Jump to content

  • 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

99.999% Sure I Have Celiac

WesternMA12

Recommended Posts

WesternMA12 Newbie
WesternMA12
Posted

Hello everyone, a friend of mine recently sent me an article/video about Celiac disease because she believed I had it. All my life I have been someone who just as "an overly sensitive stomach." When I was younger we used to joke that I'd thrown up in every restaurant in my hometown because when I was younger I used to vomit a lot, mostly after going out to eat. I have always just thought that I just had a sensitive stomach, and that was that.

However, it appears as if symptoms of those with celiac describe me to a perfect T.

-Upset stomach nearly every time I eat and sometimes nausea (regularly)

-Diarrhea everyday, constipation on few days i don't have diarhea

-bloating, gas

-rash on my wrists/elbows

-I was anemic when I was younger and I fluctuate now. I could not give blood the other day.

-Often feeling weak and dizzy

-fatigue even though I sleep about 9 hours a night

Any help here? I am away at school and cannot go to the doctor for another week, but I am becoming very nervous. Thank you!!!!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

That could definitely be celiac. Don't be nervous. If you're celiac, you change your diet around and the lifetime of stomach problems disappears in a few months! Figuring out I was celiac changed my life. I had a "nervous" stomach, IBS, gastritis, and would spend days curled up with a heating pad. That's all gone. My stomach is "cast iron" now as long as I don't eat gluten. It's really nice to have a normal digestive system.

Good luck at the doctor, and do try the diet once you've had the testing done. There are a lot of false negatives and people with gluten intolerance that doesn't show on the tests.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

You do sound like you belong here. If the rash you speak if is blistery, very itchy and leaves long lasting purplish scars you may have DH. You could see a knowledgeable dermatologist and tell them you suspect DH, the skin form of celiac, and request a biopsy for it. Just make sure that they biopsy the skin next to your lesions not the rash itself. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to ask for a celiac blood panel. Do be aware there are false negatives with testing so a strict trial of the diet is needed no matter what the results.

WesternMA12 Newbie
WesternMA12
Posted
  • Author

Thank you guys for the replies! I have a question about the rash, I have gotten this rash in between my elbows every year for about the past 5 as long as I can remember. This is the first year I have gotten it on my wrists as well. This summer I got it REALLY bad on my wrists. I worked at a cafe as well as an ice cream shop and I had to call out from work a lot because you wouldn't want anyone serving you with that kind of rash!

So could it still be celiac related even if it comes and goes? I've had it consistently since summer, but in spurts it gets worse and better although right now it is flaring up.

I am nervous about going to the doctor because it seems lately that being gluten-free is "trendy" which has good and bad implications for celiac people. I'm nervous I will be written off!

Thank you guys for the replies, i appreciate it!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Thank you guys for the replies! I have a question about the rash, I have gotten this rash in between my elbows every year for about the past 5 as long as I can remember. This is the first year I have gotten it on my wrists as well. This summer I got it REALLY bad on my wrists. I worked at a cafe as well as an ice cream shop and I had to call out from work a lot because you wouldn't want anyone serving you with that kind of rash!

So could it still be celiac related even if it comes and goes? I've had it consistently since summer, but in spurts it gets worse and better although right now it is flaring up.

I am nervous about going to the doctor because it seems lately that being gluten-free is "trendy" which has good and bad implications for celiac people. I'm nervous I will be written off!

Thank you guys for the replies, i appreciate it!

The DH rash can come and go. It depends on the person. I was covered with it as a child but by my teens it went down a bit but then flared again in adulthood.

Don't be nervous about asking your doctor for testing. They should IMHO be testing everyone in the country like they do in some European countries. You doctor really should have already offered to test you. Your doctor works for you don't let him or her intimidate you.

You also have the option of just going gluten free, very strictly, and seeing if it helps. You don't need a doctors permission to go on the gluten-free diet. That said if you do go gluten free and decide later you want to be tested you would have to challenge gluten by eating it daily for up to three months and you still might get a false negative on the tests.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I am nervous about going to the doctor because it seems lately that being gluten-free is "trendy" which has good and bad implications for celiac people. I'm nervous I will be written off!

The diet does not require a prescription or even a doctor's agreement. B)

WesternMA12 Newbie
WesternMA12
Posted
  • Author

Very true! Unfortunately, because I am a student at a university I eat at the dining commons and in order to be accommodated for I need a form from my doctor.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Very true! Unfortunately, because I am a student at a university I eat at the dining commons and in order to be accommodated for I need a form from my doctor.

All the more reason to bite the bullet and get the testing done.

shopgirl Contributor
shopgirl
Posted

Wouldn't you rather know so you can start getting healthy? The anxiety you feel could be part of the Celiac itself. Anxiety was a huge symptom for me. It's not always easy being gluten-free but it's better then being sick all the time. Get tested so you can move on. You'll always get plenty of help here. :)

WesternMA12 Newbie
WesternMA12
Posted
  • Author

I know this is probably TMI but I forgot to mention that I have mucus in my stools often. The symptoms just keep coming! Ugh. However, I am worried that it may not be celiac because I am not underweight. I am a very healthy weight.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I know this is probably TMI but I forgot to mention that I have mucus in my stools often. The symptoms just keep coming! Ugh. However, I am worried that it may not be celiac because I am not underweight. I am a very healthy weight.

