Travelling abroad with coeliac

[Welshtoffee]

Hi

Recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease and going for a European interrail trip in the summer. Probably staying in hotels 1 or 2 nights before going to a different country.

Can anyone give me some advice which countries are good with gluten free foods and any practical advice. e.g. do I take lots of GF food with me

Thanks

[Narwhal10]

Hi Welshtoffee,

Welcome here. Please learn about Coeliac Disease and you have symptoms which are yours. We can have so many different ones. You should have had a referral to a dietician as well. We can be deficient in everything so I am picking up on your post from the PA Society as well. Although, I know you suffer from severe asthma. I hope you have sorted out another scan because of the benign nodules.

So, travelling abroad, Coeliac Sanctuary advertise a card with several European translations saying Gluten Free :-

coeliacsanctuary.co.uk/glut...

If you are a meat, fish eater then just go for those with salad or veg - so it is like Paleo (Autoimmune Protocol). There is a tablet called Gluten Ease from Amazon - it costs about £50.00. This is for accidental gluten not you can throw caution to the wind. Some countries are great whilst others are not. So, buy and take snacks from supermarkets.

B12 - please consider joining the PA Society and you will have access to literature. So, you can learn properly about the illness. GPs have to have wide knowledge of thousands of diseases and conditions. The British Haematological Society states it is pointless retesting once treatment has started. So, your GP is correct. Many of us struggle on 3 monthly injections. Some people manage to get injections every 10 or 8 weeks but it really does depend where you live. There are different policies within the U.K.

Please get copies of your blood results and notes. Scott Adams on Celiac.com has written a massive post on Nutrient Deficiencies and Celiac Disease : Understanding the Connection. GPs have very little training on nutrition - the Specialist is the Dietician.

You need good folate, vitamin D, ferritin (iron stores) and other vitamin Bs as they all work together. We can also be low in magnesium and calcium. These are needed for muscle action amongst other things.

Do your reading, get literature and as an informed patient you can have a better conversation with your GP.

GUTS U.K. is also another charity.

gutscharity.org.uk

Hope it goes well and enjoy your inter rail trip.

[Welshtoffee in reply to Narwhal10]

Thank you for your detailed reply. I have had a group chat with a dietician and also a 1 to 1 which was help. I haven't seen a Dr yet don't know how long the waiting list is.

Just very nervous of traveling abroad in lots of different countries and languages. Haven't been abroad since coeliac diagnosis.

Thanks again

[knitwitty]

Hi there

If you get a chance to visit Italy be reassured that they are very aware of coeliac disease, there are often gluten free options in many restaurants. Florence is especially good , their is a completely gluten free restaurant called Sgrano and they also have a gf takeaway shop which serves fantastic sciacchia ( may have spelled the incorrectly !) which is a huge sandwich and you can choose what fillings you would like. Also Ciro and sons do the most fantastic gf pizza.

AIC is the accredited coeliac body in Italy and any restaurant displaying this sign means that the restaurant has been inspected and you can be sure it will be safe to eat there.

Make sure you tell the restaurant that you are coeliac when you order, if you say "Sono celiaco" ( pronounced Chee-lee-ak-o ) they will understand.

If you travel through parts of northern Italy rice is used as staple so risotto is a good choice.

Also most supermarkets have a gf section if you want to buy your own food and prepare things for yourself, these items are a little more expensive than in the UK.

Good luck and happy travelling .

[Welshtoffee in reply to knitwitty]

Thank you will probably do a few days in Italy.

[knitwitty in reply to Welshtoffee]

Forgot to say , that MacDonalds do gluten free burgers everywhere in Italy. They are packaged separately and microwaved I think. If you are desperate you could always have one of those. Have a great trip

[CATRYNA49]

Just stick to meat, veges and fruit.

[BabsyWabsy]

I have recently come across an app called 'Find Me Gluten Free'. I have the free version and so far it has been useful. I'm off to Bulgaria in the Spring, so I hope it works there.

[Welshtoffee in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Thank you I will look into that. Have a lovely holiday

[BabsyWabsy in reply to Welshtoffee]

You too. I had forgotten Interrailing was still a thing.

[Welshtoffee in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Went interrailling all around Europe last year and booked to do it again this summer. Diagnosed with coeliac since last trip and am anxious about going to lots of different countries. Will be first time abroad since diagnosis.

[dphu]

Hi Welshtoffee

Have you joined Coeliac UK? coeliac.org.uk/home/? If not yet, I advise you to do so and find a local group to join. You do have to be a member but, on their website, under Information and Support/Travel guides you will find downloads of advice for visiting 48 different countries with statements and questions in the local language to help you communicate the problem. I usually take 2 or 3 printouts for any country I will be visiting.

[Welshtoffee in reply to dphu]

Thank you that sounds very useful