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

Is It Celiacs?


RMay

Recommended Posts

RMay Newbie

Hi,

 

I have been having abdominal issues for awhile now, and I am so tired of it, and nobody can figure out what's wrong with me.  It's so frustrating :(

 

I am wondering if it could be celiacs? My doctor says the blood test is really expensive, so its better to just "try not eating gluten and see how you feel" - which Ill do but still...

 

Abdominal wise

 

I keep getting pain in my upper abdomen on the right and left side, usually takes turns.  It often feels like there is a knot or something in my intestines.  It hurts but its not terribly painful, more really uncomfortable, especially when i sleep or bend a certain way.

 

I always feel dehydrated.

 

I am always constipated

 

Those are the biggest ones I guess.  Just wondering if the abdomen thing is familiar to anyone else


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



notme Experienced

have you been tested for anything else?  

 

i heard "ibs" for 25 years before i found out it was a *symptom* - i feel ya  :mellow:

RMay Newbie

have you been tested for anything else?  

 

i heard "ibs" for 25 years before i found out it was a *symptom* - i feel ya  :mellow:

No, everyone is just like "sorry - we dont know what this is"  Im starting to feel like some crazy hypochondriac :(

KristinIrwin Apprentice

RMay,

I know what you mean by feeling like there is a knot in your intestines! Before I was diagnosed I almost always felt discomfort in my intestines like that. I also had constipation as well as a first symptom. I had a lot of pressure and pain my upper abdomen.

All those symptoms are gone now that I am gluten free.

I know I can't say whether you have Celiac or not, but I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone in those symptoms!

Have you considered getting the blood test despite what your doc says? If you do want to get the blood test, don't go gluten free until you get it because it can mess with the results

Good luck with your health and I hope you get to feeling better! Digestive issues can be so frustrating. Hang in there!

Kristin

RMay Newbie

RMay,

I know what you mean by feeling like there is a knot in your intestines! Before I was diagnosed I almost always felt discomfort in my intestines like that. I also had constipation as well as a first symptom. I had a lot of pressure and pain my upper abdomen.

All those symptoms are gone now that I am gluten free.

I know I can't say whether you have Celiac or not, but I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone in those symptoms!

Have you considered getting the blood test despite what your doc says? If you do want to get the blood test, don't go gluten free until you get it because it can mess with the results

Good luck with your health and I hope you get to feeling better! Digestive issues can be so frustrating. Hang in there!

Kristin

 

Thanks for the insights!

 

I am seeing a GI doctor on Fri - hopefully I can get a test or other answers.

 

Does the blood test require any fasting before hand?  How long does it take to analyze the results?

powerofpositivethinking Community Regular

the blood tests do not require any fasting, but you must be consuming gluten.  The big "C" was a big problem for me too before going gluten free, but now it's gotten so much better.  Analysis depends on the lab.  I have to use Labcorp and would get blood taken on a Friday and results through my online portal on Monday.  

 

Here is a list of tests to request:

Comprehensive Celiac Panel:

DGP iga/igg

ttg iga/igg

EMA

Total iga serum-this is a control test to make sure you make enough iga to validate the other testing

check out page 12 in this report for testing information:

Open Original Shared Link

notme Experienced

No, everyone is just like "sorry - we dont know what this is"  Im starting to feel like some crazy hypochondriac :(

yes, we all have crazy hypochondriac syndrome lolz - i had so many seemingly random health problems that nobody connected the dots. i had never even heard of celiac before i was diagnosed.  ("hey.  you have celiac.  don't eat gluten.  see ya!")  

 

the abdomen thing - you could actually *see* my (whatever - food?  gas pockets?) moving around - felt <from the outside) and looked like a baby moving - freaked my husband out LOLZ but if anything made a 'believer' out of him, it was *seeing* my discomfort.   i hope you find your answers (and welcome to the forum :)  )


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



KristinIrwin Apprentice

Notme! The same thing happened to me! So freaky

notme Experienced

Notme! The same thing happened to me! So freaky

 

i know - gives whole new meaning to the phrase:  'food baby' lolz   :blink:

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,553
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Jennifer CCC
    Newest Member
    Jennifer CCC
    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

    • Scott Adams
      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.