Could I Have Celiac?

[Ottonegirl]

I'm new here - just joined yesterday & posted about my daughter.

Now, I have questions about me. I'm wondering if I could have celiac - the more I think about it the more it seems like it really could be.

So... here's my history (could be long sorry!)

I was extremely sickly as a child - allergic to everything.

At 33 had 1/2 thyroid removed for benign thyroid tumor

After that, lost tons of weight & was dx'd with MVP syndrome, Irritable Bowel & Fibromyalgia

Because I still felt terrible & was having yeast infections I went on the Yeast Connection Diet & felt the best I'd ever felt in my life (it's gluten-free/cf)

After about 6 months on the yeast connection diet, I reintroduced gluten & casein & have gone back to feeling terrible again... Over the past 6 years I have repeated this process over & over again. (I'm a slow learner )

I've had CT scans, ultrasounds - had my gall bladder looked at - all for abdominal pain with negative results and the radiologist accused me of being a hypochondriac. Lovely...

Here are the symptoms I'm currently experiencing:

Foamy diarrhea & then bouts of constipation

Steatorrhea

Abdominal pain

Excessive gas

Iron deficiency anemia

Extreme tiredness

Tingling sensations throughout my body (not just extremitites) like mini-electric shocks

swelling in feet during summer

headaches

joint aches

In the past, when it all started up I'd go back on the Yeast Connection diet & would start to feel better - connecting it with yeast ... but now I'm thinking that this could be celiac.

The only problem is that I have struggled terribly with my weight since I had thyroid surgery - up & down and up & down. I'd always ruled out celiac because of this... but, I've heard that I shouldn't. Can you be overweight & celiac?

I don't need test results to decide what to do for me, but for my family & daughter it could be helpful. But, any dr looks at me & says there is no way you can have celiac. KWIM?

Thanks again for all the help!

Karen

[CarlaB]

The so-called "classic celiac" is underweight. That is probably why over 95% of celiacs go undiagnosed!!! Many of us are underweight, but just as many are overweight. You can be either.

I would say it's a definate possibility that you have it. Dietary response seems to indicate you do.

Welcome!

[Ursa Major]

It could be gluten AND dairy. So, in order to figure this out, eliminate both for a month, and then try just gluten. If you react to it (which I suspect you will), do the same with dairy.

If you want to be 100% sure I suggest testing with Enterolab. But your diet response is very telling. Except for the thyroid problems you've had, your history sounds an awful lot like mine. My doctor didn't test me for celiac disease either, because I was gaining weight.

But, as my new naturopath told me three weeks ago, weight gain can also be a symptom of malnourishment! And anemia is a VERY common symptom of celiac disease as well, due to your intestines not absorbing the iron (or vitamin B12).

[Ottonegirl]

It could be gluten AND dairy. So, in order to figure this out, eliminate both for a month, and then try just gluten. If you react to it (which I suspect you will), do the same with dairy.

Well, I know I'm allergic to milk too... I always stay away from it (almost always ) & eat goat's milk yogurt. I'm OK with the goat's milk yogurt so I don't think it's casein - just cow's milk.

But, as my new naturopath told me three weeks ago, weight gain can also be a symptom of malnourishment! And anemia is a VERY common symptom of celiac disease as well, due to your intestines not absorbing the iron (or vitamin B12).

This has been an ongoing problem - years of it. I'm thinking that I'll test my daughter & probably just go gluten-free & keep my goat's milk yogurt & see how I feel. If I see the improvement from before, it will be worth sticking to it!

Thanks for the help,