Veteran Celiacs

[jerseyangel]

As discussed on another thread, we thought it would be interesting to hear any tips, stories, or encouragement from the "veteran celiacs" here. Really--anything you can offer would be great

[DingoGirl]

As discussed on another thread, we thought it would be interesting to hear any tips, stories, or encouragement from the "veteran celiacs" here. Really--anything you can offer would be great

Aaagh! You read my mind!!

[MallysMama]

I don't feel old enough to be considered a "vetern celiac" - I am only 22 - but I was diagnosed with Celiac Sprue when I was 18 months old (when it was very rare and they didn't know a lot about it). I, of course, don't remember details of what I went through, but my mom wrote down the "story" for me and the nightmare they went through. I saw a lot of doctors and was tested for everything from leukemia to ghiardia before my parents finally found a doctor who knew about Celiac and recognized my symptoms. Pictures from that time show me looking like the ehtiopian babies you see in National Geographic - my stomach was huge and my arms and legs were rail thin. They told me that there were so many days where they thought that day would be my last. To my knowledge, after finally recovering, I haven't seen another doctor about this disease since.

I'm not sure how much help I can be on this site - because I'm not very good at eating what I should and staying away from what I shouldn't. I, lately, have been having a lot of questions of my own - since there are so many new findings on Celiac since I last saw a doctor about it. Since I "cheat" on my diet all the time, there are lots of days where I don't feel any effects from it - so I wonder if I've gained a tolerance for it or if it went away? Or am I constantly hurting myself, even if I don't feel it, beyond repair?

I would love to hear all the "newbies" stories of discovering they have Celiac (and the veterans stories as well)....because I have distanced myself from the disease in the past and I'd like to "reconnect" now.

[aikiducky]

It's seems very common that people are able to tolerate some gluten in their teens and twenties, and then get sick again in their thirties. When you're young, your body is still quick about repairing itself.

Pauliina

[jerseyangel]

I experienced that--I had a lot of stomach problems when I was a child. I even fainted at church once when I was around 10 or so. But my teen years were great--I don't remember any problems then. It wasn't until the C-section birth of my 2nd. son when I was 29 that I begen to have stomach problems and anemia again.