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

Starting out

Treowe

Recommended Posts

Treowe Newbie
Treowe
Posted

Hi, as a Noob, I am a little intimidated by what may come to be a major change in my eating habits. My middle has been uncomfortable for a couple of years and I got no help or input from my GP so I went to a GI Dr who checked me throughly and found nothing out of sorts other than some minor irritation in my esophogus and prescribed a medication. My stomach/mid section still is uncomfortable and really disturbingly big. The GP finally suggested that I try being gluten free for 6 weeks to see if it made a difference. I have no other symptoms of gluten intolerance, as far I know. I've had anxiety issues longer than the stomach discomfort but I am having depression and lethargy so I guess I will try to rule this out.

My question is, how strict does this have to be in order to ascertain that there is a correlation between my discomfort and possible gluten allergy? How stringent is the cross contamination issue, like using a toaster oven and other daily food prep precautions. Right now, eating like this for 6 weeks feels like 6 years. But if I start to feel better in a few weeks, I guess I'll make the transistion permanently, and I'd really like my gut to be normal looking, or at least not 7 months pregnant. 

Female, nearly 70, 5'8", overweight at 170 lbs. 

Thanks.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Your GI is sadly mis-informed! :angry: You should be tested for Celiac Disease before embarking on a gluten free diet.  Celiac Disease should be ruled out first!  So many doctors think that you have to be malnourished and wasting away to have celiac disease -- not true!  You can develop celiac disease at ANY age.  Do you have any other autoimmune disorders?  

Celiac disease is also genetic.  So, if you have it, your kids and sibliings should be tested even if they are symptom free!  Celiac Disease has so many other issues that come with having it.  That's why having a proper diagnosis is important.  You will get the care you need.  Also, sticking to a life-long especially when you are older and it is hard to make changes in general (hey, I'm there!).  

 Your GP can actually order the celiac blood panel.  In addition, I would search around for another GI (one who is celiac savvy).  

Here's a link regarding the exact tests:

Open Original Shared Link

I encourage you to read up on celiac disease.  Only you can be your best health advocate!  I wish you well!  Feel free to ask any questions!  :)

Treowe Newbie
Treowe
Posted
  • Author

That's interesting. I asked her if there was a blood test I could take, she said no. I don't think she feels I have celiac disease, per se, just wants to rule out an allergy or sensitivity to gluten. If after the 6 weeks, there is no difference, she suggested eliminating something else from my diet. She mentioned leaky gut and GMOs as well. Thanks for your input. I appreciated it.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I agree with everything cyclinglady said. You need to be tested BEFORE you go gluten free!!!!!!

I was just reading an interview with Joseph A. Murray, MD who is head of the celiac dept. at Mayo Clinic & one of the top celiac experts & researchers in the world. He talks about this subject of going gluten free before testing many times during this interview. It's interesting reading. Please take a little time to read it all the way through.

Open Original Shared Link

Treowe Newbie
Treowe
Posted
  • Author

I will request the test. Thank you. 

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
28 minutes ago, Treowe said:

That's interesting. I asked her if there was a blood test I could take, she said no. I don't think she feels I have celiac disease, per se, just wants to rule out an allergy or sensitivity to gluten. If after the 6 weeks, there is no difference, she suggested eliminating something else from my diet. She mentioned leaky gut and GMOs as well. Thanks for your input. I appreciated it.

Ugh!  Run from that doctor.  Are you located on Mars?:huh:  Kidding aside, here's the deal.  If you go gluten free just to test it out and you feel good, then you might think you have a gluten issue.   A few months or a year go by and you realize that this is HARD.  REALLY HARD.  So, you start to cheat.  You get sloppy.  You start sharing a toaster.  Your symptoms come back, but you don't worry about it or maybe you start to get violently ill.  Symptoms so different from your old symptoms that you think you must have something else. 

(You could be the type of person who makes a decision and sticks with it.  But those are rare folks.)  

I could go on with more stories, but type in lymphoma in our forum's search box.  Look at member's who were misdirected by their physicians and who have had celiac disease all along.  Now they are dealing with cancer.  

