it's processed so it's safe for celiacs)... my wheat allergy kids still react to it.  So get used to reading labels. 

[texasmama]

The kids and I have been gluten free for about 6 years.  We are "dairy light" - no milk, limited cheese.  It has helped many things for us so I hope it is the same for your family!

[Lecka]

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

 

I hope it will have a lot of results for your kids!!!!!!!

[Soror]

We are gluten free here as well and dairy lite, we were completely df for about 3 or so years. It is hard but it gets easier. It can make a monumental difference. Study and read, you can do this! Expect that you will make mistakes though, try to do your best but know that sometimes you miss something.

[Tiramisu]

I just feel so stupid. People noticed her behavior since she was a toddler and suggested a possible dairy allergy or intolerance.  :crying:

 

[Tiramisu]

And I don't think dh will easily understand the extent of milk and dairy.

 

He's German. Bread and cheese are staples.

[kbutton]

I haven't done dairy free permanently, but I am GF. It's doable, but it's hard at first. I think it's easier to stomach replacement products a couple of years into it than at first (texture, taste, etc.). I use them now once in a while for convenience or a craving (they spike my blood sugar). Anyway, if your kids want bread, pasta, etc. and don't like the GF versions at first, don't despair--try other brands and/or eat other stuff now. Try them again later if they are important to you all, but realize you can do it without those products if your budget or tastes won't allow.

 

Do you know if she can have glutenous grains as long as they are not wheat (like barley)? If so, that may give you more flexibility.

[Harriet Vane]

Embrace this lifestyle wholeheartedly. For the next two months, do not allow the kids to cheat on gluten or dairy ever. Not once. Go cold turkey on this. You will likely see a big difference, but you must be vigilant about cheating as every new exposure keeps the system raw and irritated.

 

As for your German husband. He can still eat cheese and bread. Just encourage him to do so when the kids are not watching.

[Mommy2plus3]

my kids are dairy and wheat free - we've been doing this for 5.5 years now. Once you wrap your head around it it is not too hard... fruit, meat and vegetables are all safe and easy.  Good luck, and watch out for the "hidden" dairy and wheat... one thing that caught us out was a number of things that are listed as "gluten free" still have wheat protein in them (apparently it's processed so it's safe for celiacs)... my wheat allergy kids still react to it.  So get used to reading labels. 

 

My Mom has a wheat allergy and still reacts to all gluten free also. There are lots of good alternatives out there. Rice pasta, quinoa flour, almond or soy milk. My son could not tolerate dairy until last year. We just took a bag to every party we went to. He didn't seem to mind because he knew he got sick otherwise. I would make him "safe" cupcakes once every few months and freeze them individually. Then they thawed in the bag on the way to the party. We took rice and tofu based cheese to cookouts and wheat free buns are available. It is overwhelming at first then it just becomes second nature. My Mom's GI issues completely cleared when she went wheat free. Her skin rashes cleared too. DS out grew his issue with dairy but it was a severe sensitivity not an allergy.

 

[dbmamaz]

My husband still eats bread, but has actually almost quit dairy over the 6 years we've been doing this.  When I started off on  my personal allergy trip, saying I wanted to have NO stomach pain any more, he laughed at me and said it wasnt possible.  But I was so much better, I guess he started to believe it was possible.  My boys still have some issues.  The older one sometimes reacts to rice, the younger one i took off soy.  My older one didnt have much behavioral benefit, the younger one did but that was also largely from quitting all artificial color and flavor.  

[MomatHWTK]

Prebaked cookies and breakfast bars= Enjoy Life brand.  I buy mine online via Vitacost. 

[Tiramisu]

I haven't done dairy free permanently, but I am GF. It's doable, but it's hard at first. I think it's easier to stomach replacement products a couple of years into it than at first (texture, taste, etc.). I use them now once in a while for convenience or a craving (they spike my blood sugar). Anyway, if your kids want bread, pasta, etc. and don't like the GF versions at first, don't despair--try other brands and/or eat other stuff now. Try them again later if they are important to you all, but realize you can do it without those products if your budget or tastes won't allow.

