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No E Mass / So Nh - Support Groups ?

lpjourney

By lpjourney
in Meet Up Room

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lpjourney Rookie
lpjourney
Posted

I'm in Chelmsford - I'm wondering if there are any support groups in this area?

Just officially diagnosed with Celiac, have wondered if I might be for a while - no real major symptons - just accaisonal ones, my mother has been dealing with it for about 17 years. I also was started on Type 2 Diabetes oral medication to help keep the blood sugar down and not progress to higher levels. My research has only shown links to Type 1. I requested that my PC doctor run the antibody tests to rule out Celiac - which lead me to be further tested by endoscopy biopsy. So this is my new journey for life.

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munkee41182 Explorer
munkee41182
Posted

Hey neighbor!!!! I'm actually in Lowell. As far as I know there really aren't any support groups in this area...but there are some in Newton I believe. I have to go digging through old emails to find it though :-)

lpjourney Rookie
lpjourney
Posted
  • Author

Hi Jami - I'm Liisa - I know there are more people in the area that are dealing with Celiac - maybe it's time to start one around here. But I wouldn't know the first thing about how to go about doing so.

I'd like to get an idea of those that might be interested in participating.

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, where to get material to share, etc.....

thanks in advance

Laurossi Newbie
Laurossi
Posted

Hi

I am in Bedford. Diagnosed with Celiac 4 years ago by Dr Catherine Cheney of Beth Israel. I am interested in starting a local group.

Lets all put our heads together,

Laura

  • 9 years later...
John B. Newbie
John B.
Posted

hello everyone I am john and I was just diagnosed with celiac. Is there any local support groups in or around the Billerica area I can join and find out more about it.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted
7 hours ago, John B. said:

hello everyone I am john and I was just diagnosed with celiac. Is there any local support groups in or around the Billerica area I can join and find out more about it.

Welcome to the forum John! :)

Try this search:

Open Original Shared Link

Also, we have a "newbie 101" thread for getting started in the Coping With forum section.  This forum is a great place to get information on what to eat and other things that can help.  Think whole foods rather than processed foods.  Foods you cook from scratch yourself are best.  That way you know what's in the food.  Dairy can cause problems for the first several months until some healing happens.  There are lots of gluten-free foods and restaurants now.  But it's best to stick with meats, veggies, nuts and fruits for awhile.  No eating out for 6 months or so.  For a bread sub Mission brand corn tortillas are good and Aldi makes some good gluten-free wraps.  Some people like rice cakes also.  Gluten-free breads are available but should be avoided until you have got some months under your belt.

Cross-contamination can happen when somebody uses a knife or spoon to get peanut butter or some condiment out and then you use the same jar of peanut butter.  Little crumbs do matter to the immune system and it will react, sometimes for months.  So if you are sharing such items with others who aren't gluten-free you need to stop.  Wooden spoons and dishes are too difficult to clean adequately.  Metal is usually fine though.

It's all a steep learning curve at first but it gets easier in time.  We can help you over the rough spots.  We've hit a few of them ourselves.

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    • Scott Adams
      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      The first set of results show two positive results for celiac disease, so at the very least it looks like you could have it, or at the least NCGS.   Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.      
    • Scott Adams
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      Elevated tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA) levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and they are a key biomarker used in its diagnosis. However, there are some rare instances where elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in conditions other than celiac disease. While these cases are not common, they have been documented in the literature. Below are some examples and references to studies or reviews that discuss these scenarios:  1. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)    - NCGS typically does not cause elevated tTG-IgA levels, as it is not an autoimmune condition. However, some individuals with NCGS may have mild elevations in tTG-IgA due to intestinal inflammation or other factors, though this is not well-documented in large studies.    - Reference: Catassi, C., et al. (2013). *Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: The New Frontier of Gluten-Related Disorders*. Nutrients, 5(10), 3839–3853. [DOI:10.3390/nu5103839](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5103839)  2. Autoimmune Diseases    - Elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This is thought to be due to cross-reactivity or polyautoimmunity.    - Reference: Sblattero, D., et al. (2000). *The Role of Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase in the Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease*. Autoimmunity Reviews, 1(3), 129–135. [DOI:10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3)  3. Chronic Liver Disease    - Conditions like chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis can sometimes lead to elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to increased intestinal permeability or immune dysregulation.    - Reference: Vecchi, M., et al. (2003). *High Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: A Role for Gluten-Free Diet?* Gastroenterology, 125(5), 1522–1523. [DOI:10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031)  4. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)    - Some patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may have elevated tTG-IgA levels due to intestinal inflammation and damage, though this is not common.    - Reference: Walker-Smith, J. A., et al. (1990). *Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease*. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 10(3), 389–391. [DOI:10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020](https://doi.org/10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020)  5. Infections and Parasites    - While infections (e.g., giardiasis) are more commonly associated with false-positive tTG-IgA results, chronic infections or parasitic infestations can sometimes lead to elevated levels due to mucosal damage.    - Reference: Rostami, K., et al. (1999). *The Role of Infections in Celiac Disease*. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(11), 1255–1258. [DOI:10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010](https://doi.org/10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010)  6. Cardiac Conditions    - Rarely, heart failure or severe cardiovascular disease has been associated with elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to gut ischemia and increased intestinal permeability.    - Reference: Ludvigsson, J. F., et al. (2007). *Celiac Disease and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study*. American Heart Journal, 153(6), 972–976. [DOI:10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019)  Key Points: - Elevated tTG-IgA levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and in most cases, a positive result strongly suggests celiac disease. - Other conditions causing elevated tTG-IgA are rare and often accompanied by additional clinical findings. - If celiac disease is suspected, further testing (e.g., endoscopy with biopsy) is typically required for confirmation. If you’re looking for more specific studies, I recommend searching PubMed or other medical databases using terms like "elevated tTG-IgA non-celiac" or "tTG-IgA in non-celiac conditions." Let me know if you’d like help with that!
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    • trents
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      By trents · Posted

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    • Jack Common
      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

      By Jack Common · Posted

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