Not all celiacs are underweight. Some are quite overweight, some are close to average and some are under. I think the mucous is your system trying to protect itself from the gluten. You should mention it to your doctor along with everything else. Make sure that if your tummy wakes you in pain at night that you tell the doctor. That lets them know that you don't just have IBS because IBS doesn't do that.

WesternMA12 Newbie
WesternMA12
Posted
  • Author

Alright I was confused if being underweight was a major symptom of celiac. I have diarrhea so often I am confused as to how my body is absorbing anything.

After posting the photo of my rash in the DH thread and doing some more research I am sure I have celiac.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Alright I was confused if being underweight was a major symptom of celiac. I have diarrhea so often I am confused as to how my body is absorbing anything.

After posting the photo of my rash in the DH thread and doing some more research I am sure I have celiac.

Yea I couldn't figure that out either since I was the heaviest I ever was the last few years before diagnosis and my D was basically constant 24/7. I am naturally a slender person and went back down to my normal weight fairly quickly after diagnosis.

shopgirl Contributor
shopgirl
Posted

I read once that, in some people, if you're not absorbing vitamins and nutrients right, your body goes into a survival mode where it clings to everything you put in it

chasbari Apprentice
chasbari
Posted

I read once that, in some people, if you're not absorbing vitamins and nutrients right, your body goes into a survival mode where it clings to everything you put in it

shopgirl Contributor
shopgirl
Posted

Very much my experience as well. Nobody thought I was ill because I looked "healthy" (ie: overweight!)

Me, too. That's why I was so elated to find that information. The weight fell off when I went gluten-free but the theory certainly makes sense. If I didn't know when I'd be able to get food again, I'd start hoarding it too. I was kind of pleased with my body's (misguided) resourcefulness.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed. Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jordan Carlson's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      Fruits & Veggies

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better. Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor. PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12. Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1. There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine. In Thiamine deficiency, the body...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Inmate with Celiac Disease Wins $630,000 After Jail Denies Gluten-Free Food

    5. trents
      - trents replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      16

      Positive biopsy

      Wow! You're pretty young to have a diagnosis of SMA syndrome. But youth also has its advantages when it comes to healing, without a doubt. You might be surprised to find out how your health improves and how much better you feel once you eliminate gluten from your diet. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that, when gluten is consumed, triggers an...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,019
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Nancy Adams
    Newest Member
    Nancy Adams
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed.   Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    • knitty kitty
      Fruits & Veggies

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better.   Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor.  PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12.  Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the production of digestive juices (stomach acids).  This results in foods not being digested thoroughly.  If foods are not digested sufficiently, the vitamins and other nutrients aren't released from the food, and the body cannot absorb them.  This sets up a vicious cycle. Acid reflux and Gerd are actually symptoms of producing too little stomach acid.  Insufficient stomach acid production is seen with Thiamine and Niacin deficiencies.  PPI's like Tecta also block the transporters that pull Thiamine into cells, preventing absorption of thiamine.  Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are difficulty swallowing, gagging, problems with food texture, dysphagia. Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are symptoms of ADHD and anxiety.  Vyvanse also blocks thiamine transporters contributing further to Thiamine deficiency.  Pristiq has been shown to work better if thiamine is supplemented at the same time because thiamine is needed to make serotonin.  Doctors don't recognize anxiety and depression and adult onset ADHD as early symptoms of Thiamine deficiency. Stomach acid is needed to digest Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in fruits and vegetables.  Ascorbic acid left undigested can cause intestinal upsets, anxiety, and heart palpitations.   Yes, a child can be born with nutritional deficiencies if the parents were deficient.  Parents who are thiamine deficient have offspring with fewer thiamine transporters on cell surfaces, making thiamine deficiency easier to develop in the children.  A person can struggle along for years with subclinical vitamin deficiencies.  Been here, done this.  Please consider supplementing with Thiamine in the form TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which helps immensely with dysphagia and neurological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms.  Benfotiamine helps with improving intestinal health.  A B Complex and NeuroMag (a magnesium supplement), and Vitamin D are needed also.
    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1.   There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine.   In Thiamine deficiency, the body burns its stored fat as a source of fuel.  That fat pad between the aorta and digestive system gets used as fuel, too. Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test to look for thiamine deficiency.  Correction of thiamine deficiency can help restore that fat pad.   Best wishes for your recovery!   Interesting Reading: Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089433/#:~:text=Affiliations,tissue and results in SMAS.  
    • trents
      Positive biopsy

      By trents · Posted

      Wow! You're pretty young to have a diagnosis of SMA syndrome. But youth also has its advantages when it comes to healing, without a doubt. You might be surprised to find out how your health improves and how much better you feel once you eliminate gluten from your diet. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that, when gluten is consumed, triggers an attack on the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestines where all our nutrition is absorbed. It is made up of billions of tiny finger-like projections that create a tremendous surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the person with celiac disease, unchecked gluten consumption generates inflammation that wears down these fingers and, over time, greatly reduces the nutrient absorbing efficiency of the small bowel lining. This can generate a whole host of other nutrient deficiency related medical problems. We also now know that the autoimmune reaction to gluten is not necessarily limited to the lining of the small bowel such that celiac disease can damage other body systems and organs such as the liver and the joints and cause neurological problems.  It can take around two years for the villous lining to completely heal but most people start feeling better well before then. It's also important to realize that celiac disease can cause intolerance to some other foods whose protein structures are similar to gluten. Chief among them are dairy and oats but also eggs, corn and soy. Just keep that in mind.
    • pothosqueen
      Positive biopsy

      By pothosqueen · Posted

      26F!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.