Celiac's--a Disease Or A Syndrome?

[darlindeb25]

There is much discussion in another forum I attend about celiacs being a disease or a syndrome. This doctor believes it makes more sense to call it a syndrome. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what you call it--there is no cure--it is with us for life--this was my response to the forum:

Sometimes these people make it sound too easy. Celiacs is a disease and it doesn't have a cure. Gluten is the enemy. Celiac disease goes into remission when you go gluten free, but the disease is still there. Gluten free is not a cure, it's our medicine, so to speak. We can live normal lives according to us, but not normal. We don't have the freedom to eat what we want, we still have to worry about kisses from our gluten eating spouses, bf/gluten-free, kids, grandkids, and friends--we can't truly enjoy a family dinner unless we make it ourselves--we don't have freedom of choice in that respect. Yes, we do choose to be gluten free--but our choices are very slim---gluten free or sick--hmmmmmmmm, pretty easy choice for me. I don't really miss much of the gluten containing foods. I have pretty much made peace with myself about this disease. I do still have moments when I ask, "Why me?" I can go out with friends or family and enjoy their company without eating with them. I was sick for so many years (at least 25 that I can remember) before going gluten-free, so now I have peripheral neuropathy to deal with too. Celiacs takes a backseat to the neuropathy now. It is a disease--whateverwe call it, it needs more awareness out there. Deb

[plantime]

It is a disease--whateverwe call it, it needs more awareness out there. Deb

AMEN!!

[jerseyangel]

I would say disease, also. Even though the symptoms may go away, the disease never does.

[nikki-uk]

I think they both mean pretty much the same thing.

In the dictionary definition of syndrome is as follows;

'A set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the disease'.

Either way you look at it celiac disease can be frustrating,inconvenient and sometimes a royal pain,but on the flip side,following a gluten-free diet does give alot of you guys the opportunity to go back to living full and healthy lives (hopefully!-I realise that a dx of celiac disease and gluten-free diet has not been the end of their medical problems )

[CeliaCruz]

This is one of those debates where it's like, "who cares?" Whether I call it a "disease" or a "syndrome" doesn't make any tangible difference in my life. I still can't eat in most restaurants and I can't go grocery shopping without sitting down at my computer and doing a buttload of research. My family and friends still ask me stupid questions and act insensitively. I still can't eat the pizza at work luncheons. Whatever it is -- disease, syndrome, condition, underground political alliance, etc. -- it still sucks. It's lifelong and -- at times -- socially crippling. And it's not like I can go to Krispy Kreme if I refer to myself as having a "syndrome" instead of a "disease."

If someone wants to make a difference in my life, either introduce better-tasting gluten-free products and make them available in convenient locations or develop a reasonably-priced over-the-counter drug that will make me impervious to cross contamination. Otherwise, don't waste my time with the semantics. I've got a pot of rice pasta boiling on the stove and if I get distracted for even a minute, that s&*t's gonna turn to mush.

[penguin]

I don't think the symantics matter too much, either way the treatment is the same.

I think there is more of a social stigma with the term "disease" because it sounds tainted and contagious. Using words like "syndrome" or "condition" are a politically correct way to trivialize the problem.

Actually, when you think about it, Celiac is more of a disorder.

Or it's a good excuse to use a thesaurus

Gotta keep those linguists employed

[jerseyangel]

Actually, when you think about it, Celiac is more of a disorder.

That, and a big, gigantic pain in the butt

[Rusla]

I don't care what they call it, we have it, we can't get rid of it so it is a disease.

[watkinson]

Well...I never thought about it before. I mean it's called celiac disease so I just think of it as a disease. I guess the meaning of disease is that the body is at dis-ease. Therefore when we are suffering from celiacs or an untreated celiac, and are sick, I guese we would be at dis-ease. But when we are gluten-free and feeling fine maybe we could call it a syndrome. I agree with you when you said that it really doesn't matter. It's incurable whatever it is so we are at dis-ease with it to some degree all the time.

However...all the other autoimmune dieases are also called just that....diseases,... not syndromes.

Wendy

[ravenwoodglass]

I prefer to think of it as a difference. If we had not been consuming great amounts of this stuff since birth I doubt we would see this genetic difference as a problem. I know I am in the minority but the disease is not with me, it is with a culture that overprocesses everything and then adds an addictive and toxic (I believe for everyone) compound into our foods instead of alternatives, for what reason again?