Intestinal Damage And Severe Obesity

[Guest AutumnE]

Well as my sig says I have not been tested but I have had loads of symptoms for years that stopped when I followed the diet. Classic symptoms except being overweight.

I have read a few people have not had damage to villi and was wanting to do a post to see if you are morbidly obese and still have damage. I figured some things must work properly with absorption since I am over 150 lbs overweight. At least I'm hoping its that way for me since it seems like Im accidentally getting glutened here and there. Thanks for any responses

[Ursa Major]

Hi Autumn, and welcome to this board. Well, at this point I am 'only' about 70 pounds overweight (after losing 20). Before I went on the gluten-free diet, my weight was steadily going up, no matter what I tried, and I would soon have been where you are now.

Somebody explained it very well a while ago. She said that for some people, their body goes into starvation mode due to not getting the nutrients they need, and holds onto anything possibly and turning it into fat. That's why some people with celiac disease will gain instead of losing weight while still being malnourished.

I even gained weight last summer, when I had chronic watery diarrhea for six months, with everything going through me within twenty minutes after eating! It's really weird.

[Guest AutumnE]

Urusla, thanks for the welcome and the info

Well, what you said does make perfect sense to me about it and applying to me. I have not ate healthy but I honestly believe I never ate enough calories to make me as heavy as I am. I have had diarrhea for almost 2 1/2 years after every meal and my weight just went up and up since the birth of my daughter when it came on full force with problems. It's just more motivation to stick to my paleo diet I have been following.

Congratulations on the weight loss, I hope I can be where your at next year

[Guest Robbin]

Autumn, Welcome I am overweight as well-50lbs now, but slowly losing. You must not lose heart my friend, it will get better and the weight will come off. Many of us are overweight on here and helping each other. You will lose inches before weight, probably. It seems to go that way with many of us as we are "absorbing" better. Take care and keep us posted. :)btw--your story is so much like mine-chronic D. It is not fair to be sick AND heavy, is it?

[penguin]

I'm a classic case except for the weight issue, also. I'm about 50 lbs overweight right now (I gained 20lbs in a month when I went back on gluten for further testing).

It's like our bodies can grab the calories out of food, but nothing else. It's really frustrating.

[Shalia]

Well as my sig says I have not been tested but I have had loads of symptoms for years that stopped when I followed the diet. Classic symptoms except being overweight.

I have read a few people have not had damage to villi and was wanting to do a post to see if you are morbidly obese and still have damage. I figured some things must work properly with absorption since I am over 150 lbs overweight. At least I'm hoping its that way for me since it seems like Im accidentally getting glutened here and there. Thanks for any responses

It sounds like me. *happy dance* OK, not fair to be happy, but my husband thinks I'm on crack thinking that Celiac could be my answer to all my problems, since the pages say "weight loss" and I'm not skinny by any means. And doctors think I'm crazy. *sigh* But I've had D after nearly every meal for years, I'm constantly exhausted but can't sleep, problems with tingling in both arms and right leg, easy bruising, sores in mouth, constantly STARVING, diagnosed w/ fibro, I've had severe anxiety and mood swings (to the point of hospitalization six times) could keep adding here but my point is made, and I'm feeling instantly better on a gluten-free diet. (OK, to be fair it took about three days for the hangover to go away, but after that I felt better.) I've only been gluten-free for a week, and I'm already not starving to death and down 10 lbs.

And yet people think I'm nuts. Go figure.

I'm looking SO FORWARD to having enough money to afford Enterolab, then I can validate myself to him!! ACK!

Shalia - who still has 70 more lbs. to lose, but is hopeful now that she's not starving to death all the time.

[plantime]

Yep, I was 95 pounds overweight when I was biopsy diagnosed. Now I am 78 pounds over, and struggling to lose it.

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks everyone

Its nice to have so much suppourt, I havent even mentioned it to my dr as fear of being laughed out of the office. Old school theory probably with me being obese wouldnt be typical celiac patient.

He has always blamed all my problems on my weight anyways. He never thought it might be something contributing to it except my gall bladder which was obvious on the u/s.

Do you all have a suppourt thread? I would love to join it!

[Guest nini]

Somebody explained it very well a while ago. She said that for some people, their body goes into starvation mode due to not getting the nutrients they need, and holds onto anything possibly and turning it into fat. That's why some people with celiac disease will gain instead of losing weight while still being malnourished.

