A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed for an article in Allergic Living magazine. The story will be published in the summer — and when it’s out, I’ll let you know — but some of the questions got me thinking. The reporter was well-educated about research into celiac disease and about the work that some pharmaceutical firms are doing to develop a pill that would allow a celiac to eat gluten again.
“How do you feel about that?” she asked me. I told her the truth: I find the research intriguing, but I’m not interested in taking a pill that would let me eat gluten.
She was surprised. She rephrased the question. I asked her if she was gluten-intolerant and she said that she wasn’t. I explained that many people have said to me, in the six years since I was diagnosed with celiac disease, how terrible it must be to be on a gluten-free diet. But none of those people were actually on a gluten-free diet themselves.
I actually love the gluten-free diet. I don’t cheat on it. I don’t go to dinner with gluten-eating friends and wish that I could eat what they’re eating. And I don’t miss wheat or the other things I can’t have (seriously, has anyone in the world ever missed eating rye?). It’s true that the gluten-free diet solved many of my health problems, but it did more for me than that. It forced me to reconsider everything I’d been putting in my mouth. Before my diagnosis, I never read a food label. Suddenly I had to, and I discovered that there were a lot of things in processed foods that I didn’t want to put in my body. That’s not to say that I don’t have my indulgences. My favorite food groups are cheese, chocolate, and wine. But most of my meals are made from healthful, unprocessed ingredients.
It’s great news that pharmaceutical firms are taking notice of celiac disease, and there are some clinical trials — like the possible celiac vaccine — that I’m watching with great interest. While I’m certainly in favor of pharmaceutical firms doing research into a pill that would let celiacs eat gluten, I’m not interested in taking it myself. Part of that is simple suspicion: I like to know what the long-term effects of taking any medication are. But part is an unwillingness to go back to the days when I had medications for migraines, mouth ulcers, and other health problems. I love that the gluten-free diet cleared up these problems, and I’m not interested in relying on a prescription medication if I don’t have to.
I’m curious how other gluten-intolerant people feel about this. Are you eagerly awaiting results from the clinical trials? Or would you stick with a gluten-free diet, even if there were a prescription that would let you eat wheat?
I would do absolutely anything to eat gluten again. With such a limited amount of things I can eat I get Bored and sick of the food >.<
I would without a doubt eat gluten again!! I have been gluten-free for 4 1/2 years and have hated every minute of it. I was miserable eating gluten and would never want to experience those 6 painful years again. If there were a pill that would allow me to enjoy food, scented lotion…normal, not paraniod life again…I would do it in a heartbeat. I miss the days of having a choice and touching others without the fear of getting sick.
It would be depend on the side effects of the drug. I’ve been GF for 6.5 years and the only thing I really miss is bread and sweets.
Absolutely. While I can control my home environment I eat out and attend banquets often and usually have to contact the host or restaurant ahead of time. Even then gluten is often present in a prepared meal. It would be very nice to be able to tolerate it.
Definantly. You would not realise sometimes how much I crave a wholegrain salad sandwich, toast or anything that is main ingredient Gluten & Wheat.. I would take a tablet to eat one of those. This tablet would be fantastic.
Bring it on, gluten free diet sucks $^$%^$&
to be able to drink lager/fish and chips and to be able to just go in a shop and have a massive choice of what to eat again would be awesome
I think it would be nice to eat gluten again. I would definitely want to know of the side affects of the pill and make sure that it is absolutely legit and that it is not undoing all of the hard work I have done to be healthy again. But I guess I can’t really imagine eating gluten foods again because I am so used to the Gluten free foods now it would just seem weird going back.
It would be nice to have the option when going out with Family & Friends. I always feel like everyone worries about what I can eat @ certain places. It would be nice to just go @ random with no research of the establishment. Also I would LOVE for my grocery bill to go down!! Gluten free products are triple the price of regular products.
YES I WOULD!!! Although i have somewhat gotten use to gluten free foods, but eating food worry free would be great!
I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO EAT GLUTEN AGAIN!!!!!!
Not sure about taking a pill without knowing the side effects and long term effects. I agree with the author of the article. Having this problem has made me eat far more healthily than before and I feel soooo much better! I still miss eating for example pizza, calzones and pastries however more and more companies are making quite good food .
I would love to be able to eat gluten again. When friends want me to go out for supper it has to be where I am able to eat and it makes it seem like I’m a hassel to them. I would be willing to take a pill to be able to eat anything I want again