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Hi all:
 
Thank you to everyone who replied to my potato starch/flour question.
Consensus was if it says potato starch flour it means potato starch.
While I have a minute to write, and I hope I don't go on to long, but I
feel this is important and you all have been a lifeline for me.
 
I was diagnosed a year ago, they found out because I was anemic, low
folic acid, etc., not so much chronic diarrhea, but gas and bloating,
mostly fatigued.  Went gluten free, and waited and waited and waited, for
some change.  None came.  However, the last few weeks, (I almost am
hesitant to write this for fear of jinxing myself), I have noticed a
remarkable change!!!!  It is like night and day..  I feel so much better
physically and mostly mentally.  I didn't realize how irritable I was,
until now that I'm feeling better.
 
For many years, I felt so abnormal, and wondered why I don't I feel like
other people, why do I have no interest in things, in life in general.
When you are fatigued all the time it is hard to get enthusiastic.  When
you aren't getting the proper nourishment to your body, it has profound
affects on you in all aspects.  I was usually in bed by 6-7 p.m.  My
weekends were spent mostly a sleep.  I can remember just 4-5 months ago,
walking back from the grocery store on Saturday morning and crying
because, I was so lethargic I knew I was going to go to sleep the rest of
the day, and I was tired of feeling that way.  I always ate so healthy,
even organic, and exercising even though I didn't have the energy, just
thought I must be lazy, this will help, but with no improvement.  I got
tired of seeing people who didn't eat well and didn't make an effort to
exercise, have more energy than I did.  I feel so calm and balanced and I
haven't had a nap on the weekends in weeks!!  I have energy to do things,
and not only that, but I want to do things!!  People never understood
that, but I know you all will know what I was talking about.  I'm out
jogging at 6 a.m., and I look forward to getting up in the morning and
facing the day!!!!  I guess I'm writing this because this morning, after
my run, I was sitting having my coffee, and thinking how good I feel
lately, and I had an excellent run, all of a sudden I burst into tears!!!
Out of the blue!  But they weren't sad tears, they were happy tears!  I
felt so happy that finally after feeling so out of sorts, for so long,
and this last year being GF has been hard, stressful, and lonely, I for
the first time in I don't know how long felt, "normal"!!!  I have tears
in my eyes writing this, I just can't describe what it feels like.  It's
like a sweet, kind, happy person has invaded my spirit.  If only I had
been diagnosed years ago, I have lost so much in enjoying life, but I
can't change the past.  I so look forward to the future.  When I'm
getting ready for work in the morning, I have the radio on, and I'm
singing and almost dancing around, because I know I have the strength to
face the day.  Do I love my job, no, is my boss a nice person, no, but I
know I can face whatever the day may bring.  A specalist on Celiac said,
if you spread the intestines out like a garden hose, it is the length of
a tennis court.  It all made sense!!  When I was told it could take a
year or two to start feeling better I thought, that's ridiculous, but if
we have all that intestine to heal after so many years of damage (I'm 39)
it makes perfect sense that it would take that long to heal!!!!!  And he
said if a person is religious about being GF it will remarkably diminish
any risk of lymphomas!!!  Any of you out there who are getting
frustrated, please hang in there, it will happen!!  And when it does you
will feel so good.  I don't think of this diet now as a punishment, I
welcome it, it is a God-send.  I'm healthier than most people, all the
hard work has paid off.  If I may be even more sappy, I'd like to thank
all of you for being there for me when I slipped or wanted to talk about
how I was feeling.  You all have been a blessing.  Here's to a happier,
healthier life!!!
 
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Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia