Suspected Celiac's Disease Or Gluten Sensitivity: What's The Next Step?

[I-want-nachos]

Sorry as I know there are tons of variations on this thread I'll try to keep it brief. 

 

I am 22 years old and have been a vegetarian all of my life. My main diet consists of many gluten laden products, toast, grilled cheese with tomato soup, oatmeal, crackers, cookies, etc. About 3 months ago I started to experience really bad stomach pain with diarrhea while at work. I excused myself from work and went home, figuring I was just catching something and rest would fix everything. I felt half better latter on in the day and resumed normal activities. The next weekend I experienced the same sever stomach pain and diarrhea and its been an on again off again problem since. My stomach constantly hurts and feels hungry no matter what I eat. I went to the doctor about 2 weeks ago with the following symptoms: 

 

-abdominal pain (particularly in the intestine)

-gas

-hugely increased appetite but feeling of nausea when thinking about food

-nausea

-constipation

-diarrhea

-extreme fatigue 

-feelings of depression and anxiety

 

The tested me for thyroid issues, diabetes, various STDs, pregnancy, and all came back negative. On a whim I decide to cut out gluten (first gluten free day was Wednesday) and now after 4 days of gluten free living I feel 100 percent better. I feel 100 percent more awake, I am not having any stomach pain or abnormal stools, not feeling depression or anxiety (besides related to not being able to eat nachos lol). 

 

What's the next step? I am waiting on stool results from the lab (to check for parasites). What kind of tests would be recommended they run? How can the tests differentiate between Celiacs vs A sensitivity or intolerance? 

 

If I look back into the past 6 months I can see some of these symptoms in milder form, but anything beyond that I was really symptom free. What would be the reason for so suddenly becoming gluten intolerant? Is that possible? 

 

 

[ravenwoodglass]

Welcome to the board.

If you are going to have testing done you need to get back on gluten today. You have to be eating gluten for any testing to be valid. Ask your doctor for a full celiac panel including a total IGA. Also have him test your vitamin and mineral levels to make sure you are not deficient.

Your body may not like it when you add gluten back. Let your doctor know what got relief in your short time gluten free and what happened when you started eating it again.

Your doctor may want you to also have an endoscopy. Some doctors will skip this if blood work is strongly positive. If you are choosing to do the endo make sure to keep eating gluten until that is done. Once the endo is finished get back on the diet. You don't need to wait for the results.

Be sure to read the Celiac 101 thread and hopefully your testing can be done soon so you can start healing if you are someone who needs the diet.

[kareng]

Nachos are gluten-free. At least the ones I make at home! Mission chips, cheese, salsa, grilled chicken, canned beans ( refried or otherwise), sour cream..... Just read the ingredients - occasionally wheat is an ingredient.

And go back to eating gluten and get the blood tests. Any doctor can order them - family practice, OB/ GYNS, GI, Allergy, etc

[w8in4dave]

Wow those are the symptoms I had ! Severe D. Pain!! Ohhh mg the pain!! I was at my wits end!! It will be hard to go back on Gluten but you have got to in order to have the test. If you don't see a need for the test just go Gluten free. It is wiser to get the test done, that way you will be a lil more strict on the Gluten Free diet. And not just ohhh It probably not be celiac .. If you know what I mean. So just go back on Gluten then go get those test!

[AlwaysLearning]

In addition to any gluten testing, I'd definitely get my vitamin levels checked if you haven't already. B12 deficiency can cause severe abdominal pain which can come and go and is common amongst those who don't eat animal products. Then keep getting all of the vitamins checked for the rest of your life so that you know how much you need to supplement. Vegetarian and possibly malabsorbing due to gluten would be a double whammy for vitamin deficiencies.

Best of luck getting things figured out.

[0range]

Your body can trigger intolerances quite randomly! Anecdotal evidence here: I had been drinking milk all my life, every single day, until the age of 12 when I literally woke up one day and could not digest dairy anymore. In the case of celiac, it can be due to a major trauma (such as a surgery or accident), a period of stress in your life, a virus you contracted etc. people typically have a gene for it that is randomly triggered by various environmental factors. Sometimes the symptoms are not very obvious leading you to believe that it happened overnight, as you mentioned you were having 'mild' symptoms before that you did not pay that much attention to. It's really only when you get the diagnosis that you realize, "OH so that was what was wrong..."

[I-want-nachos]

Hi! Thanks for all of the helpful replies, I still haven't been in for further testing although I am making an appointment with a GI specialist tomorrow. 

 

Contrary to much of the advice I've kept gluten free since making my first post 3 weeks ago. Up until a few days ago I was feeling great not eating gluten, but this past weekend I started to feel totally awful again and I am wondering if 1- it really has nothing to do with gluten at all and the fact that I've felt well is coincidental 2- I also have other food related allergies (maybe dairy?) 

[w8in4dave]

It does take more than 3 weeks to feel better. I have been 3 months and I still have bad and good days!! Sometimes you find your not as Gluten Free as you think,There is alot of hidden Gluten or Lactose will sometimes bother people who are Celiac or Gluten sensitive... Alot of people here suggest a food log. Write down everything you eat .. And when you feel bad .. You may find the culprit!! Good luck !! 

[ravenwoodglass]

  On 9/2/2013 at 6:56 PM, I_want_nachos said:

Hi! Thanks for all of the helpful replies, I still haven't been in for further testing although I am making an appointment with a GI specialist tomorrow. 

 

Contrary to much of the advice I've kept gluten free since making my first post 3 weeks ago. Up until a few days ago I was feeling great not eating gluten, but this past weekend I started to feel totally awful again and I am wondering if 1- it really has nothing to do with gluten at all and the fact that I've felt well is coincidental 2- I also have other food related allergies (maybe dairy?) 

While I realize that you want to feel better as soon as you can you have to keep in mind that if you need or want a diagnosis you HAVE to keep eating gluten until testing is finished.  After we stop eating gluten when we start again it can make us quite ill but you do need to get back on it for testing.