Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • 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

What Physically Happens To The Intestine When Inflamed?


Sunshine Sassie

Recommended Posts

Sunshine Sassie Rookie

Hi guys I am still new to learning about Celiac disease. I don't understand what it means for the intestine to become inflamed? What physically happens to it? Does it swell up or just become irritated? Can it swell up to the point where you can notice it from the outside of your body?

 


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



abqmalenurse Newbie

Yes, it can become inflamed enough to notice from the outside. For years before my diagnosis, it did not matter what exercises I did (including suspension sit-ups), I could never lose the slight bulge just below my waistline. When I went completely gluten free, I lost over 20 lbs in one month. Not fat. It was all inflammation. Meaning I was carrying that much extra fluid around for years in inflamed tissue.

Most importantly, the inflammation indicates a systemic inflammatory process. Which can carry a lot of health dangers including increased allergic response, respiratory issues and cardiac risk.

As to the intestines themselves, the inflammation narrows the lumen of the intestines, leading to cycles of constipation and diarrhea. It can also cause chronic gastric reflux. Celiac in general leads to decreased absorbtion of nutrients and may cause vitamin deficiencies despite eating a diet which should provide those nutrients. Most notably B vitmains, iron and calcium but not limited to those.

Sunshine Sassie Rookie

Thank you for your response! It is nice to find someone who has noticed this. I am not sure if mine is this or not (currently being tested for Celiac) but it's nice to know it's a possibility and not just in my head. I have had an uneven small bulge in the middle of my stomach for sometime now and it has grown in size. Nothing dramatic enough for anyone to notice but me. I am underweight and am not pregnant so I am baffled to what it could be. I have had a stomach x-ray and three doctors examine me but they couldn't find anything.

NatureChick Rookie

I think that if you asked a dozen people with celiac about their digestive issues, you'd get a dozen different responses. And though it is entirely possible to lose the bloat after going gluten free, starting to absorb nutrients properly can also mean that it may be easier to gain weight in once you go gluten-free, especially if you were of the group that tended to lose weight inexplicably when consuming gluten.

But I think how your body responds to going gluten-free is also going to have a lot to do with what organs the autoimmune response damaged before the disease was discovered. Many of gltuen's favorite organs to attack are also that play roles in weight, and the effects can go in either direction. You'll see comments from people complaining both of not being able to gain weight, and not being able to lose.

Best advice I can give you would be to also get tested for vitamin deficiencies while testing for celiac so that you can discover other hurdles that may need to be overcome. Vitamins do play a role i properly metabolizing food, so if you do have deficiencies, they could be causing problems. Also, getting hormone levels checked can help determine if a thyroid problem exists. Thyroid disease is incredibly common amongst celiacs.

Then, a couple months after going gluten free (after adjusting to the shock of changing the way you now have to eat and allowing your system to heal some as well), you may want to keep a food diary that includes calorie counts. It is a great way to pinpoint the foods that are most problematic for high calorie counts or mindless eating. You'll think twice about eating many types of foods once you realize that they can account for a huge percentage of your daily caloric intake without keeping your appetite satiated.

abqmalenurse Newbie

NatureChick is right. I can state my own experience and a few generalities but experiences and effects differ widely from person to person. Whether Celiac or some other problem, it becomes a matter of re-learning your body responses over time. I've been gluten free for about 7 or 8 years but still wind up with occasional unexpected consequences.

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to The Logician's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      5

      Gluten Sensitivity

    2. - The Logician replied to The Logician's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      5

      Gluten Sensitivity

    3. - Awol cast iron stomach replied to Tanya177's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      6

      Worried about being isolated

    4. - trents replied to The Logician's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      5

      Gluten Sensitivity

    5. - The Logician replied to The Logician's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      5

      Gluten Sensitivity


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      129,991
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Jubaroo
    Newest Member
    Jubaroo
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Diarrhea is a classic symptom of celiac disease and may be the only symptom many people experience until damage to the small bowel lining becomes severe enough to spinoff other health issues. There are many with what we call "silent" celiac disease whose symptoms are so minor or occasional like yours that they blow them off. The only way to distinguish between celiac disease and NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) is to get tested. I strongly recommend that you request your doctor to run these two blood antibody tests: total IGA and tTG-IGA. The antibiotic seems to have put you into some kind of remission at the present time but that may not last.
    • The Logician
      Not that I can remember but my reaction has never been more than diarrhea and I probably ate a lot of wheat products for years not knowing I was sensitive to it. Dr. never tested me because he attributed it to IBS. 
    • Awol cast iron stomach
      Hi, I have worked in education in the past. Based on where assigned and building crowding I made adjustments when needed.  I understand completely what you mentioned. I brought food from home in my own Pyrex glass container.  I kept it in my own lunch tote that I kept with me during the day. In the teacher's lounge/staff lunch room I would wipe down the area I sat at with soap and water with disposable paper towel.  I also placed down a fabric placemat prior to unpacking my meal. Unfortunately, one district I could never use the microwaves as they were filled with splatters and crumbs. (To be honest at that one school even if I didn't have this condition, I would not have used those microwaves based on their state of cleanliness). There were mini lockers nearby that I kept my placemat in. I brought my placemat  home weekly to launder.  There were times if the staff had a celebration with cake or pizza I would eat outside or in my car . As the  eating tables also had to display the  party spread. So the pizza and cake was on the communal lunch tables. Those days I just diverted to outside on the grass or my car. When I was fortunate to have a consistent schedule many staff "knew" my spot, and it was usually empty when I arrived. Occasionally, it was taken and it normally was by a substitute who didn't know about me/my situation.  I hope you are able to navigate this new change of building/assignment. I do know these days many districts have crowding and teachers often share classrooms or the same desk. This was often my experience whether in teacher or support staff role. Some districts you don't even have your own desk or space. I hope you do have some space to retreat to when possible. There often times is that awkwardness of a new schedule assignment where they ask why you don't want cake, pizza ,or always bring your lunch etc. For me that happened in every job education or business sector as often times I was the only one with this condition.  I hope this may have offered some support to lessen your anxiety about the new school year  assignment change. Best wishes     
    • trents
      People get genetic modification confused with hybridization. Wheat, as has most of our food crops, has been altered through hybridization to make it more disease resistant, more drought resistant and even to increase the gluten content. Hybridization uses selective breeding/cross pollination to enhance certain characteristics. Genetic modification, on the other hand, uses a "gene gun" to knock out certain genes and replace them with unnatural ones. In some cases, plant genes are replaced with animal genes to achieve certain properties. This is what GMO is about. Have you actually been formerly tested for celiac disease, either by blood antibody testing, biopsy or both, to rule out celiac disease?
    • The Logician
      Thank you for your response. I have had several different antibiotics over the years and none affected my sensitivity to wheat products which I assumed was due to the gluten in them. However I do believe this time it was an antibiotic I’ve never had before so if your explanation is correct it would seem this antibiotic (cefuroxime 500 MG tablet Commonly known as: CEFTIN, 1 tablet by mouth 2 (Two) Times a Day for 10 days.)  could be a cure for my sort of sensitivity. I assume the hospital IV was the same antibiotic. The IV was ordered because my blood culture showed bacteria in my blood. I remember hearing years ago the gmo wheat was found in some products but I guess that was a misnomer. Believe me after over 20 years of putting up with this sensitivity, despite the fact that growing up eating subs, pizza and spaghetti regularly never affected me, I am so relieved to no longer have to avoid wheat.. I hope!
×
×
  • Create New...