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[Bella214]

Hi sorry to bother everyone 😔 but the last 4 weeks have been crazy for me. Abdominal pain sometimes unbearable but use buscapan to cope. Feeling tired and lack of appetite but the last 3 days I've had yellow stools.  Could this be celiac? Thanks in advance 

[Bella214]

Also had a blood test which shown inflammation and my folic acid is low. They put me on supplements of folic acid to boost it back up. 

[cristiana]

Hello Bella

No bother at all - that's what we're here for.  Welcome to the forum!

The symptoms you mention could be celiac disease.  Out of interest, did your blood tests include a full celiac panel?  If so, can you post your results?

Cristiana

Edited October 10, 2021 by cristiana

[Bella214]

1 minute ago, cristiana said:

Hello Bella!

No bother at all - that's what we're here for!

The symptoms you mention could be celiac disease.  Out of interest, did your blood tests include a full celiac panel?  If so, can you post your results?

Cristiana

No I don't think so. My doctor wanted to check for full blood count cancer cells and inflammation. All that came up in slight inflammation and low folic acid 

[cristiana]

Hi Bella

It sounds like your doctor went down the same route as mine initially.  I was anemic and also had inflammation, but it didn't really add up to anything.  It wasn't until I started to get diarrhea that they thought to look for celiac disease. 

I would go back to your doctor and ask for a celiac blood test - ask for a full panel.  Are you currently eating  plenty of gluten?  If so, that's great, but if not, you will need to be eating the equivalent of at least 2 slices of normal (glutenous) bread daily for 6 - 8 weeks before your doctor does your blood test.  Make sure this happens, as often doctors don't think to check that their patients has done this first and the tests come back negative.

Cristiana

Edited October 10, 2021 by cristiana

[Bella214]

2 minutes ago, cristiana said:

Hi Bella

It sounds like your doctor went down the same route as mine initially.  I was anemic and also had inflammation, but it didn't really add up to anything.  It wasn't until I started to get diarrhea that they thought to look for celiac disease. 

I would go back to your doctor and ask for a celiac blood test - ask for a full panel.  Are you currently eating  plenty of gluten?  If so, that's great, but if not, you will need to be eating the equivalent of at least 2 slices of normal (glutenous) bread daily for 6 - 8 weeks before your doctor does your blood test.  Make sure this happens, as often doctors don't think to check that their patients has done this first and the tests come back negative.

Cristiana

I haven't gone on gluten free diet yet so everything I've eaten recently has had gluten that's why when my yellow stools started coming my family said to check for celiac 

 

[Bella214]

4 minutes ago, Bella214 said:

I haven't gone on gluten free diet yet so everything I've eaten recently has had gluten that's why when my yellow stools started coming my family said to check for celiac 

 

I had diarrhea to begin with and now I haven't had much of an appitite but my stools are soft but yellow and oily 

[cristiana]

22 minutes ago, Bella214 said:

I haven't gone on gluten free diet yet so everything I've eaten recently has had gluten that's why when my yellow stools started coming my family said to check for celiac 

 

They are quite right- it is definitely worth testing.   

Re: yellow stools.   I can tell you that I have had this symptom.   Celiacs can become temporarily lactose intolerant and I used to have this a lot, before my gut healed. 

I'm glad you've been eating gluten. As much as it is making you feel uncomfortable, keep eating it before your blood test, and if the blood test is positive and your doctors wish to confirm the diagnosis with an endoscopy, remember you will need to keep consuming it until the endoscopy. 

C.

Edited October 10, 2021 by cristiana

[Bella214]

If it comes through on the blood test can my doctor say I have it there and then. I just want to feel better. I feel like I can't be away from the toilet at the moment. 

[cristiana]

2 minutes ago, Bella214 said:

If it comes through on the blood test can my doctor say I have it there and then. I just want to feel better. I feel like I can't be away from the toilet at the moment. 

Hi Bella 

Yes, that would be great wouldn't it!

That said, you may find that some doctors are keen to do an endoscopy even if the blood results are positive but there are others who are happy not too.   It rather depends on the doctor/circumstances.   

Should you have a negative blood test, it could be that you have something called non-celiac gluten intolerance which means you will have celiac-like symptoms without a damaged gut.   Or you might be one of the small percentage of celiacs who have a negative blood test, but do have damage to their gut.   In order to rule in/out the latter, an endoscopy is really the only way to find out.

Do come back to us if you need any further help when your blood tests come back. 

Cristiana 

[AlwaysLearning]

Cristiana rocks. Great advice.

[cristiana]

7 hours ago, AlwaysLearning said:

Cristiana rocks. Great advice.

Just checking my emails first thing here, over the pond.  What a lovely thing to read first thing in the morning.... thank you AL!