Ok, I Gotta Ask This...

[jerseyangel]

Hey, I have those vertical ridges, too! I wonder if they'll go away?

After 1 year, mine did--as well as the horizontal dips I had in both thumbnails. This diet has been very good to my hair and nails!

[penguin]

I never knew that wasn't normal! I'd love for the dips and divots to go away from my nails, also!

I wish the diet would stay out of my hair, though! The last thing I need is THICKER hair!!! I already have the hair of 4 people!

[megzmc3611]

I apparently looked sick. Now I have people comming up to me saying how much better I look. I know that everyone thought that I was anorexic. Too bad they didn't tell me when I looked sick, they just told each other.

Same with me! Now people tell me they were really worried about me being anorexic.

Now that I am healthy...everyone is telling me how good I look and how I was way too skinny before.

[lovegrov]

I looked perfectly healthy (I was slim but within a normal weight for my size) until I got so sick I had to be hospitalized for 11 days and miss 10 weeks of work. Although I had been somewhat tired from what turned out to be anemia, I was pretty much OK until I got so sick I couldn't function. I hope it doesn't take that to convince your doctor.

richard

[jennyj]

Almost two years ago, before I found out I was Celiac, I was extremely anemic. I was in the hospital waiting room waiting for my brother (who just got home from Iraq) to get out of surgery. His doctor came in and asked for his sister and I motioned to him. When he came up to me he said "Oh my god. Are you ok? Has someone been abusing you?" at which time he removed my glasses and stared into my eyes and felt my face. I told him no I was just severely anemic and asked him about my brother. He said that that could wait and if I needed help. Again I told him I was ok. He told me about my brothers surgery but also gave me his card.

[Mango04]

I was always about 5-10 pounds overweight and bloated before going gluten-free. My face always looked really puffy. That went away when I changed my diet. I don't know if I have celiac or just gluten intolerance though.

I do have those ridges on my nails. I didn't know that wasn't normal....

[debmidge]

My husband has looking anexoric and sickly (gray pasty coloring on face, deep dark circles around eyes) for many years and doctors would look past that and rely on blood tests (a celiac disease blood test was never done until 2003) and since blood work was normal they'd think he was well (despite looking like a walking skeleton). One gastro from a very large prestigious group here in North Jersey told him he needed psychological counseling as nothing was wrong with him. Are looks that deceiving? I guess the doctor was Dr. Magoo....

On another topic, I've had a viral flu several years ago and got 3 prescriptions: an anti biotic to prevent a bacterial secondary infection, an anti viral medication and a third for the bronchial symptoms as this flu affected my breathing (I am a non smoker too).

[lindalee]

I looked perfectly healthy (I was slim but within a normal weight for my size) until I got so sick I had to be hospitalized for 11 days and miss 10 weeks of work. Although I had been somewhat tired from what turned out to be anemia, I was pretty much OK until I got so sick I couldn't function. I hope it doesn't take that to convince your doctor.

richard

What were your symptoms? Do you have to go to the dr. to see if you are low on iron or anemic? That may be why I have been without energy. I am looking for a dr. I know I have celiac disease (was diagnosed as a baby but thought I outgrew it. Now I trying to get totally gluten-free. Thanks, LindaLee

[schuyler]

Apparently I looked pretty sick prior to my diagnosis, but I didn't notice it (and no one bothered to tell me). My appearance hasn't changed much, I'm still incredibly pale (but I've always been pale)and thin, with dark circles under my eyes and I'm covered in bruises. It's funny how before my diagnosis, no one bothered to tell me how sick I looked, but now, they can't shut their mouths about how sick I look.

About the fingernail ridges and dips, I never realized those were not normal! I've had those for so many years.

[eleep]

Well -- I've always had the "so thin people think I'm anorexic" problem, the dark circles (I'm a concealer addict) and fingernail ridges and paleness. At times, I was pretty clear that there was something decidedly wrong -- I went from being thin to having a gaunt face -- which I knew wasn't right.

I've also been a workout-person for the last eight years, so I think that people mistook some of the muscle mass for absolute health -- I know my ex-boyfriend did -- it makes me shudder to think about the fact that I was so sick at times and he found me so attractive -- or claimed to -- I think that was part of the reason he found it so hard to believe the celiac diagnosis and split.