Can celiac cause widespread pain??

[Paula Andrews]

Hi! Did anyone experience severe body aches prior to being diagnosed?  Last year I suddenly experienced widespread pain, completely unexplained. After numerous tests with normal results I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in August and started taking Cymbalta, which helped about 80%. Now other than pain, I did not have any additional fibromyalgia symptoms. 

  In the following months I started experiencing diarrhea, to the point where it was constant. In January I was diagnosed with celiac disease and microscopic colitis after having an endoscopy/colonoscopy. I've been gluten-free since that day and recently my pain level has dropped to ZERO.  I'm starting to wonder if I even have fibromyalgia, or if all of my symptoms were celiac and colitis.  I've seen several doctors and no one suggested this, but from what I'm reading it sounds possible.  The fact that I was diagnosed with two different diseases within a few months also seems odd. Has anyone else experienced all-over body aches with celiac?  And if so did the pain end after eliminating gluten?  Unfortunately I don't know anyone who has either celiac or fibromyalgia to talk to.

[Scott Adams]

Untreated celiac disease is associated with arthritis and other autoimmune diseases which can cause such pain. These categories have research articles on this topic:

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

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

[Levi]

1 hour ago, Scott Adams said:

Untreated celiac disease is associated with arthritis and other autoimmune diseases which can cause such pain. These categories have research articles on this topic:

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

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

You can add Axonal Peripheral Neuropathy, Bone and Joints degeneration, Cataracts, Hypothyroidism, Gluten Bumps for those of us with dermatitis herpetiformis, and Malabsorption which contributes to so many other complications. Sadly though, other than gluten bumps all the aforementioned and many other autoimmune diseases, eventually, can and will take its toll on the body, even while maintaining 100% gluten free. Coeliac, just like all Autoimmune Diseases beget autoimmune diseases. It’s in the cards, and inevitable, just a matter of time when. I’m living Proof! 

[Scott Adams]

We have those as well:

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

[Beverage]

I didn't have the typical intestinal symptoms before I was diagnosed, but had severe allergies, asthma, and failing kidneys. I often felt that horrible body achey felling like when coming down with a super bad flu. Now if I get glutened, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. 

[cristiana]

Hello @Paula Andrews

I started to get a whole host of new pains around the time of my diagnosis and afterwards, quite apart from the expected gastric pain.  Pelvic pain was caused by bloating from dairy products; pain in my chest due to bloating caused by iron supplements; costochondritis in my ribs, which was a dull diffuse pain not emanating from the sternum which is what all the forums tell you, but it can be along the ribs too and that's where I had it; pain in my sacroiliac joints (worth googling, something coeliacs are prone to) which referred especially to my left buttock and thigh, felt like my skin was on fire, and last of all pudendal pain, which made sitting and driving uncomfortable.

Now, it took me almost a forum record of 8 years to get my antibodies to normal levels, despite being one of the most careful adherents to the diet (although there was no doubt cross-contamination), but as my blood went back to normal, things definitely improved.  I am still occasionally get pain in the aforementioned places but that can be due to glutening, bloating or kicking pain off with heavy lifting, depending on which part of the body is affected.  I sometimes think pain sites have a memory (that's not meant to be a scientific comment!) and it doesn't take much to set them off again. But now the pain is nowhere near as bad.  

I would say do listen to your body - for example, if walking hurts your sacroiliac joints, don't over do it.  Also, if you think an element of what you have is muscular, you might find a nice 20 minute warm soak (not hot) with a handful of Epsom salts helpful.   It helped me relax and sort of kick the pain cycle.  But be careful when you get out of the bath, it can make you woozy.

It might be worth keeping a food diary to see if any foods are causing bloating which can be a cause of pain.  At my gastroenterologist's suggestion, I gave up dairy for a few weeks and that really helped (coeliacs can be temporarily dairy intolerant while they heal) and also my GP gave me some gentler iron supplements which reduced bloating too.

Cristiana

 

Edited March 18, 2025 by cristiana