Fed-up with being Gluten Free: Well another... - Thyroid UK

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Fed-up with being Gluten Free

Loobs39 profile image
49 Replies

Well another tasteless loaf goes in the bin!! Actually tasteless isn't true - it tastes vile. I am getting so fed up with being GF that I am thinking about starting eating gluten again. I stopped because of stomach and back pain after eating some forms of gluten and I found that, as well as the stomach pain stopping, my TPo antibodies dropped from above 700 to below 60 after giving up, so felt that this was the way to go. However, it seems to be that a lot of people can tolerate gluten after being off it for some time - has anyone here experienced stopping for 2 years then starting again?? I know that even in the 2 years I have stopped eating gluten there are loads more types of GF food available but I have always preferred making my own as I like to know there is as little rubbish in it as possible. NO MORE - the bread I made (using Gram flour as well as G/F plain flour) is truly hideous and the G/F carrot cake isn't much better. I am seriously thinking of giving-up giving-up - anyone done this successfully?

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Loobs39
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49 Replies
nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56

Could always tolerate normal bread on Goldshield Eltroxin or Norton, but not on generics now. Think you need a very good quality Levo to be able to digest properly.

Although your gut lining may have healed and so it may feel as though you can tolerate gluten, I think going back on it is a big risk, especially since your antibodies dropped when off it.

Why not drop your high standards and eat ready made Genius loaves, or the pitta breads... I know this is not what you are asking to hear, sorry.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

Not at all, I know what you mean and to be honest, Tesco gf bread isn't too bad. Just feeling fed-up with it - out for a meal yesterday and there is so little I can eat (currently living in France where GF isn't so well catered for) when having to avoid gluten, and the people I am with are tucking into glorious freshly made French bread plus some superb puds and I whip out a really tasty looking rice cake!!!!! I genuinely do wonder, though, if I would notice any change if I started eating gluten again put probably won't risk it (sigh) - thanks for your reply x

lopushanya profile image
lopushanya in reply toLoobs39

Aweee bless you, you are very strong if you are not tempted to eat French bread - I couldn't do it!

I am not on gluten free diet, but do eat gluten free bread occasionally to stop me from bloating and I must admit bread from the shops is not too bad.

My attempt to make my own gf was a total disaster.

Good luck and patience x

Stefcon1 profile image
Stefcon1 in reply toLoobs39

I am gluten free too. I went to Spain for 4 days and ate the fresh bread and I was fine. Came home to U.K. had one sandwich and it left me in agony with back pain. I always find fresh bread abroad is fine, due to lack of additives etc. Even gf bread causes me problems as its full of preservatives.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply toStefcon1

Now that's interesting - I have heard of people suffering from stomach pain and bloating but you are the first to mention back pain. It is awful isn't it, in my case it starts off as stomach bloating then the pain spreads to my back (and the worst thing is that you know once it starts you have several hours of it before it will fade) - I guess I will stick to my GF regime 'cos I haven;t experienced problems since I stopped. When I was eating gluten it was some wonderful fresh French bread that started it off really severely (after years of painless bloating in the UK) so no bread here for me sadly.

warriorscot profile image
warriorscot in reply toStefcon1

Used to be marks and spencers bread was free of improvers and preservatives. Might be worth trying that could be an alergy to preservatives which is more common than people think.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply towarriorscot

Well in UK tmrw for a few days so may well pop into M&S and try - thank you

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy in reply toLoobs39

Some of their bread contains soya, but it's usually written on the label of the baked instore loaves.

nightingale-56 profile image
nightingale-56 in reply towarriorscot

Hi Warriorscot, this would tie in with my chemical intolerance. I do not have problems with all food I could always eat on Goldshield Eltroxin and Norton (apart from wheat), but have terrible problems with all chemicals, shampoo and soap since being changed to Generic Levo.

Ruthi profile image
Ruthi

I find I can get away with small amounts - oddly I can usually eat a few croissants in France without a problem, but its a lot less easy here!

However, if you go back to gluten your antibodies will almost certainly rise, and in time your other symptoms will reappear too. Add to that recent research that suggests that non coeliac gluten sensitives get the same kind of brain damage as true coeliacs, and it would take a lot to persuade me to break the rules more than occasionally.

Basically, I don't do bread type stuff any more. I do eat the odd rice or corn cake, but mostly I just keep away from things resembling bread and cake.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply toRuthi

I guess that is the problem - if my stomach problems don't return that is easy to notice but you cannot see your antibodies going up or down and I sometimes wonder if it is all hype and not much fact! When I mentioned the connection with giving up gluten to my antibodies going down to my GP she said it was just coincidence. I haven't had my antibodies tested for ages so maybe I should get them done asap in order to see if they are still low - if not, there seems no reason not to eat gluten??

