Celiac Disease ?

atamrowski

I have never been tested or diagnosed for Celiac's disease but the more I read and hear about how gluten affects the entire body, I am beginning to wonder myself if I might have a gluten intolerance. As long as I can remember, even as a child, I suffered from digestive distress. I constantly have to go poop and depending on what I eat (lately it feels like anything I eat) upsets my stomach and I have to go to the bathroom. It's not uncommon for me to go potty 3-4 times on a "bad day". In fact, as I type this, my stomach hurts and I feel awful.

I also am constantly tired. I can sleep 8 hours but feel like I slept 4. My back hurts and I ache all the time. I am also overweight (hence is why I am here).

I am wondering if I can try to eliminate as much gluten as I can from my diet, if I can see a change. Has anyone hear suffered from Celiac's disease or have what I explained in the aforementioned? If anything, I don't think it can hurt. Especially if I am eliminating many carbs from my diet.

lin7604

go and get the test, it's just a simple blood test. My son who is 6 just got diagnosed with it in sept and his symptoms were only headaches with the odd tummy ache.

MiCool90

I suggest getting tested before you guess and do damage. It is very important to get on the right diet ASAP as this damage can be irreversible.

Don't guess... see a doc.

nxd10

Get the test. My sister-in-law didn't know she had it until her 50's and she was seriously seriously will before she found out eliminating gluten was necessary.

It's tough to change your diet that radically in the US. Test before you try.

karenwill2

that blood test is not 100%. It only shows if you the the Celiac gene and being severely gluten intolerant can not be tested by the blood. A biopsy is used for that. However, that does not work if you have already quit eating gluten and most of us refuse to go back on it after we get off. Gluten is in everything. After 2 years I just finally figured out that it was in my hairspray and styling products and possibly my shampoo and conditioner. I could not figure out why this rash would not go away.

If you have good insurance go for both of those tests. If not, start eliminating. I am pretty severe so after 3 days, I felt amazing. If I ingest gluten, I am sick within 30 minutes for up to 3 weeks. Apparently topically, it creates a very uncomfy rash on me. My doc said for me to save my money as eliminating the gluten got rid of all my symptoms. Someday I will have the DNA test but my current insurance does not cover it. I will never have the biopsy because I would not survive eating it for a month before hand.

**gluten is listed under other names in styling products-FYI

jesswait

Sounds really similar to what I was like before I stopped eating Gluten. It's definitely worth it to checking with your doctor. It also would not hurt if you just excluded it by yourself for a few days to see how you are feeling. Within the first few days I had more energy than I ever remember having and I have not any sort of digestive issues as long as I (successfully) avoid gluten. Whenever I accidentally consume some I go right back to how I used to feel all the time, and my rash comes back.

Being gluten free is really hard, especially if you go out to eat or travel (and during holidays.) but it's really worth it if that's what has been causing the distress, it gives you your life back. If you find out that you have celiac's or a gluten sensitivity, there is a group here. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/129-gluten-free

karenwill2

I don't know why people think that stopping gluten is bad unless you have to do it. Challenging yes but not bad. Your body does not need wheat, barley or rye nutritionally. You can survive without it just fine. the Celiacs, gluten intolerant and gluten sensitive people prove that daily.

twinketta

It is really simple to avoid gluten.

If you can not afford the tests, then go gluten free for 3 or 4 weeks. You will find that even after a few days your `tummy` probs stop.

If you are a 100% gluten intolerant then you will be really poorly even after eating a little of wheat flour.

atamrowski

Thanks for the info. I don't have any unexplained rashes or anything; just always have stomach issues. I know it could be a million things; gastritis, gallbladder, pancreatis, ect. I am in the process of finding a new GP. My current GP still whips out his medical book even for a sinus infection!

Why would gluten be in hairspray and non-food items?

Clare0116

I have just had a blood test for coeliac disease and it came back negative. A key symptom (which I didn't have) is pale greasy stools). I tried ARLA brand lactose-free milk and cheese for a few weeks and felt some relief from symptoms. Next food trial is to eliminate all foods containing wheat (read the labels!), which I suspect are causing my constant discomfort/ IBS. After removal of my blocked gall bladder 3 yrs ago, I have to choose low fat/ small portions for life and later regret indulgent treats.

tigersword

I have never been tested or diagnosed for Celiac's disease but the more I read and hear about how gluten affects the entire body, I am beginning to wonder myself if I might have a gluten intolerance. As long as I can remember, even as a child, I suffered from digestive distress. I constantly have to go poop and depending on what I eat (lately it feels like anything I eat) upsets my stomach and I have to go to the bathroom. It's not uncommon for me to go potty 3-4 times on a "bad day". In fact, as I type this, my stomach hurts and I feel awful.

