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

Severe Chronic Fatigue, Muscle Pain And Ulcers


Uta

Recommended Posts

Uta Newbie

Hi!

Im new here to the site which I found as I am researching this disease for my sister in law who recently was diagnosed as a sufferer. Apparently she has been diagnosed extremely late into the illness as she was also suffering from Lymes disease so all symptoms of Celiac were blamed on the other ailment. By now her intenstines are very poor indead and her doctor has informed her that it can take up to 12-18 months for her to really feel better.

What does worry me is that she is gradually feeling WORSE despite now being 100% gluten free for 2 months. She has severe muscle pain in her arms and legs, causing her to even limp at times. Her only respite is having extremely hot baths. She has mouth, throat and lung ulcers which are very painful and she has absolutely no energy at all. After being up 1 hour she needs to lie down again. After 2 months of the diet she is feeling worse than before

Is this normal? Do you feel worse before it gets better? What else can she do to help herself? She and my brother have a 2 year old child, are very happy and would love to have another kid. That is not an option right now. Is there anywhere I can go to to find help for them?

Any feedback is very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Uta


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



wolfie Enthusiast

Welcome Uta!!! Sorry to hear that your SIL is so sick. It does take time after being on a gluten free diet to start feeling better. Some people start feeling better right away, others can take 6 mons to 2 years. It may be possible that she is suffering from other food intolerances in addition to gluten. A lot of Celiacs can't tolerate dairy in the beginning, so if she is still consuming dairy, she may want to go off of that for a while.

I hope that she starts to feel better soon!

trents Grand Master

You mention she has these ulcers in stomach, mouth and lungs. Has anyone checked her for yeast infections? Doctors now know that the vast majority of stomach ulcers are caused by yeast infections (H. Pylori) and mouth sores can be the result of yeast infections as well. Coupled with that, the leaky gut syndrome that is so common with Celiacs provides an entry pathway for yeast microbes into the blood stream and the rest of the body. Has she been on antibiotics lately? Yeast infections are common during and after extensive antibiotic courses as the antibiotic knocks down the immune system and allows opportunistic infections such as yeasts to take hold. I read that some celiacs whose guts aren't healing well benefit from a steriod regimine.

Steve

lindalee Enthusiast
Hi!

Im new here to the site which I found as I am researching this disease for my sister in law who recently was diagnosed as a sufferer. Apparently she has been diagnosed extremely late into the illness as she was also suffering from Lymes disease so all symptoms of Celiac were blamed on the other ailment. By now her intenstines are very poor indead and her doctor has informed her that it can take up to 12-18 months for her to really feel better.

What does worry me is that she is gradually feeling WORSE despite now being 100% gluten free for 2 months. She has severe muscle pain in her arms and legs, causing her to even limp at times. Her only respite is having extremely hot baths. She has mouth, throat and lung ulcers which are very painful and she has absolutely no energy at all. After being up 1 hour she needs to lie down again. After 2 months of the diet she is feeling worse than before

Is this normal? Do you feel worse before it gets better? What else can she do to help herself? She and my brother have a 2 year old child, are very happy and would love to have another kid. That is not an option right now. Is there anywhere I can go to to find help for them?

Any feedback is very much appreciated.

Whethanks

Uta

Went off cholesterol meds- made my muscles and body ache. Tired but working to be gluten-free. LindaLee

nikki-uk Enthusiast

Sounds alot like my husband when he was found to have celiac disease.

After starting the G.F diet,-he actually seemed to be getting worse!

Severe fatigue and muscle aches-that had him bedridden most days (he also found a hot bath helped-but he had to use a bath lift to get in and out he was so weak)

You mentioned your sil was limping-it wasn't until my hubbie went G.F that we noticed that he was very unsteady on his feet (he kind of staggered like he was drunk) and he used to limp.

I believe he was experiencing the neurological effects of celiac disease (periphial neuropathy).

I don't know if my hubbie had ulcers,but he had great difficulty in swallowing and everthing he ate or drank burnt on the way down.

You don't mention if your sil is under a G.I doc still?

My husband was still under the docs care-and a further biopsy of the bowel after being strictly G.F showed that his bowel wasn't healing,probably due to extensive damage after being undiagnosed for so long.

This prompted the docs to put him on a course of steroids for a couple of months.

The change in him was pretty fantastic.

His sore throat disappeared immediatley-the aching muscles went and for the first time in years he could actually stay awake all day!

He's now off the steroids-and still has a way to go,but is much,much better.Slowly but surely.

For some people if the damage is bad-it can actually take up to 5 years for the bowel to recover.

I suppose it took around 8 months before he actually started to feel better.Hubbies been G.F for nearly 2years now and physically is in better shape than he's been for many years.

Can your sil see the G.I that diagnosed her?

For some they feel immediatley better on a G.F diet,unfortunately for my hubbie it took a bit longer.

Hang in there!

Good Luck and I hope your Sister-in Law feels a bit better soon .

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,901
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    tessycork47
    Newest Member
    tessycork47
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • 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.