Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Celiac Disease With Constipation?

gointribal

Recommended Posts

gointribal Enthusiast
gointribal
Posted

I still don't know if I have celiac disease but I was wondering if you can have it and be constipated? I don't get the runs (every once in a while), the doctors keep saying I have IBS but as far as I know IBS people don't have the achy body. When I get gluten in my system I vision gets really bad and my whole body hurts, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. Can anyone else relate? I have other symptoms too, I think I might just go gluten free, its not worth the pain I am dealing with. Thanks guys!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

YES YES YES YES YES!!!! Your doctor is working out of the "old-school" paradigm of Celiac. I had major constipation with my Celiac. And there are many others here that had the same symptom, rather than D. You don't have to have a cycle of it with D either (some do though)--you can just have constant C. Perhaps you need to take in some literature or a show your doc a webpage that lists this as a symptom. I can point some out if you like. And remember, Celiacs are often misdiagnosed with IBS--I was, and there are quite a few here who also had the same story. IBS should be a diagnosis of elmination--meaning, if everything else, like Celiac, has been ruled out. If I was you I would insist to my doc that he run a Celiac blood panel. If not, tell him you will see another doc. (Sometimes you have to be very directive--that's how I got diagnosed in the end). Let us know what you find!!

gointribal Enthusiast
gointribal
Posted
  • Author
YES YES YES YES YES!!!! Your doctor is working out of the "old-school" paradigm of Celiac. I had major constipation with my Celiac. And there are many others here that had the same symptom, rather than D. You don't have to have a cycle of it with D either (some do though)--you can just have constant C. Perhaps you need to take in some literature or a show your doc a webpage that lists this as a symptom. I can point some out if you like. And remember, Celiacs are often misdiagnosed with IBS--I was, and there are quite a few here who also had the same story. IBS should be a diagnosis of elmination--meaning, if everything else, like Celiac, has been ruled out. If I was you I would insist to my doc that he run a Celiac blood panel. If not, tell him you will see another doc. (Sometimes you have to be very directive--that's how I got diagnosed in the end). Let us know what you find!!

Jen- I have to tell you that I really appreciate your posts, we seem to have a lot of the same symptoms and I always come away encouraged. I am glad to hear that one can have C with celiac disease, I have had the blood work done but when I them done I had already been gluten free for a week and half. The doctor had me on Metamucil, which made my life 10 times worst, I was in a constant state of pain and I ate breads and stuff which I think made it worst. I've stoped the Metamucil but I've continued to eat things containing gluten. I've been suffering from night sweats, blurry vision, a weird rash and my body hurts like I've been beat up. Do you know if people with IBS get the pain all in the body? I have a friend who as IBS but she doesn't have that. I know I only get it when I eat gluten, it hurts to have cloths on, but the doctor doesn't seem to believe me and my blood tests were negative. All I need done is an EDG to rule out any major stomach problems and for them to test my intestines. I would really like some more info on Celiac with constipation if you had some. Thank you so much! :)

~Jen or gointribal

Carriefaith Enthusiast
Carriefaith
Posted

Constipation can be a symptom for some people with celiac disease. I can get both D and C when I accidently have gluten. Usually D at first and then C.

When I get gluten in my system I vision gets really bad and my whole body hurts, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. Can anyone else relate?
When I get gluten in my system, sometimes I feel like I have the flu. I get aches just like I would if I had the flu.
I have other symptoms too, I think I might just go gluten free, its not worth the pain I am dealing with.
The fact that you notice a reaction when you ingest gluten is important. You may be gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. If you want a blood test or a biopsy, you must be consuming gluten or you may get false negative results.
plantime Contributor
plantime
Posted

I was always, always, ALWAYS constipated, never had diarrhea as a celiac reaction. I have been glutenfree for a little over 2 years, and got contaminated a week ago. It was the very first time ever that celiac caused me to have diarrhea. Talk to your doctor, tell him you want an endoscopy just to look and make sure nothing is wrong. My endo was ordered by a doc that was looking for ulcers, and instead we got a celiac diagnosis.

key Contributor
key
Posted

I had constipation, but also days of D! Since going gluten free I never have D, unless I am gluttened. I had been gluten free for two months when I had my blood work and I had borderline positive results. THey wanted to do the biopsy, but I didn't want to start consuming gluten in order to be tested. I am no longer nauseated, stomach pains, no more bloating, gas, etc. Now when I am gluttened I get D for a day and then C for a week. It is definitely a symptom in some people. There are some kids around here that that was there only symptom. My mom has bad C and I am about 98% sure she probably has celiac too. We have the genes for it and also my son has celiac that is two years old. He had Diarhea when we found out and failure to thrive.

Get the tests and if they are negative, go gluten free for like 2 months and see how you feel. As far as your body aching. My legs ached really bad. I also know now that if I am constipated, I tend to ache too. Not sure if it is from the gluttening or the other. I also was bruising easier and exhausted.

Goodluck,

MOnica

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

Yep. My primary symptom of continued glutening is C. If I'm just glutened once, I get D at first, but if I'm glutened again before I recover, it's C. So, of course, prior to being dx'ed, it was C.

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

For me It's all the BIG C all the time. At first I had lost a load of weigh from the BIG D but for the last year it has been nothing but Mr. C totally.I have even thought about eating gluten to see if it would give mr.d!!!!! After I considered that thought I changed my mind .......

