Gluten free Bread

[bobrobert]

I was amazed to see on TV this morning that the NHS is spending over £20 million on prescriptions for gluten free bread & pasta for people that can't tolerate gluten. One woman defended it by stating they were a staple part of the diet. Obviously not so because most diabetics get by perfectly well without them. A waste of resources. If people want to eat them then they can buy them themselves?

 

[Engineer88]

I think you have no understanding of the situation. Px are not available to those who are intolerant only diagnosed Coeliacs which is an autoimmune condition like type one. A lot of type 1's have Coeliacs as well, and many more have other linked autoimmune conditions. I have 4.

They ARE a staple of the 'normal' diet. Do you know how a child would get by without carbs? Would you say that's an appropriate diet for a child who is already left out of mot social situations involving food? not to mention the after affects of eating gluten which are awful (cramps, diarrhea, failure to thrive, obesity, headaches, nausea, depression, Cancer and malnutrition plus more)

I'm really annoyed that you have such a negative attitude to the ONLY treatment available to a condition which can and does kill people. At least diabetics have meds available.

 

[Robinredbreast]

I think you have no understanding of the situation. Px are not available to those who are intolerant only diagnosed Coeliacs which is an autoimmune condition like type one. A lot of type 1's have Coeliacs as well, and many more have other linked autoimmune conditions. I have 4.

They ARE a staple of the 'normal' diet. Do you know how a child would get by without carbs? Would you say that's an appropriate diet for a child who is already left out of mot social situations involving food? not to mention the after affects of eating gluten which are awful (cramps, diarrhea, failure to thrive, obesity, headaches, nausea, depression, Cancer and malnutrition plus more)

I'm really annoyed that you have such a negative attitude to the ONLY treatment available to a condition which can and does kill people. At least diabetics have meds available.

and not forgetting vomiting too.

 

[Robinredbreast]

I wont go into how bad I was before being diagnosed with Coeliac disease, but first off I had to have a blood test because of possible cancer. No, not everyone gets symptoms, mine were horrendous, so ill.
It's not an intolerance, it's an auto immune condition, for life and on a strict gluten free diet.
Everyone who seems to eat any type of carbs nowadays (which we have done so for many centuries) seems to be getting hit, left right and centre.

I don't like this Big Brother attitude that appears to be going on.

 

[Engineer88]

Agreed RRB, how DARE we eat some Carbs!

despite the fact we pay £3 for an edible loaf of 400g (half loaf) bread and the cost and availability of GF is extortionate.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Agreed RRB, how DARE we eat some Carbs!

despite the fact we pay £3 for an edible loaf of 400g (half loaf) bread and the cost and availability of GF is extortionate.

That's how it makes me feel ( and probably some others too) If some knew where I lived, I would expect a red cross on the front door and shouting unclean through the letter box But I'm sure I'll get over it
I don't get very much on prescription regarding gluten free foods and the cost is extortionate .

 

[Engineer88]

That's how it makes me feel ( and probably some others too) If some knew where I lived, I would expect a red cross on the front door and shouting unclean through the letter box But I'm sure I'll get over it
I don't get very much on prescription regarding gluten free foods and the cost is extortionate .

Much the same these days RRB, but as a student I had to rely on it as I had no other way of affording it. It was that or eating Gluten

 

[CarbsRok]

I was amazed to see on TV this morning that the NHS is spending over £20 million on prescriptions for gluten free bread & pasta for people that can't tolerate gluten. One woman defended it by stating they were a staple part of the diet. Obviously not so because most diabetics get by perfectly well without them. A waste of resources. If people want to eat them then they can buy them themselves?

Perhaps you need to do a coeliac shop and see what you have left over by the end of it.
As @Engineer88 states £3/loaf if beyond many peoples pockets. Pasta yep quite agree if you like it buy it as not that expensive.
But to make a sweeping statement as you have done without any understanding of the condition is hardly fair
It's a bit like a non type 2 saying you got the condition it's your fault so why should the NHS pay for your meds?
Obviously the well informed know this isn't correct.

