Most questions people ask me about coeliac disease are out of genuine interest, however, there are a handful I get asked on a regular basis that I wanted to share with you…
1. Can you eat potatoes?
Not just potatoes though, literally every food is listed until you say you can’t eat something.
2. Why haven’t you eaten one of the cakes I brought in?
Because I’m still coeliac. Followed by ‘you mention it quite a lot’, yeah because you keep offering me stuff I can’t eat!
3. Why are you checking the chocolate, is it in that? How do you survive without chocolate?
It’s literally in everything. I can have the small pack of Rolos, for example, but then I can’t have the extended pack because they’ve been made in a different factory *they look bored* OK I’ll stop.
4. When reading the label of a food product I was asked ‘why are you reading the calories, you don’t need to diet?’
Even if I was dieting, it’s definitely nothing to do with you, but as it turns out I have coeliac disease, you can leave now.
5. Surely the pain isn’t THAT bad?
How rude. I never know what to say to this. You know what you’re completely right, let me just punch you in the stomach Rocky-style, and you can go back to your desk and pretend like it doesn’t hurt.
6. This wasn’t a question, but I had to share this one. Someone genuinely said to me ‘If I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, I really wouldn’t find it that difficult.’
Oh. Well. I’m so happy for you, thanks for sharing your irrelevant opinion.
7. Isn’t there a tablet you can just take?
I wish it was that simple. I really do.
So frustrating,and irritating!
Not a question, but some people actually said to me…. ” one time isn’t going to hurt you.” Or “in 3-6 months, you’ll be cured, and you can go back to eating anything again.”…….. Seriously?!?!
Wow that’s awful! Apologies for the late reply my comments have only just come through!
How about “there’s only a little bit of flour on the chips”? Or ” well, I’m vegetarian but I still have to compromise sometimes”?? THAT one really, really annoys me! Why do so many products say ” suitable for vegetarians ” whi.st giving no real help to coeliacs? Vegetarians CHOOSE to be that way! Coeliacs and diabetics have proper health conditions!!!
Just call me Victoria Meldrew…I’m having a truly grumpy day!!😡😡