I really think the site should be given an award for frank open discussions about POOP--- where else can people talk so freely about waste and have others understand. And more importantly want to discuss the stinky matter anyway.....

I alway say Celiacs are special and unique, and some of us are even full of it...................

enough said

mamaw

Kristen2Denise Apprentice
Kristen2Denise
Posted

They kept telling me to take fiber and freaking metamucil too!!! My c was soooo awful and my stomach was bloated and distended and my doctor just kept telling me it was IBS and it took months and me finally bawling hysterically to get a referral to a specialist. Celiacs have different symptoms and doctors need to be aware of that! Demand that your doctor do some tests! Too many of us have done damage to our insides because no one explored the possibility of celiace.

Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

Gluten also gives me C more often than D, and it makes me ache all over. Your symptoms sound just like mine. And if you KNOW that it is gluten causing this, why do you still eat it? You don't need to have your doctor's permission to stop eating gluten. If you know you feel well when gluten-free, and terrible with gluten, who cares about test results. Your body is telling you it doesn't want gluten. So, don't have any!

I hope you feel better!

nettiebeads Apprentice
nettiebeads
Posted

I have to agree with ursula re: eating gluten. If you can tie your problems directly to gluten, why keep eating it? I have major C now, even when I don't get glutened. I used to have the D, then C, but my body changed and now it's C to the max. Even when I eat raisins, fruit cocktail, take MOM - still C. So now my major complaints when I eat gluten (accidentally of course) are: overwhelming fatigue, brain fog, and feeling like I got hit by a Mack truck. Very rarely do I get D anymore.

Annette

Guest Pixi
Guest Pixi
Posted
I still don't know if I have celiac disease but I was wondering if you can have it and be constipated? I don't get the runs (every once in a while), the doctors keep saying I have IBS but as far as I know IBS people don't have the achy body. When I get gluten in my system I vision gets really bad and my whole body hurts, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. Can anyone else relate? I have other symptoms too, I think I might just go gluten free, its not worth the pain I am dealing with. Thanks guys!

I only experienced constipation while on the gluten-free diet.. and only for about a week and a half. Everyone is different, and my GI doc did say that some people have totally conflicting symptoms.. whereas one will have the runs, another might not go at all.

Listen to your body and do what feels best for it.. your system will eventually normalize once the aggravator is removed from yoru diet.

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

Jen-

Glad I am able to offer you some encouragement! A few more questions :) What is your rash like? Is it like DH or psoriasis, excema or ? And what does your pain feel like? Muscle pain, bone pain, in specific areas, to the touch? You said it hurts like you've been beat up...ever explored the type of pain in Fibromyalgia? It occurs frequently in Celiacs, and some folks with IBS--however, I think linking it to IBS isn't necessarily accurate since (I believe) a good portion of those with IBS have been misdiagnosed. I have it, started 3 years ago I'd say. As I mentioned before, if you have continual symptoms unresponsive to conventional IBS-fiber therapy or you have other symptoms like rash, body pain, allergies etc, I think a diagnosis outside of IBS definitely needs to be explored. Remember that some folks who are gluten intolerant "fail" conventional testing (are negative), but that does not mean that they should not be on the gluten-free diet...or that their body is suffering damage from it. Researchers in this field are just beginning to understand that there is a continuum of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance.

Here are some articles/info on the constipation/celiac disease connection:

Open Original Shared Link (Do a search for the word constipation in this article and you will see the that doctor highlighted documented 20% of his celiac disease cases manifest chronic C, not D.

Open Original Shared Link (This listing of celiac disease symptoms mentions just C or alternating C & D as symptoms, as well as the fact that these symptoms do lead to a misdiagnosis of IBS in some Celiacs)

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-46106115195.06 (Constipation also listed here as a symptom)

Open Original Shared Link (Like this b/c it mentions celiac disease symptoms can vary greatly from one person to another and that that contributes to misdiagnosis-C mentioned again)

Wish I had some more "scholarly" articles for you...but perhaps one of these might work to show your doctor or in your own research...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,856
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Sonya Haskin
    Newest Member
    Sonya Haskin
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By trents · Posted

      Is this man the father of your children?
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
    • Me,Sue
      Knowing what to do when feeling unwell.

      By Me,Sue · Posted

      I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of years ago [ish]. I love my food and a variety of food, so it's been hard, as it is with everyone. I try and ensure everything I eat doesn't contain gluten, but occasionally I think something must have got through that has gluten in. Mainly I know because I have to dash to the loo, but recently I have noticed that I feel nauseous after possibly being glutened. I think the thing that I have got better at is knowing what to do when I feel wiped out after a gluten 'episode'. I drink loads of water, and have just started drinking peppermint tea. I also have rehydration powders to drink. I don't feel like eating much, but eventually feel like I need to eat. Gluten free flapjacks, or gluten free cereal, or a small gluten free kids meal are my go to. I am retired, so luckily I can rest, sometimes even going to bed when nothing else works. So I feel that I am getting better at knowing how to try and get back on track. I am also trying to stick to a simpler menu and eat mostly at home so that I can be more confident about what I am eating. THANKS TO THOSE WHO REPLIED ABOUT THE NAUSEA .
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.