Coeliac Versus Other Diseases

[Kaycee]

I guess I am lucky, and so far have only had coeliac to deal with, and not a host of other diseases and allergies that other people have.

I am interested to know, so I can put this disease into perspective, what is worse or harder to handle, coeliac or your other allergies or diseases and why.

I find coeliac is hard to handle, as no matter how vigilant I am, I tend to get glutened too often. I try to push the boundaries with my food with dire consequences, and I end up kicking myself for being so stupid.

Now I am trying to continue where I tried to start with lots of fruit and veges, meat and the grains that I am allowed. I think it is a progress thing, and I have to go through the motions of finding out what is best for me. I know if I have to read too many labels in the supermarket, it drives me nuts, so I don't go there anymore, just use what I know will be okay. But alas, even that can get me.

I don't know why I thought it would be easy to start with, but my body is telling me different. The gluten can not hide, my body is too good at finding it.

Cathy

Gluten free for five months now, and still learning.

[Ursa Major]

Well, when I started out, I thought it was a cinch, as I only cut out gluten at the beginning. That left me a whole lot of other things to eat.

Now I seem to get more allergies every day, just had reactions to things today that I had been able to eat yesterday! I am getting very discouraged, and I'm not sure what to do, as I am heading towards a diet hardly worth eating!

So, just celiac disease would be very easy and simple in comparison.

[Hummingbird-Hill]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 15 years ago. At that time I was also sensative to lactose which did go away. It took me a good 2 years to feel better. Even tho the Dr. said it took 3 months for the vilia (sp?) to regenerate, I felt lousy for those 2 years after. I believe it was because I was not aware of all the areas where gluten was hiding. It took that long to learn all I needed to know and that was before the computer was available to me. Now I only have the Soy Lecethin that I steer completely clear of. The milk products are not a problem at all any more. I also believe that I had other auto immune diseases that were undiagnosed at the time just waiting in the wings to rear their ugly head. The really good news is it does get better. And with all of the help you will get on this site, along with the internet, your so much ahead of the game than I was 15 years ago. I hope this helps. Hang in there and be your own advocate. No one knows how you feel or what you need better than yourself.

[Mango04]

I honestly think that when you're first diagnosed with celiac disease, it can seem very difficult. There is a huge learning curve and it takes a long time to figure out which foods work best for you. However, once you figure it all out, I think it's a great disease to have. Seriously, I feel great all of the time. I don't have to take medication, I don't ever get sick, and I know exactly what foods I need to eat and aviod to keep myself healthy and feeling great. It might just be a matter of figuring out if you have other food intolerances...and sticking to single ingredient, non-processed, whole foods. Eating fruit, veggies, meat and safe grains is a good way to go.

You might need to give it a little longer than five months too. It honestly took me a couple years to feel comfortable knowing what I can and can't eat. Don't get too discouraged if it still seems hard. Just know that it will get easier, and you have the potential to be really healthy and feel great, even though you have celiac disease.

[shai76]

For me the allergies are harder to deal with because the life threatening effects for my body are more immediate and violent. But I also understand that the gluten is the reason why I have these allergies so it is very important for me to stay gluten free more than anything else if I ever want any hope of over-coming the other problems. They are both difficult to get used to at first, but after awhile I think it becomes second nature.

The food allergies and gluten intolerance is easier for me to deal with than the environmental allergies. With gluten and food allergies I have control over it, but with environmental allergies not so much. So they are scarier and sometimes leave me feeling helpless.

[CarlaB]

I'm five months and still learning too. Some days it just stinks ... this is one of those days for me. The only other problem I have is low thyroid, but I've had it under control for a few years now. It's easier than the celiac ... all I have to do is take a pill.

[2kids4me]

Celiac disease was the hardest in terms of diet adjustment and learning to read labels. Diabetes with my son was the hardest because ot the lifelong implications. In the last week, I dont think life will be the same. My daughter had an appendectomy Wednesday based on clincial signs but the appendix looked fine - the levels of urobilinogen are very high and there was fluid in the abdomen and now we are on a diagnostic process to conform or rule out autoimmune hepatitis.

If all you have to deal with is celiac - it is hard no doubt about it and accidental gluten ingestion is not easy but there are other things that science cannot stop - that is the process of the immune system turning on it's "host". I pray we are not dealing with an autoimmune liver disease

[elye]

I am often asked this very question..."which is tougher to handle, the celiac , the diabetes or the hypothyroidism?" Low thyroid is of course very easy...one pill a day, with a blood test every six months or so. In terms of diet alone, the diabetes food plan is much easier for me than the gluten-free diet. Sugar doesn't tend to hide in foods like gluten does, and the other easier thing about diabetes is I can medicate for a mistake--not enough insulin, give myself more and/or exersise, too much, have sugar. I find the celiac diet much more limiting. But of course, the diabetes has SO MUCH daily maintenance, sometimes it is overwhelming. Yep, I guess diabetes would get my vote for the overall most challenging condition.

[Ashley]

I don't know if chronic sinusistis (sp-sinus problems) can be considered a disease, but, sometimes it is more annoying than Celiac to me know. All I got to do is avoid gluten and problem solved. Not always easy, but, you can do something about it. With my sinus, first surgery just did a lot of scaring and blocked one out to where it couldn't drain. So I had a second surgery for that last monday (dealing with a lot of pain right now). It's so draining and nothing seems to work. I've dealt with the sinus for around two years. Constantly missing a week of school every three months has just made me miserable. But we've made some ground, if this doesn't work then they'll send me over to migraine people. It's getting better and I'm just glad I don't have anything really bad out there (or any more allergies to food for that matter).

-Ash

(Sorry for numerous mistakes in grammar, feel bad)

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

I honestly think that when you're first diagnosed with celiac disease, it can seem very difficult. There is a huge learning curve and it takes a long time to figure out which foods work best for you. However, once you figure it all out, I think it's a great disease to have.

It honestly took me a couple years to feel comfortable knowing what I can and can't eat. Don't get too discouraged if it still seems hard.

Yes, to the learning curve, and a couple of years.

But, no to a' great disease to have' -- when you get seizures...