I can't actually remember when I last posted on here but I've nowhere else to get all this out so feel free to completely ignore my rant.
So I get about one proper holiday each year, between hubby's work and visiting our families who are scattered world wide, it's really difficult to just find time to go somewhere on holiday rather than visiting someone (does that make sense?) and this year we have managed to get a couple of days in Mallaig on the west coast of Scotland. It's been a really stressful start to the year and I've been so looking forward to this time away so I've been so careful to stick to my diet and avoid triggers.
Tonight is our last night so we booked a nice pub supper and the menu clearly stated gluten free/dairy free/ vegan etc so I felt totally confident to order a starter and a main course.
Starter arrived, duo of puddings marked gluten free on the menu and I ordered without the sauce. Tasted lovely. Main course arrived, a vegan burger marked vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free on the menu. One glance and it was clearly not a gluten free roll so I asked is this a gluten free roll? No it wasn't and neither was my starter. Apparently, I was meant to ask for things to be gluten free.
Is it me or does something clearly stating it's gluten free really mean please let us know if you need this to be gulten free?! Okay they apologised but that's small comfort if I'm up all night in pain on the toilet.
My anxiety is now through the roof. I'm so anxious I'm going to have a flair up and I've got to drive home tomorrow. My husband is really upset because he's worried too and because I'm upset. I feel like this horrible illness has just robbed me of what was a really love few days away.
Edit to add: I think my title might be a bit mellow dramatic but it's how I feel 🤷
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BlackIsleGirl
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You would hope that if they list something as gluten free, they would know what they are doing wouldn't you? Eating out is always a risk because you are entrusting someone else with your health. Last time I went out for lunch with my friend, I ordered new potatoes, but got chips. Of course, they had been fried in the kitchen's single frier. Que me scuttling home rapidly. You do have grounds for complaint, and I suggest that you do to give them an opportunity to improve their offering. They may not realise the error of their ways. Definitely a training issues for both management and staff. I am so sorry it has ruined your break. You could also consider contacting Trading Standards/ Environmental Health local to them as they are clearly not providing what they are advertising, and it is hazardous to people such as you. I hope you feel better soon.
I've got the the point now where I never eat out. It's a pain to have to prepare my own food all of the time, but at least I know what I am getting and I don't have the suffer the embarrassment of asking bemusing questions of waiting staff who look at me as if I am an idiot. I haven't been away on holiday for some time, but whenever we did, it would always be self catering. Shame that it has to be this way, since it impacts being able to eat out with others which has a social element. However, I've traded off the loss of that with being able to feel well.
In your situation, maybe it best to arm against it - presumably you'll have Imodium on you or whatever you need, so that you don't need to worry so much about any after effects and sometimes the worry is worse than actually what happens?
I go nowhere without my medication so I'll make it home okay.
Last night was uncomfortable but not awful. I don't think I had enough to trigger a major reaction but if I'd decided to trust that the bread okay I know it would have been really bad.
I'm kinda kicking myself because I shouldn't have assumed that it was okay and should have said but then you'd think that something that is labelled GF/DF whatever would be GF/DF or whatever.
If it was on the menu as GF but delivered as not GF, they are probably breaking trading standards - not only that, they could be responsible for something far worse if someone has a full on allergic reaction.
That's my feeling although the servers clearly felt it was my fault for not saying (and yes I will in future). The way I see it is if I bought a ring sold as solid gold and it turned out to be gold over nickel and I reacted to the nickel it wouldn't be my fault for not telling the seller that I'm allergic to nickel and they wouldn't get away with it by saying I should have told them and solid gold was only available on request.
For all of us with a food intolerance (or worse) the lesson from this is ALWAYS, always to make a point of checking when the order is taken that you will be getting a gluten (or whatever)-free meal. Sometimes they indicate on the menu that they can do a gluten-free version but this doesn't mean they send that out as standard: it has to be specified as you order. So I always make a clear point about wanting the GF option to the waiting staff so there's no room for error. Sometimes they say, 'Yes, that dish is GF' as if I'm being fussy but it's better to be safe than horribly sorry. I'm glad you didn't have an awful outcome and well done for spotting that the bread wasn't GF. It's not always easy to tell by appearance and the outcome could have been so much worse for you. Hope the episode hasn't sullied the memories and benefits of your much-awaited holiday.
