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What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease (aka coeliac disease) is a genetic autoimmune disorder where ingesting gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine's lining. This damage leads to inflammation and atrophy of the villi, tiny finger-like projections in the intestine responsible for nutrient absorption. As a result, individuals with celiac disease may experience symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and malnutrition. Over time, untreated celiac disease can lead to more severe health problems, including anemia, osteoporosis, weight loss, and increased risk of certain cancers. A strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, not a wheat allergy. It's also different from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, or sensitivity to gluten.
My Long Journey to Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Like many people, I spent a lot of years, a lot of dollars, and endured many tests and misdiagnoses, before doctors finally discovered that I had celiac disease (also known as coeliac disease or celiac sprue), and needed to eliminate gluten and all gluten-containing ingredients from my diet. Gluten is a protein found in the three main gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye, and barley; and is often hidden in processed foods, and things like soy sauce and beer...[READ MORE about my long and winding road to a celiac disease diagnosis and recovery.]
Gluten-Free Diet
To treat my celiac disease I had to go on a gluten-free diet for life. That meant learning to read food labels to avoid gluten ingredients, and eating a diet of mostly naturally gluten-free foods like meats, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and packaged foods only if they are certified gluten-free or labeled gluten-free, for example gluten-free breads made using gluten-free grains.
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Recent Activity
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- Rhenriksen posted a topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease0
Just diagnosed with Celiac! Scared and feel alone.
In 2023 I had a colonoscopy for blood in stool. Turns out that it was internal hemorrhoids but at the same time they found something near the terminal Ileum and took a biopsy of it. Pathology report came back as lymphocytic colitis. I was not having chronic diarrhea or other types of common symptoms so no treatment was necessary. Shortly after I started having... -
- fritz2 replied to VinnieVan's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff17
Question
I just felt more poorly all of the time. I did notice that on Sundays when we usually had pancakes for breakfast I felt worse but my mom blamed the eggs and milk so we switched to soy and quit using eggs. (this was over 60 years ago). The symptoms changed some, but I still didn't feel very good and the constipation diarrhea cycle didn't change much either... -
- Katya773 replied to Katya773's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease2
Previous Biopsy Results
Hi thank you so much for your input. It’s been very difficult to navigate this whole Celiac thing with everything that’s happened. What you said makes sense. I have a better understanding of how my doctors NP was able to give me a diagnosis. Yes I agree that staying gluten-free is best, I’ve been doing some research and it seems like DQ 2.5 homo... -
- trents replied to Pinkdoglady's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms9
6 week challenge; How much gluten?
Okay, then. It definitely looks like TTG-IGA to me and your score far exceeds the 10x or greater that is becoming the new standard for official celiac disease diagnosis criteria without biopsy. Talk to your physician about this. -
- Pinkdoglady replied to Pinkdoglady's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms9
6 week challenge; How much gluten?
Thank you the reference range was 0.1 to 3.9
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