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Hi to all,
        I waited a little to see what this list was like and decided to take
the plunge.  I imagine there's hardly anything new one hears on the list
but I thought I'd throw in my own story.  I found out about 12 years ago
that I've got Celiac Sprue (I'm 44) after all sorts of testing
culminating with an endoscopy and biopsy which apparently is the
clear-cut sure sign that one has the disease.  No one told me not to
cheat (my symptoms certainly weren't severe if I ate an occasional slice
of pizza, etc.) until 4 years ago when I was told of the possible link
to Cancer and that got me more serious...

        But, the more I learn, the less I know and the less I feel that others
are really sure about.  I've seen lists, for instance,  where oats are
okay even though I was told these contained gluten and lists where
quinoa (I have a whole shelf of quinoa pasta) was okay and then others
where its not, the ONLY grains sanctioned by these lists being corn and
rice.  Yet, the products themselves proclaim themselves to be wheat and
gluten-free.  And you all know this story by now.

        I'm careful to do things like eat vitamins, etc. to prevent
deficiencies and I take blood tests fairly often to determine
nutritional deficiencies, etc. BUT WHAT I FIND REALLY FRUSTRATING is
that with this "malabsorption disease"  I'm 50 lbs. overweight!!  I do
not have a ravenous appetite...So how is all this possible?  And the
answer still seems to be that nobody is quite sure...

                                                        -Steve Block