Newly Diagnosed

[BrianG]

Hello,

I was recently diagnosed with a mild case of celiacs. My symptoms consist of fatigue, headaches, foggy head, anemia; iron/b12/folate deficiencies. 
-Is this considered silent celiac? Since I don’t get very severe noticeable symptoms. 

-is it true that if I stop eating gluten for a while that my body will react more harshly to it when I do eat it? 
 

- since my symptoms are manageable what would happen if I just kept eating gluten? Would my symptoms eventually worsen and include diarrhea and nausea? 
 

I’m on day 2 or a gluten free diet and plan on taking this seriously but just have lots of questions. 
 

thank you 
 

[knitty kitty]

Having a mild case of Celiac is akin to being a little bit pregnant.  

You have Celiac.  You have mild symptoms, but you are already experiencing malabsorption and vitamin and mineral deficiencies which are serious.   

Did you know wheat contains opioid compounds?  Dairy does, too.  You have opioid receptors in your brain and in your digestive tract and throughout your body.  You can make opioids in your body.  Ever stub your toe? Hurts really bad at first, but after a bit, the hurt fades.  That's your own body producing its own opioids.  

You've been eating these opioids from wheat.  These have "numbed" your gut, similar to how your stubbed toe quit hurting.  So maybe you don't feel any bad symptoms.  The wheat opioids wear off the longer you remain gluten free, so you may feel worse during that gluten withdrawal period. Once your body realizes it needs to produce more of its own opioids, you'll feel better.

Yes, if you return to eating gluten you can have a worse reaction including nausea and diarrhea because your body is still geared up to make those antigluten antibodies.  

If you go back to or continue consuming gluten, yes, your symptoms will worsen because the damage will increase.  A cascade of other health problems can ensue. 

Physical damage caused by the autoimmune reaction begins to occur in other organs besides just the intestines (pancreas and thyroid just to name a couple). 

And then there's the gut dysbiosis if you get SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and the resulting gas and bloating. 

Also dysfunction due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies begin to manifest, like anemia, osteoporosis, depression and other mental health changes.  

Anemia caused by iron, folate and B12 deficiencies are common in Celiac Disease.  Because the eight B vitamins all work together, you should supplement all of them together.  Thiamine, pyridoxine (B6), and niacin can help the fatigue.  Thiamine helps alleviate the nausea and throwing up and keeps the SIBO in check.  Riboflavin can help the headaches.  Magnesium, zinc,  and calcium are beneficial, too.  Tryptophan (a form of niacin) is necessary to heal the intestines.

Ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist.  It's part of proper follow up care for Celiacs.  

Hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

[BrianG]

This is all very useful information thank you! I spoke with a dietician already but probably will need a follow up.
Is it possible for my stomach to feel upset initially after stopping gluten? I’m on day 4 and my stomach just feels off. When I was eating gluten I rarely felt this way. could it be part of the withdrawal? 
thanks,

Brian 

[GFinDC]

Hi Brian,

The first 6 months of the gluten-free diet can be a little rough IMHO.  Recovery can seem sort of back and forth as far as symptoms go.  I suppose your doctor knows what he means by mild celiac but it doesn't mean much to me.  Your immune system either makes antibodies to gliaden or it doesn't.  Mild symptoms is a different thing though.

Since you are having some symptoms a few over the counter meds might help.  Pepto Bismol can help with gut irritation symptoms, peppermint Altoids or tea can help get gas out of the stomach.  Reducing sugar, carbs and dairy can help reduce food for bacteria that produces gas and discomfort.

The surface area of the small intestine is about the same as a tennis court.  So that's a lot of area to heal and a lot of territory for bacteria to colonize.  The villi lining of the small intestine is what is destroyed by the immune attack.  When it grows back we can absorb nutrients better.  Probiotics may help some.

Betaine HCL may help your digestion also when taken with meals.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/marsh-stage-of-celiac-disease-562711

[BrianG]

5 hours ago, GFinDC said:

Hi Brian,

The first 6 months of the gluten-free diet can be a little rough IMHO.  Recovery can seem sort of back and forth as far as symptoms go.  I suppose your doctor knows what he means by mild celiac but it doesn't mean much to me.  Your immune system either makes antibodies to gliaden or it doesn't.  Mild symptoms is a different thing though.

