Not Sure If It's Celiac Or Not

[sephiro499]

My mother told me a few days ago that my cousin was just diagnosed with Celiac and if I ever had any problem with upset stomach after eating, etc. My problem is a little weird, and very difficult to explain. These symptoms have been with me since I've been 8yo, I remember going for this test where I had to drink this white chalky substance and was put on this moving platform. They told me parents I had to eat smaller, more frequent meals. When I went to my normal primary care dr about 5 years ago he just told me to eat more.

After eating I will become more hungry than before I ate anything. Now I know that sounds ridiculous but if it isn't hunger than I don't know what it is. When I sit down to a meal I'll often only be able to eat a few bites then I'm 'full' (at least it feels like being full), and I'll be hungry in a half hour hour or so and normally finish the meal. I often crave sugar and or certain foods, like pizza. It seems like I'm never full, and I almost never gain weight (i'm male 6' 2" 180).

Now there are some foods that I know for sure will make my stomach upset, normally anything that is just whiteflour, like cup of noodles, microwave burrittos, whole wheat pasta (the worst). It seems like I don't know what to eat anymore. I've read the sugar buster book, and more recently Potatoes not Prozac. I was doing the PnP diet for awhile but then moved and moved away from it. It seemed to work for me but it wasn't enough.

Hey so if anyone has any input or maybe a similiar experience, I'd like to hear about it.

[jerseyangel]

Hi and welcome to the board

There are so many symptoms of Celiac that it is hard to tell if what you are experiencing could be a gluten intolerance.

My thought is, since your cousin has been diagnosed with Celiac, and the disease is genetic, you should ask your doctor to run the Complete Celiac Blood Panel for you.

It is very important that you continue to eat your normal diet prior to the test. Don't be tempted to cut out or down on gluten to 'see how you feel' just yet.

Once all testing (if you choose to have it) is completed, regardless of the results, you could always try and go gluten-free yourself. There are people here who tested negative (through blood, biopsy or both) who have seen their symptoms inprove or disappear following a strictly gluten-free diet.

Best of luck--keep us posted!

[GFBetsy]

Ditto Jerseyangel's advice!

Welcome!

[carynanne]

After eating I will become more hungry than before I ate anything. It seems like I'm never full, and I almost never gain weight (i'm male 6' 2" 180).

Now there are some foods that I know for sure will make my stomach upset, normally anything that is just whiteflour, like cup of noodles, microwave burrittos, whole wheat pasta (the worst). It seems like I don't know what to eat anymore. I've read the sugar buster book, and more recently Potatoes not Prozac. I was doing the PnP diet for awhile but then moved and moved away from it. It seemed to work for me but it wasn't enough.

Hey so if anyone has any input or maybe a similiar experience, I'd like to hear about it.

I should start with: I don't know yet if I'm celiac but strongly suspect it. That said, I have at least a similar problem: I eat ALL THE TIME. I snack on anything I want, eat large amounts of fatty foods (I stay away from sugars because if I eat those, I'm STARVING half an hour later) and don't exercise (just because I've recently gotten out of the habit). I used to exercise but it never really made a difference in my weight, only my energy levels. I'm Female, 5'9" and 127#. And I cannot gain weight. Recently I've noticed that pasta makes me VERY sick the next day after I eat it. I end up with a terrible stomachache and diarrhea the next morning.

So yes, I have a similar problem. And I'm getting tested hopefully next week for celiac.

Caryn

[hannahsue01]

I can't tell you if it is celiac related or not but I know that I have the same symptoms. The hunger thing drives me nuts as it feels like I can eat all day and still be hungry. I hate that after eating a full well balanced meal I will feel like I havn't eaten in hours after about a half an hour. I can relate. I'm with the above statements that if celiac is in your family it definently warrents a test.

[pinkpei77]

im not sure if its celiac or not but im ALWAYS hungry and ALWAYS eating.

once i start ,i cant stop.

i can eat a whole meal and then 20 minutes later eat another whole meal!!!

im not sure what its from.

[sephiro499]

Yeah for me with the constant eating I just try and eat something reasonable and then just ignore the hunger information going to my brain. Sometimes I'm so hungry I can't sleep, and this happens pretty often. I thought I had eaten enough during the day but it seems like I don't.

[carynanne]

Yeah for me with the constant eating I just try and eat something reasonable and then just ignore the hunger information going to my brain. Sometimes I'm so hungry I can't sleep, and this happens pretty often. I thought I had eaten enough during the day but it seems like I don't.

I just thought I'd write in and say that I just got up out of bed at 12:30 because my stomach was growling and I couldn't sleep. I guarantee you I ate a full meal for dinner...

I wonder if it's to do with malabsorption? Your body not using the calories properly because of damaged villi? Assuming we're celiac, of course. (I've already half-convinced myself I am.)

Caryn