Repercussions

[colormist]

I would just like to reiterate my story from Christmas.

I was forced into a situation with people I didn't know very well that prepared a dinner for my husband and myself. I did not know or expect that dinner would be served. I had explained my situation before, but she didn't understand nor did she remember. My options were carrots, honey-glazed ham, baked beans, brownies, cheese cake, and potato salad. I honestly didn't want to eat anything, But I decided that a couple days of discomfort would be my punishment for not planning appropriately. I did my best not to insult them, but insult them I did as I only ate two very, very, very small pieces of honey-glazed ham and nothing else. I ate around the honey glaze. My host was very mad at me for not eating.

I was thinking of Fred's secret peanut disappearing act the whole time.

I had my usual night of binging on safe foods and drinking of lots of fluids. The next day I was still sick, so I kept up my safe-eating and fluid drinking.

That was ten days ago. I am still sick today. Still nauseated, still queasy. I have an excellent constitution--which is actually working very well against me. Even very active attempts at emptying my stomach have failed.

I'm not hungry at all anymore as every time I eat I get even more nauseated.

My memory is completely shot as is my focus. I completely forgot to feed the dogs breakfast even though I was home with them all day long.

Due to lack of eating and nausea, I'm really weak and tired. I still force myself to eat when the clock says to--not that it helps. I drink a lot of liquids. Green tea helps a lot but it also brings on hypoglycemia like a SOB.

I can't believe I felt like this for the first 20 years of my life and managed to function. I'm maintaining a very strict diet--stricter than usual, as anything even slightly fructose-y makes everything worse. I'm hoping it'll be over soon. My husband thinks I'm crazy for insisting that I'm still sick from that ham, but I have had no other exposure since then.

I thought I'd write my experiences for you guys. I'm not sure why--maybe a warning? I really wasn't expecting such a reaction.

[charlie]

Oh poor you Laura, what a Christmas present you had!!!
This seems to be the worst thing about HFI is the big social occasions, you have to be a scout and always be prepared, or is that the guides, can't remember.
We are still regretting risking some sausages at the weekend with Megs to fit in with others for a tea, promised they had checked the ingredients and looked very hurt at the suggestion that they may have missed something and couple of hours later she proved that they had - at least they saw the results when she nearly passed out in their kitchen and threatened to throw up everywhere. I remember with a giggle I think it was Tammy warning restaurants that if they didn't comply with Regina's dietary needs she would vomit everywhere!!!!

I hope you are over the worst and make a good recovery - for your poor dogs sake as much as yours.
On the dog front - Megs got a puppy for christmas as she is so good about her diet problems and to try and help her settle better at night, she is called Millie and is a cute 8 week old jack russel x yorkie and so far we have had her a week now and megs has slept everynight through!!!!!??!!!!??!!!

[CJSculpts]

Tell your husband to shut the F up and then give him a kiss for being such a dope!

I had a salad with either there wrong kind of spinach or the wrong kind of champagne vinegar (if there is such a thing) on the 27th. I was useless for most of last week. I am much better now but still feel the pain. Being that I am sure that I have not adjusted to being fructose free NEARLY as much as you have I would expect my reactions to be more mild than yours.

Here is what I have noticed:
Forcing myself to eat carbs has been the only thing that has helped.
If I do skip or even delay a meal, I start to feel really ill again.

BTW, I keep spilling Pixie Stix dust on myself and then thinking that, if I got pulled over while driving (not an impossibility given how spacey I have been) I would get busted for suspicion of some sort of narcotics abuse!! No, really ociffer, it's just candy! I swear!

[Tammy]

What a menu. Lets see................ Lets forget the fact that I'm very rude in demanding a strict diet for Regina - but that's a mother's right - What about sneaking some potato salad to the sink and trying to wash the potatoes off? Probably still would have offended the host, but oh well, better than being sick.

Regina's record for being ill was about 2 weeks. Hope it doesn't last that long for you.

[colormist]

My coworker suggested I raid their fridge and try to find the leftover celery used to make the potato salad--not that that would do much in the way of making me feel sated. I did have a snack of peanuts in my purse--the problem was I wasn't even expecting food as we never ever eat there. Otherwise I would have been more prepared (e.g. Oh no! We just ate! I'm so sorry. Ben didn't tell me you guys had made dinner. *sadface*)

Next time I will definitely feign illness and hide in the bathroom while eating whatever purse snacks I have stowed away.