I also am constantly tired. I can sleep 8 hours but feel like I slept 4. My back hurts and I ache all the time. I am also overweight (hence is why I am here).

I am wondering if I can try to eliminate as much gluten as I can from my diet, if I can see a change. Has anyone hear suffered from Celiac's disease or have what I explained in the aforementioned? If anything, I don't think it can hurt. Especially if I am eliminating many carbs from my diet.

I'll just say, be wary of confirmation bias. It could also very easily be that you being overweight is causing all of your problems. Aches, pains, digestive issues, and fatigue are all also symptoms of being overweight. If you suspect a disease, get tested, but be aware, gluten intolerance and celiac disease honestly only affect maybe 10% of the global population (yes, I know there are websites that say it affects just about everyone, but those are biased sites trying to push an agenda.)

mrskchris

I had some of the same symptoms that you have. I stopped eating gluten, dairy, and sugar back in May, and my digestive problems stopped. I have had an intolerance to milk for years, but I dealt with it because I loved the taste. I worked out and ate right most of the time but I was having trouble losing weight and felt tired most of the time.

I had test done, and it turned out my thryroid levels were on the low normal range. Under the direction of a nutritionist and a weighloss coach, I have changed my eating habits and become even more active. Every now and then I have a small amount sugar, but I avoid dairy and gluten foods. It was hard at first, but now it's my norm.

Give yourself 30 days of gluten free foods, and see how you feel. You may just have a sensitivity to it and not necessarily have celiac disease.

Clare0116

I'm shocked to hear that you have identified gluten in toiletries, where few people would expect it. It is interesting that you mention a rash in connection with using products and suspect that hidden gluten is the cause. An itchy bumpy rash on my hands and widespread all over body itching plague me and now I'm wondering if it is caused by products I use too.

carrietehbear

I'll just say, be wary of confirmation bias. It could also very easily be that you being overweight is causing all of your problems. Aches, pains, digestive issues, and fatigue are all also symptoms of being overweight. If you suspect a disease, get tested, but be aware, gluten intolerance and celiac disease honestly only affect maybe 10% of the global population (yes, I know there are websites that say it affects just about everyone, but those are biased sites trying to push an agenda.)

This! I had many of the same issues that you had. I also thought gluten and many other things were the problem. Once I started losing weight, my problems went away.

barbaramitchell101

I have had similar symptoms as all of you, but part of it was an intolerance to my generic (dyes, etc) meds...I was tested for gall bladder issues and have been diagnosed with overactive gallbladder, then after an endoscopy I found out I had minor gastritis...when I started adjusting my meds, the stool problem I have had for 10 years corrected itself, and I started to feel better...however since the night before Thanksgiving when I ate some fresh french bread from Walmart, and I've been sick ever since....I have a DR appt Wed so I'm going to ask her for the test or refer me to an allergist...whatever I can get her to do...good luck to you all...

Clare0116

Gall bladder symptoms are SEVERE pain a few inches below your right nipple soon after eating food with a medium to high fat content, followed by HOURS of vomiting. Sleep is out of the question and many people have ended up in the emergency hospital department wondering what is wrong with them. Chronic indigestion is also likely.
Surgical treatment is needed because there is a risk that gallstones may block the bile ducts and cause acute infection making removal hazardous (like acute appendicitis). An overnight stay in hospital and keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic will be booked for you fairly quickly. You'll be left with 5 small scars, which don't hurt much and heal quickly. You can function 'normally' without your gallbladder as the bile will continually drain into your digestive juices. Afterwards (the Docs don't tell you this) you may have chronic diarrhoea and indigestion unless you stick to small portions of low fat food for life.

billsica

My sister has it. I thought I had it, but the Doc said no,
I had to start eating meat to combat the pains. . so by that I am eating less gluten. So, eat more meat?

Easywider

Whenever something doesn't feel all the way 'on'...Consuming more meat is your most viable, probable, solution.

loveisthmovement16

It can't hurt to test it out!
My brother's been that way as well, and we've recently started going gluten free and he's been feeling a lot better.

I read a book on it, and gluten is so so so bad for you.

eatathome

Note that most people really don't need to eliminate gluten in things like hair products if you have Celiac disease as long as you don't ingest them (if you have a gluten allergy, that's a different story). Celiac disease is the flattening of the villi in response to the autoimmune response due to ingesting gluten products; if you have contact dermatitis, something else is probably going on.

