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

Possible Gluten Allergy

JAMIELYNN

Recommended Posts

JAMIELYNN Newbie
JAMIELYNN
Posted

I too am one of the many people on here wondering if my symptoms are possible gluten allergies. I had my blood drawn at a GI doctor and am still waiting for results (almost 4 weeks by the time of my appt). My symptoms include; severe bloating and cramping (to the point where I had a hysterectomy last year at the age of 29), gas, lightheadedness, eczema, irritability, PCOS (I had one child with the help of fertility medication and 8 other tries got me nowhere), depression, acid reflux and insomnia. I unlike what I have read about Celiac's am not underweight nor have I lost weight. In fact it is quite the opposite and I seem to keep gaining (probably because of poor diet). My symptoms have increasingly become worse in the last year, but have been going on for a lot longer than that. I travel 90% of the time with my job and am forced to eat out most of the time. I am an auditor and have odd work hours. I live on junk food and have to eat pizza with the staff during my inventories. When my blood tests come back if it is Celiac's are there any suggestions on how to eat better when traveling so much? If it is not does anyone have any ideas on what it could be? I do not know what blood test they ran on me.

  • 2 weeks later...
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Booghead Contributor
Booghead
Posted

It could still be Celiacs with the blood test negative. As for eating out: get Baked Potatoes from Wendys or salads from subway or blimpie, Chilis hasn't made me sick and some Mexican restraunts are very helpful as well. Infertility is a very big symptom of Celiacs, I'm 17 so I haven't had this problem yet ;) Glad you could have one child at least. Eczema could actually be Dermatitis Herpformis which is associated with Celiacs. Irritabily can be a symptom or an outcome of feeling trashy, its hard to be nice when you feel like poop. Pizza is a no no. Though there are some pizza places that make gluten free crust you just have to be careful about Cross Contamination. Grab some Rice cakes or fruit. Lately i've been eating Apples and Bananas like a maniac. lol Don't just rule out celiacs if the blood test is negative. Give gluten free a try. Its not so bad. B)

gfpirate Rookie
gfpirate
Posted

You very well could have an allergy/celiac. The blood tests aren't always accurate, and you could get a false negative. The best thing for you to do is to try the gluten free diet for a month or so, and see if your conditions have improved.

As for food and travel, I would suggest bringing your own food. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always safe, nuts (as long as they aren't proccessed on shared equipment), popcorn is usually gluten-free. Udi's makes gluten-free sandwich bread that is not half bad. You could also try a breadless wrap, I usually take salami and wrap it up with pepper jack cheese, with mayo and sometimes lettuce. You might be surprised at what your local grocer may have... I usually shop at Food Lion and was completely unaware that they had an entire gluten free aisle. Not sure if all locations do, but definitely worth a try.

Celiac doesn't mean you have to stop eating out. Chili's, Wendy's, Chick-Fil-A, and even Taco Bell provide gluten-free options... I've eaten at all three several times and haven't had any issues. You can also always Google the restaurant, as they usually have allergen info online.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,898
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MLucia
    Newest Member
    MLucia
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By Judy M · Posted

      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • 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.