 

[bobrobert]

I think you have no understanding of the situation. Px are not available to those who are intolerant only diagnosed Coeliacs which is an autoimmune condition like type one. A lot of type 1's have Coeliacs as well, and many more have other linked autoimmune conditions. I have 4.

They ARE a staple of the 'normal' diet. Do you know how a child would get by without carbs? Would you say that's an appropriate diet for a child who is already left out of mot social situations involving food? not to mention the after affects of eating gluten which are awful (cramps, diarrhea, failure to thrive, obesity, headaches, nausea, depression, Cancer and malnutrition plus more)

I'm really annoyed that you have such a negative attitude to the ONLY treatment available to a condition which can and does kill people. At least diabetics have meds available.

My point was that people in this country do not have to eat bread and isn't imo a staple part of the diet. As a diabetic you know that there are plenty of other sources of carbs other than bread. Is £20 million spending on bread worth it when there is so much other problems needing money spent on it. Your annoyance is imo out of place.

 

[lovinglife]

I can't see any problem, I don't know much about it but I understand it's a medical condition and like any medical condition Perscriptions are there to help manage it. I know some of us choose to eat low carb for our diabetes but in the risk of being shot down that is in fact in part a lifestyle choice.

I have seen the free from ranges in the supermarkets and agree the price is scandalous- also pre diabetes era I picked up some free from crumpets by mistake and have to say the taste wasn't all that great!

I may be wrong here but do celiac get free prescriptions or do you still have to pay? Either way I have no problem with anyone getting what they need.

I have an exemption card because I am on meds for T2, now I also get free perscriptions for everything even all the things I use for my psoriasis- something I always had to pay for for the last 30 odd years. Now that has never sat well with me although I am grateful for it having a small income.

Oops went slightly into rant mode there lol

 

[catherinecherub]

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/gluten-free-diet-and-lifestyle/prescriptions/

 

[Engineer88]

My point was that people in this country do not have to eat bread and isn't imo a staple part of the diet. As a diabetic you know that there are plenty of other sources of carbs other than bread. Is £20 million spending on bread worth it when there is so much other problems needing money spent on it. Your annoyance is imo out of place.

Try telling that to a single parent family who's 5 year old is coeliac. Or as I mentioned a student without the support of a GF script would leave them in very sticky position. Do you actually have any idea what has gluten in it? or the fact the money you are referring to in a large part isnt being spent on bread but actually flour (£1.70 a BAG)?

You're Ignorance IMO is out of place. you should have more empathy for those who are unfortunate enough to have a specialist diet.

Its not a free px @lovinglife unless you have an exemption as some do. Thanks for your much more helpful comments.

 

[Engineer88]

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/gluten-free-diet-and-lifestyle/prescriptions/

Not all of this stuff is available everywhere and often if it is you (trust me!) wouldnt want to eat it FYI

Thanks for the post though @catherinecherub

 

[Robinredbreast]

My point was that people in this country do not have to eat bread and isn't imo a staple part of the diet. As a diabetic you know that there are plenty of other sources of carbs other than bread. Is £20 million spending on bread worth it when there is so much other problems needing money spent on it. Your annoyance is imo out of place.

borobert are you Coeliac ?
I don't think annoyance from engineer or myself (if I am included), is out of place.
People in this country ( or any other ) don't have to smoke, take illegal drugs, drink alcohol, constantly eat junk food, but they do. So who pays for their possible treatment in rehab, in hospital, specialist clinics etc ??
As Marie Antoinette is supposed to have quoted 'Let them eat cake' ( but it was probably down to the French nobility) but as I don't eat cake, I eat a little bread from time to time.erm, gluten free bread that is........

 

[bobrobert]

I have no problem with prescriptions for drugs but a food that most diabetics don't eat and possibly don't miss I find strange. I am wondering if there are some diabetics eating bread - which is known not to be good for them - and benefiting from the subsidy? Cancer drugs not being prescribed because of the lack of money as well as other important drugs. You should see this in the context of what I am stating.

