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

Inflammation


sella

Recommended Posts

sella Explorer

I thought maybe my intestines were healing since i gained about 20 pounds since I have been on a gluten-free diet for 2 years. However, tests show that I have inflammation in my body. Can your intestines still heal or can you gain weight if there is still inflammation in your intestines?


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



cyclinglady Grand Master

Have you had follow-up testing since your celiac disease diagnosis?

Here is a link to the University of Chicago's celiac website regarding follow-up care:

Open Original Shared Link

You stated that tests show inflammation in the body. Are you assuming that inflammation would be in your intestinal tract? What about other parts of your body? Many of us go on to develop other autoimmune diseases, diabetes or heart disease. What did your doctor say?

  • 11 months later...
katesyl Apprentice
On August 10, 2015 at 6:08 PM, sella said:

I thought maybe my intestines were healing since i gained about 20 pounds since I have been on a gluten-free diet for 2 years. However, tests show that I have inflammation in my body. Can your intestines still heal or can you gain weight if there is still inflammation in your intestines?

I would like to know if you have found out the source of your inflammation yet. I'm gluten free three years but my inflammation test was high.

Gemini Experienced
1 hour ago, katesyl said:

I would like to know if you have found out the source of your inflammation yet. I'm gluten free three years but my inflammation test was high.

katesyl.........this is an older topic so the OP most likely won't answer.  I can, however, offer a piece of advice for you. Just going gluten free will probably not drive your inflammation markers down into normal.  It does depend on how high they were to begin with but with all autoimmune diseases, there will be inflammation going on forever.  Get used to wonky blood work because most of us will have that issue.

I have 4 autoimmune diseases in total and, although I have driven certain inflammatory markers way down, my recent sed rate number was elevated.  The normal is supposed to be 30 and under in a woman my age but mine is 50.  With 4 AI diseases, I doubt it will ever be normal and I don't let it bother me. I am not willing to take major meds at all and use more natural anti-inflammatory supplements.  You can do whatever you feel comfortable with in regards to treatment but don't expect normal numbers with Celiac Disease. Inflammation will improve but normal?  Most people never get there completely.

katesyl Apprentice
21 hours ago, Gemini said:

katesyl.........this is an older topic so the OP most likely won't answer.  I can, however, offer a piece of advice for you. Just going gluten free will probably not drive your inflammation markers down into normal.  It does depend on how high they were to begin with but with all autoimmune diseases, there will be inflammation going on forever.  Get used to wonky blood work because most of us will have that issue.

I have 4 autoimmune diseases in total and, although I have driven certain inflammatory markers way down, my recent sed rate number was elevated.  The normal is supposed to be 30 and under in a woman my age but mine is 50.  With 4 AI diseases, I doubt it will ever be normal and I don't let it bother me. I am not willing to take major meds at all and use more natural anti-inflammatory supplements.  You can do whatever you feel comfortable with in regards to treatment but don't expect normal numbers with Celiac Disease. Inflammation will improve but normal?  Most people never get there completely.

Thank you for this response! You are right, I'm sure.

My sed rate was normal. My c reactive protein was 6, which is high. My platelets were a bit elevated and I was slightly anemic.

I am going tomorrow for another endoscopy. I know that these things could be related to other things... but I'm thinking there is a change they are all still related to celiac (I'm hoping).

What other autoimmune disease do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

cyclinglady Grand Master

If you are going for an endoscopy, then please ask for a celiac antibodies COMPLETE panel.  This will help you determine if you have been diet compliant (zapped by hidden sources of gluten or accidental cross contamination) and if your doctor misses the (possible) damaged areas during the procedure.    That way you can rule out celiac disease and THEN worry about the possibility of other AI issues.  

I did this last summer.  I got really sick.  My GI thought SIBO right off the bat.  But I asked just to be tested for celiac disease.  Sure enough, I had elevated antibodies.  No need to test for SIBO or anything else at that point.  I just waited a few months for symptoms to subside.  

Good Luck to you!  

cyclinglady Grand Master
22 hours ago, Gemini said:

katesyl.........this is an older topic so the OP most likely won't answer.  I can, however, offer a piece of advice for you. Just going gluten free will probably not drive your inflammation markers down into normal.  It does depend on how high they were to begin with but with all autoimmune diseases, there will be inflammation going on forever.  Get used to wonky blood work because most of us will have that issue.

I have 4 autoimmune diseases in total and, although I have driven certain inflammatory markers way down, my recent sed rate number was elevated.  The normal is supposed to be 30 and under in a woman my age but mine is 50.  With 4 AI diseases, I doubt it will ever be normal and I don't let it bother me. I am not willing to take major meds at all and use more natural anti-inflammatory supplements.  You can do whatever you feel comfortable with in regards to treatment but don't expect normal numbers with Celiac Disease. Inflammation will improve but normal?  Most people never get there completely.

Couldn't have said it better!  


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Gemini Experienced
1 hour ago, katesyl said:

Thank you for this response! You are right, I'm sure.

My sed rate was normal. My c reactive protein was 6, which is high. My platelets were a bit elevated and I was slightly anemic.

I am going tomorrow for another endoscopy. I know that these things could be related to other things... but I'm thinking there is a change they are all still related to celiac (I'm hoping).

