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N>have eaten hidden gluten but I will be pleased to hear from anyone who
N>and yes, I feel really stupid today,
N>sigh,
N>Lisa P

I went through a period before I was diagnosed where I felt the good
Lord did not want me to ever enjoy myself. Back then, the most overt
sign I had was the Dermatitis Herpetiformis rash that was misdiagnosed
as "black fly bites" by four doctors because of my geographic
location (near the Adirondack mountains). I never remembered being
bit,but, I accepted the doctors' verdicts.

In those early days, I did not react violently to a small amount of
gluten. I went to Las Vegas on a Civil Air Patrol convention; lived it
up at the various and bountiful buffets offered all over town for three
days and then spent the next three days in the "reading area" of my
hotel room (Our bathrooms have been classified as "libraries" for many
years.)

Of recent years, I do not cheat, knowingly, but, react fast and
unfortunately to a small amount of ingested gliadin. I find that my
friends and relatives are my most dangerous "allies".  They half-read
ingredient lists and tell me something is "O.K." Of course, certainly.
I would rather go without a meal than ingest even a minute molecule
(redundant?). No mystery foods pass these lips if I can help it. Read
the ingredient list on the roast beef in your delicatessen case. Some
are fine. Some are baaaad!

Ranch dressings, except at home, are a "no,no" Oil and redwine vinegar
seem to be a safe choice. However, a couple of weeks ago, I ate half a
salad plate of assorted greens without any dressing because our jazzy
FIESTA SHERATON did not have oil and vinegar! Having dry lettuce act as
a flapper valve on one's uvula is a side effect of Celiac, that is not
documented much!

I often think that I am much too nice a person to have such embarassing
side effects. You are probably feeling the same way! Have hope, life
gets better! AMS