 

Do you know if she can have glutenous grains as long as they are not wheat (like barley)? If so, that may give you more flexibility.

 

We just got wheat tested as far as grains go. 

 

The doctor suggested coming in in four weeks if things were still bothering her, but she already said she wouldn't go. But maybe if the new diet makes her feel better, she'll be more willing to test for more.

 

She is more allergic to dairy than wheat, he said.

[Tokyomarie]

My grandson is wheat and dairy allergic (plus peanuts). His family all eats gluten & dairy free. They all feel better. I am on an anti-inflammatory weight loss diet and have lost a nice amount of weight. It's all meat, eggs, 0%fat yogurt, veggies, and fruits. No grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables, oils, or sugar. I feel a lot better now. Not sure whether I'll add back any gluten when I'm finished with the diet. It is so hard to eat out at all when you have to be gluten free (or at least on the restricted diet- I went to one restaurant where I could eat almost nothing at all!)

[PeterPan]

:svengo:  Well I'm glad for your sake you found a possible explanation!!!  Surely it will help.  My dd drinks almond milk, and my ds and I drink coconut.  Coconut milk is nice for puddings, etc. too.  We don't eat bread, so wheat is just an occasional thing for us (when we're being naughty).  

 

  Well good luck on your new adventure!  You can do this!  The results will be worth it.   :thumbup1:

[texasmama]

Embrace this lifestyle wholeheartedly. For the next two months, do not allow the kids to cheat on gluten or dairy ever. Not once. Go cold turkey on this. You will likely see a big difference, but you must be vigilant about cheating as every new exposure keeps the system raw and irritated.

 

As for your German husband. He can still eat cheese and bread. Just encourage him to do so when the kids are not watching.

My dh is not gluten free.  For the first year or so, though, I forbid gluten in the house because I was so anxious.  He has his own shelf of gluten items now, and the kids are all old enough to avoid it.

[IsabelC]

I'd imagine that a major change like this might feel quite overwhelming at first, but there is a lot of support, information, and products out there to assist you with transitioning to a gluten/casein free diet.

 

A totally GFCF diet would be great to "clear out her system" of the things that she is reacting to. However, if you daughter finds big changes difficult to cope with, you could try a staged approach where you tackle the biggest items first.

 

So for example, if she has a lot of milk (and as you said the dairy is probably the worse allergen), you may decide to spend the first month just trying out ways to avoid milk. You can do this by avoiding milk (eg eat baked beans on toast instead of cereal with milk for breakfast) or by substituting milk (eg she eats her favorite cereal but with soy milk, almond milk, etc), so there are lots of options. Once you have dealt with the milk thing, you'd then evaluate how much that has helped, and decide what to change next.

 

You will also need to decide whether to change the whole family diet. Many parents find it easier if everybody eats the same, although there is always the option of having occasional "forbidden" foods, preferable not in front of the allergic child.

[OneStepAtATime]

I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when I was 8 and was told it was a precursor to diabetes (it wasn't but we didn't know that at the time).  The whole family acted like it was this huge, horrible deal, but tried to hide their reactions from me, which made it worse.  I felt like I had done something wrong and I was negatively impacting the family.  My parents lectured my grandparents on feeding me too much sugar, causing them to have horrible guilt feelings.   My mom had to work hard to find food that contained no sugar at all and was constantly in fear that something she failed to do with my diet could cause me to become diabetic (at the time I had a very reactionary form of hypoglycemia but it has smoothed out considerably over time).   I felt guilty for craving anything that had sugar in it, like I was failing the family for wanting those things.  It was a terrible place to be, emotionally, and I didn't feel like I could share my true feelings with anyone.  Even though having concrete answers for my really odd and a-typical mood swings and fatigue, and a plan to follow to finally effectively address those issues was very helpful, it was also a really long haul emotionally to come to terms with the changes being imposed on our family and to not feel guilty about those changes.  I share this with you just to say I understand what you are feeling as a parent and I am sending you huge hugs of support.  I also sympathize with your daughter and hope she harbors no guilt for something that will impact the family but she cannot control.  Big hugs to all and best wishes....

