New Book: Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic

[floridanative]

Ditto to everything munchkineete said. This book led me to help a friend ask her doc for a Celiac test. She has way too many symptoms not to at least rule out Celiac. Well instead of laughing at her, he doc referred her to Dr. Cynthia Rudert in Atlanta. I'm very interested to see if Dr. Rudert will use the brand new Celiac blood test or not. All I know is that she told my friend her blood work would be going to CA for results. I'm taking the book to my doc tomorrow and asking her to get a copy for her own good and the good of her patients.

I think this book should be required reading to get out of med. school. It's not too complicated but it shows how easy it is to miss the symptoms of Celiac when they are staring you right in the face!

[Guest Robbin]

Thanks for the insight on the book. Reviews by people who have the same expectations are SO helpful. Floridanative, I think I will do the same with my dr. Too many people are suffering for too long because of IGNORANCE. Also, Jenvan--thanks for the info on Overstock.com--never ordered from them--will check it out now! celiac3270, are you really a teen?!!!! What a cool, smart, nice guy you are!! He will find a cure for this and most anything else with those "little gray cells"!!!!

[floridanative]

Robbin - I'm happy to report that my doctor did not get offended in the least when I gave her a print out of an informative article on Celiac. Plus I wrote very large on the back of the pages the name of Dr. Green's book. I explained that the first line of defense is the pcp and since they have little or no training, this is why so many Celiacs are missed in the beginning stages of the active dissease. She explained that she remembers only that she was taught that Celiac was a digestive disorder, that it's very rare and that patients would present with 'D' and so she asked me if I'd had that as a symptom and I told her no. Only DH five years ago and the anemia last spring, then the bloating, indigestion, stomach cramps began last year but were farily infrequent. Then I told her that sometimes only infertility was a symptom for Celiacs and she looked pretty shocked about that one. I said just read Dr. Green's book so you may be able to help someone you wouldn't have helped otherwise. I said I was only trying to help her help other patients and she said that since things change all the time it's good to know new information. I would be surprised if she doesn't get the book because without question she did not know most of what I told her or what was in the article I gave her. Like some patients are totally asymptomatic and so forth.

Needless to say, this way of educating doctors is not the way to go for the whole country to get up to date which is why I'm trying to send letters to every insurance company in the US. This campaign is in another post, along with sample letters Canadian Karen gave us permission to copy. She did a beautiful job writing the letters and you can change them to fit what you are most comfortable saying. I'm sending my letters anonymously as not to bring attn. to my new dx of Celiac.

[Jen H]

I just finished reading the book and, as a newbie to celiac disease, found it really helpful. It has a lot of info on different autoimmune disorders and how they connect with celiac disease. As some of the previous posters mentioned, it is very scientific and explains the genetics well, but lacks substance in real life application.

[mookie03]

i went to B&N today and had taken 2 steps before i saw this book on the "New releases health" stand-- it made me SOOO happy to see that it was so accessible! I mean, there are several books out there on celiac disease but to walk into a big B&N in NYC and see the book just glaring at me-- that led me to believe that this book could actually play a big part in getting the word out to people about this "epidemic"

[CMCM]

I'm a very voracious reader on this subject, so I'm reading this book after having read several others. I haven't found much that I haven't already read, I must say. It's interesting enough, clearly and simply presented, and perhaps it will carry more authority in the medical community since it is written by a DOCTOR (bow down and worship now). It's a good addition to the recent celiac literature out there, and it's always good for us when something new and authoritative comes out, no doubt about it.

I have to say if I were recommending books to read, I don't think this is the first book I'd recommend. To me, "Dangerous Grains" was very very eye opening in a way that this book is not, and it is the first one any of us should read. I also learned a lot (with some overlap) from "Wheat Free, Worry Free" and also "Going Against the Grain." I read all 3 of those more than once, just trying to absorb it all. I would rate Green's book 4th in the list of books compared to the 3 mentioned above.

I'm now reading one called "A Personal Touch....on Celiac Disease", which is very good. I'm really relating to all the stories of misdiagnosis and difficulty getting the doctors to take then seriously. Here's the Amazon book description of it:

"Celiac disease is a condition that presents itself with a variety of symptoms including but not limited to diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, headaches, malnutrition, and the list goes on. Members of the celiac community share their stories, tips, poems, and recipes in this book containing 94 different pieces to help those with Celiac and those who have been misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)."

[floridanative]

I think for someone who is newly dx'd with Celiac this book is a must read. It's not full of funny anecdotes like Wheat-Free, Worry-Free to say the least. But so far this is the first book I've been able to find and take in to my doctor to tell what deficiencies I needed to be tested for. My idiot GI said to call him in six months for another biopsy and hung up. No thanks doc! My pcp is not familiar at all with Celiac and has no idea how to help me. I can't get in to the new GI unitl late April. So with the book I was able to ask for the correct tests I needed....now if my insurance will just pay for the bone scan.....did I mention I despise insurance companies?!

[Rachel--24]

I just got my book today at Barnes & Noble. I'm looking forward to reading it but not really expecting to learn anything new. Dangerous Grains tops my list...but this book looks like it'll be a good read.

[lfij]

i knwo this is an old thread but i think some people on this board really need to read this book because they are clearly confused on some things, and it really cleared a bunch of stuff up for me when i first found out i was a celiac!