Flower3 profile image
Flower3 in reply toLoobs39

I also think it is a hype or better said a coincidence.

Antibodies will lower over time I guess, I think people will link this to their lifestyle/diet/supplements..

I followed the Paleo diet for 1,5 years. I had no symptom relief and was getting enough of all the work it takes because you are always preparing meals and thinking about what ingredients are in food, it was not healthy mentally anymore (too focused about food). I stopped and introduced gluten, dairy and sugar one by one. Again no difference.

It is not a crime if you don't follow these "auto-immune diets", it's hard enough to be ill. I still eat healthy of course but I don't forbid any ingredient anymore.

You could try and introduce gluten again and see what happens. You can always go back to glutenfree if it doesn't work out.

Josiesmum profile image
Josiesmum in reply toFlower3

That's true, the Autoimmune diet is temporary while your body heals, and is followed by gradual reintroduction of foods to see if they cause symptoms. Here is some info about reintroducing foods after Paleo Autoimmune diet:

thepaleomom.com/2015/02/rei...

A member recommended this company:

wheat-freebakerydirect.co.u...

Keep meaning to place an order as it does look good!

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

Thank you but currently in France (now if my local boulangerie decided to bake G/f bread ......)

in reply toLoobs39

Oh dear, is the gf in supermarkets no good then?

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

What there is tastes OK but not as much choice as the UK and much more expensive.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39

That's a good idea, I used to 'experiment' but have got a bit slap dash, must try buckwheat - thank you.

Josiesmum profile image
Josiesmum in reply toLoobs39

Buckwheat pancakes are good, and you can save some from breakfast and eat them as bread for lunch. Recommend them with bananas and blueberries and maple syrup ;-)

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase

Don't know if you can get it but a company called Schar produce the most 'normal' bread I have ever tasted. Tiny loaf and very expensive but it is almost like 'real' bread. My antibodies are reducing on my GF regime too - unfortunately I recently found out I was T2 diabetic and grain based foods really sickie my levels so it's no bread for me these days :(

I don't think I would go back onto glutenif I were you - not now your antibodies are down - but then I'm not surounded by French bread - to smell it, to touch it, the crisp outside mmmm. So wonderful. 😉

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply toFruitandnutcase

Fruitandnut, I think this all just shows how addictive gluten happens to be. For example, I eat a few slices of sourdough rye bread every week. This stuff has no 'kick' whatsoever. There's never any desire to have more than one slice for breakfast. But regular bread? All bets are off. Recently, after many years, I bought crumpets. 3 packages of 6 each. I was eating 4 crumpets per day even though I'd put them in the freezer to limit visual exposure. Okay, so now there are no more crumpets.

If I buy a really good poppyseed encrusted baguette at the french bakery (in Toronto, total of 3 baguettes purchased), that baguette never makes it home. It gets ripped apart and consumed on the drive home. One good thing: whatever they use to get the poppyseeds to stick prevents a mess in the car. ;) Dangerously delicious bread!

I don't routinely buy any of this stuff because I'm fat enough already.

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply togabkad

I know exactly what you mean, those products really are addictive. As for French bread - I found I always started nibbling the bread long before I got it home, it is just so moreish. There's just something about the crunchiness on the outside and the softness inside.

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply toFruitandnutcase

It was my 'job' to buy the big still warm Vienna loaf from the bakery when I was a teen. That thing never got home with both 'heels' intact. One end was always demolished. Looked like a gigantic mouse had got at it.

in reply toFruitandnutcase

Fruitandnutcase - where can you buy this please?

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw in reply to

They were called Dr Schar or DS - rebranded around Christmas. They do loads of stuff from bread to biscuits and can be found in most supermarkets but definitely Waitrose, Asda etc.

I'll find a link to their website in a mo...

Edited - you can buy direct: schar.onlineshop.uk.com/Sto...

And here's the list of UK stockists nowinuk.schar.com/~/media/F...

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply toJazzw

We've always bought it in Tesco, I've never found it in Waitrose and I haven't looked at any of the others. I bought some of their ciabattas yesterday, it was for someone else but unfortunately I cooked it then forgot to give it to her :(

It looked, smelled and felt OK though. I've frozen the rest and I'll try them once I've had my next HbA1c - don't want to try it and risk a spike in my blood until after then.

