At A Loss

[silvervelvet]

I went on base to the flight surgeon. It's a different doc every time. I hadnt seen this one before. He was very thorough and mentioned Celiac Disease after reviewing my entire file and spending 45 minutes with me when his nurse clearly said 15 min. tops was all he could give.

So, after reviewing a sonagram from another hospital, he decided to request additional testing after identifying biliary sludge. Sludge is composed of cholesterol and salts which is the components of gallstones. I will have a HIDA test on the 6th.

In addition to this "sludge" my symptoms are: severe bloating (despite being only 98-100 lbs. at 5'1) and gas, nausea, gripping pain in my lower ab. that makes me drop to the floor, constipation, chest pains, cloudy thinking ( I was diagnosed with ADHD 3 yrs. ago at the age of 25), irritability, anemia, fatigue, arthritis w/ itchy, burning red bumps on the joints of my fingers and toes, and allergies. The "arthritis" comes along if I eat at the cafeteria (at school where I teach) for 2 or more days in a row. The food is very carb heavy. For instance my fave thing to eat is the chicken sandwich. The chicken is breaded served on bread of course. I could give it up no problem. Its not all that good really, but more tolerable than their other menu items.

Also, in 2001, I was diagnosed with IBS by my family doctor (civilian doctor). No tests were administered during that 15 min. visit. In 2004 I went to a GI doc and he tested me for parasites and whatever else. He said it was all negative and I had IBS. That was it and I never went back to him.

On my last visit, the Flight Doc also ordered a CA-125 which freaked me out! I just couldnt believe that he was thinking it could be cancer/leukemia. Turned out negative but he said on a message that it pointed to allergies. I never called him back. I was thinking yesterday that it could be an allergy to gluten which is what we were discussing in the 1st place before he called for these other tests. I put myself on a gluten free diet yesterday after doing some research for the past week and a half. The doc. wasnt in today because they dont work on Fridays.

From what you guys all know, what do you think? Im really sorry to have bored you with my medical history. Despite all of this I am very active and go to the gym a lot. No one knows that I am "sick". My husband just thinks that I am very sensitive because Im so small. He thinks that there isnt anything wrong with me.

I dont know what Im doing and I want to request a blood test. I would like to avoid the biopsy.

[Ursa Major]

I am sure I am speaking for everybody here, when I say you have NOT bored us with anything you said. It is impossible for anybody to give you any advice or an informed opinion, if we don't know your history.

You sure sound like you could have celiac disease. All your symptoms speak for it. If you are having any tests done, you shouldn't stop eating gluten, though, as it will likely result in false negatives. If you're happy with just a dietary response, go for it. If you want an official diagnosis, you will have to keep eating gluten.

The opinions on this one are divided. I personally think that a dietary response is all that's needed to confirm at least gluten intolerance, if not celiac disease. Others really want to have that 'official' diagnosis from a doctor.

You IBS 'diagnosis' is not to be trusted. An irritable bowel has a cause! It's easier for doctors to just call it IBS, rather than to keep testing and searching until they find a cause. A lot of people with celiac disease were told they have IBS at first.

[Smunkeemom]

If I were you I would def. get tested, stay on the gluten for now so that the test is accurate. Get your lab results and look at them yourself, make sure you understand what your numbers should be and what they are.

I was sick for years, and nobody ever even mentioned Celiac. I got diagnosed with IBS, ADD, Non-specific sezure disorder, depression, anxiety, arthritis, chronic UTI's, chronic sinus infections, severe anemia and since they couldn't find a cause for any of it they said I had hypochondria. (like that can cause seizures?! ) Just before my youngest got deathly ill, my doctors were talking about the possibility of Lupus.

When my daughter got diagnosed, the whole family got blood tests. The doctor lied to us about the results, and for 2 years, we thought my daughter's and my blood tests were negative, but they were really positive.

I have since found out that all of my symptoms could have been caused by Celiac, even the little stuff that I didn't mention (like bruising easily, and rapid heart rate) and after 2 weeks on the gluten free diet, I feel a lot better.

sorry if I bored you LOL.

so, in conclusion, Celiac can make you all kinds of weird sick, and you know get tested and get a copy of the lab results.

[silvervelvet]

OH MY GOSH!!! Those symptoms sound just like me with the bruises and everything! that's another reason why the doc thought it was cancer. Why would your dr. lie to you? What benefit would he gain by lying? Im just curious.

[Smunkeemom]

OH MY GOSH!!! Those symptoms sound just like me with the bruises and everything! that's another reason why the doc thought it was cancer. Why would your dr. lie to you? What benefit would he gain by lying? Im just curious.

she thinks unless you are "really sick" that you shouldn't "have to go on such a restrictive diet", according to her my celiac wasn't "turned on" because I didn't have chronic D (meaning not every single day) and I wasn't losing weight.

My daughter (the youngest) was very very sick, and ended up weighing less than her birthweight at a year old, and eating through a central line directly to her little tummy. When you compare that to me, who felt like crap all the time, but was at least functioning, I guess I didn't look "that sick".