Possible Misdiagnosis? - Alcoholic Liver or Celiac

[kb12]

Earlier this year I was diagnosed with elevated liver enzymes due to alcohol use. I was told that I would need to stop drinking or I was guaranteed to get cirrhosis, as my liver cells were already starting to burst and fail. Although I drank, I never drank on the level of binge drinking you would expect to cause liver failure. It's been about 7 months now and I have cut back my drinking to next to nothing (1-2 drinks every couple of weeks as I was told would be an okay amount).

I originally went to the doctor because I was having symptoms such as hair loss and swelling in my hands. At first I thought everything was getting better, and I'm wondering now if it was because I stopped receiving so much gluten from the beer. Even after cutting back drinking I am still fighting these symptoms. For example, two straight weeks without alcohol, I woke up one morning with extremely red, swollen hands. I had a major gluten-filled meal the night before. The more I research, a lot of my symptoms (including ones I didn't even realize) match up with Celiacs. However, my PCP insists that it is alcohol. I have scheduled an appointment with a GI, but it will still be a few more weeks.

I was just curious, has anyone ever been misdiagnosed with an alcoholic liver and later found out it was Celiac instead?

[cyclinglady]

Hi!

Celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder, often shares comparable symptoms with other autoimmune disorders or other illnesses.  It is systemic and causes damage or symptoms beyond the small intestine.  The only way to diagnose celiac disease is to get tested, but you have to remain on a gluten diet for testing to be accurate.  

https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/screening-and-diagnosis/screening/

Can you have both a fatty (alcoholic) liver and celiac disease?  Sure.  It is possible.  Elevated liver enzymes often found in undiagnosed celiacs and can resolve on a gluten free diet.  Autoimmune hepatitis (liver).    Has that been ruled out?  What about sugar?  My niece had a fatty liver and she never drinks.  Never.  But she was addicted to sweets and drank lots of soda.  She gave up soda, cut back on carbs and her liver returned to normal within a year.  

Talk to your doctor.  Heed his advice about not drinking.  It sounds like your liver needs to heal.  

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567

I hope this helps.  

[GFinDC]

Yep, celiac disease can cause elevated liver enzymes.  They should be okay once the gluten-free diet is followed for a while. 

https://www.cureceliacdisease.org/faq/should-someone-with-elevated-liver-enzymes-be-screened-for-celiac-disease/#targetText=Elevated liver enzymes are one,a strict gluten-free diet.

Elevated liver enzymes are one of the extra-intestinal signs of celiac disease, so patients with elevated liver enzymes should be tested for it. If the enzyme increase was caused by celiac disease it should return to normal after following a strict gluten-free diet. If not, then you should seek another reason for the elevated enzymes.