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I just turned 65

Dayle

By Dayle
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Dayle Apprentice
Dayle
Posted

I am scared, when I was in 3rd grade I was pencil thin, and the school got involved, my mother took me into Boston, to Childrens Hospital.

I have no memory of this...I only know because my mom died in  arms 2004, I found a card with my name on it and it said Celiac.

We were told then  I would outgrow  it. In 1999 we were involved in a MVA, I have no memory of the accident.My skull was fractured  in 3 places, I was in surgery for 4 hours, and in ICU for 10 days. I had a traumatic brain injury.

 with Systemic Lupus,Fibro and all those little auto immune diseases.

This is my 2nd marriage , but I had horrible stomach problems, and I just thought I had IBS ,well, I found that card, and I was in a size 0.

I managed to put weight on, and the stomach problems had improved, so thought I was ok.....UNTIL 1 month ago.

I now have decided to live gluten free. My husband is a wonderful guy, he is buying gluten free, but for 65 years, what have I done to my body.

I am sorry for venting.....I have seen enough Doctors had a million blood tests, So, I do not really want to tell my new primary Dr.

I am literally sick of being sick.

Blessings to all,

Dayle

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LorriNielsen Newbie
LorriNielsen
Posted

Dayle,

Thanks for sharing.   Just remember, it is never too late to make a positive change!  Good for you!  

flowerqueen Community Regular
flowerqueen
Posted

Hi Dayle,

We can't change our past, but we can change our future. You have taken the right step in going gluten free, it may take quite a while for your gut (and the rest of your body) to heal because you have had coeliac disease for so long, but any positive step is the right one!

When I was in my early 20's I was diagnosed with IBS,  but in more recent years, (I'm in my late 50's) diagnosed with coeliac disease. It did a lot of damage to my body and was extremely ill. Finding out I had coeliac disease though, helped me to change my whole diet and slowly I'm starting to feel better.  When you've had something for so long, you do not get better over-night and you may find other challenges along the way (I have multiple food intolerances, all lot of them due to eating gluten free foods, which have ingredients in them you don't always find in gluten foods), but to continue eating gluten is not an option.

Don't give up hope, every day is a new beginning.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Dayle, 

My friend is from Ireland and was recently diagnosed with celiac disease.  Her older sister was diagnosed with celiac disease as a child in the 1950's.    She too, was told that she would out grow it.  She kind of did.  She went off the gluten free diet.  Celiac disease is like a chameleon, always evolving and changing.  She married, had kids but by midlife, she became very ill.  Her celiac disease never really went away.  Armed with current information, she insisted that her siblings get tested.  One sister, my friend, tested positive.  All those aches and pains she attributed to getting older.  Now, she is feeling much better!  

I am sorry that you have been ill.  I hope you will recover quickly!  

 

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

I was diagnosed when I was 59, I am now 66.  I suspect there were problems all my life as I have always had constipation, tummy issues etc.  That said, yes, given our age, we have messed up our body.  However !!!   Good things can and do happen!  Our body can heal.  And it will.  It may take longer for those of us that are a little older but it will happen.

Not to sugar coat anything, but for me, it took about 4 years before I felt really well.  Before I felt like my system was "working" properly again.    Somethings never heal completely, like I will always probably suffer with low iron/energy,  but stick to the g.f. plan and you will heal, you will feel better. 

Just a side note, if you can, try to stick with good old-fashioned plain foods as much as you can.  Stay away from processed foods.   You will heal faster.  Processed foods have so many ingredients in them that just aren't healthy. 

Your husband sounds like a supportive guy! 

Dayle Apprentice
Dayle
Posted
  • Author
On 5/9/2017 at 0:53 AM, LorriNielsen said:

Dayle,

Thanks for sharing.   Just remember, it is never too late to make a positive change!  Good for you!  

I have a lot to deal with. Systemic Lupus and Fibro.But I do so much want to feel better. I know that I have to be patient. 

flowerqueen Community Regular
flowerqueen
Posted

I have fibro too, along with quite a few other conditions, including an under active thyroid. I'm saying this, not to point score, but to give you hope, as my thyroid improved quite a bit after going gluten free! Again, it wasn't over-night, but a gradual thing, and now take a lot less thyroxine because of it. I mentioned this to my doctor recently and she said it was because my body was absorbing the medication better because my gut lining etc was healing. (I suffered badly with malnutrition and anaemia before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. So don't give up hope. 

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CoffeeLobby Rookie
CoffeeLobby
Posted

Hang in there. 

Dayle Apprentice
Dayle
Posted
  • Author
4 hours ago, flowerqueen said:

I have fibro too, along with quite a few other conditions, including an under active thyroid. I'm saying this, not to point score, but to give you hope, as my thyroid improved quite a bit after going gluten free! Again, it wasn't over-night, but a gradual thing, and now take a lot less thyroxine because of it. I mentioned this to my doctor recently and she said it was because my body was absorbing the medication better because my gut lining etc was healing. (I suffered badly with malnutrition and anaemia before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. So don't give up hope. 

I do have HOPE now, thanks to all of you...I just need to hope that I will heal ....

flowerqueen Community Regular
flowerqueen
Posted

Best wishes winging their way to you from the U.K. 

Dayle Apprentice
Dayle
Posted
  • Author
33 minutes ago, flowerqueen said:

Best wishes winging their way to you from the U.K. 

Right back at you, my friend 

Deepak Newbie
Deepak
Posted

I can well understand your anxiety & agony.

My tale is somewhat similiar-i'm 72 now, and discovered i was a Celiac only ten years or so ago. But, i've had stomach related issues all my life,except that nobody diagnosed it correctly. The usual theories-IBS, Tropical Sprue, etc.etc.. followed by invasive tests led nowhere. My weight dropped to 35kg, and i was passing loose watery stools a dozen times a day.

I developed Tetany (spasms) and ended up carrying my intravenous Calcium shots with me, always looking for an emergency clinic to give me a life saving injection, but whose effect wore off within the day, & i was back to my miserable state.

Finally, i was diagnosed by a young Gastro Dr. in a Govt hospital who put me on a 100% gluten free home cooked diet. Within a few months, my symptoms reversed and i'm now 66kg!!

My experience has been that "Celiac disease is the hardest to diagnose but the easiest to treat".

My advise is to strictly follow the list of gluten free foods, but try to restrict yourself to home cooked food made from fresh ingredients (nothing out of a can & nothing with a preservative). Eating gluten free food in restaurants is tricky & avoidable, due to cross contamination with other foods & utensils in the common kitchen.

Best of luck..

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