[Lizzie in Ma]

:grouphug: :grouphug:

[Heathermomster]

Kell, having this information is a huge blessing.  It may not seem like it now, but you can do this. :001_smile:

 

[Incognito]

FWIW, when we have needed to cut dairy out, I found that changing my mindset from "cutting out" to "building a diet" helped a lot.  I started with fruits and veggies, meats, and built from there.  It seems a lot more do-able when you aren't trying to modify and cut everything, but are instead using whole foods to build a meal.

 

HTH

[OneStepAtATime]

FWIW, when we have needed to cut dairy out, I found that changing my mindset from "cutting out" to "building a diet" helped a lot.  I started with fruits and veggies, meats, and built from there.  It seems a lot more do-able when you aren't trying to modify and cut everything, but are instead using whole foods to build a meal.

 

HTH

LOVE this!

[Tokyomarie]

FWIW, when we have needed to cut dairy out, I found that changing my mindset from "cutting out" to "building a diet" helped a lot.  I started with fruits and veggies, meats, and built from there.  It seems a lot more do-able when you aren't trying to modify and cut everything, but are instead using whole foods to build a meal.

 

HTH

 

I love your mindset about "building a diet!"

 

Here are two of my main obstacles with this whole change.

 

A) I am "old." I'm a grandma and my youngest child is 19yo. So many of the "go to" meals I've used for 20-30 years for when I don't have 2 hours to prepare a meal are now "off limits." I don't know what to cook to make a quick meal appealing, especially for my husband who is not doing this with me. I end up just grabbing a couple of boiled eggs and some broccoli or something and calling it good and letting him fend for himself. But eating is NO FUN that way!

 

B) I'm feeling very frustrated with trying to eat out. My current place in life means that I often find myself away from home for at least several meals a week. At one point, in earlier times, I would skip a meal  or just have a quick snack and eat a meal later at home. On my current diet, I must eat a protein-containing meal 3 times a day at normal mealtimes. Right now, I cannot have any grains, starchy vegetables, or legumes. One time, I went to one of our regular diners and could barely put together a meal of any kind that was "legal" on my diet. I ended up with boiled eggs and romaine lettuce. It will get easier when I can add some things back in.

 

I am still feeling very unhappy about cutting out all of my favorite foods. I won't be able to eat this, I won't be able to eat that. And I'm realllllly, reallllly unhappy about the fact that I will now have to cook 2 meals for practically every dinner I make. I swore early in my marriage that I would NEVER, EVER become a short order cook, but now that's what will have to happen because if I'm going to do this, it will be just me. My husband isn't willing to do it with me.

 

I want to feel more positive about all of this change. After 6 weeks, I definitely feel better and have lost the weight I wanted to lose. I've been motivated, but now I'm at the responding from my emotions stage. My emotions are realizing that it has to be a whole lifestyle change to keep feeling better. But it's starting to feel like deprivation.   

 

How do you keep it from feeling like deprivation when all the favorite foods are now "No, no."

[mommymilkies]

FWIW, when we have needed to cut dairy out, I found that changing my mindset from "cutting out" to "building a diet" helped a lot.  I started with fruits and veggies, meats, and built from there.  It seems a lot more do-able when you aren't trying to modify and cut everything, but are instead using whole foods to build a meal.

 

HTH

This!  Look at what you *can* have.  It really makes a huge difference. 

[Incognito]

I love your mindset about "building a diet!"

 

Here are two of my main obstacles with this whole change.

