Can Rotavirus Trigger Celiac?

[KenzMom]

So I have held my young daughter's hand through severe stomach pain/bloating/vomiting and she has been diagnosed as: gluten intolerant with moderate risk for developing celiac and milk protein allergy. She is gluten free and doing GREAT!

I am type 1 diabetic and have had no stomach problems to speak of. In the past year I seemed to have An increase in stomach bugs and ransoms vomiting but haven't thought anything of it. Well, a few weeks ago the whole family had a stomach bug (rotavirus) and I had it the worst. Well now it has left me with chronic watery diarrhea. I can usually make it through the day time hours ok, but it kicks into full force at night. I will usually go 3 times between 10pm and 10am- sometimes more.

Anyways, I think it's time I saw my doctor. Just wondering if it's a possibility that a rotavirus triggers celiac? When I was a child, my diabetes was triggered by the stomach flu...gives me flashbacks! Anyone experience something similar?

[kareng]

Sure. I suppose it could. But it also can really unbalance the good and bad bacteria in the GI tract. That can take weeks or months to get back to normal.

[KenzMom]

That's true. It would seem like a more likely explanation.

[ravenwoodglass]

Celiac can be triggered by an illness or other stressor. You may want to visit your doctor and ask for a full celiac panel. Do continue to consume gluten until after all celiac related testing is finished. If you are being woken up by D do be sure to let your doctor know. According to my GI doctor this is not unusual for folks with celiac but does not happen with IBS. Celiac is one of the diseases that folks that are Type 1 need to be screened for periodically by your doctor.

If this is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria yogurt or another fermented food will help get those little buggers back in balance.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

[KenzMom]

Well, I'm definitely calling my doctor Monday. I had 3 days of pea sized bowel movements and early this morning the full fledged diarrhea returned. Awful!

[zs1994]

Well, I'm definitely calling my doctor Monday. I had 3 days of pea sized bowel movements and early this morning the full fledged diarrhea returned. Awful!

Hey, i've got similar symptoms! I've awaiting the results of my celiac blood test. My family also keep thinking my gut has been disturbed by some sort of virus or bug. Let us know how you get on please! Hope it goes well for you

[KenzMom]

Hey, i've got similar symptoms! I've awaiting the results of my celiac blood test. My family also keep thinking my gut has been disturbed by some sort of virus or bug. Let us know how you get on please! Hope it goes well for you

 

When do you get your results?  My appointment is not until September 24. I am also having "sulfur" or "egg" burps. Very gross smelling burps! It is embarrassing to say the least  I am having reflux as well-- none of these things is normal for me.

 

Do you happen to be diabetic as well? Please let me know your results!

[zs1994]

When do you get your results? My appointment is not until September 24. I am also having "sulfur" or "egg" burps. Very gross smelling burps! It is embarrassing to say the least I am having reflux as well-- none of these things is normal for me.

Do you happen to be diabetic as well? Please let me know your results!

I get my results on the 15th September I think. I too have a lot of gas, burping and flatulence. Is your diahorrea on/off or is it a case of every bowel movement is watery/loose?

I don't have diabetes but my sister does and last year she was also diagnosed with Celiac.

[KenzMom]

Diarrhea is on and off. I just went 2 days without any diarrhea and then woke up this morning and had to use the bathroom 5 times!

It's interesting your sister has diabetes AND celiac. I'm glad you got tested too

[zs1994]

Diarrhea is on and off. I just went 2 days without any diarrhea and then woke up this morning and had to use the bathroom 5 times!

It's interesting your sister has diabetes AND celiac. I'm glad you got tested too

You could just have IBS following a nasty bug or virus. The problem with Celiac is that its symptoms mirror those of many other conditions. Unfortunately my sister has both but my mum was tested negative for Celiac.

[Gemini]

You may find this article interesting.....Open Original Shared Link

 

It is extremely important to find out if you have Celiac Disease if you already suffer from Type 1 diabetes.  My brother was a Type 1 diabetic, diagnosed at the age of 24.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of 46, after coming pretty damn close to dying from it.  I do not have diabetes.

 

My brother had episodes of severe diarrhea off and on all his life and his doctors attibuted that to his diabetes....which I have never heard of.  After I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I begged him to be tested because I really felt he had it also.  They ran the antibody testing, which tests I do not know, and kept telling him he did not have it. I kept telling him they were wrong.

 

My brother had another bad bout of it this past summer, since May, and was hospitalized in August because of a kidney infection......he also had kidney disease from the Type 1.  On August 4th, I lost my dear brother to a massive heart attack that I attribute to the kidney infection AND all the months of diarrhea.  You cannot have diarrhea for months on end without it affecting your electrolytes and then your heart.  And those stupid doctors kept terming it "diarrhea of unknown origin". My brother was only 60 years old and could never get his health on track or stabilized.  I will go to my grave knowing he had celiac disease and his doctors just missed the boat and he died.

I am still heartsick and angry about how they failed him.  Please do not let this happen to you.  They occur frequently together and if you have Type 1 and a lot of diarrhea, do not take no from any doctors.  Do a dietary trial, if you have to, to get answers!

[KenzMom]

Gemini-

I am SO sorry to hear about your brother!!

Thank you so so much for sharing that story and the article. In the article it lists diabetes often being triggered by an entervirus--which is what happened to me at 7 years old. I couldn't help but question the fact that I am still sick with bouts of diarrhea and gas after the rotavirus (the article also relates rotavirus to the onset of celiac). I've also noticed my blood sugars are very unstable.

I am definitely going to get checked out. I will likely post my lab results when I get them. Thank you again for sharing.

[Gemini]

I thought that article had some interesting points to make and if need be, make a copy and give it to the doctor to read.  They do not understand the link between the 2 diseases and if they make a mistake, it can cost a person their health.  My brother had trouble regulating his blood sugar too.

 

A lot of people have wondered why my brother did not listen to me and do a dietary trial but he was one of those people who put supreme trust in the AMA and would need the guy in the white coat to show him pictures of his damaged small intestine to believe it.  He also had to follow a low carb, low protein diet for the diabetes and kidney disease so I think his head nearly exploded over the notion he may have to go gluten-free also.  What would he be able to eat?  After 3 months of diarrhea, they finally referred him to a GI doc but he died before he could keep the appointment. 

 

You have a cute little girl and deserve to see her grow up and give you grandkids!