How Old? Celiac For How Long?

[Creative-Soul]

I'm 34yrs and was self-diagnosed / went Gluten-Free October 2005.

Diagnosed by my doctor July 2006 (when I finally could partially afford to see him ) who accepted my dietary results and horrible reactions to an abbreviated gluten challenge - self-inflicted -which he promptly told me to stop!

[Soccer Girl]

i am 13 and have been gluten free for 4 years. its the hardest thing i have EVER done but its better that getting sick all the time.i have had symptoms all my life.

[Generic]

I'm 32 and have been gluten free for 19 years. I was sick my whole life and was litterally dyeing when I was diagnosed. First trip to the E.R. was when I was 9.

-Laurie

[Eliza13]

I'm 31 and was diagnosed at age 30. You'd think that my doctor would have clued in long ago with my health history. I had tonsils removed at age 2 and was a chronic sick child. Always had a cold, always throwing up, had teeth seeled as a kid b/c of enamel loss. The most disturbing symptom that I get as a result of eating gluten is complete cessation of menses. I have never had monthly cycles and was averaging maybe one period per year. Docs diagnosed me "PCOS" b/c they could not find anything wrong with me. Well....guess what? After a few weeks gluten free I got my period. 5 weeks after that I got a second one.....another 5 weeks and another cycle.....you get the picture. It's very scary to me that something that I was eating could make me stop menstruating...It must have been ravaging my body. I know it was for other reasons too....diarrhea, extreme fatigue, hair loss, knee pain....the list goes on and on.

This question of age is very important. I often wonder how much irreversable damage was done to my body that could have been prevented with an earlier diagnosis. It really is astonishing that wheat/gluten makes me stop getting my period and I wonder what else it was doing to my body that I don't know about. Oh....eating gluten also raises my prolactin and white blood cell count.

[Guest Villanfam]

I am 29. I have had symptoms all my life, and after my dad bought me the book "Living Gluten-Free for Dummies" I realized for I had a DISEASE.

I was gluten-lite since high school, although I didn't even know what gluten was. I just knew I couldn't eat breads/pasta/pizza w/out throwing up. I had several other symptoms, rashes, and many of which are neurological but I did not relate them to eating gluten.

I diagnosed myself in Sept 2006 because I do not have insurance. I had 2 of my 3 kids tested for it and they both came back positive. I don't think I've cried so much in my life, mostly out of guilt for not knowing they had the same thing I did, and I gave it to them! They had no obvious GI symptoms except they were all very small for their age, my son was constipated, but since I was too I didn't think to much about it. Also he ate cheese like there was no tomorrow! My son had 2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch at school everyday! No vomiting, no diarrhea. If I even took one bite I would have been hugging the toilet LOL!

So here we are gluten-free since Sept 14th. And for the 1st time in my life I now know what really being "normal" feels like! It had been at least a year since I ate pasta, and when I tried the gluten free kind, I was so scared to even take the 1st bite because it looks exactly like wheat pasta! I did and then ate the whole thing and then just waited to get sick, and then nothing happened! I ate pasta w/out puking YIPPEE!!! I can eat things that I haven't been able to for so long bread/pasta/cookies/cakes/donuts, gluten free of course, but it was very liberating for myself.

For my kiddos though, it's been tough because I worry about them at school. I have been bringing lunch to School everyday and had the Principal designate a specific spot (the end of the table) for us to sit, so I don't have to worry about the other kids crumbs getting on my kids hands and food. It's really exhausting, but they are definitely worth it!!

Courtney

[Anonymousgurl]

I have not been diagnosed, but I've been gluten free since May and I'm planning on doing a gluten challenge

I'm 18. I was going to do the poll, but there is no slot for 18 year olds....should I say I'm under 18 or that I'm 19?

age 16

14 years gluten-free (15 in feb.)

Age 19. Diagnosed in Jan of 2004

i am 13 and have been gluten free for 4 years. its the hardest thing i have EVER done but its better that getting sick all the time.i have had symptoms all my life.

I was going to ask the same question because I hadn't found anyone in my age range yet I'm 17 and I haven't been officially diagnosed, but I have a definite sensitivity (to practically all foods really...LoL..) and have been gluten free for just a month.

I'd love to chat with all of you that I quoted up there ^^^^ about your experiences and what your situations are...it's hard to be a teen/young adult and have to deal with this kind of stuff

[Tippy]

I'm 23 and got diagnosed on December 27th, 2006 ^-^;;; although ive probably had it longer, my symptoms started in May of 2003

[larry mac]

55 here. Have had GI problems for couple years. Finally dx 3 weeks ago after all blood, urine, stool tests, then endoscopic duodenal biopsies confirmation.

Definately doing better, but have had a couple small lapses. Am trying to be very, very careful, but keep finding stuff not supposed to be eating. Had a really good salad (almost never even eat salads) yesterday, with outstanding Blue Cheese dressing from Central Market. THEN, afterwards, I find out not to eat that.

Am finding this forum extremely helpful, and greatly appreciate everyone on here. Thank you, thank you. lm