 

A) I am "old." I'm a grandma and my youngest child is 19yo. So many of the "go to" meals I've used for 20-30 years for when I don't have 2 hours to prepare a meal are now "off limits." I don't know what to cook to make a quick meal appealing, especially for my husband who is not doing this with me. I end up just grabbing a couple of boiled eggs and some broccoli or something and calling it good and letting him fend for himself. But eating is NO FUN that way!

 

B) I'm feeling very frustrated with trying to eat out. My current place in life means that I often find myself away from home for at least several meals a week. At one point, in earlier times, I would skip a meal  or just have a quick snack and eat a meal later at home. On my current diet, I must eat a protein-containing meal 3 times a day at normal mealtimes. Right now, I cannot have any grains, starchy vegetables, or legumes. One time, I went to one of our regular diners and could barely put together a meal of any kind that was "legal" on my diet. I ended up with boiled eggs and romaine lettuce. It will get easier when I can add some things back in.

 

I am still feeling very unhappy about cutting out all of my favorite foods. I won't be able to eat this, I won't be able to eat that. And I'm realllllly, reallllly unhappy about the fact that I will now have to cook 2 meals for practically every dinner I make. I swore early in my marriage that I would NEVER, EVER become a short order cook, but now that's what will have to happen because if I'm going to do this, it will be just me. My husband isn't willing to do it with me.

 

I want to feel more positive about all of this change. After 6 weeks, I definitely feel better and have lost the weight I wanted to lose. I've been motivated, but now I'm at the responding from my emotions stage. My emotions are realizing that it has to be a whole lifestyle change to keep feeling better. But it's starting to feel like deprivation.   

 

How do you keep it from feeling like deprivation when all the favorite foods are now "No, no."

Also, FWIW, I would not make 2 meals at home.  I don't know what your diet is, though.  If you build a meal you can eat, you can have some of the things you can't available as add-ons.  My DH has not been dairy-free at all, but I have not cooked separately for him (occassionally I will do something with some non-dairy and some dairy, but that is more like half a dish has it and the other half doesn't).  Cheese can go on top.  Sauces can be added at the end.  I hope that helps.  If I understand that you are gluten free, I know that makes a whole new level of vigilance, but if you can somehow leave the things you can't have to be put on at the end, that might make it work.

[Tiramisu]

I have a little update:

 

Dd11 is helping dd8 do her school work right now. They usually never get along and mostly trade insults! Dd8 isn't the easiest to stay focused and serious, but dd11 is not giving up. This is nothing short of a miracle. Could this be result of taking out the wheat and dairy for two days? It seems impossible, but I don't know how else to explain it.

 

Dd13 has a fever and is miserable, and we lost time today at the allergist, so dd11 is being a huge help by taking over the school work.

[mommymonster]

Two days is absolutely enough to see a difference. From what I understand, though, two full weeks is when you are going to see the full change of getting dairy out of their systems. It may take longer to see the full effects of pulling wheat. 

 

For your DH, if he works outside the home, he should be able to get his cheese and bread fix at lunches (that's how my hubby gets his meat fix). 

 

One thing you might want to think about as you build meals that are "safe" and your "frequent rotation" is to look at a few meat/potato/vegetable options, as well as a few "ethnic" cuisines like Japanese, Chinese, and Indian (if the family has had them before). For the next 3-6 months, I'd stay away from bread and cheese altogether. That is, don't try to do "alternatives", as it will just make people not like the alternatives (they will remember the taste of the "real" bread/cheese, and lead to comparisons). If you give them time to forget the original taste a bit, the alternatives seem more natural. 

[Tokyomarie]

Also, FWIW, I would not make 2 meals at home.  I don't know what your diet is, though.  If you build a meal you can eat, you can have some of the things you can't available as add-ons.  My DH has not been dairy-free at all, but I have not cooked separately for him (occassionally I will do something with some non-dairy and some dairy, but that is more like half a dish has it and the other half doesn't).  Cheese can go on top.  Sauces can be added at the end.  I hope that helps.  If I understand that you are gluten free, I know that makes a whole new level of vigilance, but if you can somehow leave the things you can't have to be put on at the end, that might make it work.

