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

No Digestive Symptoms...could It Still Be Celiac?

artzombie

Recommended Posts

artzombie Newbie
artzombie
Posted

A friend who has celiac suggested that I look into whether or not I have celiac. My #1 symptom is profound fatigue. It is not constant, but is bad enough that I have not worked full time in 3 years. I dismissed the idea of celiac but a few recent developments have me reconsidering. I want to cover all my bases, especially if this can spawn long-term side effects. Here's my situation:

 

I am a 57 year old woman. I have rarely had digestive issues in my life...certainly nothing chronic. No diarrhea or constipation. My only digestive annoyance is that I seem to belch more than most people.

 

I have assumed that the primary cause of my fatigue is what is called "persistent cancer-related fatigue". I went through chemo for breast cancer 3 years ago and my energy never returned completely. Up to 1/3 of BC patients have ongoing fatigue for 5-10 years after treatment. However, my oncology team dismisses that notion and says I'm the only patient they have ever had who still suffers from fatigue this long out of treatment. None of my friends with BC have had fatigue this bad for this long.

 

I am on anti-estrogen therapy to prevent a cancer recurrence. This can also cause fatigue, in some cases, "extreme" fatigue.

 

I have sleep apnea; the severity is borderline for needing CPAP but I insisted on it in order to eliminate any causes of fatigue. So theoretically at least, sleep apnea is no longer an issue.

 

5 months after chemo I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia, which also causes fatigue. I have B12 shots monthly or even more frequently (my husband gives me the shots so I can have them on demand) plus I take two 1gm B12 sublinguals, iron, and folic acid every day. Theoretically, B12 deficiency is no longer an issue.

 

I live a generally healthy lifestyle, eat well, exercise despite the fatigue, manage stress. Blood tests are all normal, including thyroid and autoimmune panels.

 

I am not depressed...my mood is fine when I'm not profoundly fatigued, when I am, I am more frustrated than depressed. Nonetheless, I am on wellbutrin because it is helpful for cancer-related fatigue.
 

As recently as last September, I tracked my diet (wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol) to see if there was any correlation with my symptoms. There was not.

 

The reason I even consider celiac now is because of these recent developments:

 

A weight loss of 5 pounds...over the holidays, when we had richer and sweeter food than normal around, and I have slacked on exercise.

 

A mild but itchy rash on my buttocks, with no obvious cause.

 

I was experiencing my normal level of fatigue...tiring easily but not debilitated...until Monday and Tuesday of this week. I had 1/2 of a bagel before bed on Sunday night, and made pasta for dinner Monday night. And I was profoundly fatigued the day after both of these meals. I did have a slight stomach upset after the pasta dinner, but that is usually because I eat too fast and swallow air, and am fine after a belch or two. :unsure:

 

So I ask you...does this sound like celiac should even be considered? And if so, should I go gluten-free for a month to see what happens, or stay on it so I can get a blood test when I see my doctor for a follow-up in mid-February?

 

Thanks for your feedback. :rolleyes:

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Yes. It could be Celiac. There are many symptoms of Celiac and the digestive ones aren't always present or evident ( you don't realize it's not " normal"). Persistent Anemias are the way many of us get a diagnosis. You would want to get your blood tests before going gluten free to rule out Celiac. 1 month gluten-free isn't really long enough to cure the long term vitamin deficiencies/ anemia.

cristiana Veteran
cristiana
Posted

I only developed 'classic' celiac symptoms (D) about two months before my diagnosis. Before that time, I was suffering from fatigue, anemia, migraines and what I would describe as a nervous stomach (sometimes played up but not always)... but no doctor put two and two together.    My own GP told me recently that a young man came in to see her with anemia - that is all - and she remembered me and tested him for celica et volia.   He had it.  Definitely worth considering that test. Keep eating gluten until the test.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

i had all the 'classic' symptoms, but was misdiagnosed anyway  :(  the symptoms i *didn't* know were attributed to celiac (joint pain, migraines, fatigue, etc) all went away when i went gluten free.  not to mention my immune system is now bolstered up and i don't catch every flu bug and cold that comes around.  by all means, continue to eat gluten until all testing is done.  good luck figuring it out :)

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,857
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Sonya Haskin
    Newest Member
    Sonya Haskin
    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

    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By trents · Posted

      Is this man the father of your children?
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
    • Me,Sue
      Knowing what to do when feeling unwell.

      By Me,Sue · Posted

      I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of years ago [ish]. I love my food and a variety of food, so it's been hard, as it is with everyone. I try and ensure everything I eat doesn't contain gluten, but occasionally I think something must have got through that has gluten in. Mainly I know because I have to dash to the loo, but recently I have noticed that I feel nauseous after possibly being glutened. I think the thing that I have got better at is knowing what to do when I feel wiped out after a gluten 'episode'. I drink loads of water, and have just started drinking peppermint tea. I also have rehydration powders to drink. I don't feel like eating much, but eventually feel like I need to eat. Gluten free flapjacks, or gluten free cereal, or a small gluten free kids meal are my go to. I am retired, so luckily I can rest, sometimes even going to bed when nothing else works. So I feel that I am getting better at knowing how to try and get back on track. I am also trying to stick to a simpler menu and eat mostly at home so that I can be more confident about what I am eating. THANKS TO THOSE WHO REPLIED ABOUT THE NAUSEA .
×
×
  • 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.