Since you are having some symptoms a few over the counter meds might help.  Pepto Bismol can help with gut irritation symptoms, peppermint Altoids or tea can help get gas out of the stomach.  Reducing sugar, carbs and dairy can help reduce food for bacteria that produces gas and discomfort.

The surface area of the small intestine is about the same as a tennis court.  So that's a lot of area to heal and a lot of territory for bacteria to colonize.  The villi lining of the small intestine is what is destroyed by the immune attack.  When it grows back we can absorb nutrients better.  Probiotics may help some.

Betaine HCL may help your digestion also when taken with meals.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/marsh-stage-of-celiac-disease-562711

Could you recommend a specific probiotic?  

If I am taking a multi-vitamin that has B's in it, do I still need to take a B complex? I currently take B12.

[knitty kitty]

My suggestion would be to hold off on taking a probiotic for a while.  Changing your diet to a Paleo diet like the Autoimmune Protocol will starve out the bacteria feeding on carbohydrates allowing beneficial bacteria to repopulate by themselves.  

Yes, take your multivitamin and also your B Complex both everyday.  The B Complex vitamins are water soluble, so any excess is going to be peed out.  Having lots of B Complex vitamins in your system helps your body absorb them easily.

 

[GFinDC]

On 4/3/2021 at 5:09 PM, BrianG said:

Could you recommend a specific probiotic?  

If I am taking a multi-vitamin that has B's in it, do I still need to take a B complex? I currently take B12.

Check out Jarrow Formula for one.  They are a good brand name.   Be sure to verify they are dairy-free tho.  Many probiotics include some dairy.  Solgar is a good brand and Naturemade too, but I haven't checked them for dairy.  You can also find coconut yogurt in some grocery stores.  "So Delicious" brand is one, but there others.  Yogurts are made by bacterial action so are usually a good source of pro-biotics.  Cheaper and tastier than pills too.  Saurkraut is another natural probiotic.

Edited April 4, 2021 by GFinDC

[DJFL77I]

 

On 4/2/2021 at 12:28 AM, BrianG said:

- since my symptoms are manageable what would happen if I just kept eating gluten?
 

nothing good...

i never had deficiencies for some reason even though i definitely had malabsorption going on because a lot of weight loss.  still havent gained it back

 

 

[BrianG]

4 hours ago, Gluten-Sucks said:

 

nothing good...

i never had deficiencies for some reason even though i definitely had malabsorption going on because a lot of weight loss.  still havent gained it back

 

 

How did you find out you had celiacs then? 

[BrianG]

17 hours ago, BrianG said:

Could you recommend a specific probiotic?  

If I am taking a multi-vitamin that has B's in it, do I still need to take a B complex? I currently take B12.

I woke up with a headache today. Typical kind I get, back of the head, dull, grows more intense, comes in waves. I’ve been gluten free for 5 days now. The only thing I may have messed up on was eating a holiday shaped Reese’s last night which could have cross contamination. Could I really be this sensitive to gluten? I was eating pizza and drinking beer before all this and felt fine the next day. Or maybe this is just residual effects from my overall anemia due to my celiacs? 

[DJFL77I]

19 hours ago, BrianG said:

How did you find out you had celiacs then? 

biopsy....

 

after having..

abdominal pains... weight loss...  off balance feeling when walking.....  dizziness...   reflux....   

 

 

[DJFL77I]

19 hours ago, BrianG said:

 The only thing I may have messed up on was eating a holiday shaped Reese’s last night which could have cross contamination. Could I really be this sensitive to gluten? 

cant eat anything but fresh cooked home made meals if you want to be 100% sure...  and possibly "certified gluten free" store bought items....  and dedicated gluten free bakeries..

[BrianG]

16 hours ago, Gluten-Sucks said:

biopsy....

 

after having..

abdominal pains... weight loss...  off balance feeling when walking.....  dizziness...   reflux....   

 

 

My yearly physical showed I had iron deficiency anemia along with b12 and folate deficiencies. Then I had an endoscopy, biopsy, and blood test to confirm the celiacs.  
I have also had GERD my entire life pretty much. Been on omeprazole since 18 and I’m 35. 

[knitty kitty]

Omeprazole causes B12 deficiency. 

 

[BrianG]

Yes I’m aware, amongst others.