Are Normal Bowel Movements Common Among Those With Untreated Celiac Disease?

[sneaky-flute]

I've experienced some symptoms such as abdominal distention and joint pain and discovered that I was deficient in B12 and Vitamin D. However, I've never had an issue with bowel movements (unless I'm undergoing a radical change to my diet). Would this suggest that I'm adequately absorbing most nutrients? 

[LauraTX]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Despite some people and doctors associating Celiac disease with GI symptoms like diarrhea, Adults especially may have no GI symptoms at all, but have other symptoms.  Here is a page that details some: Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

 

In fact, Open Original Shared Link

 

The only way to see if you are adequately absorbing nutrients is to get blood levels of them tested, and get an endoscopy to assess any possible damage to the villi, because that is where absorption happens.  With you being deficient in a few already, I would push to get Celiac testing, for sure. 

 

Here is a list of testing that can be done for a Celiac diagnosis:

 

-tTG IgA and tTG IgG

-DGP IgA and DGP IgG

-EMA IgA 

-total serum IgA and IgG (control test to ensure tests are not false negatives)

-AGA IGA and AGA IgG - older and less reliable tests largely replaced by the DGP tests

-endoscopic biopsy - make sure at least 6 samples are taken as damage can be patchy

 

Have you had any of these tests done?  If not, I highly recommend getting an appointment with a GI doctor so you can be tested, and remember that you do need to be consuming gluten for testing to be accurate.

[nvsmom]

Celiacs can have normall BM's.  Some have D, some have C, and some are perfectly nomal.  The same can go for nutrient absorption.

 

I had undiagnosed celiac disease for probably over 35 years. I had C most of the time (I honestly thought it was normal BM's because I had known no other), and my nutrient levels were fine - in fact my B12 was high.  Odd BM's and nutrient deficiencies aren't a prerequisite for a celiac disease diagnosis, but merely 2 of 300 possible symptoms.

 

I agre that you should probably get yourself tested.  Good luck!