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Ulcers and Celiac Disease

chicago wendy

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chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted

Hello everyone! I just stumbled on this website while searching for any possible correlations between celiac disease and ulcers. 

I am 61 years old and was diagnosed with celiac disease 39 years ago! Thus, I've been on a strict gluten-free and dairy-free (as well as soy-free) diet all these years. After doing very well, I started developing repeated ulcers about three years ago and am still being treated for them. I have NO risk factors; i.e., don't have H Pylori (have been tested twice), don't use NSAIDs, don't smoke, don't drink and drink very little coffee - in fact none since my diagnosis three years ago! I was also tested for Zolinger Ellison, (sp?), a rare syndrome which causes increased gastric levels and that was negative as well.

I was interested to read on some older posts on this website (around 2010) that others with celiac disease have also dealt with this problem and I'm wondering if the medical establishment has yet to recognize that there may in fact be a correlation between the two conditions.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has thoughts on this. I'm also interested in treatment that doesn't involve PPIs. After three years of taking them and because they're powerful drugs with many potential side effects, I would love to cure my ulcers in a natural way. 

Thanks very much!!

Wendy Manto

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Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted

Where do you have issues with them? Stomach, lower, or upper intestines? I have ulcers in my large intestines and it is caused by ulcerative colitis. If you have them in the stomach perhaps drinking aloe vera juice might help. I drink the stuff twice a day to help with digestion issues. And how is your stomach acid in reference to PH is it strong, weak. There is a issues with a reflux like result if it is to weak and causes various issues including gastric emptying. PosterBoy would know more on this. Hopefully with some more info someone here can help you more.

Estes Contributor
Estes
Posted

I was just diagnosed with Ulcers as well.  I feel better following the AIP diet but I don't stick with it because my husband loves food and cooking.  He cooks gluten free.  I drink wine and sometimes eat before bed. I thought maybe I caused it that way?  I am on a pill now that coats my stomach, providing a protective barrier for the ulcers so they can heal.

Hopefully others can provide more insite.

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Thank you, Ennis and Estes, for your responses! Ennis, my first ulcer showed up three years ago in my dudodeum. Then the next endoscopy showed a different ulcer in the same area. Most recently (just a month ago), the ulcer showed up in my stomach. I don't know anything about my PH. How do I get it measured? I need to find a non-mainstream doctor ... As for aloe juice, I have used it when I was trying to get off of PPIs but when it didn't work, I stopped drinking it. Perhaps I should start again ... I've never known a doctor to talk about a correlation between celiac disease and ulcers. Have you?

Estes, what's the AIP diet? 

Thanks so much to both of you. I hope to learn from this forum. At end of May I'm having another endoscopy and if it shows remaining ulcer(s), I'm going to see an alternatively oriented doc.

Have a great day!

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Welcome Chicago Wendy!  

Has your doctor tested you for Crohn's Disease?  Once you have one autoimmune disorder, you can develop additional ones.  Just something to consider.  

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chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Interesting, cycling lady. I was tested many years ago and came out negative but that was a very long time ago ... I may look into that possibility. Thanks.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

When was your last celiac blood test conducted?   You might just have a case of activated celiac disease.  

Here is more info on follow-up testing:

Open Original Shared Link

 

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Posterboy Mentor
Posterboy
Posted

chicago wendy,

Let first say.  wow if you were diagnosed in 1978 you were a pioneer in celiac diease becoming more commonly diagnosed.

I wanted to address your PPI question.

***** note this is not medical advice

PPIs can be hard to get off of but they are worth trying to get off.

This link explains why taking PPI's can make things worse.

Open Original Shared Link

This is from the abstract dated February 2007

quoting

"A new study may explain why individuals treated for acid reflux with proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) still experience reflux symptoms.

Researchers from the Lynn Health Science Institute in Oklahoma City, OK, treated 15 individuals with significant complaints of heartburn, with either a PPI or with a placebo. After one week, all participants underwent monitoring and polysomnography, both of which were done after participants were given an acid-inducing meal to raise the baseline occurrence of reflux.

Researchers found that, while total reflux events and acid reflux events decreased considerably with PPI treatment, nonacidic reflux events, such as stomach bile regurgitation, were significantly greater with PPI treatment. Researchers suggest that this increase in nonacid reflux events may explain persistent symptoms in some patients, despite being treated with PPIs.

This study appears in the February issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians."