Hi,I like the idea of having a rant . Kind of clears the mind . Thought therefore I would have a little moan too. Kind of helps when you don't feel that you are the only person struggling and feeling bad.
I am from Scotland but currently with my wife on a Med Cruise . I ate something , don't know what , but caused sudden urgency and a lot of visits to the toilet a couple of days ago. Started almost immediately after eating. I decided on heading back to our cabin got there but had lost the device for opening the door -- became a very stressful mad dash along corridors, up stairs and through rooms a d bars to eventually find a toilet . Glad though , to say , I made it - just !! Now a bit of a nightmare going off the ship and travelling places , it also kicked off some nausea . Not too sure that my wife fully understands the stress of going on journeys!! IBS is such a spoiler .
Tomorrow , getting off the ship very early and travelling to Rome - another journey . Hopefully I will survive this and two days in Rome , probably with aid of Imodium !!
Sometimes you just need a safe place to say what you feel without judgement and a rant really helps.
I'm almost home. Still in a bit of pain and producing enough gas to sort the UK's energy needs for a year (thankfully it's not smelly gas) but otherwise I'll do.
Hope Rome is as wonderful as I'm told it is and that imodium does what it says on the packet!
Rome was a great experience, even for second time . Imodium got me through it . Back home today and it feels good just to have made it without any major iBS issues .
I think I see what happened here, and it's not right is it? The burger was gluten free. The bun wasn't. How bloody ridiculous! I think they should have stated that on the menu. Some people don't get it at all. If someone is coeliac, that would make them very ill. If someone is gluten sensitive it will still upset their gut like crazy.
That restaurant should edit the menu, and they are at fault for not making it clear.
That sort of thing is really important, because if that had been nuts and someone had a nut allergy they could be dead by now. (or any other life threatening allergy.)
The restaurant is definitely out of order. If a meal is advertised as Gluten Free that is what it should be. Some restaurants advertise “Gluten Free available” which then puts the onus on us as customers to ask, but it doesn’t sound as though this was the case with your meal or their menu. They need to get an official complaint from you at the very least. I’m sorry this spoilt your holiday but glad you got home safely.
I’m new to the gluten free world myself( currently it’s a test phase) but I ate out last week and had a similar experience, although not as serious as yours. The GF sandwich I ordered was fine but the accompanying bits weren’t. So much to learn……
so feel for you. Been there done that We really have to be so proactive when we go into any restaurant. It’s horrible that we have to put up with all the sighs and just downright the look to say you are so difficult. We can’t help our bodies and the fact that they are so difficult. I’m gluten and dairy free. I tell everyone when I walk into the restaurant again when they ask what I want then again when I get it. It’s the only way
I’m not allergic to anything, I’m lucky but I have to say if I was I would check first. I am claustrophobic and I always check where we are going if in tunnels/mines to make sure there is light enough and I can get out if necessary.
Well I'm not allergic, I have a food intolerance and cross contamination isn't an issue for me so when everything was so clearly labelled I didn't feel I needed to mention it. To clarify an allergy causes a histemic reaction, ie an anaphylactic shock which can be fatal, while a food intolerance is where your body can't process the food making you unwell but there is no risk to life.
And here's my other argument. Say you have a nickel allergy and you buy a ring labelled as solid gold but it turns out to be gold plate with a nickel core. If you took it back to the shop they wouldn't get away with saying "you should have told us you had a nickel allergy, solid gold is only available on request" so why should a restaurant get away with it?
Don't apologise. I was given Campylobacter poisoning through eating chicken in a restaurant & that was what kicked off my IBS. I have not eaten chicken that I do not cook myself for over 30 years now.
I don't blame you. I very rarely eat out and I tend to go to restaurants I know when I do.
It was chemotherapy that triggered me off. I feel I should be grateful but it's hard to say well I'm alive but I live in fear of food I haven't cooked myself 🤷
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