Frustration and worry

[joeycass123]

Getting really a bit concerned now and feel very lost as to what to do . Been having lots of symptoms but my GP is putting it all down to anxiety but I feel there is more to it . My symptoms are developing all the time for about 6 months now (had really bad flu back in November) all seems to have kicked off from then .........

- very tired 

- thinning legs (chicken legs) 

- losing mass (back / neck / face / legs / arms)

- hair thinning and falling out 

- undigested food in stool

- feeling depressed / very low 

- Shakiness 

- Sleeping disturbances 

- Headache 

- increased urination 

- stomach bloating 

I don’t know what to do , can anyone else relate ? I don’t know why the doctors just dismiss this so easily ..... Should I just start a gluten - free diet see if that helps? 
 

I really am feeling very lost now  

 

[cyclinglady]

If you really suspect celiac disease as the culprit, get tested.  If your GP refuses, maybe it is time to get another GP’s opinion.  You can also see if there are over-the-counter tests where you live or a walk in lab.  

[rt-116]

  On 5/16/2020 at 10:27 AM, joeycass123 said:

Getting really a bit concerned now and feel very lost as to what to do . Been having lots of symptoms but my GP is putting it all down to anxiety but I feel there is more to it . My symptoms are developing all the time for about 6 months now (had really bad flu back in November) all seems to have kicked off from then .........

- very tired 

- thinning legs (chicken legs) 

- losing mass (back / neck / face / legs / arms)

- hair thinning and falling out 

- undigested food in stool

- feeling depressed / very low 

- Shakiness 

- Sleeping disturbances 

- Headache 

- increased urination 

- stomach bloating 

I don’t know what to do , can anyone else relate ? I don’t know why the doctors just dismiss this so easily ..... Should I just start a gluten - free diet see if that helps? 
 

I really am feeling very lost now  

 

Expand Quote  

Hi there

Sorry you're feeling so lost at the moment. I have been exactly where you are. I also had ALL of the symptoms you had.

I myself thought it was anxiety and so did my friends and family whenever I voiced my concerns. I also thought maybe ibs, or my imagination. However, I finally went to the doctors after a few months of this and it was actually my very lovely doctor who encouraged I have a blood test, including a ttg test for coeliac. Turned out I was anemic and also had a ttg level of more than 128 (I think up to 7 is normal) so this was very indicative of coeliac. 

A few months later I had an endoscopy and my coeliac diagnosis was confirmed. 

I'm now 4 months into the gluten free diet and it's been gradual, but starting to feel alot of positive changes in this fourth month. 

As for you, I think you should try and get these tests before changing your diet. Of course it is very difficult at the moment with the covid situation, and I don't know where you're from, however I know my local surgery is still doing blood tests, and have a very safe system so you are not in contact with anyone except the nurse. 

As for cutting out gluten, if you do this prior to a test, any indicator of coeliac might not show up, because you haven't been eating gluten and causing the anti bodies. (I'm sure this can be phrased more scientifically, sorry!) So I'd try your gp again and see if you could get a test before changing. 

Hope this helps a little, sorry I can't offer more. There are some real experts on here who have so much more knowledge so hopefully theyll chip in too! 

As a final point, I've really really been where you are. Thought I was going mad, couldn't understand what was going on with me. But it got better and I hope it does for you too. 

Wish you all the best.