 

Right now, my diet is three 4oz servings of lean protein per day (lean meat, fish but not salmon, eggs, and 0% fat Greek yogurt), 2 servings of vegetables (but no starchy veggies- potatoes, carrots, corn, etc), and 2 servings of fruit from apples, grapefruit, oranges, and berries. No added oil or sugar is allowed. When I get to the next phase I can add brown rice, other fruits, and some other veggies but still no starchy veggies, legumes, or other grains. In the maintenance phase, I assume I will be allowed gluten-free grains and other starches in moderation.

 

Prior to this, I avoided milk products except for aged cheeses and yogurt because of lactose intolerance.  For the last few years, I've used milk substitutes for liquid milk in recipes. I've been experimenting with eating gluten-free bread products for the last year. I've avoided the burger joints for a long time now and haven't had more than 3 or 4 sodas in the last 18months. I've always been big on fruits and veggies at home, but when eating out it's not always possible to include them.

 

I seem to be doing fine with Greek yogurt in my diet, so I will probably resume eating other yogurt and cheese when I get to the maintenance phase. I am not celiac, and as far as I know, I am not wheat allergic, so being thoroughly vigilant about gluten may not be necessary, but I definitely do feel better.

 

Before going on my current diet, I have tried cooking gluten-free pasta, etc. I'm fine with them but every last time I serve gluten-free products, I get comments from the peanut gallery. It just gets old after awhile, and trying to make a 55+yr old man and a 19yo teen eat what they don't want to eat is frustrating for us all. I'd like to think that neuroplasticity means they can adapt, but I'm not feeling terribly confident. :001_unsure:

 

 

[Tokyomarie]

For your DH, if he works outside the home, he should be able to get his cheese and bread fix at lunches (that's how my hubby gets his meat fix). 

 

My dh works at home, so that doesn't work for us.  Hopefully, Tiramisu's dh will be in better position to eat his bread and cheese when he's out. :001_smile:

[Tiramisu]

My dh works at home, so that doesn't work for us.  Hopefully, Tiramisu's dh will be in better position to eat his bread and cheese when he's out. :001_smile:

 

Yes, as far as eating out, dh is in the best position. He eats for free in the school cafeteria. The pay is low but the food is free. 

 

We've talked about this and he is saying that he doesn't eat as much bread and cheese as he used to and gets salad everyday for lunch. He wants us to have more salad at home. Maybe there's hope.

[Soror]

I'm so glad to read the good update. My son was a different person when we changed his diet- gf/Feingold at the time, although I believe GF was the biggest difference for him. He turned into my calm kid, now he still has boatloads of energy but it was night and day difference.

[Tiramisu]

I'm so glad to read the good update. My son was a different person when we changed his diet- gf/Feingold at the time, although I believe GF was the biggest difference for him. He turned into my calm kid, now he still has boatloads of energy but it was night and day difference.

 

soror, how long did it take for you to see a difference?

 

Dd brought something up last night that would usually end up in a heated argument, at least on her side. She had lost a privilege awhile back and we have concerns about re-instating it, not because of her but because we have doubts to the thing itself. She still has strong feelings about it, but her vehemence last night was toned down as compared to what we're used to. 

 

Maybe I'm reading too much into her behavior, but I wonder...

 

I think she's on day four. She's had a headache and stomachache since yesterday. It's probably a virus but I know when I went GF way back when I had a headache for a couple of days.

[happycc]

We have also seen HUGE change in my son since we started gluten and casein free. 

 

He is no longer lining objects up and hitting himself. The biggest thing is that he is not throwing his body down the stairs or jumping out of vehicles. His older 19yrs old brother was like this too. 

His BM has finally firmed up as well. He had diarrhea for I don;t even how long. I told his pediatrician and she just kind of ignored the diarrhea complaint but now is paying attention now that he is doing well on the gfcf diet. 