What other autoimmune disease do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

I have Celiac, Hashi's thyroid disease, Sjogren's Syndrome and Reynaud's Syndrome.  All have gotten better, inflammation wise, after 11 years gluten free.  I am very strict with my diet, never take chances if I feel the food is not really gluten free and limit the number of times I go out to eat.  I am not saying I never go out but it is normal for my husband and I to not see the inside of a restaurant for 3-4 months at a time and then I only eat at the places that have never glutened me.  I am lucky in that the state I live in has 3 restaurant chains that are run/owned by Celiac's, so they get it right every time.

You have not been gluten free for very long, in reality.  It took me three years to completely rid myself of all symptoms related to the disease.  I was 46 at the time of diagnosis.  I know it is hard to accept that healing can take that long but you have to measure it differently.  Looking back, you should feel better than you did a year ago.  As time goes on, healing slowly takes place until you realize that certain problems have disappeared.  It is not as cut and dried as taking an antibiotic for an infection.

Open Original Shared Link  Read this article on elevated c reactive protein. It is by Dr. Weil, who is a Harvard trained physician who chose to go the more natural route to healing people.  All his stuff is interesting.  Yes, your elevated level will most likely come down, as you heal better.  Pay attention to it but don't let it freak you out too much!  :)

Gemini Experienced
23 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

If you are going for an endoscopy, then please ask for a celiac antibodies COMPLETE panel.  This will help you determine if you have been diet compliant (zapped by hidden sources of gluten or accidental cross contamination) and if your doctor misses the (possible) damaged areas during the procedure.    That way you can rule out celiac disease and THEN worry about the possibility of other AI issues.  

I did this last summer.  I got really sick.  My GI thought SIBO right off the bat.  But I asked just to be tested for celiac disease.  Sure enough, I had elevated antibodies.  No need to test for SIBO or anything else at that point.  I just waited a few months for symptoms to subside.  

Good Luck to you!  

What she said!   ;)  The antibody panel is an important part of follow-up!

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,917
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    tiffanygosci
    Newest Member
    tiffanygosci
    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

    • knitty kitty
      I followed the Autoimmune Protocol Diet which is really strict for a while, but later other foods can be added back into your diet.  Following the AIP diet strictly allows you digestive system to heal and the inflammation to calm down.  Sort of like feeding a sick baby easy to digest food instead of spicy pizza.   It's important to get the inflammation down because chronic inflammation leads to other health problems.  Histamine is released as part of the autoimmune response to gluten.  High histamine levels make you feel bad and can cause breathing problems (worsening asthma), cardiovascular problems (tachycardia), and other autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes) and even mental health problems. Following the low histamine version of the AIP diet allows the body to clear the histamine from our bodies.  Some foods are high in histamine.  Avoiding these makes it easier for our bodies to clear the histamine released after a gluten exposure.   Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and calm it down.  Vitamin D is frequently low in Celiacs.  The B Complex vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine.   Supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals boosts your intestines' ability to absorb them while healing.   Keep in mind that gluten-free facsimile foods, like gluten-free bread, are not enriched with added vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts are.   They are empty calories, no nutritional value, which use up your B vitamins in order to turn the calories into fuel for the body to function.   Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about supplementing while healing.  Take a good B Complex and extra Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine (shown to promote gut health).  Most B Complex vitamins contain thiamine mononitrate which the body cannot utilize.  Meats and liver are good sources of B vitamins.   Dr. Sarah Ballantyne wrote the book, the Paleo Approach.  She's a Celiac herself.  Her book explains a lot.   I'm so glad you're feeling better and finding your balance!
    • klmgarland
      So I should not eat my gluten free bread?  I will try the vitamins.  Thank you all so very much for your ideas and understanding.  I'm feeling better today and have gathered back my composure!
    • knitty kitty
      Some people prefer eating gluten before bed, then sleeping through the worst symptoms at night.  You might want to try that and see if that makes any difference.   Several slices of toast for breakfast sounds okay.  Just try to work up to the Ten grams of gluten.  Cookies might only have a half of a gram of gluten.  The weight of the whole cookie is not the same as the amount of gluten in it.  So do try to eat bread things with big bubbles, like cinnamon rolls.   Yeah, I'm familiar with the "death warmed over" feeling.  I hope you get the genetic test results quickly.  I despise how we have to make ourselves sick to get a diagnosis.  Hang in there, sweetie, the tribe is supporting you.  
    • Clear2me
      Thank you, a little expensive but glad to have this source. 
    • Xravith
      @knitty kitty  Thank you very much for the advice. I did the exam this morning, my doctor actually suggested me to take something called "Celiac duo test" in which I first do the genetic test and if it's positive, then I'll have to do the antigen blood test. I have to attend 1 month until my results are ready, so I have some weeks to increase the amount of gluten I eat daily. It will be hard because my health is not the best right now, but I also did a blood test to cheek my nutritional deficiencies. The results will arrive on Tuesday, so I can ask my doctor what should I do to control my symptoms and blood levels during this month. For now I'm resting and paying attention to what I eat— at least I don’t look like a vampire who just woke up, like I did yesterday. I'm still scared because is the first time I've felt this sick, but this is the right moment to turn things around for the better.  I realized that if I eat gluten at lunch I cannot finish the day properly, I become severely tired and sometimes my stomach hurts a lot - let's not talk about the bloating that starts later. Do you think is it ok to eat gluten just in the morning, like some cookies and slices of bread for breakfast? 
×
×
  • 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.