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Did You Diagnose Yourself?

Rita L

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Rita L Newbie
Rita L
Posted

This may have been asked before but I'm just curious. Did you suspect/diagnose yourself before your doctor suggested you may have Celiac? I did But then my mother had Celiac. I'm not a good "eater" since I don't get hungry until about 2pm so my husband is always nagging me, "Did you eat yet?" I finally said one day, "I feel better if I don't eat." Well that is when it clicked for me. I gave up the gluten for a week (and kept a food  diary for months after) and felt instant relief (esp from the acid reflux). Had the endoscopy and blood tests but since I did the blood test after giving up the gluten it showed negative for Celiac. But the endoscopy showed signs of scalloped edges to the villi.

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nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I figured it out before my doctor did.  I first came across gluten when I was researching diets for my oldest son who is very mildly autistic.  He had occasional stomachaches and headaches so I suspected celiac disease but I wasn't sure because I have had that my entire life too... Wasn't that normal? A friend pointed out to me that I should get tested too but I dislike doctors (my past experiences have found them fairly useless unless I'm critical or need a prescription or surgery), and she kindly found out that the Biocard home test (tTG IgA) was on sale.  After some prodding I bought it and the positive result led me to the doctor who tested further and confirmed celiac disease for me.

 

Yep. I figured it out.  I first saw a doctor about stomachaches when I was around 8, so they missed it for a few decades.   :rolleyes: If Dr Google had been invented a bit sooner, I might have figured it out sooner. Three cheers for Dr Google!  LOL ;)

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

My Mom also had celiac. She was diagnosed back in the 1980's. So when I started having problems I knew. I was in denial for a long time but when my psoriasis got so bad that I couldn't play guitar anymore (I run a music store!) I knew I had better do something. With no insurance I decided to skip testing and just went gluten-free. Like Mom, my psoriasis cleared up. My digestive issues (which were mild) cleared up. My insomnia which had been with me all my life cleared up. Lots of other little problems that I never would have associated with celiac cleared up.

 

Life is good! :D

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

No, I was being looked at for something else and the dr added the Celiac testing and low and behold, I'm Celiac.

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

I thought of it first.  But since I had 5 children and claimed to be VERY tired sometimes, I didn't give the doctor a lot to go on.  My chiropractor said gluten when I told her every tissue in my body felt irritated, but didn't elaborate.  I went home and looked up gluten and thought it would explain my fatigue, infertility, and brain fog.  I cut gluten and felt that it certainly did make a difference.  Then I had a genetic test.

 

Dee

poneelovesyou Newbie
poneelovesyou
Posted

I figured out that I was at the very least, gluten sensitive, just by experimentally removing gluten from my diet. I found that everytime I cheated, I had horrible depression and anxiety follwing right after. Finally after happening over and over, I was 100% certain that the gluten was causing my life long sturggle with depression and anxiety. I did a bunch more research, and now I think I am actually a celiac. I had alot of the celiac symptoms as child, being incredibly underweight despite my huge appetite. I have started gaining weight like crazy since being on a gluten-free diet, because my body seems to be absorbing nutrients way more effectively than ever. So, I'm convinced I'm a celiac and didn't realize. I asked my doctor to test me, and she didn't really want to. Idk why.c

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