 

The biggest challenge was waiting until husband came to terms with it. I had to wait until he was ready to try something different in the house and couldn;t take my sons behavior anymore. He does the shopping for food and he had to see how worth the diet change was going to be in the long run since he was shopping for the food. 

 

 

Now there is a lot of options for Gluten and casein free foods. TONS AND TONS. We just went to a gluten and allergen free expo recently and came home with 12 bags of free sample foods!! Plus spent two days sampling food. 

 

The best bakery if you are here in the SF Bay AREA is Zest Bakery in San Carlos. They also ship too. Check them out! http://www.zestbakery.com/

 

 

The cakes, their breads, their donuts, their croutons, their graham cracker pie mix, their flour, their cookies, their bread---truly the best!!!! 

 

It took us about a month to see an immediate difference. When you first start....think limitiing grams and dairy by the grams or else you will go crazy and be overwhelmed. As time goes on, you can focus on the milligrams like getting new pots and pans and cooking utensils and cross contaminations. 

Edited February 28, 2014 by happycc

[Soror]

Tiramisu, I honestly don't remember exactly at it has been over 5 yrs now but the behavior changes were fairly quick. He was really a new kid. 

[Heathermomster]

This is an aside...

A good friend of mine just discovered she is allergic to the pollen of beech trees. Her throat and face started swelling one evening while eating dinner, so she had an ER visit. She started carrying an epi pen until the allergist figured everything out.

As a result of cross reacting allergens between beech trees and certain fruits and veggies, she can hardly eat any fruit. Raw fruits are out unless she nukes them in the microwave first. She seems to be eating a ton of raw cucumber and onion. She is also gf and no lactose. She has lost weight and feels much better on the diet. Her gut issues are gone as well.

 

ETA:  She has oral allergy syndrome.

[SandyKC]

I was TORN! I wanted to like that you find something that might help a lot, but I couldn't bring myself to LIKE that she's allergic to dairy and wheat! WELCOME TO THE CLUB!! 

 

It has potential to make a huge difference for your DD.  Allergies can really drain a person and make them foggy minded... I can really tell when I have wheat.. I get achy and foggy.

 

On the practical side of things.. The Milk substitutes we find most palatable are VANILLA flavors of Almond Breeze and Silk Soy.  We get the Original Almond Breeze Vanilla, and the Light Silk Vanilla.  The vanilla makes it have just a bit of sweetness like regular dairy milk, which can be beneficial when making the switch.

 

Wheat is a killer.. it's in EVERYTHING.  I'm allergic to egg whites to, so I have all kinds of fun!  Paleo has been the best way to go for me.. Like someone else said above.. meats, fruits, veggies and nuts.. they make eatiing relatively easy, but there is a lot I wish I could have.

 

GOOD LUCK and I do hope it helps tremendously!

[Tiramisu]

I was happy to come here and see some encouraging posts tonight. I really needed them. Thank you.

 

I came home from a long car trip tonight to bring my oldest home for Spring Break. A happy occasion. I walked in the door and asked what dd11 had for dinner. Nothing. Then I found her eating a bag of Funyuns. I started freaking out, while the people who were left at home assured me they were safe. I grabbed the bag and read the label. In bold print, "CONTAINS MILK."  

 

I feel so deflated. I had been so careful about everything. Now I feel like we have to start over again. I want to cry. Boo hoo. Major pity party. 

 

I know this isn't intentional sabotage, but REALLY. It's not that complicated. Everyone in this house can read!!!!! Those Funyuns didn't walk into the house by themselves. 

 

I'll probably delete this tomorrow. But right now I really have to get it all out here and not IRL because it's not fair to big dd to have her first night at home ruined by my pity party.

[happycc]

Its ok....Tiramisu...sometimes it is one step back, two steps forwards. Just carry on the next day....

 

Remember focus on the grams at first, not the miligrams or else it will drive you crazy!