That said, I wouldn't use makeup containing gluten, at least not on my lips.

My first blood test was negative and I took it at face value. By the time I had my second my B12 was single-digit, I was having seizures, daily migraines (still have those), but the doctors still insisted I had "IBS" too. Yeah. The second test was positive, but barely. I declined the endoscopy to confirm. I cut out gluten about a year ago and haven't had a seizure since.

My only advice is to do what you think will make you stick to the diet if you need to; in other words, if you're not going to stick with it because you don't have test results backing you up, go ahead and get the test. It's still hard for me to stick with and I "fall off the wagon" every once in a while (and I always regret it). Every time I want a piece of "real" pizza or a "real" bagel my boyfriend starts repeating, "Colostomy bag, colostomy bag. . ."

eatathome

Oh also, many multivitamins contain gluten. I have no idea why, but they do.

larsenfam

I felt So much better after being really strick about being gluten free. You can not be gluten free-ish. It is all in or nothing. I didn't amazingly good until I saw a nutritionist and she took me off of every grain. The weight started coming off quickly then. I feel a thousand % better now. It is not as difficult as you first think. Most restaurants have a salad with a chicken on it with a vinegarette.

If you do get tested, you can not go into the test gluten free. It won't show anything. Eat gluten until you get tested.
On the other hand, if you are positive, you will give up gluten. You might just want to try it for a couple of weeks. You will know right away if it helps. I do think it takes a while for your body to really heal once you stop the gluten. That is why you can not have any gluten.

Gluten is even in makeup and some lotions. It depends on how sensitive you are.
Good luck!!

karenwill2

they use wheat in styling products for sticking power. It is a binder and a thickening agent in food as well as other items. Back to being gluten intolerant or celiac... as I have not taken the DNA test I cannot call myself a Celiac. Only a DNA test makes that name change. I have all the symptoms of a Celiac and it is in my family but that is the rule. I refer to myself as severely gluten intolerant out of respect to the Celiac community.

The current stats that I have heard in the last year is that 1 out of every 100 people are Celiacs and 1 out of 23 are gluten intolerant or sensitive. A lot of people suck down energy drinks to combat fatigue and complain of stomach issues. After 6 months of getting off gluten, my stomach problems are nonexistent. My fatigue/insomnia is gone. My depression is gone. My skin cleared up.

Is this the answer for everyone, no. But honestly it is really really easy to figure it out by not eating gluten. Stick to meat and veggies and you are good to go. Stay away from processed foods. If you need pasta get the GF kind. It is super yummy and my Mom even switched over because she says they taste better. You can find this pasta at most grocery stores. I get mine at Wal Mart. Soy sauce is something to watch out for and all sauces. La Choy is gf if you are dying for some. It is simple and not as pricey as people make it out to be. No McDonalds or Taco Bell type places but you couldn't pay me to eat at those places anyways.

Good luck and try it and see. There is no harm in changing your diet. If you need tips or advice, message me. ***Toothpaste is another item that can get you.

tigersword

It can't hurt to test it out!
My brother's been that way as well, and we've recently started going gluten free and he's been feeling a lot better.

I read a book on it, and gluten is so so so bad for you.

Humans have been eating gluten for thousands of years, care to explain scientifically how it's suddenly bad for you? I mean, I can write and publish a book talking about how dangerous and unhealthy water is for you, that doesn't mean it's true.

atamrowski

I have only heard of gluten and Celiac's disease when Jenny McCarthy talked about it in her book when her son overcame autism from following a GF diet. Now it seems like alot of people suffer from gluten in some shape or form.

I understand that there's alot of misconception about gluten and how it mimics other ailments (ie gastritis, gallbladder disease, pancreatis, GERD). Sure a blood test is simple to do but not practical for many people (especially who don't carry insurance).

I like the fact that potatoes and rice don't have gluten (those are really the only carbs I eat).

FredDoyle

I have only heard of gluten and Celiac's disease when Jenny McCarthy talked about it in her book when her son overcame autism from following a GF diet. Now it seems like alot of people suffer from gluten in some shape or form.

I understand that there's alot of misconception about gluten and how it mimics other ailments (ie gastritis, gallbladder disease, pancreatis, GERD). Sure a blood test is simple to do but not practical for many people (especially who don't carry insurance).

I like the fact that potatoes and rice don't have gluten (those are really the only carbs I eat).

