Anyone else here Celiac or Gluten Intolerant?

[fishmommy]

It is Celiac awareness month!

I have been recently diagnosed and have been gluten-free for a couple of weeks.

I am AMAZED and thrilled at how different my heath has been as a result!

Celiac and Gluten intolerance are thought to be very common, and goes UNdiagnosed in over 90% of cases.

I urge you all to educate yourself about these conditions and their symptoms:

• Excess Gas and Bloating
• Frequent stomach pain/cramping
• Constipation and/or Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Frequent headaches
• Excema or other rashes
• "Brain Fog" (caused by vitamin deficiency)
• Anemia
• Extreme Hunger
• The list goes on~

Going on a gluten free diet has changed my life....I just wish I had understood Celiac and gluten intolerance earlier on - I was misdiagnosed as having IBS (very common misdiagnosis~) for about 10 years until going to a family wedding and realizing that 80% of my relatives have the disease and I should go get tested since it runs in families.

Educate
Question
Test
Let the healing begin

[Reptscue]

Actually I think my husband is like this.
What can you eat?????

[fishmommy]

you can eat anything without gluten

all fruits and veggies and meats are fine
rice and buckwheat are fine
they make gluten free bread, pasta, cereals, etc....
so the only time it is a pain in the neck is when you are eating out
and a lot of processed food is off the menu because they add gluten to a lot of things you'd never expect.

the diet isn't that bad once you do it a couple weeks and figure out what brands are ok to eat. joining a gluten-free forum is very useful so you can capitalize on what people have already found out.

the best first step if you suspect a food intolerance is talk to your doctor. some things like celiac should be tested for before starting a diet because the diet interferes with the test results.
truthfully though, many people do the diet first and are so pleased with the results that they just skip the testing and commit to the diet for life.

Be aware that there are many food allergies that can cause GI symptoms...milk and soy are two very common ones. Many people have multiple sensitivities....luckily I only have the one.

[jbt123]

Wow.

I think I might be Gluten intolerant. Almost all of those symptoms, I experience...

In fact, I was diagnosed with psoriasis a few years ago and no matter what I do it will not go away..

* Excess Gas and Bloating
* Frequent stomach pain/cramping
* Constipation and/or Diarrhea
* Fatigue
* Frequent headaches
* Excema or other rashes
* "Brain Fog" (caused by vitamin deficiency)
* Anemia
* Extreme Hunger
* The list goes on~

Dang...is it expensive to get tested? Can any doctor do it or is it a specialized procedure?

[Xeikeness]

Interesting. I know someone who has a lot of those symptoms, too. o.O How does the testing process go, out of curiosity? Is it like other allergy tests?

Now I'm curious, you gotta tell us more. lol

[fishmommy]

I am not a medical expert, and I suggest you google for reputable information on this

I do know there is a blood test for Celiac, as well as a genetic test.
these tests are not perfect though, and further testing can include an intestinal biopsy.
as for general food allergy testing, that is also possible though I am not familiar with the methods.

I suggest educating yourself online and then speaking with your doctor. not all docs will be well versed in these things, so educating yourself will help you know what to ask, what tests are recommended, and what symptoms you should mention to your doctor as part of the discussion.

Many people choose to go on an 'elimination diet' to sort out whether they have food allergies or intolerances. There's lots of info on the web about this sort of thing.

good luck guys
the forum I use is part of this site, Celiac.com - Celiac Disease and Gluten-free Diet Information Since 1995
which has pretty good info on gluten problems and other common food allergies. the forum has a subforum specifically for people with symptoms but no diagnosis yet who are wondering what is going on. good advice there.