 

Second, I do allow my kids to have a gluten/dairy day once a week. The next day they feel horrible and so they learn. But you do need to have a relatively clean body to feel this effect. Headaches etc. It will take time until she learns to listen to her body. Other people may not understand because they don;t feel what she feels and really she doesnt know what she is supposed to feel because she has always felt this way. Just give it some time. It will happen. 

 

Hang in there! Enjoy the night, this process is not over night and utilize this time to teach kids about healthy eating and learn how to read ingredients. Eventually in the end it is their choice whether this carries on or not. If it is an issue of contention in the family with stress, they will balk at it later in life but if they see it as a gradual change with plenty of other yummier and healthier options then they will be more likely to keep this diet into adulthood. 

 

[OneStepAtATime]

I was happy to come here and see some encouraging posts tonight. I really needed them. Thank you.

 

I came home from a long car trip tonight to bring my oldest home for Spring Break. A happy occasion. I walked in the door and asked what dd11 had for dinner. Nothing. Then I found her eating a bag of Funyuns. I started freaking out, while the people who were left at home assured me they were safe. I grabbed the bag and read the label. In bold print, "CONTAINS MILK."  

 

I feel so deflated. I had been so careful about everything. Now I feel like we have to start over again. I want to cry. Boo hoo. Major pity party. 

 

I know this isn't intentional sabotage, but REALLY. It's not that complicated. Everyone in this house can read!!!!! Those Funyuns didn't walk into the house by themselves. 

 

I'll probably delete this tomorrow. But right now I really have to get it all out here and not IRL because it's not fair to big dd to have her first night at home ruined by my pity party.

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

[Tokyomarie]

Oops. Yeah, it's a journey for sure, getting everyone to be aware of which foods are "safe" and which ones are not. My daughter uses the word "safe" when she's talking with her 4yo son. "This food is safe for ...." and "This food is not safe for ...." It really is helping him to see that certain foods are not necessarily "bad" for everyone, but that HIS little body can't tolerate them. He is getting to the point where he is beginning to recognize for himself what is OK and what is not. This whole idea is new for your daughter, but soon enough she will be able to know for herself whether a food is OK or not.

[Tiramisu]

Its ok....Tiramisu...sometimes it is one step back, two steps forwards. Just carry on the next day....

 

Remember focus on the grams at first, not the miligrams or else it will drive you crazy!

 

Second, I do allow my kids to have a gluten/dairy day once a week. The next day they feel horrible and so they learn. But you do need to have a relatively clean body to feel this effect. Headaches etc. It will take time until she learns to listen to her body. Other people may not understand because they don;t feel what she feels and really she doesnt know what she is supposed to feel because she has always felt this way. Just give it some time. It will happen. 

 

Hang in there! Enjoy the night, this process is not over night and utilize this time to teach kids about healthy eating and learn how to read ingredients. Eventually in the end it is their choice whether this carries on or not. If it is an issue of contention in the family with stress, they will balk at it later in life but if they see it as a gradual change with plenty of other yummier and healthier options then they will be more likely to keep this diet into adulthood. 

 

Thank you for being so kind.

 

Right now dd is in a safety zone being on an adult dose of allergy meds to prevent more hives and even breathing difficulty that could happen from an increasingly severe allergic reaction. The doctor wants us to cut back to a half dose next week and continue that for a few days before stopping. Yesterday's mistake wasn't a big exposure, thankfully, but once the meds are stopped we won't have that safety net. I really hope by then everyone will understand that they have to be more careful.

 

On the one hand, this is something that could have been with dd for a long time, causing a constant irritation of her system the was reflected in her behavior. When I was having GI problems myself I read a lot about leaky gut and I think some of the reactions you see to casein and gluten in those situations could very much explain dd's behavior. On the other hand, we had never seen an obvious reaction before two weeks ago, when she had two episodes of hive each worse than the other, and then realized at the allergists that she had more hives that weren't resolving. If this is the case, then I really hope her immune system has a chance to calm down and the allergy isn't triggered again so it doesn't intensify. Does that make sense? I think the doctor wants her off cold turkey with the distant hope that this could even turn into something temporary, for the fact that she'd been sick repeatedly since New Year's and her immune systems a little wired now.