 

[phoenix]

Another link to the Coeliac website; this time an answer to the dreadful Daily Mail Article from yesterday
https://www.coeliac.org.uk/about-us...-to-the-daily-mail-and-others-on-gluten-free/
They point out that at around £180 per annum per person with Coeliac, it is one of the cheapest treatments for a long term condition in the NHS.
And yes, I'm a diabetic and I eat some bread, and I have good control. I don't have coeliac though and for that I am grateful . Unfortunately coeliac and T1 are often associated with the same genetic variations so many people have both conditions.

 

[bobrobert]

Not all of this stuff is available everywhere and often if it is you (trust me!) wouldnt want to eat it FYI

Thanks for the post though @catherinecherub

borobert are you Coeliac ?
I don't think annoyance from engineer or myself (if I am included), is out of place.
People in this country ( or any other ) don't have to smoke, take illegal drugs, drink alcohol, constantly eat junk food, but they do. So who pays for their possible treatment in rehab, in hospital, specialist clinics etc ??
As Marie Antoinette is supposed to have quoted 'Let them eat cake' ( but it was probably down to the French nobility) but as I don't eat cake, I eat a little bread from time to time.erm, gluten free bread that is........

Hopefully that the gluten free isn't subsidised? I am truly amazed - not apologizing - the feedback from a few members. I have obviously trod on the toes of a few who are getting the subsidy? There will be cuts in spending in the next few years in the NHS. Which cuts would the members support.
Cuts to cancer drugs?
Cuts to diabetic drugs?
Cuts to heart drugs?
Or cuts to bread subsidy's?

 

[catherinecherub]

I have no problem with prescriptions for drugs but a food that most diabetics don't eat and possibly don't miss I find strange. I am wondering if there are some diabetics eating bread - which is known not to be good for them - and benefiting from the subsidy? Cancer drugs not being prescribed because of the lack of money as well as other important drugs. You should see this in the context of what I am stating.

You seem to be coming at this debate from the perspective of a Type 2 diabetic on a low carb diet who does not have coaliac disease.. Not all sufferers of coeliac disease are diabetics and these include babies, children and adults. Not all diabetics follow your eating plan either.

You obviously do not eat bread but does that mean that nobody else should because you say so? There are plenty of diabetics who do eat bread, albeit in smaller quantities than the general population and can manage their diabetes successfully.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that requires careful handling and gluten free products are available on the NHS. You cannot decide who gets treatment and who does not, it is not your remit. In an ideal world the NHS would have enough money to treat all patients at the highest level of care. There isn't enough money.

Your subjective argument is weak because possible you do not understand coeliac or because you think that nobody should eat bread.

 

[lovinglife]

Any coeliac who getting food stuff on prescription is getting it because they are entitled to it, just like ANY treatment for anything be it cancer, heart disease, COPD, obesity, asthma, alcoholism etc etc the list is looooong. The NHS is there for everyone, as a T2 who has to listen and read on a daily basis how it's my own fault and I'm costing the NHS thousands etc I have every sympathy for people with this condition. Treatment and medicines don't just come in bottles of pills!

It must be kick the coeliac month, anyone who is unlucky enough to have this and T2 your shins must be sore!

 

[CarbsRok]

Hopefully that the gluten free isn't subsidised? I am truly amazed - not apologizing - the feedback from a few members. I have obviously trod on the toes of a few who are getting the subsidy? There will be cuts in spending in the next few years in the NHS. Which cuts would the members support.
Cuts to cancer drugs?
Cuts to diabetic drugs?
Cuts to heart drugs?
Or cuts to bread subsidy's?

It's not a subsidy I can assure you for many esp the unwaged or very low income people who's life depends on being gluten free the items are a necessity. People who pay for their prescriptions though end up paying over £8 per item if they do have anything on prescription.

If that's your attitude perhaps if you are on meds for anything then pay for your meds out of pocket.
A normal loaf of bread is about 99p I believe, specially manufactured bread costs £3 so yes it's a good idea for help to be given so that people can be compliant regarding very specialist dietary requirements.