That would be me... Before my dx, I was classified as morbidly obese too. Since going gluten-free over 3 years ago, I have now lost 110 pounds WITHOUT TRYING and while eating more food than I ever did before going gluten-free.

[plantime]

Here is a link to one of the many threads we have going:

Open Original Shared Link

It is my favorite, probably because I started it!!

[mylady4]

How many here have not had a positive biopsy but a positive blood test? My blood test was 29.6 before going off gluten and 12.3 after. That was all the proof my doctor needed, plus I was feeling better. When I had the biopsy it did not show any damage. I think that was because I was never a big gluten eater (been loosing wieght through hard work for two years) and I did not have it long enough to get damages (thank goodness). I just found out from my primary that my intestines were enflamed and small ulcers on them (that caused her to do test for Whipples disease, no results yet). The GI did not tell me any of this though and for that I am a bit miffed.

I think that they need to get rid of the characteristic of weight loss. I certiantly did not have it. Just the opposite. I agree with the statement that some people's body goes into starvation mode. I think that is what mine has done. I was running and lifting weights everyday and nothing. By the amount of exercise I was doing I should have been loosing 2-3 pounds a week but nothing. I am just hoping that once everything gets straightened out I can finish loosing. The wait is going to drive me nuts though.

Nicole

[wacky~jackie]

Well as my sig says I have not been tested but I have had loads of symptoms for years that stopped when I followed the diet. Classic symptoms except being overweight.

I have read a few people have not had damage to villi and was wanting to do a post to see if you are morbidly obese and still have damage. I figured some things must work properly with absorption since I am over 150 lbs overweight. At least I'm hoping its that way for me since it seems like Im accidentally getting glutened here and there. Thanks for any responses

I highly recommend this article from the newsletter. It's what made me decide to be tested.

https://www.celiac.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_...347&p_catid

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks everyone with suppourt it means alot to me and the info to read. Im slowly adapting. I'll have to respond on that diet thread I need all the suppourt I can get.

[tiffjake]

Thanks everyone with suppourt it means alot to me and the info to read. Im slowly adapting. I'll have to respond on that diet thread I need all the suppourt I can get.

Hey AutemnE! I just saw your thread. I, too, am an overweight celiac. I am about 270. I have almost always been overweight. I lost some really quickly after going gluten-free, but gained it back (damn gluten-free brownies and cookies!). I am doing weight watchers now, and I really like it! It keeps me in check, and I still enjoy my gluten-free goodies! I am also joining the gym on Sept 1 (waiting to join for a FULL month, since the rate is NOT pro-rated!) Just one more person to add to you celiac and overweight list!

[Guest AutumnE]

Hi Tiffany

Im sorry your struggling with the weight issue as well. Im trying to stick to the paleo diet mostly with a few m-n-m's in there

I hate spending the money for gluten free foods so I havent been getting them till recently. I did find some tasty ones but I have to practice moderation

I have a gym membership but havent been since June 2003 , when I became pg with my dd . I need to start back up again.

[jcc]

Thanks everyone

Its nice to have so much suppourt, I havent even mentioned it to my dr as fear of being laughed out of the office. Old school theory probably with me being obese wouldnt be typical celiac patient.

He has always blamed all my problems on my weight anyways. He never thought it might be something contributing to it except my gall bladder which was obvious on the u/s.

Do you all have a suppourt thread? I would love to join it!

Hi Autumn,

You may have to be assertive if you have a doctor who tries to laugh you out of the office. Here is one thing I have found on obesity/celiac~

Open Original Shared Link

Cara

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks Cara

Thanks Cara I'll save it and read it. I feel the need to tell him about it but right now my life is so chaotic with us moving I'm not in the mood to do the gluten challenge just to find out, Im not sure I will ever be but I know its important to find out the damage.

I have lost over 8 inches of hair and have bald spots due to it after having my dd. Plus Im scared of what they might find in there. We do have colon cancer in our family and frankly I know I need to know but Im scared to know, my diarrhea got so bad that it affected my nerves to the point as to where I would have shooting pains in my back and legs every time.

I know I need to do it for my dd and Im still finding out how much this is affecting my life as to the point of me being scared of being pg again in the future since I need to make sure Im here and healthy for my first daughter. I need to make an appt. I havent seen my dr since January so he knows nothing about this and I never mentioned to him all the diarrhea and problems I was having. I was blown off years ago with ibs(with a different dr) without a colonscopy so I figured whats the use. I know, excuses but Im a big chicken when it comes to this stuff.