Endoscopy found patchy erythematous mucosa & mild gastritis / duodenitis

[bflare]

Hello all. I had a routine liver enzyme test last December which came back elevated. My GP did loads of further tests one of which was for celiac which came back positive. I was later found to have hemochromatosis which appears to be the cause of the elevated liver enzymes. Due to the positive celiac blood test I was put on the waiting list for an endoscopy which I had done 2 days ago. The doctor who did the procedure took 6 biopsies & various photos. He spoke to me after the procedure & explained that I had mild gastritis / duodenitis & the report also says patchy erythematous. I asked him if celiac disease could cause this & his reply was 'possibly'. That is all I was told & i suffer from health anxiety so I am panicking a bit to be honest in case it's something serious. I don't drink, smoke & only take NSAID when needed. 

Can these things be caused be celiac disease? 

[cristiana]

Hi bfare and welcome to the forum

If you had an endoscopy, I assume this patchy erythematous of the mucosa was found in the stomach?  In which case, I believe this is would match the finding of gastritis.

I am no medical expert but what I can tell you is that I have coeliac disease and also suffer from periods of gastritis, usually after I have been glutened.  Generally it settles after a few days by my following a gastritis diet until I feel better (you can find examples on the internet) and sometimes resorting to a very short course of omeprazole.  I try to manage it through diet though as much as I can, though, because omeprazole tends to give me bloating and other symptoms.   

I also have health anxiety and so I completely understand how overwhelming the what ifs and maybes are at the moment.  At diagnosis one thing that really worried me was that my liver enzymes were elevated.  In my own case this was due to coeliac disease and it wasn't until I met a gastroenterologist that I discovered this issue with elevated liver enzymes is often found in coeliacs at diagnosis.   In my own case they are normalised quite quickly after a few weeks of following a gluten free diet.  

But the really good news is that the doctors have found out what's going on, and they can help you.  Chances are that this is when you will really start to turn your health around. ☺️

Of course the bit that is down to you is following a gluten free diet.  It might all seem too much to take in at the moment, but it will one day become second nature to you.   Do take a read of of the excellent Gluten Free post below, it contains lots of important advice.

We're all here for you so do come back if you have any more questions or need further support.  One or two of us have issues with our blood too so hopefully someone with experience of haematocrosis will also be able to help.  (I tend to have very high haemaglobin, although the cause has not been found, my doctor is keeping a close eye on it).

Cristiana

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by cristiana

[bflare]

3 hours ago, cristiana said:

Hi bfare and welcome to the forum

If you had an endoscopy, I assume this patchy erythematous of the mucosa was found in the stomach?  In which case, I believe this is would match the finding of gastritis.

I am no medical expert but what I can tell you is that I have coeliac disease and also suffer from periods of gastritis, usually after I have been glutened.  Generally it settles after a few days by my following a gastritis diet until I feel better (you can find examples on the internet) and sometimes resorting to a very short course of omeprazole.  I try to manage it through diet though as much as I can, though, because omeprazole tends to give me bloating and other symptoms.   

I also have health anxiety and so I completely understand how overwhelming the what ifs and maybes are at the moment.  At diagnosis one thing that really worried me was that my liver enzymes were elevated.  In my own case this was due to coeliac disease and it wasn't until I met a gastroenterologist that I discovered this issue with elevated liver enzymes is often found in coeliacs at diagnosis.   In my own case they are normalised quite quickly after a few weeks of following a gluten free diet.  

But the really good news is that the doctors have found out what's going on, and they can help you.  Chances are that this is when you will really start to turn your health around. ☺️

Of course the bit that is down to you is following a gluten free diet.  It might all seem too much to take in at the moment, but it will one day become second nature to you.   Do take a read of of the excellent Gluten Free post below, it contains lots of important advice.

We're all here for you so do come back if you have any more questions or need further support.  One or two of us have issues with our blood too so hopefully someone with experience of haematocrosis will also be able to help.  (I tend to have very high haemaglobin, although the cause has not been found, my doctor is keeping a close eye on it).

Cristiana

 

 

Thank you Cristina,

The erythematous mucosa was found prepyloric region of the stomach & the second part of the duodenum. The weird thing is that I have no symptoms & everything was just picked up on routine investigations. The doctor who did the endoscopy didn't really give me any further information & just said I must await the results of the biopsy.  

 

Thank you for the gluten free beginners guide. 

 

[trents]

Two things:

1. About 18% of celiacs have elevated liver enzymes. In fact, that was what led to my diagnosis.

2. Many celiacs are what we call "silent celiacs". That is, they have no gastro-intestinal distress, at least not until there is significant damage to the mucosa of the gut which means they may have had the disease for years.

[cristiana]

Good point Trents, I was a silent coeliac I guess, because my first symptoms were not gastrointestinal.  I had clinical anxiety, at that time anaemia, and also elevated liver enzymes.  Thank goodness I ended up with gastrointestinal symptoms later on otherwise I think the doctors might still be stumped!  

[Wheatwacked]

What is your homocysteine, B12, folate and vitamin D blood plasma?

If your homocysteine is high, you are not getting enough choline in your diet. That is a cause of liver dysfunction. You can start that while waiting for you consultation before starting GFD.

Folate Nutriture Alters Choline Status of Women and Men Fed Low Choline Diets Hepatic folate depletion, DNA hypomethylation, and increased plasma homocysteine due to choline depletion were reversed within 2 wk by adding adequate dietary choline (Varela-Moreiras et al. 1995)...In an experimental choline depletion/repletion study, Zeisel et al. (1991) found that feeding healthy men a choline-deficient diet with adequate methionine and folate for 3 wk resulted in low plasma choline and phosphatidylcholine and liver dysfunction, all of which were reversed upon choline repletion. The authors concluded that choline is an essential nutrient for humans when sufficient methionine and folate are not available in the diet. 

 

 

[Scott Adams]

Given your positive blood tests (feel free to share those results if you like), and apparently positive biopsies for celiac disease, I would say that it is very likely you have celiac disease. I'm not sure why the doctor hasn't formally diagnosed you, but you should definitely ask them about that. 

This category has our articles on liver issues and celiac disease, and the good news is that the elevated enzymes usually go back to normal on a gluten-free diet, if they are related to celiac disease:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/liver-disease-and-celiac-disease/ 

[Ana.56]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:00 AM, bflare said:

Hello all. I had a routine liver enzyme test last December which came back elevated. My GP did loads of further tests one of which was for celiac which came back positive. I was later found to have hemochromatosis which appears to be the cause of the elevated liver enzymes. Due to the positive celiac blood test I was put on the waiting list for an endoscopy which I had done 2 days ago. The doctor who did the procedure took 6 biopsies & various photos. He spoke to me after the procedure & explained that I had mild gastritis / duodenitis & the report also says patchy erythematous. I asked him if celiac disease could cause this & his reply was 'possibly'. That is all I was told & i suffer from health anxiety so I am panicking a bit to be honest in case it's something serious. I don't drink, smoke & only take NSAID when needed. 

Can these things be caused be celiac disease? 

Hi, did you get the results for your biopsy? What did it say?

[Ana.56]

Hi, did you get the results for your biopsy? What did it say?

[trents]

I could be wrong but I don't think hemochromatosis can be caused by celiac disease. It has it's own genetic base.