Timeline of infertility vs. diagnosis

[MarieK]

Hello everyone.  I was just diagnosed 3 weeks ago, and I've been diving headfirst into all that this means for me from here forward.  One question I have not been able to find the answer to (and really it's just for curiosity sake) is how long you can remain undiagnosed without symptoms before symptoms appear and answers are sought ending in a diagnosis.  

My story:  I started trying to get pregnant about 11 years ago, and all the doctors I saw had no idea why I wasn't conceiving.  I had very irregular periods, and the only thing they could tell me in the end was that I wasn't ovulating regularly, but they saw no reason why (and it wasn't my husband).  In the end, IUI worked and I conceived.  I carried to term and had a healthy baby.  When I tried to have a second child, I still was unable to conceive, and IUI worked again and I carried a second baby to term.  I never had any miscarriages.  Fast forward to last spring when I started getting symptoms that led me to my doctor and then the GI clinic, resulting in a diagnosis three weeks ago of Celiac's Disease.  Is it possible that the infertility was Celiac's related, and that the symptoms only came 10 years later?  Or is it just another mystery without explanation?

[squirmingitch]

It's entirely possible it was celiac causing the infertility -- it's a known symptom. Having said that, it could be something else but I'm leaning toward celiac. There is no timeline like you're asking about. We are all individuals & in that respect timelines can't be pinned down. People can go for years & years & years with no symptoms. There is actually something called silent celiac where the person has zero symptoms and yet on endoscopy they may have no villi left either. The body can cope in amazing ways until one day it's like the straw that broke the camel's back & boom! symptoms.

I'm really glad you got dx'd so quickly when you did begin getting symptoms (other than infertility). 

You know that you need to have your kids (& all first degree relatives) tested about every 2 years in the absence of symptoms & immediately if symptoms present? Celiac can present at any age in life.

Welcome to the club you never wanted to be a member of. Be sure to read the Newbie 101 in our coping section.