My Name is Gary and I have Coeliac disease (5 years diagnosed) at the moment I follow a Gluten Free, Dairy free, low Fodmap, low lipid diet. This is obviously not by choice but I have had lots of complications over the last few months that have meant I need to step up my game when it comes to what I put in my mouth (so to speak).
So this is my first attempt at a Blog, I have been reading Gluten free blogs for a long time now and thought it was about time I got my feet wet. Although I wouldn’t say I am massively negative about having Coeliac disease I do really struggle with it on a daily basis and that’s what this blog will be aimed at, a very light hearted look at the constant attack that we get from Gluten and how its hiding everywhere. This is not to be negative about people with Coeliac disease or to play the victim but for us to share views with each other and see if anybody else finds it so bloody hard!!
My Journey to Coeliac disease has not been an easy one, when I was 29 and undiagnosed my body just decided one day to give up. Over the years I have always had problems and symptom’s that can be connected to numerous different illnesses but doctors could never pin point what was wrong. Luckily a friend of my Mother recognised the symptoms that I was having as she had Coeliac disease, so one day I requested the test from my GP. The blood tests came back positive so I was then given dates where I would have my endoscopy and colonoscopy. Unfortunately, I was told by a nurse from the GP surgery that I should go on a Gf diet immediately to try and reduce some of the symptoms, of which the doctor found out after my procedures had been done. As a result, I had to go back onto a normal diet for 6 weeks to have the procedures done again, …….3 weeks in I was admitted to hospital. Did anybody else feel this way in the beginning? or have such severe reactions that seem to come from nowhere?
After starting a GF diet, I went head first into the freefrom isle in the supermarket swapping all of my favourite foods for their GF alternative ……. Oh how disappointed I was, the bread was just awful the butter was worse and don’t even get me started on the pizza (My Favourite by the way). This out of everything was my biggest mistake thinking I could just replace everything like for like.
My main issue is cravings, (Please tell me I’m not the only one ) oh my god what I wouldn’t do for a Macdonald’s Big Mac is nobody’s business, and I spend most days watching other people eat the things I would quite happily kill for. It’s no secret in my family and social circles that I also suffer quite badly with depression. When I’m having a low day..week…month these cravings seem to take over my whole thought process , whether I’m at home, work or out with friends it’s literally all I can think about and it just adds more pressure to the large dark cloud following overhead. This is how I came up with my delightful blog The Angry Coeliac, it’s not necessarily that I’m angry all the time I just find the whole situation so frustrating and it’s always playing on my mind.
Right so now the doom and gloom is out of the way let’s get to the real reason why I wanted to start a blog. The best way I can explain it is I WANT MY LIFE BACK, I want having Coeliac disease to become a positive part of my life, to connect with the hundreds of bloggers that are out there and see if anybody else has the same frustrations I do, work together to enjoy life and not feel like a Coeliac victim. Coeliac disease is not me as a person it’s something that I have to deal with and now it’s my mission to live a full and active life and be the best version of myself. So far I have let way too much of these frustrations get on top of me and dictate how my life is being lived. So with that in mind my blog will also look at the effect having Coeliac disease has on our mental as well as our physical health, come on I can’t be the only crazy one out there.
Can we live a happy Gluten-free life with all the stresses that go with having Coeliac disease?
theangrycoeliac.wordpress.com 
So, I’m coeliac, diagnosed three and a half years ago. I’m traveling to Download festival to see GNR for my husband’s 40 th and I’m packing food, wondering if I’ll be able to bring it in and if I’ll get anything there. And I’m hoping I’m not in a bad way come Sunday to fly home. This disease sucks, it adds a layer to our lives that isn’t there for other people. bar the occasional murderous thought when faced with people eating chicken wings or chipper chips I’m a lot happier than I was when I was sick and undiagnosed thinking I was going nuts. 😩🤟🤟
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Yep, none of us want to ‘play the victim’ but its also good to get the frustration out rather than bottle it up. I bore myself when i have to explain that I can’t eat gluten foods, when I have to explain which foods are gluten containing, explain that its nothing to do with being a veggie or a vegan. I find it frustrating when waiting staff insist that they can provide me with safe food without even hearing me out or answering my questions. I’m a quiet person so i really don’t like having to ask all of these questions in the first place.
I’m lucky that my issues are only gluten related and I’m reasonably happy to avoid cake and battered items because I need to keep an eye on my weight and I otherwise don’t have the will power. I am over the moon that snicker bars and magnums are gf for my occasional treat (more occasional than they should be!)
I hate it when people try to cater for me by making me a gf item because I then have to cross examine them with silly things like ‘did you check the baking powder was gf, However at the end of the day, I’d rather offend a friend than suffer a glutening in front of their eyes. i react quickly and dramatically and thats not good if your a shy person!
I have only once cried about my situation and that was when i was on a supposedly romantic mini break in a small village. I was relying on pubs for meals and we ended up trailing from pub to pub to find somewhere that had one meal that i liked enough to eat. I had the same meal for 3 nights. It caused anxiety and really killed the mood.
Good idea, this blog. I’ve never grumbled on any message board and on a day to day basis, I’m not struggling at all but i feel like I’ve got a few things off my chest now…thanks x
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Love the straightforward attitude. I had/have similar issues though am not a diagnosed coeliac – I do not eat gluten and dairy due to allergies – eczema, headaches, tummy ache, bloating etc Also gone vegan recently and I always take extra care preparing food eg soaking, boiling etc to remove anti-nutrients. You are not crazy. You are a human being doing his best to survive and live well in his own circumstances. All the bestxx
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