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What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease (aka coeliac disease) is a genetic autoimmune disorder where ingesting gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine's lining. This damage leads to inflammation and atrophy of the villi, tiny finger-like projections in the intestine responsible for nutrient absorption. As a result, individuals with celiac disease may experience symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and malnutrition. Over time, untreated celiac disease can lead to more severe health problems, including anemia, osteoporosis, weight loss, and increased risk of certain cancers. A strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, not a wheat allergy. It's also different from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, or sensitivity to gluten.
My Long Journey to Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Like many people, I spent a lot of years, a lot of dollars, and endured many tests and misdiagnoses, before doctors finally discovered that I had celiac disease (also known as coeliac disease or celiac sprue), and needed to eliminate gluten and all gluten-containing ingredients from my diet. Gluten is a protein found in the three main gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye, and barley; and is often hidden in processed foods, and things like soy sauce and beer...[READ MORE about my long and winding road to a celiac disease diagnosis and recovery.]
Gluten-Free Diet
To treat my celiac disease I had to go on a gluten-free diet for life. That meant learning to read food labels to avoid gluten ingredients, and eating a diet of mostly naturally gluten-free foods like meats, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and packaged foods only if they are certified gluten-free or labeled gluten-free, for example gluten-free breads made using gluten-free grains.
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Recent Activity
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- trents replied to NCalvo822's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease10
Newly Diagnosed
Scott Adams makes an excellent point about the possible pending scope with biopsy being the reason you were advised to keep eating gluten, @NCalvo822! You might want to get some clarification about that. What you don't want to happen is to go gluten free and then have to go back on gluten at some point in order to produce valid scoping/biopsy results. -
- NCalvo822 replied to NCalvo822's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease10
Newly Diagnosed
Definitely useful info. Thank you! -
- Scott Adams replied to NCalvo822's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease10
Newly Diagnosed
It's possible that your doctor wants you to do an endoscopy to confirm the diagnosis, and if that is the case that could be why they don't want you to go gluten-free before that procedure is done. Here is more info about how to do a gluten challenge for a celiac disease blood panel, or for an endoscopy: and this recent study recommends... -
- NCalvo822 replied to NCalvo822's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease10
Newly Diagnosed
Hi! Your history is interesting as I see parallels with my history. I too had migraines since childhood, but they run in my family so I didn’t think there could be any connection to the celiac. Also, the migraines have tapered off after menopause. I too have trouble walking in a straight line. And yet another similarity is I have been seeing both a dermatologist a... -
- NCalvo822 replied to NCalvo822's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease10
Newly Diagnosed
Hi! I went to the university here where they have the top doctors. They sent me for an intensive round of lab tests. Once celiac disease turned up, they sent for further lab tests to confirm it. Everything came back positive. The scoping and biopsy I have not had done yet. I thought my PCP was going to refer me to a GI dr to have it done but it didn’t happen. ...
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