[Tiramisu]

Oops. Yeah, it's a journey for sure, getting everyone to be aware of which foods are "safe" and which ones are not. My daughter uses the word "safe" when she's talking with her 4yo son. "This food is safe for ...." and "This food is not safe for ...." It really is helping him to see that certain foods are not necessarily "bad" for everyone, but that HIS little body can't tolerate them. He is getting to the point where he is beginning to recognize for himself what is OK and what is not. This whole idea is new for your daughter, but soon enough she will be able to know for herself whether a food is OK or not.

 

Thanks, Marie. I will try to stick to using safe and try to be more positive about this.

[Tiramisu]

Another positive effect?

 

Dd came to show me her hands this morning. The backs of them have often been so red and chapped looking that people often comment on them. Today, they were perfectly smooth with no redness. It still seems too soon, but I'll take it.

[wapiti]

Another positive effect?

 

Dd came to show me her hands this morning. The backs of them have often been so red and chapped looking that people often comment on them. Today, they were perfectly smooth with no redness. It still seems to soon, but I'll take it.

 

 

Whoa - two of my kids have this mysterious problem on the backs of their hands, one of my ds11s (not the one with the food allergies/asthma) and my ds7 (who has a history of occasional eczema elsewhere; this one is a picky eater whose main food groups are chocolate milk and bagels :tongue_smilie:).  When I remember, I use Bag Balm on the backs of their hands at bedtime, but I haven't gotten around to considering a cause.  Hmmm....  Other ds11 did separate dairy-free and wheat-free trials last year, but it didn't really help anything.

 

Through a fluke, that ds is seeing a new allergist next week since his old one is leaving the practice.  Maybe I'll ask him, if I have time to squeeze in a question on the other kids - we have so much to discuss.

[Tiramisu]

Whoa - two of my kids have this mysterious problem on the backs of their hands, one of my ds11s (not the one with the food allergies/asthma) and my ds7 (who has a history of occasional eczema elsewhere; this one is a picky eater whose main food groups are chocolate milk and bagels :tongue_smilie:).  When I remember, I use Bag Balm on the backs of their hands at bedtime, but I haven't gotten around to considering a cause.  Hmmm....  Other ds11 did separate dairy-free and wheat-free trials last year, but it didn't really help anything.

 

Through a fluke, that ds is seeing a new allergist next week since his old one is leaving the practice.  Maybe I'll ask him, if I have time to squeeze in a question on the other kids - we have so much to discuss.

 

Dd11's cheeks are also known to become very red, also to the extent that people make comments.

[Tiramisu]

After my major fit last night, I hereby declare myself a total loser.

 

When decluttering the bedroom for dd8's allergies, I found two European milk chocolate bars with hazlenuts and a dark chocolate one next to my bed. Gifts from the person who bought the Funyuns or else from the eater of Funyuns. Probably put there before I came home from my long drive as a special treat they know I wouldn't buy myself.  :crying:

[dbmamaz]

Its hard not to get really uptight when we are going through this.  But we ALL make mistakes and slip-ups.  Because we are all human.  It gets easier!  Be kind, to yourself and others.  Remember its a long haul, and there will be bumps, and thats ok.

[Saddlemomma]

You are having the same reaction we did when we found out dh was allergic to: beef, yeast, maple syrup (an he's a Vermonter no less) and of all things CORN!  Just about everything has corn in it - corn meal, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch.  What a challenge.

 

We have altered our diet and he's doing better, but going out to eat is a nightmare.

 

Take a deep breath and forge ahead.  You can get through this, and you'll all feel much better.  Knowing what the problem is, is half the battle.  Now you can address it and conquer it.