Note despite this research being 10 years old PPI's are still considered the gold standard for heartburn/ulcers.

But if you read the fine print PPIs were ever only designed to be used for 2 months max and not as a way of life.

Because they have such a high attachment rate very few people ever get off them the first time they try.

Going low carb will help . . . it might not eliminate the heartburn but will probably allow you to step back on your dosages.

Taking Niacinamide can help your ulcer heal.

Here is the abstract but it might help you to read the whole paper if you want to do more research.

Open Original Shared Link

As to you question about how to test your pH (stomach acid) levels it is called a Heidelberg test commonly known as a gastric function test that basically involved swallowing a capsule with a string attached that can retrieved and most peoples true stomach acid level's are not tested before taking/begin PPI's.

dr. Myatt discusses why this is so in her online article "What's Burning You".

Open Original Shared Link

I hope this is helpful.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

posterboy by the grace of God,

 

Estes Contributor
Estes
Posted
On 4/9/2017 at 10:06 AM, chicago wendy said:

Thank you, Ennis and Estes, for your responses! Ennis, my first ulcer showed up three years ago in my dudodeum. Then the next endoscopy showed a different ulcer in the same area. Most recently (just a month ago), the ulcer showed up in my stomach. I don't know anything about my PH. How do I get it measured? I need to find a non-mainstream doctor ... As for aloe juice, I have used it when I was trying to get off of PPIs but when it didn't work, I stopped drinking it. Perhaps I should start again ... I've never known a doctor to talk about a correlation between celiac disease and ulcers. Have you?

Estes, what's the AIP diet? 

Thanks so much to both of you. I hope to learn from this forum. At end of May I'm having another endoscopy and if it shows remaining ulcer(s), I'm going to see an alternatively oriented doc.

Have a great day!

AIP is AutoImmune Protocol or Paleo.  It is grain free which made a big difference in my brain fog and energy levels.  I only did it for 2 weeks and then added a little grain and I am still feeling good.  I feel like the AIP concept is good for people looking to reduce or eliminate autoimmune symptoms.  They have a nice Facebook page where they post stories and recipes.  Very friendly and free.

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Thank you!

 

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Yes Posterboy, I was diagnosed before anyone heard of celiac disease. And it was a flukey thing ... I  had been on a trip where I ate lots of bread and I developed severely swollen ankles and water retention all through my body. I was a senior in college at Boston University and amazingly, Lahey Clinic was able to diagnose me after two HORRIBLE endoscopies. Back then, people weren't sedated fully and it wasn't pleasant :). 

Anyway, thank you so much for the info you sent along. I'm aware of the dangers of PPIs and can't wait to get off of them. My plan is for that to happen soon ... Now I have to find an integrative physician in the Chicago area who's good. Anyone know anybody good in the Chicago area?

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Hi Cyclinglady,

Thanks for your suggestion. I was tested a couple of months ago and don't have active celiac disease. 

Wendy

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Hi Wendy,

I hope you get better soon!  I had a stomach ulcer for several years.  I tried some alternative treatments for it.  Mastic gum, DGL, garlic, honey, coconut etc.  There are a lot of home treatments for ulcers.  Some of these home treatments helped for a while but none of them were a permanent cure for me.

I hope you feel better soon!

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

Hi! Thanks so much! I tried lots of those as well ... in fact, DGL saved me from awful pain for some time but I had the same experience as you .. nothing was a permanent cure. How were you finally cured?

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted
4 hours ago, chicago wendy said:

Hi! Thanks so much! I tried lots of those as well ... in fact, DGL saved me from awful pain for some time but I had the same experience as you .. nothing was a permanent cure. How were you finally cured?

Hi Wendy,

I was cured by the Good Lord.  :) I finally gave up on all the alternative treatments and started praying (and believing) about the ulcer pain being gone.  I don't know if it is like this for you but my ulcer pain got really old after a while.  So I decided to pray and that did it.  First time I prayed the pain went away for 15 minutes. So I prayed again and it went away a little longer.  And every time the pain came back I prayed and it went away for a little longer.  By midnight it was gone for 30 minutes or more at a time.  Next morning I kept praying and by noon it was gone for good.  I've never had to take any treatment for ulcer pain since then.  By his stripes we are healed, in Jesus mighty name. God is good! :)

chicago wendy Rookie
chicago wendy
Posted
  • Author

wow!!!

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