Constantly Sick - Wondering If It's Celiac

[BumblingChemist]

*waves*

Long story short, I've spent most of my life getting sick. Always had lots of bits and pieces, and had dismissed them for the most part. As I've gone through being a teenager, however, it's all gotten far worse. My main symptoms are nausea and sickness, along with (still) unexplained fainting, but pretty much everything except digestive issues have thus far been tested. My illness is heavily dependent on my cycle, and on stress and anxiety, and we'd always passed it off as part of that. Other symptoms that I get are a constantly rumbling stomach, achy joints/bones, endless mouth ulcers, general tiredness and lethargy, an inability to get up or move at speed, the world's most bendy nails, intermittent migraines, complete inability to eat in the morning without being sick, general bloatiness etc, wildly variable weight and a...rather unpleasant reaction to alcohol. I also get exceptionally travel sick and now get anxious about social settings - out of worry that I'll get sick. I've done sickness in a public place enough times to know that it's never pleasant.

The more research I do (normally at ridiculous times of day when I cannot sleep), the more I wonder about celiac. I've had yet another set of blood tests done but am not exactly holding out much hope for the results. I'm also moving to university in less than a month and am simply not sure if I should try going gluten free even if these tests are negative. Would that be sensible or not (and do you people who actually know about celiac think I'm wildly off the mark or not)?

[powerofpositivethinking]

welcome!

 

Based on what you wrote above, I think it would be a smart idea to get tested.  You can request these blood tests from your primary doctor or GI.  You MUST actively be consuming gluten for these tests to have a chance at being accurate.

 

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

 

Hope this helps!

 

edit:  my nails have always been incredibly flexible, but since going gluten free, they've gotten much stronger!  

[1desperateladysaved]

Maybe there is good reason for you to be up all hours.  I am glad you are researching celiac; it sounds plausible with your symptoms.  The symptoms don't sound good to live with.  I would get tested and certainly find a way to try the diet even if it is negative.  The diet takes some learning, b ut I am finding feeling better makes it extremely worthwhile.

 

Get Well and Best Wishes***

[Tbolt47]

Bumblingchemist,

 

When time permits check this  out:http://glutendude.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/celiac-disease-symptoms.webp

A quick visual  reference of symptoms associated with Celiac.

If your feeling ambitious an outstanding very informative site:Open Original Shared Link

 

The insomnia, for what ever reason a person has it, I found to be the most frustrating symptom of Celiac.

 

Good Luck at university.

[BumblingChemist]

Thank you - that's really helpful. Tbolt47, that visual reference has only made me more convinced. I'm going to chase up the doctor to see exactly what tests she ran, and see where we go from there. I'm just desperate to get some answers, and am pretty much ready to try anything now. I'm also not keen on the idea of buying all new kitchen stuff to move out, and then having to do so all over again because it's a CC risk. We shall see if the NHS will sort its life out for once...