Has there been anyone more ignorant of scientific health issues than Jenny McCarthy? I don't think so.
She wins boob of the decade for more than 2 reasons.

atamrowski

Has there been anyone more ignorant of scientific health issues than Jenny McCarthy? I don't think so.
She wins boob of the decade for more than 2 reasons.


While that might be true of the aforementioned, it doesn't discount that changing the way an autistic child eats doesn't improve their symptoms.

jeme3

I'll just say, be wary of confirmation bias. It could also very easily be that you being overweight is causing all of your problems. Aches, pains, digestive issues, and fatigue are all also symptoms of being overweight. If you suspect a disease, get tested, but be aware, gluten intolerance and celiac disease honestly only affect maybe 10% of the global population (yes, I know there are websites that say it affects just about everyone, but those are biased sites trying to push an agenda.)

This! I had many of the same issues that you had. I also thought gluten and many other things were the problem. Once I started losing weight, my problems went away.

Yep, me too.

Once I started eating clean-er, eating less, and exercising, my digestive issues disappeared, fatigue went away, and many of the aches and pains did as well. My husband will also tell you I don't snore any more, either (Ha. Like I ever did. Pfft.).

Celiac can be a very, very serious issue, and if you think you may have it, get the biopsy test done. I know a family with two kids who are seriously affected, and another woman who wasn't diagnosed until her late 30's who has some horrible, irreparable damage from it.

atamrowski

If gluten is so "bad" for people, why is it an ingredient in so many foods and non-food items? SMH

jesswait

If gluten is so "bad" for people, why is it an ingredient in so many foods and non-food items? SMH

It's cheap and in the US it's highly subsidized (as in corn, which you will also find in almost everything.) http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&progcode=wheat

2KMILLER

Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance are tricky, and Celiacs is actually hard to diagnose. I'll never get tested because I'll never eat wheat again and that's the only accurate way to get a diagnosis. I've had a lifetime of problems, and when I stopped eating wheat, they all disappeared within two weeks. Hives, cystic acne, chronic constipation (we're talking a month or more when I went vegetarian), colitis, chronic fever of unknown origin, malabsorption leading to severe anemia and osteoporosis at 30 (helped by the depo shot), severe chronic congestion, constant stomach pains, bloating of up to 10 pounds in a day, depression, fatigue, almost-daily migraines, lactose-intolerance symptoms, and an extraordinarily weak immune system. I also would get bloody scabs in my hair and a rash along my hairline that disappeared when I switched to gluten-free shampoo and conditioner. I also recently had gall bladder disease with subsequent removal and thyroid problems, both of which are linked to long-term untreated celiacs. Nowadays, I have a "countdown" of symptoms after the smallest amount of wheat ingestion. I can peg it hour by hour, day by day from the moment of ingestion. And no, I didn't test positive for a wheat allergy. And yes, it took 25 years of doctor's visits and $10,000s to figure out what was really going on. I'm so glad I don't have to take 10+ medications a day anymore, though my malabsorption symptoms still seem to linger a bit and I have to supplement but not as heavily as before.

For those that say that this a fad intolerance, it's really not. Most of the world survives on "non-wheat" flours and other staples, like rice, so gluten exposure elsewhere would be minimal, as would diagnoses (who gets a colon biopsy for no reason?). In the world, only European-based foods (on which American food is based) are really heavy on the wheat, with some notable exceptions; Northern Indian cuisine, for example, uses a lot of wheat, but it's not the only flour readily used. With that in mind, the best of my "gluten-free" products are imported from Europe. If it wasn't historically common over there, they wouldn't have such a vast assortment of quality products for it. Remember Marat who was constantly bathing to reduce the inflammation of his skin? Hypothosized to have celiacs. Also, I'm almost certain my German mother had it but she died at 52 after years of battling with anemia and chronic fatigue so we'll never know for sure. Cures for pernicious anemia (which I was diagnosed with years before actually getting a doctor to say that I had "celiacs") abounded in the late 1800's/early 1900's which indicates to me that malaborption issues were common. I may be going out on a limb but celiacs looks like it could be a prime culprit. Just because historically a disease has not had a name attached to it does not mean it didn't exist prior to the naming of the disease. "Inflammation of the bowels" is no longer something we'd see on a death certificate. We have more accurate terms now.

So sorry for the tirade! It's just that I went through so much pain, $$, and false diagnoses to get my real if "unsubtantiated by biopsy" diagnosis of celiacs, that I can't help but feel it is under-diagnosed. And really, will 2 weeks without wheat harm anyone?