Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

When A Loved One *might* Be Celiac


cdog7

Recommended Posts

cdog7 Contributor

I'm just wondering how far you should go to try to get someone you love tested, when you suspect they might be celiac, but their potential symptoms are not totally obvious.

I'm celiac and have been gluten-free for years, and while I'm all for spreading knowledge, I also don't want to become pushy or unrealistic, or impose my circumstances on others needlessly. My boyfriend's family has osteopenia, and he has psoriasis. I've seen him get stomach pains, or complain about feeling bloated after eating a sandwich, but he can always dismiss it as 'just gas'. He gets frustrated trying to find a treatment that will help his psoriasis, and of course I noticed the recently published study showing a genetic connection between psoriasis and celiac. I mentioned it to him, and he said he may try a gluten-free diet for a few days to see what happens. Which is great, but of course only if he's really following it, and not just 'cutting down' on gluten (which I imagine is tempting when you're uncertain it's a real problem).

He's very understanding and helpful with me, very careful and concerned about my getting glutened, but I know he really, really doesn't want to have the same diet! Just like me in the past, he loves beer, bread, pasta, all things gluten, and would happily eat them three meals a day (though he sacrifices it when we cook together at home). I guess my fear is that he has set out to rule out celiac, rather than really look into whether he has it. Because I know I was in denial before my symptoms got bad. I just want him to have a long, healthy life


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



frieze Community Regular

I'm just wondering how far you should go to try to get someone you love tested, when you suspect they might be celiac, but their potential symptoms are not totally obvious.

I'm celiac and have been gluten-free for years, and while I'm all for spreading knowledge, I also don't want to become pushy or unrealistic, or impose my circumstances on others needlessly. My boyfriend's family has osteopenia, and he has psoriasis. I've seen him get stomach pains, or complain about feeling bloated after eating a sandwich, but he can always dismiss it as 'just gas'. He gets frustrated trying to find a treatment that will help his psoriasis, and of course I noticed the recently published study showing a genetic connection between psoriasis and celiac. I mentioned it to him, and he said he may try a gluten-free diet for a few days to see what happens. Which is great, but of course only if he's really following it, and not just 'cutting down' on gluten (which I imagine is tempting when you're uncertain it's a real problem).

He's very understanding and helpful with me, very careful and concerned about my getting glutened, but I know he really, really doesn't want to have the same diet! Just like me in the past, he loves beer, bread, pasta, all things gluten, and would happily eat them three meals a day (though he sacrifices it when we cook together at home). I guess my fear is that he has set out to rule out celiac, rather than really look into whether he has it. Because I know I was in denial before my symptoms got bad. I just want him to have a long, healthy life

sb2178 Enthusiast

Yeah, I'd work on pushing for testing. I'm working on my Dad now-- mom's feeding him gluten-free food when she's home but then he goes and has a beer with dinner. *sigh* So neither potential bloodwork nor a diet trial would work now! I think I may give him the genetic test for Christmas, and then he can decide what to do from there. (No health insurance, or I'd give him a co-pay... or two.)

But there is a line between being too bossy and providing relevant information and support. I haven't crossed it, but to some extent I think that unless the person is miserable enough, most people won't do anything no matter how much information you provide. Depressing as it may be.

scarlett77 Apprentice

This hits home with me too. Our son is confirmed Celiac and looking at our family histories it could have come from either or both of us. Until recently I've thought it more than likely that he may have it and I'm pretty darned sure there are a few people in his family with severe stomach/bowel issues that have it. We did pass along the info to all the family when we got the results so that they can test if desired. Neither hubby or I have gotten tested yet due to financial reasons and lack of medical insurance. I would like for us both to get tested though. I suspect that he may be Celiac but I'm not ruling out myself. I don't know that even if he did test positive that he would strictly follow the diet 100% of the time. I made our home gluten free and since we are broke 9 times out of 10 we are eating a gluten free meal at home. At least I can control that aspect. But no matter how much I love him I can't MAKE him do anything.

As for me...I was eating gluten-free until recently. I went back to work full time and have had the occasional doughnut and have recently been eating cup o'noodles because it is a cheap lunch. I don't know if it is the salt content, stress, or what but I have noticed since doing this I am definitely more bloated and getting more headaches. Guess we won't know until I am able to get us tested.

cassP Contributor

OMG- i COMPLETELY relate... i have been obsessingly worried over my family- wanting them to get tested... problem is most of my family is pretty gluten free or gluten lite- so they would probably get false negatives. except my Dad- he STILL eats reg. pasta everyday- i want him to get a blood panel NOW while he's still eating enough gluten- but he's SO stubborn.. (and frankly my family is sick of hearing me go on about it)... but this upsets me so much-> my Dad has AT LEAST one DQ 8, and he's already had cancer AND an Angioplasty- Gluten could very well be the culprit- but he brushes me off.. and instead harrasses me that i need to get on a statin <_<

there's heart disease, gut issues, AND some dementia in my extended family- and it's so enraging that our health care system doesn't take this seriously :angry:

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      126,153
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    PACIII
    Newest Member
    PACIII
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.9k
    • Total Posts
      69.2k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Yes, Yaya, it is possible to develop vitamin D toxicity with overdosing since it is a fat soluble vitamin but the dosage needed to get to that point is much larger than was thought years ago. Years ago, doctors were very cautious about D supplementation but more recently the medical community has relaxed their caution as it proved to be overdone. Individual practitioners are not always up to date on everything and sometimes are operating on dated information.
    • Yaya
      Kitty, Be careful with massive transfusions of D, it's dangerous per my cardiologist.  Your note made me confirm and he's right.  I found this article called:  Too much vitamin D may harm bones, not help - Harvard Health The study was released on Dec 1, 2019 · and appeared in the Aug. 27 issue of JAMA which found that, compared with people who took moderate amounts of vitamin D, adults who took large amounts daily not only didn't see additional gains in bone density, but in some cases ended up worse off.  I especially must be careful because, like many Celiacs, I have low bone density.  I have been taking Prolia shots for about 5 years.   Also there is such a thing as vitamin D toxicity per my cardiologist.  That's why he carefully monitors my #s and wants me to raise levels slowly.   Take care.  
    • knitty kitty
      Oh, @Yaya! Five years???  How awful for you to suffer so long! My Vitamin D came up in a matter of months.  High dose Vitamin D has been used in the past to correct rickets and is a safe method to correct Vitamin D deficiency.   I took 1000 IU several times a day, every day for several weeks.  I ate them like m&m's when I was severely deficient.  My brain craved them.  I felt so much better afterwards.  On maintenance dose now.  Yes, the craving went away as my level reached 80-95.   Ask your cardiologist about supplementing with.Benfotiamine.
    • knitty kitty
      @CeliacPsycho246, My OCD symptoms resolved after I took supplements of the active form of Pyridoxine B6 called P5P and L-Theanine, an amino acid.   Pyridoxine B6 is absorbed from foods or supplements and then must be changed to its active form.  P5P is the active form.  Inflammation and malabsorption can impede this process.  Taking the active form is beneficial because it is ready to be used immediately.   L-Theanine is a natural amino acid that helps immensely with anxiety.   Together these two supplements really work to relieve OCD. I like Life Extension brand of P5P, but there are others that are labeled gluten free, too.  L-Theanine is found in chocolate, but as much as I love chocolate, Theanine  supplements work better.   Hope you are open to trying these as a stop-gap until your doctor's appointment.  Keep us posted on your results.
    • Scott Adams
      You can search this site for prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
×
×
  • Create New...