I find a lot of Tesco's own foods don't have wheat / gluten in them, they aren't advertised as GF but as I'm not coeliac - mine is a lifestyle choice in an effort to reduce my antibodies - I'm ok with that.

in reply toFruitandnutcase

Thanks f&n, shall be looking out for those.

in reply toJazzw

Thanks Jazz, that's really helpful.

Silver_Fairy profile image
Silver_Fairy in reply to

Some of the products contain soya though.

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

This may be no use at all - or something you're already well aware of - but this page is from France's equivalent of Coeliac UK

afdiag.fr/dietetique/produi...

Towards the bottom there's a list of gluten free distributors from whom you might be able to buy flour mixes on line? Worth a browse maybe...

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply toJazzw

Definitely, thank you for that, it will be really useful when we go on holiday :)

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply toJazzw

Wonderful, thanks for that - I will sit and have a look (with a nice cup of tea and some homemade GF carrot cake!!)

You know, Nigella Lawson does gorgeous GF cakes using ground almonds.

SilverAvocado profile image
SilverAvocado in reply to

Seconding this! Ground almond is the one thing that substitutes really well for flour, as it's far far more delicious.

in reply toSilverAvocado

It is isn't it? I'm not GF (I should be...) but her lemon almond cake is one of my all time faves. I'm really tempted to make one today.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

This cake is superb and is one that even I can't mess up (my experimental gf sausage rolls look nothing like the recipe illustration)

Bambalam profile image
Bambalam

Hi, I feel your pain. GF bread is hideous!

However when we were in France last year, I found Gerble white bread. In most of the supermarkets. It does taste lovely! So much so, my friend routinely gets it and sends me.

Of course, this is based in tasting the vicious stuff for years. And by no way compares to the wonderful smell from the Boulangerie.

Good luck

acunatang profile image
acunatang

I am gluten free and most of the time it's fine but sometimes I feel like eating something with that texture! I have also been dairy free for years! I make a fab banana bread and gf cake! For banana bread I use 4oz Pure marg, 2 eggs, 8oz gram flour, 1tsp gf baking powder, 3 mashed bananas, some soya milk if ingredients too dry, mix all together and bake on 180 for about 32 minutes! For the cake take 4oz dates and chop with water in saucepan and heat to form a paste, mix with 4oz Pure marg, add two eggs, 3oz gf flour, 3oz ground almonds, 1 oz cocoa powder, 1 heap tsp gf baking powder, mix and bake at 180 for about 35 mins! To make cream

For the top, use a tin of coconut milk which has been kept in fridge for at least 24 hours, open tin upside down, drain off liquid and scoop out the thick cream, mix with 1 tsp cocoa powder and 1tbsp maple syrup, whisk together and after cake has cooled spread on top! If it is not all eaten straight away it will have to be kept in fridge otherwise the cream will melt!! If you don't want chocolate flavour, just put more flour instead and sometimes I add blueberries, my kids love these and they don't all eat gf!! Hope this helps :)

Don't do it please...to me that would be like taking up the cigarettes again after 21 years smoke free. x

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

Oh boy, don't start me on how much I miss smoking after 10 years!!! I have decided to stick to gf food and I am currently massacring sausage rolls as I type - frozen butter - what's that about x

in reply toLoobs39

I'm proud of you x

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

You wouldn't be if you could see the end result of my sausage roll debacle - they don't look anything like sausage rolls (in fact they don't look like anything edible) ho hum, back to the drawing board x

in reply toLoobs39

LOL , just rename them ..they don't have to be called sausage rolls. You could get really inventive, look at at Eton Mess for example. Someone got away with calling it that after some kind of recipe disaster. x

infomaniac profile image
infomaniac in reply to

I agree Mango. I wouldn't care if I never ate bread again if my antibodies dropped to less than 60. Don't do it Loobs!

Just don't eat anything made of any type of processed grains. That way you don't have to put up with gluten-free cardboard and you are likely to eat more fruit and veg to make up the deficit. Win/win.

faith63 profile image
faith63

my daughter is back on gluten after 4 years, no reactions now. GF never has helped my hashimotos at all.

MaryMary profile image
MaryMary

Marks and Spencer sell a lovely wheat and gluten free bread, I think it's made with rice flour. Delicious!

trixiebucket profile image
trixiebucket

Try eating  "findlaters" gf oat loaves and their knots are divine! It's the tastiest bread it keeps  fresh a week.I buy 8 at a time and eat straight from the freezer as I eat mainly toast.I eat gf cos of a thyroid issue but it also enormously helps my gut and health  generally.They are based in Scotland but have a Web site for local stockists

good luck

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