It is not my intent to scare you into thinking you have cancer.  The odds of you having it are slim and none.  I am trying to scare you into finding another doctor who really CARES about you and follows a normal standard level of care (like reading currant medical journals or checking Dr. Google, like my ER neighbor doctor does because he can not know everything!)

It's just a simple blood test.  So easy.  If negative, then give the diet a try!

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
45 minutes ago, squirmingitch said:

I agree with everything cyclinglady said. You need to be tested BEFORE you go gluten free!!!!!!

I was just reading an interview with Joseph A. Murray, MD who is head of the celiac dept. at Mayo Clinic & one of the top celiac experts & researchers in the world. He talks about this subject of going gluten free before testing many times during this interview. It's interesting reading. Please take a little time to read it all the way through.

Open Original Shared Link

Hey, do you have to be a member of Medscape to see the article?  I could not get in pass the sign-in page.

 

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted
24 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

Hey, do you have to be a member of Medscape to see the article?  I could not get in pass the sign-in page.

 

I guess you must have to be a member then. I don't know because I am a member. It doesn't cost anything & I've never gotten any junk mail from them or anything unpleasant. 

Gee, I didn't even think about that when I posted the link. OOPS!

Let me know if you need me to copy & paste it because I will if you want.

 

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,720
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Donna Spivey
    Newest Member
    Donna Spivey
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      @Scott Adams That's actually exactly what I ended up asking for— vodka tonic with Titos.  I saw on their website that Tito's is certified gluten-free (maybe many of the clear vodkas are, I don't know, I just happened to look up Tito's in advance). I should have actually specified the 'splash' though, because I think with the amount of tonic she put in there, it did still end up fairly sweet.  Anyway, I think I've almost got this drink order down!
    • Wends
      Inconclusive results

      By Wends · Posted

      Be interesting to see the effects of dairy reintroduction with gluten. As well as milk protein sensitivity in and of itself the casein part particularly has been shown to mimic gluten in about 50% of celiacs. Keep us posted!
    • deanna1ynne
      Inconclusive results

      By deanna1ynne · Posted

      She has been dairy free for six years, so she’d already been dairy free for two years at her last testing and was dairy free for the entire gluten challenge this year as well (that had positive results). However, now that we’re doing another biopsy in six weeks, we decided to do everything we can to try to “see” the effects, so we decided this past week to add back in dairy temporarily for breakfast (milk and cereal combo like you said).
    • Gigi2025
      How Come Gluten Didnt Bother Me In Italy

      By Gigi2025 · Posted

      Hi Christiana, Many thanks for your response.  Interestingly, I too cannot eat wheat in France without feeling effects (much less than in the US, but won't indulge nonetheless).  I also understand children are screened for celiac in Italy prior to starting their education. Wise idea as it seems my grandson has the beginning symptoms (several celiacs in his dad's family), but parents continue to think he's just being difficult.  Argh.  There's a test I took that diagnosed gluten sensitivity in 2014 via Entero Labs, and am planning on having done again.  Truth be told, I'm hoping it's the bromine/additives/preservatives as I miss breads and pastas terribly when home here in the states!  Be well and here's to our guts healing ❤️
    • Wends
      Inconclusive results

      By Wends · Posted

      Lol that’s so true! Hope you get clarity, it’s tough when there’s doubt. There’s so much known about celiac disease with all the scientific research that’s been done so far yet practically and clinically there’s also so much unknown, still. Out of curiosity what’s her dairy consumption like? Even compared to early years to now? Has that changed? Calcium is dependent in the mechanism of antigen presenting cells in the gut. High calcium foods with gluten grains can initiate inflammation greater.  This is why breakfast cereals and milk combo long term can be a ticking time bomb for genetically susceptible celiacs (not a scientific statement by any means but my current personal opinion based on reasoning at present). Milk and wheat are the top culprits for food sensitivity. Especially in childhood. There are also patient cases of antibodies normalising in celiac children who had milk protein intolerance/ delayed type allergy. Some asymptomatic. There were a couple of cases of suspected celiacs that turned out to have milk protein intolerance that normalised antibodies on a gluten containing diet. Then there were others that only normalised antibodies once gluten and milk was eliminated. Milk kept the antibodies positive. Celiac disease is complicated to say the least.
×
×
  • 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.