Perspective

Hi honey, I'm new here too, but also new to the celiac world. It's funny that you mention this problem you're having because I just watched a video today that seems to correlate with your problem. I'll post it here, and just hang in there. She's very articulate and describes what was happening to her really well. Here it is:

I have always had hypoglycemia, (low blood sugar). They tested me a loooong time ago and I almost passed out during testing. As I have recently discovered I have a problem with gluten I noticed certain things changing when I removed the gluten. One thing was that I no longer had the huge hunger cravings accompanied by the hypoglycemia episodes I would have. In fact, I had no shakes, no mood swings, no nothing. My conclusion: my blood sugar stablized.

Well, this girl talks about reactive hypoglycemia, which is where she would feel awful AFTER eating, especially after eating gluten.

Anyway, I see nothing wrong with cutting out gluten for 30 days to see how you feel, and the re-introduce it to see how you feel after. You will learn a lot. This is how I discovered I have a problem with it. However, you might want to get your blood sugar checked before hand, and obviously just discuss all this with your doctor to see if anything else is going on.

(I see you've had the blood sugar fasting... sorry about that... still makes me wonder!) Would still think about what this girl has to say and try a gluten-free challenge.
Good luck to you! :-)

It took 7 years before I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. I even had an Indian doctor, who was filling in at the time, tell me that the pain I had was because I had experienced pre-marital sex. I should go to Jesus for forgiveness and I would be healed. This was a leading clinic in Atlanta, Georgia! I was raised in the church. No amount of prayer stopped the progression of pain I have experienced through the years.

I went to Dr's for years until finally my family Dr. told my OBGYN to schedule an exploritory surgery, or HE would. I was in the next Monday. They found the problem.

After 5 years of being married and complaining about such terrible pain during menstruation and other problems, my husband never believed me really. In a panic and in more pain than I could stand anymore, I drove myself to the emergency room, crunched over the wheel the whole way. They sent me home with a valium. Finally, several months later an OBGYN did a surgery. He discovered that my bladder, colon, right ovary, stomach, uterus, and gall bladder were all bound together by adhesions (thick scar tissue)and my colon was almost completey constricted. Every time I had my menstrual cycle EVERYTHING burned and pulled because of this. Only then was my husband a bit understanding when he found out what was really going on. On top of this, Endometriosis.

I am just discovering the links to gluten. I have discovered how good I can feel without gluten and they are testing me for this. Along with pains of all kinds in my body, arthritis pain, extreme exhaustion, swelling, constant bowel problems, infertility, and a lot of endo pains, what amazes me most of all; I still go to work every single day and work my butt off. It sucks, but I do it. What sucks even more is the silent suffer. No one even really knows or can even comprehend how much pain you actually have to put up with, how much you really have to do in order to function. But you do it. You just do.

Heartfelt sympathy for your infertility and other suffering. I hope you will keep experiencing better health. Children are blessings. I had one known misscarriage, 5 successful births followed by 12 years of infertility and 2 adopted children

*****

YOU must be one amazing woman! It breaks my heart that people don't speak more freely about infertility. Women need to hear and know they are not alone. I have never had a child, but know that just because you have had one, or even five, it doesn't stop the sting of infertility any less. And just because you have had five and adopted two, the one that didn't make it is just as close to your heart as the others in one way or another. We looked into adoption and went through classes as well. I learned a lot listening to the voices of adoptees. For a lot of reasons, adoption was not the right path for us at that time. We have gone through a foster care program here in the Netherlands. It is wonderful to have been accepted and one day have the privilege to help a child and a family in need. I know that I first need to close this door though. We are hoping that through Egg Donation we will have two embryos to replace and have a successful pregnancy. Any embryos that are left over/ frozen, we want to donate to another couple. This is our hope. When we are ready, we would love to foster a child.

A benefit of having all of these "problems", searching and research, infertility etc... it sure helps you become aware of the world. It makes you more compassionate, understanding, and empathetic to everyone. That's the positive side of things.

Welcome to the board.
While doctors don't really know why we have trouble concieving and are more likely to miscarry I have never heard of undiagnosed celiac causing birth defects. It is however genetic so if you have gluten issues you should keep an eye out with your future children to make sure that if celiac is triggered in them you can get them on the diet.

I also had trouble with concieving. Didn't use birth control for over 10 years and was told I would never have children. Somehow even on gluten I managed to carry two children to term and they were healthy. They did however inherit the genes for celiac and were diagnosed after I was.

It sounds like you are doing well gluten free. Do get the vitamin and mineral panels done that were suggested and hopefully you will have a little one in your arms at some point down the road.
Doctors are so clueless about celiac but you have figured it out and should have many healthier and happy years ahead of you.

Thank you ravenwg for sharing your experience with infertility/fertility and celiac. It is comforting for me to say the least. I will definitely have the immunologist check everything, as we are on the top of a list for an egg donor.

For information on birth defects relating to Celiac Mothers, I would say it is inconclusive, though something to ponder. Here are the a couple of sites I have found: http://www.healthcom.../symptoms.shtml

http://www.wellsphere.com/celiac-disease-article/baby-bites-registry-seeks-to-link-celiac-disease-to-birth-defects/17594

Just the beginning. :-)

Sorry to hear your story. I know how hard it is.

Just in brief - I had 2 early miscarriages before my 1st child and 6 before my second.

I have only just discovered I am celiac, and it explains so much.

My experience was that when I was eating well and doing what I could to reduce stress my body finally held the pregnancies.

I am really thinking of you, and hope that as your body heals you will find pregnancy possible.

There have been a couple of threads recently which are worth checking out.

Very good luck

I'm so sorry you had to suffer so many miscarriages. People don't really realize how much suffering there really is to it, do they? You never forget. Never. I was just telling my husband tonight that maybe it is a blessing that we never carried full term, or even further than the 4 1/2 weeks, if I have an undiagnosed case of Celiac. I have read that pregnancy in undiagnosed Celiacs is a cause of all kinds of birth defects. Not that I wouldn't love any child God blessed me with, but maybe suffering all these years from infertility have spared the heartache of a the challenges that may come with possible complications for a child. At least now we can make sure I am healthy and a baby will be given the best possible chances.

I don't do too many gluten-free products. Only 3 simple ones I can think of. For the rest, it's veggies, fruit, and bio-meat. Healthy.

Thank you for your warm wishes and kind thoughts!