Overweight... Could It Still Be Celiac?

[sarahelizabeth]

After doing lots of research about celiac when our pediatric GI mentioned testing my 1 year old for it I started to realize that I too have a lot of the symptoms... except I am definitely not underweight like they often describe. Can you be overweight and still have celiac???

[Jennas-auntie]

Yes, definitely, you can still have it. Dr. Murray of the Mayo clinic calls these people "nutritionally compensated" and said that celiac should not be excluded as a possibility due to being overweight, normal weight, or being tall.

[lovegrov]

Absolutely.

richard

[Guest Robbin]

Yes! You most certainly can be. Many of us are or have been on this forum. If you are not getting the right nutrients and just gaining fat it can be just as health-wrecking. Most drs. are clueless about this. I am overweight, but have many health issues because of nutritional deficiencies. Check out the thread "Diet and Weight issues" and see the struggles overweight and underweight people have. It can go either way-my kids have the opposite problem-trying to gain-so our family has both issues. Hope we can all help you and your family get answers. Take care,

Robbin

[StrongerToday]

I've lost 54 pounds in a year!! Now, to be fair, some of that is a direct result that I'm eating much healthier then I ever have before. I lived for food out of boxes, take out, etc. Now I don't have that luxury, but it's a good trade off

[jerseyangel]

It is certainly possible to be overweight and Celiac. I went undiagnosed for many years--and was 20-25 lbs. overweight most of that time. I was also anemic.

[penguin]

My completely unsubstantiated assumption is that those of us who are celiac and overweight get the calories but not the nutrients when we eat. That's why we're still anemic, flattened villi, etc.

[jerseyangel]

My completely unsubstantiated assumption is that those of us who are celiac and overweight get the calories but not the nutrients when we eat. That's why we're still anemic, flattened villi, etc.

Yes--I agree with this. I was certainly getting the calories , but probably very little vitamins and minerals, etc. Looking back, I was quite unhealthy.

[penguin]

Yes--I agree with this. I was certainly getting the calories , but probably very little vitamins and minerals, etc. Looking back, I was quite unhealthy.

I'm also thinking that's why I've gained 10 lbs two weeks into my gluten challenge, and why I'm hungry ALL THE DAMN TIME!

[Guest Robbin]

My completely unsubstantiated assumption is that those of us who are celiac and overweight get the calories but not the nutrients when we eat. That's why we're still anemic, flattened villi, etc.

Thanks, ChelsE, You said perfectly what I meant! I went clothes shopping today in a brain fog and can only think, god I am so fat. Seems like a triple curse to have any weight issues with the whole eating/lifestyle changes and being sick.

[sarahelizabeth]

Thank you so much!! Wow this is a WONDERFUL message board!! You all have really helped me here!! I think I am going to request a blood test for myself. Our GI specialist just told me last week he didn't want to test my 1 year old just yet... he wants to give him a year because even though he is small he is gaining weight. I figure if I get a diagnosis then they would definitely test my son... right??? Might be the easiest route to take right now.

Here's our history (if it helps)....

I have a 3.5 year old son who is on the autistic spectrum... diagnosed PDD-NOS. and a 1 year old who has had chronic constipation problems since he was just a few months old. Both children have eczema and have both always been on the smaller side. My 3 year old was 36 inches tall and 30lbs at his 3 year well check in January and my 1 year old was 19lbs and 28.75 inches at his 1 year visit 2 weeks ago. My one year old has reflux and is still constantly regurging (although swallows it down most of the time now), is a VERY irritable baby, is still having constipation issues even on a Tbsp of Miralax daily, his poops are VERY bulky... most everything he eats comes directly out undigested and he is VERY gassy. He was anemic at his 9 month visit.

Once I started reading about celiac I started to notice that I too have a lot of the symptoms... but of course many of them are vague and could be attributed to other things. I get random bouts of diarrhea without a distingishable cause. My stools have always floated (never knew it wasn't supposed to), I am constantly tired despite adequate rest, get frequent headaches/migrains, and I am also very gassy (blushing). I also have been getting these intensely itchy blisters on my hands for the last several months. But like I said I am overweight... about 50lbs overweight to be honest!! And I am not anemic... at least the last time I was tested for my pregnancy. My thyroid levels have also been tested and were normal everytime.

[jerseyangel]

I think you are wise to be tested. You seem to have a lot of symptoms that could possibly point to gluten intolerance. Be sure to remain on gluten right up until the test--if you try to go gluten-free before the test, you will skew the result. Your children --eczema, anemia, constipation--those are suspicious symptoms, too. I'm sure that some of the parents of young children will weigh in soon. There are some real "experts" on the subject of kids here! Good luck to you!

[Ursa Major]

I agree with Patti............go ahead and get tested! I am another overweight celiac here, and couldn't lose weight no matter what I tried! Well, not quite true, went on an Atkins type diet a few years ago and lost, but my family pressured me into eating 'normal' again, claiming all that meat I was eating was going to give me a heart attack. Boy, were they wrong!

If you test positive, you would be wise to put yourself and both boys on a gluten-free/casein free diet. Your autistic son might really benefit, too, as it could really improve the autism. In fact, I would do it even if you test negative, as there are soooooooo many false negatives. The response to the diet is the ultimate test, and always reliable.

[indyceliac]

it is absolutely possible! I am another example.

[Guest nini]

I was over 100 pounds over weight... I've since lost 105 pounds since going gluten free. If you want to go the testing route, don't stop eating gluten until your testing is done, BUT the absolute easiest and quickest test is to just try the diet and see if it helps. It can't hurt, you don't require a dr.s permission for the diet, you just won't get a "celiac" dx on your permanent record tho, but that could be a good thing... I was actually denied insurance coverage because of my Celiac dx.

[gfp]

My completely unsubstantiated assumption is that those of us who are celiac and overweight get the calories but not the nutrients when we eat. That's why we're still anemic, flattened villi, etc.

Exactly, the body only has two responses to lacking nutrients one is the longer term feeling of missing something and the other is a more regualr pang response.

Both of these are actually part of many physically addictive drugs effects like caffine and tobacco which is why to an extent they work as appetite supressants. They don't really we just get tricked into thinking that the missing thing is the drug which invokes the reposnse and when it needs 'feeding' satiates it. Hence we develop a long term pavlovian reflex to drug and hunger feeling.

Lacking nutrients is the same, your body can just say "eat - I need nutrients" and if you don't adsorb those nutrients it will try again in 20 minutes.

[Beccc]

After doing lots of research about celiac when our pediatric GI mentioned testing my 1 year old for it I started to realize that I too have a lot of the symptoms... except I am definitely not underweight like they often describe. Can you be overweight and still have celiac???

A friend of mine was diagnosed celiac by biopsy a couple of years ago and has always been overweight. She actually gained more weight after going gluten free because she was actually starting to absorb nutrients!

[tiffjake]

After doing lots of research about celiac when our pediatric GI mentioned testing my 1 year old for it I started to realize that I too have a lot of the symptoms... except I am definitely not underweight like they often describe. Can you be overweight and still have celiac???

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES (I am very overweight).