Support & Help

We are going to my sister-in-law's destination wedding at the end of April. It is at the all-inclusive Dreams Macao Beach in Punta Cana. She chose this place specifically for the gluten-free options for me, because she is the best SIL in the world! Has anyone gone here and how was your experience with the food options and gluten-free adherence? 

Hi @Aileen Cregan and welcome to the forum. Looking at the time of day you have posted this, and also your spelling of 'coeliac' i.e. with an 'o', may I hazard a guess that you are in the UK?  I live in England and I too have been told something similar to you.  Here are a couple of posts on the Coeliac UK website which might be an interesting read: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/news/media-today-on-heart-disease-and-gluten-free/#:~:text=The study reports that people,identifies more research is needed. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/news/new-study-finds-association-between-coeliac-and-cardiovascular-disease/ Around the time I had my children, I became anemic.  Looking back, this was when my coeliac disease started to cause symptoms.  From that time forward I started to suffer from 'white coat syndrome' when in a medical setting and continue to do so.  Although when rested and at home my blood pressure is normal, what is interesting is that 'white coat syndrome' is now thought by some to be a predictor of issues in the future. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/white-coat-hypertension/faq-20057792 I take the view that what we all need to do is ensure we are getting all the right vitamins and minerals, eat as many wholefoods as we can vs. processed, keep physically active, and try to keep our weight within the normal BMI zone.   Are you within that range?  A family member who is a doctor says he will not even think of taking a patient off blood pressure tablets until they are back in range.  Which makes me think I need to go on a diet as this is the first time in my life that my BMI is as high as it is.  Life has happened, as they say, and I've eaten too many gluten-free snacks, which I've notice often tend to contain more sugar and fat then their glutenous equivalents!  

I have been a Coeliac for many years and coped really well, but in 2022 I was diagnosed with High blood pressure and still on medication, I have now been advised that Coeliac's are more prone to Cardio Vascular disease has anyone else experienced this?

From what I’ve learned and seen, the body can start rebuilding bone after going gluten-free, but it’s usually a slow process and doesn’t happen automatically or completely for everyone. Once gluten is removed, the gut begins to heal, which helps with absorbing nutrients like calcium and vitamin D again — and that’s what supports bone repair. But how much improvement you get depends on a few things: how long celiac was untreated your age how low your bone density was to begin with whether nutrient levels are fully corrected Some people see gradual improvement over time, while others mainly stabilize and prevent further loss rather than fully returning to normal. In your case, since you were already improving on medication, it might be a mix of both — your body recovering plus the treatment helping. Stopping medication is something your doctor will need to guide carefully, especially with your other health considerations. It’s also worth making sure the basics are covered: calcium and vitamin D levels magnesium and vitamin K weight-bearing exercise So yes, the body can start rebuilding once gluten is removed, but it’s usually gradual and often needs support rather than happening fully on its own.

It sounds like you’ve been really consistent with your health, especially staying gluten-free and keeping up with exercise after everything you’ve been through. That’s not easy. The fatigue and low red blood cell count could definitely be connected to iron, especially with a history of celiac. Even after going gluten-free, it can take a long time for the gut to fully heal, and iron is one of the harder nutrients to absorb properly if the small intestine was affected. A few things that might help (along with what your doctor suggests): Getting a full iron panel done (iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation) will give a clearer picture Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C (like citrus, peppers) can improve absorption Avoiding tea/coffee around meals, since they can block iron absorption If supplements are needed, sometimes gentler forms (like iron bisglycinate) are easier on the stomach Also, that afternoon fatigue you mentioned lines up pretty well with low iron in some cases, but it could also be a mix of recovery, activity level, and overall nutrition. It’s good that you’re planning to check back in with your GI doctor — they might also look at things like B12 or folate, since those can affect red blood cells too. You’ve already made a lot of progress, so hopefully this is just another piece to fine-tune rather than something major.