Anyone Else Have A B12 & Iron Deficiency?

[californiagirl]

First of all I'd like to thank everyone here for helping me with all of your suggestions and advice. It has helped me sooo much this last week. I began having noticable symptoms (that interfered with my daily routine) March of last year. My Mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the month prior and her Doctors gave her 11 weeks. So during that time I blew my symptoms off as stress related. My Mother passed away in December and I continued getting worse. I went to see my GP and he said I had Gerd,he gave me some meds and no improvment. I began keeping a food diary. In mid May everything I ate made me sick. Heartburn, severe cramping & diarrhea, fatigue. Last week I had a colonoscopy, bloodwork, barrium test, ultrasound. I have to wait for the blood work 10 days. But my doctor did say that he thought I had Celiac and that I had flattening of the villi. In the first round of bloodwork I was iron deficient and very low in B12 which he said was unusual for a woman. I'm not sure what a lot of that means. Does anyone else have this? I did start gluten-free Saturday. It's really hard,overwhelming at first. So many foods with gluten. Today is the first day I have felt somewhat good in a very long time. But I'm still so tired, very little energy. Thanks again,

[Guest jhmom]

Welcome to the board!

I am sorry for the loss of your mother. I know that is a very hard thing to deal with no matter how old you are. I am glad you did not pass off your health problems as stress, as so many people tend to do. THe gluten-free diet can be VERY overwhelming at first, just hang in there it does get better. Once you really begin to feel a difference in your health it will ALL be worth it!

Browse around the site, there are a TON of helpful links on the site about gluten-free foods, safe places to eat, etc...

I will go ahead and give you a few links:

Open Original Shared Link

Safe & Forbidden Food & Ingredient Lists for Gluten-Free Diets

I am not sure about the resturants in your area but here are some links of places that offer a gluten-free menu and is posted on their website

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[oreyes]

Californiagirl,

Heartfelt comfort for the loss of your mother.

You asked about a deficiency of B12 and iron. My celiac diease was misdiagnosed for seven years and I experieced both of those plus severe anemia. I received three transfusions but still could not get my iron levels up. My stomach wouldn't tolerate iron tablets so I finally had to have an iron infusion. Since then, my levels have stayed pretty normal. With all the diarrhea, my system was absorbing very little nutrition and I'm wondering if you've not experienced the same problem. I've been gluten free for three years now and except for one bad bout that lasted for a couple of month this spring, I've felt great.

Hang in there and don't become discouraged. In the three years that I've been diagnosed there have been so many improvements in food products and restaurants that are gluten-free friendly. I believe this is a diease that's just being discovered by many physicians here in the states. As stated in the previous e-mail, I think you'll find a lot of information on this site and just talking with others.

Take care and good luck. ............Judy

[oreyes]

Scuse the mispelling of the word "disease"...and I did it twice!! Judy

[Meenucat]

I am *not* Celiac, apparantly, but I *do* have a B12 Deficiency - My doctors are not sure what is the cause of the defiency and I have had a normal MRI (of head), Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy...I'm in the process of trying to find out what the heck is going on with my body right now...(I do not have Pernicious Anaemia)

A low B12 level is when your body doesn't absorb B12 either through your intestines or bowel - The Ileum (part of the small intestine) is the part that is effected when you have Celiac, I believe (someone else may want to jump in and clarify this for me)...You may need to get B12 shots or maybe your levels will improve when you are further along on your gluten-free diet - Low B12 with Celiac means that your body is not absorbing certain vitamins/minerals (malabsorbtion) - Good luck to you and I hope you start to feel better soon

[lovegrov]

Both of these deficiencies are QUITE common in people with untreated celiac because you haven't been absorbing things. It's very important to get both back up.

richard