I’m allergic to wheat?! Whatttttt.

So I was diagnosed as allergic to wheat when I was 18. Conveniently this was just before going to university, leaving home and plunging into the adult world. How did I cope?

I am not going to lie, it was not an easy process but at the end of the day you just have to get on with the card you are dealt even if you are half Italian and the majority of foods you eat contain wheat.

I had such excruciating tummy aches and rashes that would spread all over my body. This got progressively worse when I started having trouble breathing and my face was puffy and rashed.  I ended up taking quite a few trips to hospital – my poor parents should have got a private ambulance and a month’s pass to the hospital as well as a medal! I used to be allergic to sesame seeds and so I knew exactly what it was like to have an allergic reaction and I knew this is exactly what happened to me.

These attacks started happening completely out of nowhere and I wondered what the hell was making me react like this?! So what did I do…I started thinking about anything I had done differently and I started a food diary. After quite a few trips to the hospital I was finally referred to a specialist. I mean they probably needed the hospital bed for someone else….

The specialist gave me skin prick tests and discovered I was allergic to wheat and gluten, especially durum wheat. The patch on my arm for wheat was just a huge rash! It took quite a while to process…wheat is in everything. Why wheat?! Do they not know about my love of pasta and visiting the bakery on the way home from town!!

To start with I couldn’t find anything gluten and wheat free…6 years ago it really was not as widely available and going off to university made being gluten free more expensive and a nightmare! I was eating rice cakes and oatcakes for lunch and every meal out was a jacket potato. I hated every moment of it. I lost a lot of weight and really was not getting all of the right foods! I was unsure of everything and would avoid food rather than researching as I would be too scared to have a reaction – I really do hate those piriton injections!

But….do not fear newly diagnosed allergy sufferers or gluten free people! I am so much better now. I am very aware of what I eat..but I am not paranoid. You will get out of that stage. I promise.

I was very lucky in that I had so much support from family and friends. They were so kind and caring throughout and still are. Hang on to these people….they will help you!

To anyone that is diagnosed I wish you luck on this journey. There is so much out there for gluten free people now. Restaurants bring out full menus, there is nutella for rice cakes (thank god this is gluten free!) and everyone is so aware of allergens, it is fantastic. Top Tips for new sufferers:

1. Make a food diary.

2. Book yourself in to see the GP and demand to see a specialist/dietitian.

3. Read gluten free magazines and blogs – its great to hear about other peoples experiences.

4. Find gluten free coupons – our food is expensive.

5. Tell your friends, family and work colleagues. They need to watch out for you.