Ugh, sausages. They have so much promise and then they just go and stab you in the back like that.

[julienc]

The social dinner situation is by far the most challenging thing about HFI. I hate making others feel bad or uncomfortable, but invariably that's what happens when a dinner is served that I can't eat. I try to go over menus with the host/hostess, but even that can be awkward at best. My strategy lately has been to insist on bringing a side dish, so I'll have at least one thing I know I can eat. Then I'll usually wing it with the main dish. If I can eat it, great, if not, at least I have something.

I hope you feel better soon, Laura. What a bummer.

[CJSculpts]

Funny. When I first read the story, I was going to mention the celery thing but then I was too sick. : P
I have been chowing on celery like a maniac these days. Put your peanuts on top and you almost have a log!
Great idea Julie. : )

[kim55]

One time I was invited to a friend's for dinner. I told her ahead of time, very clearly, that I could not have ANYTHING with sugar. I sat down to dinner, put one bite of chicken into my mouth, and gagged. When I gingerly asked my hostess what was in the chicken, she said she knew I couldn't have sugar, so she had coated it with honey!

I looked at the list of items you were served and felt so sorry for you! I think I would might have told my hostess that I was suddenly feeling unwell and asked her if she had any saltines or water crackers on hand, since I don't have a problem with wheat. Are either of those safe for you?

[colormist]

Saltines can or cannot be safe. Sometimes they have sugar. I'd hate to ask for something as an alternate and then realize I couldn't eat that either. Same goes for water crackers.

I love water crackers with a herbed goat cheese spread. mMMMmmmmm

[ukbill]

Water crackers and herb'd Goats cheese is Yummy..

I recently had a few bad days due to a basic gut rot from eating something that must have been a little off..

As a result I was not digesting my food properly and really did not feel like eating for a few days.. talk about fog brain! it was terrible!

I had to force feed myself for about 3 days.. each time I did I felt better and could think straight for a few hours before the fog returned.. not good.

I have had similar situations with eating at friends but try now to avoid them as much as possible.. I also always now INSIST on taking a dish with me of something filling I can eat. Pasta mix, Jewelled Rice something like that.. If its a party its usually not even commented on.

Last time was at a friends BBQ he especially got some meat that was unadulterated with sauce so I was good but everything else they got they though I'd be able to eat contained too much sugar for me.. I did go with a large Rice dish so I had something to eat anyway.

[tikitavi]

I always dread traveling and staying with the husband's family. It is always so hard. I really don't want to be thought of as an ungrateful, overly picky daughter-in-law. :-( BUT, I also don't feel like I want to die for a week afterwards either!

[tikitavi]

Well I survived staying with the husband's family this past weekend! I am surprised, it went better than I expected. I just tried to quietly avoid all the problem foods. If anyone noticed, nobody said anything. That caused much less fuss than if I had brought my own food.

However, I wasn't totally unscathed...unbeknownst to me, the ham was "honey ham", (ow!!) and I stupidly had some chicken that had some barbeque sauce on it (which once again was "honey barbeque"). But, those portions were very small, so the repercussions weren't too bad. I had some milk and that surprisingly helped quite a bit with the fructose reaction.

Overall I am amazed that I did so well. Knock on wood, I think that I am finally learning which foods to just totally avoid!

[colormist]

I have never run into any ham that was safe. Most hams are cured with some form of fructose.

[Tammy]

In our area, Sam's Club has 2 different hams that are safe. One is a "pit ham", and one is a "black forest ham". I don't remember the brand. They are only cured with salt and dextrose.

Also, our Wal-Mart sells Smithfield ham slices that are ok. Cured with (copied from the label in the freezer) water, dextrose, contains 2% or less of salt, potassium lactate, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite.

Now the frustrating part is that other stores in the area sell Smithfield, but they are cured differently.

We can also get ham luncheon meats. Some store brands, and also the one Hilshire Farms.

So keep looking. They are out there.

[tikitavi]

I will have to start looking! I miss bacon and ham!

[elilly]

Kroger has a sugar free bacon, it also low sodium.

[tikitavi]

Awesome! I shop at Kroger all the time!