Holiday in Cala d'Or - Majorca ...any tips for staying GF?

[kay1982blru]

Hi, I'm going on a family holiday next month to Cala d'Or - Majorca (self catering) and I'm hoping to stay GF but I hate having to explain myself all the time and find the language barrier quite stressful! Has anybody been there before or does anyone have any advice?

I'll be taking a few things with me in the suitcase but I can't exactly take a weeks worth of food!

Thanks, Kay xx

[boo16]

All the Pharmacies and Healthfood shops stock GF bread and pasta, usually Schar.

I only stayed in Cala d'Or overnight and moved the following day as we didn't like it at all ( we are oldies and prefered somewhere quieter)

If there is a Mercadona supermarket nearbye (can't remember) they have good stocks of bread, biscuits, cereals etc., and they do good GF burgers, sausages, piza. They are good at stating on packaging. Most supermarkets stock GF products and they are, I think, better than UK products - not as sugary etc.

Eating out, most places do understand the GF situation without any problem or fuss.

Have a great holiday! xx

[kay1982blru in reply to boo16]

Thanks for the advice ...do you know if the supermarkets generally stock gluten free products in a specialist aisle like our supermarkets do? Or will everything be mixed together with labelling on the back?

Any good useful phrases when asking staff or is English well spoken generally?

Oh I'm already getting nervous talking about it - I'll need another holiday to recover!

xx

[meanioni]

Spain (inc Balearics) is very good for gluten free produce and eating out is not a huge problem generally (watch out for paella though as they tend to put stock cubes into it which may contain gluten).

[kay1982blru in reply to meanioni]

Thanks, do you have any useful phrases when asking staff in supermarkets or restaurants or is English well spoken generally?

[Penel]

You can print off restaurant cards explaining coeliac in the language you want. This is the Spanish one

celiactravel.com/cards/spanish

The gf foods tend to be in a separate isle in the supermarket. They are clearly labeled 'sin gluten'.

I'm sure you will have a good time. There is far more gf food available than in the UK.

[henblas]

I am going to Tenerife next week and I take pasta bread cereal with me I find if I stick to fish or steak and jacket potato I am all right but I tend to cook myself most nights as it is easier i find the plane journey stressful as there are always queues for loos and I can't wait I ask to sit by loos but not always possible but I have to face it or I would never go anywhere

[philaustin in reply to henblas]

I used to worry about making it to the loo in time until I was diagnosed and started the gluten free diet. That fixed the 'pseudo-IBS' problem in my case and I haven't had to worry about finding loos since.

If you have gone gluten free and still have a problem maybe there is another underlying cause?

Does anyone else here still have a pseudo-IBS problem even after going gluten free?

[henblas]

I have crohns as well as Ibs so going to the loo urgently is a big problem for me I useimodium but does anybody know of any other tablets tha t will work

[virgolizzy in reply to henblas]

Depending how sensitive you are, you could try VSL#3 - they are really really strong probiotocs & I have found, they really settle down my stomach- try & start a few days before you go away & continue until you come home. HOWEVER, they contain minute traces of gluten, soy & milk - I can't normally have any of these 3 things, but I'm not super sensitive & my body is fine with these - no reactions.

[henblas in reply to virgolizzy]

Where do you get them from?

[virgolizzy in reply to henblas]

I got mine through my dietician/GP - but some members on here cdn't get them from their GP as they deemed they were too expensive! However, you can get them direct from vsl3.co.uk for abt £10 for 10 days supply.

They also have info on there about them, as well as on their .com website.

Hope it helps!

[henblas in reply to virgolizzy]

Thanks i will ask my doc when I come back I had a blockage two weeks ago and had to send for ambulance I was vomiting so much I haven't had an attack like this for years it's really made me lose my confidence

[Mango1]

I was given Amitriptyline by the hospital in September which worked by slowing your system down and stopped that feeling of urgency and having to make a mad dash to the loo. I am not taking it now as it made me feel tired all the time, but still only sleeping 4/5 hours a night as usual. Looking after two young grandchildren twice a week did not work with the tablets. Although I have recently come back from a holiday in Abu Dhabi and I did take them a few days before the plane journey and whilst I was away. I also take Imodium too as and when. Hope this helps you.

[henblas]

I also take amitryptiline I find it works although I have dry mouth and causes sweating i seem to get very nervous when away from loos I think because I've been like this for 20years off and on I've tried hypnosis but didn't work i don't want to take a tranquilliser I would rather take Imodium I only take 2mg 1 every 4 hours does anybody take more?

[Hidden]

I found a message on the Coeliac's web page and used the bing translater to put this into Spainish which they understood. If I was told they did not do gluten free I would ask about the salads etc and they were fine.