Celiac Disease Or Difference?

[ravenwoodglass]

Hi All, I have a question. I was diagnosed after 40 years of severe illness. I have a bit of a problem with calling myself diseased at this point. I am healthier than I have been since I was 5 and my symptoms began. I feel strongly that I simply have a genetic difference, I am NOT diseased now but I sure was before I went gluten-free. Does anyone other than me feel this way?

[nettiebeads]

Hi All, I have a question. I was diagnosed after 40 years of severe illness.  I have a bit of a problem with calling myself diseased at this point. I am healthier than I have been since I was 5 and my symptoms began. I feel strongly that I simply have a genetic difference, I am NOT diseased now but I sure was before I went gluten-free. Does anyone other than me feel this way?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I prefer the term disorder

In all seriousness, it is not a disease in the sense of a virus attacking you. In this case disease is an archaic term - there are better terms for celiac disease but the label has been assigned and so I'm sure it will stay.

[FaithInScienceToo]

Unfortunately, yes, I do see this as 'a disease' ...

For the following reasons:

1) My body HAS been damaged...and in ways that will not go back 'to normal'...ADD, and a very poor memory for details, for instance...not to mention the lack of muscles over my lifetime...yes, I can put some muscle back on, but I will never reach my full potential, had I not been damaged by gluten.

2) I know, unfortunately, that I WILL continue to be damaged...as it is IMPOSSIBLE to live 'a normal life' and not end up getting 'poisoned' again...I cannot be a hermit...I HAVE to take chances, yet I rarely do...

I also think it is best for US to keep the label 'disease,' and to not be uncomfortable about it, because it highlights the severity of this...celiac disease cannot be minimized BY US - others need to know it IS a serious problem.

IF there is a drug one day that can be given to children who are genetically tested at birth, to prevent the damage, then 'disorder' would fit.

But, this is just my perspective...

I am 48, had been BADLY sick for at least 20 years before being properly diagnosed, and am gluten-free now since 1/1/05 - perhaps I have years to go before I'll feel 'normal'...yes, I do feel MUCH better...but, I still have lingering symptoms, and I KNOW m brain has been damaged...it is not fun to have to admit to it, but it's what it is...I have a disease, and it's ok. I can deal with it, I am dealing with it.

I live in a disease state when I have gluten in my body...

Just life someone who is in a disease state when they have flu...

BUT, I am damaged...permanently...from gluten.

So, I feel that I 'have' this disease...just like someone has herpes...it doesn't go away...it stay in my body...waiting for gluten...they have a veneral disease...I have an auto-immune disease...

OK...so...that was a bunch of 'free flow thought"...I am tempted to go back and edit...

But, I won't.

I have Celiac Disease....not celiac disorder...

just like a diabetic has diabetes - an endocrine disease...

OK...enough of my 22 cents...

I respect your thoughts about this 'label' of disease...those were mine, based on what I have lived with, and live with now...'disease' seems appropriate, to me -

Gina

[VydorScope]

I perfer the term disease becuase it has a "serious" tone to it that fits. If called it "different" then otehr ppl would tend to think less of it, and treat it more like a choice then a very real, and very serious disease.

Its all about preception.

[celiac3270]

Technically, it is a disease--it doesn't need to have a virus involved--for example, take an autoimmune DISEASE like juvenile diabetes--no virus involved, but it's still an autoimmune disease--likewise is celiac.

Do I think of it as a disease, though? Yes and no, more on the no side. I think so because it is technically and because it damages me. In terms of how I handle it in everyday life--no. I'm normal in every other way except that I eat slightly different food. I think of diseases as being more debilitating (as untreated celiac can be) but in a healthy state I don't think of it as being like a disease. I basically view it as being like an allergy, but with less dangerous short-term consequences.

[Guest BERNESES]

I think of myself as a person WITH celiac disease as opposed to a celiac. Being a celiac, to me is like the difference between being learning disabled and a person WITH a learning disability. I dislike it when someone refers to us as celiacs. We are PEOPLE!