kerrih's Blog

I previously had not heard of a connection between celiac disease and TB, but I have a friend who has celiac disease and has recently been having TB-like symptoms. He's going for several test this coming week, but I think he is expecting to have cancer rather than TB.

But his condition and your question made me wonder, so I did a quick search and here is what I found:

"The risk for celiacs developing an active tuberculosis infection they say is four times more likely than in other people."

Open Original Shared Link

Thanks for the great info.! There is no telling where I got the stuff. I am not active at this time and I need to get on the INH treatment real soon!
Kerri

Hi, I also wanted to mention that I am a healthcare provider.  I gave up gluten 2 years ago, after years and years of poor, unexplained health issues.  I have not had a positive gluten test result but found that I noticed a tremendous improvement of my unexplained symptoms, giving up gluten.  This week, I had the TB skin test, for my job.  After the test, I had a splitting migraine- type headache, joint pain, extreme fatigue. I also had a weird burst blood vessel in my finger, for no reason. The next day, the GI symptoms started, with cramps and diarrhea.  These are the same symptoms I get, when I take gluten.  Today, the final symptom occurred: unexplained depression and more GI symptoms.  My TB skin test was negative.  My symptoms were not. 

4 hours ago, Iam said:

Hi, I also wanted to mention that I am a healthcare provider.  I gave up gluten 2 years ago, after years and years of poor, unexplained health issues.  I have not had a positive gluten test result but found that I noticed a tremendous improvement of my unexplained symptoms, giving up gluten.  This week, I had the TB skin test, for my job.  After the test, I had a splitting migraine- type headache, joint pain, extreme fatigue. I also had a weird burst blood vessel in my finger, for no reason. The next day, the GI symptoms started, with cramps and diarrhea.  These are the same symptoms I get, when I take gluten.  Today, the final symptom occurred: unexplained depression and more GI symptoms.  My TB skin test was negative.  My symptoms were not. 

You are responding to a really old blog, so the data is doubtful.  There is a link between TB and celiac disease.  Both can cause villi intestinal damage.  So can a milk intolerance or Crohn’s Disease.

Open Original Shared Link

This current study indicates that pediatric Celiac Disease patients who have active celiac disease might be more prone to TB due to malnutrition, etc.  However, the goal of the study was in see if the TB test would work in celiac disease patients.  The TB test was safe.

Open Original Shared Link

I recently took a TB test.  It was negative for TB and I have healed from celiac disease based on repeat intestinal biopsies.  There is no gluten in injectible meds.  Of course gluten can be found in oral medications (rare though).  It is used to bind the medication to make a solid pill.  You would not want anything to bind up in your veins or under your skin! 

I do not doubt your symptoms.  Perhaps the TB test triggered a different immune response.  Perhaps you have another autoimmune disease, were cross contaminated recently, or picked up a virus at the clinic.  Anything is possible, but triggering celiac disease with TB skin Test is probably not the cause of your symptoms. 

I hope you figure it out.   I wish you well.