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

My 82 Year Old Father - Symptoms For Years

Smylinacha

Recommended Posts

Smylinacha Apprentice
Smylinacha
Posted

In trying to get myself better I am wondering about others in my family. My dad, for years, has had all of the same symptoms I have had: major weight loss, mood swings, fog, runs to the bathroom after eating (I had that and constipation, it varied depending on the day). He goes to the doctor a lot for his heart and for a bunch of blood work and they all tell him he is totally fine. My mother even went with him once trying to tell the dr to please find out what is wrong. He is so thin it is scary!

So I started with these symptoms for about 5 years now and I finally got myself to a gastro and went gluten free and feel so much better, I just need to gain some weight back.

I tried telling my mom that he should get checked for celiac but she won't talk to him because he just gets mad at her. So in a couple of weeks I am going down to FL to visit with them and to talk to him. He is a drinker - only whiskey and beer and he always feels bad after just one drink and I know gluten is in that. I'm going to have to buy him some gluten free beer when I am down there.

So do you think he could have had this for all these years and nobody has found it? He's never been on a computer, he is "old school" so he won't research anything. Only way I found out I most likely have celiac is by finding this forum and reading all about it and then making an appt with my gastro. Sometimes we have to do our own research and then tell the doctor what we find.

Also on my mom's side of the family they all have bathroom problems, except for my mom.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

He has some symptoms so he could be celiac or NCGI... The problem would be getting him to switch to a gluten-free diet; I can't imagine changing my diet after 82 years... that would be rough.

Good luck!

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

Your family sounds exactly like mine. My father will turn 80 in April and he is also a lifetime drinker. Not so much now as he is on a boatload of meds but he drank heavily his entire adult life. I am the diagnosed celiac in our family and my father is presenting just like I did...classic celiac. I have a double DQ-2 gene, which means celiac is on BOTH sides of my family. I have tried in vain to get his wife to have him tested but my pleas fall on deaf ears. To make matters worse,

my father has "dementia", which is getting pretty bad. I think it is celiac dementia but try telling all the unenlightened ones that.

I have learned that you cannot save everyone. You may have to back off because, sadly, everyone has the right to do as they choose with their health. I have resigned myself to the fact that he will most likely die of untreated celiac. He is so skinny, it's scary. People stare. He has ataxia, lives in the bathroom after eating, dementia, skin rashes and sleeps a lot of the time, especially after eating. Sounds all so familiar. It kills me to see him like this but I am just the daughter and have no control over him at all.

BTW, he is also in Florida. The similarities are kind of funny. There are a lot of people like this out there. Can you imagine the number of elderly people who have celiac and everything is blamed on aging? :( Actually...this is sick......his doctors tell him he is fine too. He is on meds for BP and many other things but he is "fine". Okey, dokey........ :blink:

Smylinacha Apprentice
Smylinacha
Posted
  • Author

Omg Gemini.....people stare at my dad too. My mom has to buy gluten free pasta and bread for me when I get down there so he will he eating it too and we won't tell him....not that he eats much anymore which is so sad. I can't stop him from doing his thing but maybe once he sees how thin I got since the last time I was down there, he will humor me and eat what I eat. Whole food like steak and chicken, fish, he likes salad so all I gotta do is switch up some bread and pasta. He was never into sauces so that will help. Should be interesting. I won't push him though. And I think his Dr is a jerk.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      126,216
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    cboling
    Newest Member
    cboling
    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

    • knitty kitty
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Milarynn,  Welcome to the forum!   Many undiagnosed, untreated Celiac Disease patients have vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  Be sure to have your Vitamin D level checked.  Vitamin D helps prevent bone loss, including loss from the jaw and teeth.   Magnesium and calcium are both important to bone health as well.  Magnesium helps keep the calcium from leaving your bones.  Magnesium helps make life sustaining enzymes with Thiamine Vitamin B1.  Low Magnesium and/or low Thiamine results in muscle cramping.   Thiamine deficiency is found in Pre-diabetes and Diabetes.  Poor absorption of the eight water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C are found in Celiac Disease.  Insufficient Vitamin C can cause poor oral health, resulting in poor gum health such as receding and bleeding gums.  Vitamin C is needed to fight bacteria that cause plaque which causes cavities.  Vitamin C helps rebuild tooth enamel.   I've had jaw muscle cramping, TMJ problems, tooth loss and gum problems.  Do talk to your dentist about having Celiac Disease.  Practice good oral hygiene.  I'm also Diabetic and take Benfotiamine (a form of Thiamine) that helps regulate blood glucose and heal the intestines. Do keep us posted on your test results and your progress!
    • trents
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By trents · Posted

      Milaryrnn, your post is confusing. First, your celiac disease antibody testing is negative. By any chance had you already been on a gluten free diet before the blood draw for these tests was done? That would result in negative antibody testing even if you had celiac disease. Or, had you previously been diagnosed with celiac disease and had the antibody testing done to check for compliance with the gluten free diet? Second, DNA testing cannot be used to confirm celiac disease. 40% of the general population has the genetic potential to develop active celiac disease but only about 1% of the population actually develops active celiac disease. It takes both the genetic potential and some triggering biological stress event in order to develop active celiac disease. Otherwise, the genes remain inactive. High lipase levels would indicate some problem with your pancreas. 
    • More2Learn
      Celiac Maybe a Possibility?

      By More2Learn · Posted

      Thanks, yes, I've gone back and forth.  There is a lot of autoimmune disease in my family, so primarily I was thinking a real diagnosis might be helpful for other family members -- especially as I have two young biological nephews.  I feel like I am at a crossroads, where if I'm going to test now would be the time, since I've been in a less-than-perfect eating period.  I'm either going to just going to use what I've learned in these last few months to purposely never cheat again (obviously there is the accidental glutening situations) or test first, and then do that.  I don't need an official diagnosis so much that if I'm doing well I'm going to sabotage that by then starting to eat gluten again. I'm so glad you said this.  Even from what I've read so far, it makes sense to me that this is a misconception.  But growing up with all kinds of allergies, I can see how, as for the general population it's just easier for everyone to simplify it down to a type of "allergy," people would assume this.  It's just how most people look at allergies and diets and gluten avoidance has been painted as both.  I even see it in my journey to date, when I say I want a gluten free selection at a restaurant and I am asked "is it an allergy?" and it is so much easier just to say yes (even if the answer is actually well, no, it's autoimmune).  Because the "yes" answer is the "this is serious" answer.
    • Milarynn
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By Milarynn · Posted

      Hello. I recently had an endo/colonoscopy and my GI Dr found lymphocytes in my stomach and small intestine. My TTG Ab, IgA was <2 (normal), GLIADIN (DEAMINATED) IGA at 5 (negative), and IgA at 237 (normal). However, a Lipase test revealed my levels were through the roof at 201, 3x above normal. My GI doctor ordered a dna test to confirm Celiac Disease. An A1C test was also done and I am pre-diabetic. When I got home from work today, I started to feel sever cramping in my jaw muscles. I started to have jaw muscle cramps in the the last year. Not to mention, even with good oral hygiene, I have rapidly developed periodontal disease. I did have a small amount of gluten, thinking it wouldn’t harm much but I was sadly mistaken. DNA results should be back in 2 weeks. 
    • kopiq
      starting to heal, vitamin d deficiant but cannot tolerate vitamins. what to do? also multiple ongoing issues.

      By kopiq · Posted

      I also have food particles left on toiet paper when i wipe and my stool is light yellow not absorbing fats. I urinate about 15 times a day and have very sticky snot,dry throat.
×
×
  • Create New...