Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Can Gluten Harm The Colon Too?


sspitzer5

Recommended Posts

sspitzer5 Apprentice

Hi, my boyfriend had ulcerative colitis and had to have surgery for it. His colon was very damaged. I know there are some correlations between Celiac and colitis and I've been urging (aka bugging the hell out of) him to get tested for Celiac - he's half Irish and his cousin has derm. hep.

What I'm wondering is if eating gluten can damage not only the small intestine, but the colon. He never had a small intestine biopsy, so I don't know if there is damage there or not. Any info would be appreciated.

S


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Rusla Enthusiast

Yes, it can. I know someone who ended up with colon cancer from Celiac and now he has to have all his waste drained into a bag for the rest of his life.

luvs2eat Collaborator

That molten lava that rushes from my small intestine thru my large intestine as it fights its way out of me CAN'T be good for any part of me, I'm thinkin'!! We're talking alien acid that melts the space ship floor!!

  • 3 months later...
DeeTee33 Newbie

Oh yes, Gluten can harm the colon!

I had been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis back in 1989 and it never got better. It actually got worse no matter how much medicine I took. The doctor said they didn't know what caused Ulcerative Colitis and there was no cure for it so I did a little research on my own.

Late 2003 I went on a Gluten-Free diet and started digesting food in less than 2 weeks. I went off all my medicine in a couple months and have never felt better. By the time I found a new doctor and had the blood test for Celiac Disease I had already been on a Gluten-Free diet for over 3 months. The test didn't come back negative though, it came back inconclusive. He offered to do the biopsy but I told him it wasn't necessary. For me Gluten-Free is the key to healthy living!

I encourage anyone diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease to get tested for Celiac Disease.

corinne Apprentice

I have collagenous colitis (not celiac) and the symptoms quit when I went off gluten (and other grains). My mother is celiac and many people with collagenous colitis have a first degree relative with celiac. For some people, the inflammation of colitis (including ulcerative or crohn's) may be triggered by gluten. It will be interesting to see when I have my next colonoscopy if the damage is reduced.

DeeTee33 Newbie

Just took my 19 year old daughter for the first time to the GI for digestive problems. Even though I haven't been officially diagnosed with Celiac Disease he has decided to give her the blood test next week. I'm really curious on what the results might say.

My mother passed away at the age of 54 with Cancer of the Pancreas. She previosly also had been diagnosed with Colitis and Osteoporosis. At that time neither one of us had heard of Celiac Disease. Hopefully my daughter doesn't follow in either of our footsteps.

Next month I will be having my 1st Colonoscopy since being on a gluten-free diet for 2 1/2 years. I don't know who is more curious of the results, my doctor or me.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,127
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    sue j
    Newest Member
    sue j
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      I’m so sorry you’re going through this—it sounds like your body is sending a clear signal that gluten is a major trigger for your Hashimoto’s. The dramatic spike in your anti-TPO (from 50 to 799!) and the severe symptoms you’re experiencing suggest a strong immune reaction, even if celiac testing wasn’t done earlier. While a formal diagnosis would clarify cross-contamination risks, continuing the challenge may not be worth the damage to your thyroid and quality of life, especially since you already know gluten worsens your antibodies and symptoms. If you need answers, you could discuss genetic testing (HLA-DQ2/DQ8 genes) with your doctor—this can rule out celiac predisposition without a gluten challenge. For now, prioritizing your health by quitting gluten again (strictly, given your sensitivity) and supporting gut healing (like probiotics, L-glutamine, or zinc carnosine) might be the wisest path. Your thyroid will thank you!
    • trents
      Well then, I'd say he's making excellent progress. It can take some time for antibody numbers to normalize. Even though new antibodies are no longer being produced, it takes a while for the old ones to be disposed of. Make sure you keep an eye on the alkaline phosphatase levels. It is probably true that is tied to his adolescent growth spurt but it's worth tracking. Thirteen years of elevated liver enzymes was what eventually led to my celiac disease diagnosis. But I was 50 years old by that time and it was my ALT and AST that were mildly elevated all that time, not my alk phos. I just found out last week from an ultrasound that my liver is 20% larger than normal and I'm hoping that is a legacy effect. I have more testing lined up. 
    • CeliacMom79
      Hi. Sorry, his previous levels were >250 and we do not know how high they were. So yes, "off the chart". By 'detectable' I just meant that at 234 we now actually have a number as a baseline that we can measure future labs against. All his other liver test functions have been normal.  Just the elevated ALP. Thank you.
    • NoGlutenCooties
      Hi all I'm looking for a safe place to eat in Wilmington, DE. Any ideas? Thanks Jenny
    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @CeliacMom79! Not sure what you mean when you say you are pleased that his ttg levels are now at "detectable levels"? Earlier in your narrative you said they were originally above 250. Was 250 the upper limit of the scale that was used, such that you actually don't know how high they were originally, i.e. "off the charts"?  Were his other liver test functions (ALT, AST) originally elevated?
×
×
  • Create New...