Flaykee

Sorry, me again.  I have to meet with the specialist for my endoscopy next week.  Is there anything I should ask about taking supplements?

 

I am already prescribed iron pills and B12.  Should I ask about taking other vitamins?  A probiotic?  Enzymes? 

 

I normally suffer from constipation and a myriad of digestive issues.

 

Thank you for your assistance!

Well, I was off gluten for about 4 - 5 weeks, then got the letter to go for my endoscopy and go back on gluten.  So I've been back on for just over 2 weeks.

 

My family doctor diagnosed me back in January based on my symptoms, family history and the tell tale positive blood  panel.  She was going to order an endoscopy to check on damage due to the years of reflux but it can take months to see a specialist in Northern Ontario.  Sure enough, the appointment notice came back for June 11.  That was six months away, but no mention of going back on gluten. 

 

Then in late February, I got a new letter... the specialist (GI) reviewed my case, scheduled me in for March 21 and was directed to go back on gluten.  Almost like a reprieve, eat the foods I would forever have to stay away from!

 

The first few days were horrible.  I suffered heartburn and indigestion, bloating, gas,a fullness from my throat to my bowels.  Blah.  Then the joint pain started, the stairs are again hard to navigate normally, step by step again.  I want to sleep all the time, but when I'm in bed, I toss and turn and start the nightsweats.  My face has returned to the vibrant red that I was so happy was gone!  Headaches are oh so wonderful!!  Geez, I'd almost forgotten about that numbness that showed up once in awhile on my cheek!  And the list of symptoms goes on...  I made a comment to my husband that I can't wait to go gluten-free again but I vowed to perservere until the endoscopy. 

 

HOWEVER, I went out of town last week and forgot to take my iron pills.  I was still eating gluten foods but my stomach felt somewhat better.  Still some bloating but a lot of gas,  heartburn and indigestion, but is less intense. LOL there are times I'm afraid to walk or move suddenly for fear of a gas slippage, thankfully so far it's only happened when I've been alone or only in front of hubby  !   I haven't taken the iron pills since last week but am wondering if maybe they've been contributing to my intestinal discomfort.  In the past, I've taken them with food, without food because I suspected a correlation.  I keep wanting to take one, just to see but I'm afraid of getting that awful intestinal feeling again.  I can tolerate the lessened intensity of the symptoms because I know it's only temporary until my scope is done.

 

All other symptoms are getting worse though, like the joint pain.  And for some reason, even being on gluten, my bm's have changed.  I have been a sufferer of constipation.  Now I am going a lot, not diarhea, but loose(more foamy), urgent and not pleasant aromatically!  This is gross I know, but when I have a bm at work, I am embarrassed and hope no one else has to go after me... and I am always multiple flushing to clean the residue from the toilet bowl.

 

I don't think being off gluten for just over a month will show significant healing because I went years believing something was wrong based on my deteriorating health, but doctors could never find anything, nor would they even consider I was celiac...weight gain isn't celiac related, so they said!

 

I'm hoping my scope shows villi damage and nothing else wrong!  And maybe tomorrow I'll try the iron pill and take it from there.

 

And that's just me needing to share, discuss, vent.  Hubby must be getting tired of me going on and on about this "celiac thing" and I think I need to "talk" with people who understand, can relate. 

 

And for that I say thank you!  Thank you for this wonderful forum and the excellent information and sharing of experiences!  This forum has become my reading material... Who needs "Fifty Shades of Grey" when this is better reading for us celiacs?   

I was diagnosed in January 2013, so it's a learning experience for me and my family. Hubby has been pretty good at helping me stay gluten-free, a few hiccups but we're getting there.


Went visiting my parents today. My mom is always asking me what I can't eat. My toddler niece offered me a cookie and my mom says, "No, Auntie can't eat that. She'll get sick." So my mom is getting it. She was even asking how she can make me my carrot cake for my birthday!

Then, my dad was asking me more about it....celiac disease, food, symptoms, how long must I have had it before getting tested, if I've gotten sick since "not eating wheat", what all has gluten in it, what gluten is... He gets up, goes into the kitchen and starts reading labels. "Son of a gun, it must be hard, There's so much you can't eat."

It feels good that they want to learn more about celiac disease and are doing their part and aren't just rolling their eyes because it can't be that bad, sort of thing. They know how ill I was before going gluten-free and are happy that I'm visiting more (was almost reclusive before dx because I felt so unwell and could hardly walk)

Both my parents have bad digestive problems, and I'm convinced my mom has undiagnosed celiac (quite a few symptoms), but refuses to get tested. My dad's thinking about it. Wonder if both my parents have celiac disease....double whammy for me

I am in withdrawal! Has anyone seen Mrs. Brown's Boys? It is hilarious! It's on the BBC.

My husband is from Northern Ireland and I lived there for 8 years. One thing he misses is the British comedies. PBS used to have them on at night but they have cut back big time! Thank goodness for the internet! He introduced me to Mrs Brown's Boys a few months ago and I was hooked. Their season ended last week and I am already missing the show lol

If you get a chance to check it out, there are some clips on youtube. I know that British humour takes some getting used to, but it does tend to be a bit more risque and contains so many double entendres!

The show stars Brendan O'Carroll as Mrs Brown and most of the cast are his family. His daughter on the show is actually his real life wife.... lol sound confusing?

But if you like British comedy, this one's a good'un!

When I went to my new doctor about being tested for celiac disease, I was informed that OHIP doesn't cover the cost of the celiac panel blood work. I didn't care because as far as I was concerned, it was worth it. I tested positive. It's still worth the $125.00 it cost. ( Several years ago, when I first brought the idea of me having celiac disease up to my doctor, he said no because I wasn't wasting away. So I trusted this "diagnosis" and continued to have health issues until my health deteriorated drastically last year.)

HOWEVER, it got me thinking. Isn't it better for OHIP to cover this cost than to keep covering costs for related medical issues of those who remain undiagnosed? If I add up all the times I went to the doctor for gastrointestinal issues, severe unexplained body/joint pain, depression, general unwellness, body rashes, miscarriages (possibly related to celiac disease) over the years and the operation to remove my gallbladder , not to mention the prescriptions (sometimes paid by insurance companies if you're lucky to have a plan), it must be in the high hundreds if not thousands. And had I not been diagnosed, I would have continued to make medical trips for some of the prementioned and possibly new symptoms!

I believe that Ontario is the only province in Canada that doesn't cover the cost.

Just my rant for the day