My Story

[Audiori J]

Heres my symptoms, in order by when they started;

Childhood;

Bad tooth enamel (cavities)

Aches and Pain in my legs at night

In my Teens add on;

Sinus issues

Insomnia (When I finally get to sleep, I have a hard time waking up)

Allergies

Angioneuroedema (allergy to aspirin causing facial swelling)

Lack of weight gain

TMJ or jaw popping

Migraines

Occassional canker sores

In my Twenties add on;

Always cold

Dry Skin

Dehydration

Periods of Depression

In my Thirties add on;

Fatigue

Back Pain

Alternating Constipation/Diarrhea

Cramps after eating

Then lately add to the list;

Intermittant Lactose Intollerance

And lastly and this is a weird one, I have what I thought was a skin allergy. I would go outside and put my arm through a fence to pet my dog and anywhere my arm touched the wire fence I would get about 5 minutes later red, itchy welp lines. Then it started happening at night if I scratch my arms or back, the welps would form where I scratched. And it would cause more itchiness. I was thinking this may be in association with dermatitis herpetiformis. It even happened on my thumb and finger the other day when I opened a bottle. I can actually slightly run my fingernails across my forearm and sit and watch the welps appear.

*** Turns out this is Dermatographism.

I went to an allergist to get tested for specifically food allergies, they did the 135 pin pricks in the arm test; woohoo. But they chose to do all airborne allergies instead of foods, found I had a slight allergy to mold and grass and thats it. (Which I already knew, I wanted tested for foods. pffft doctors.) But while looking into why I had severe sinus issues they found out I had a maxillary sinus cyst that required surgery, I was put under and they did the surgery through my mouth. This caused a dislocated jaw on the side where I have the TMJ. This caused extreme severe joint pain. I was in more pain than the doctors acted like they thought I should be in. It was severe 24/hr a day pain, I couldn't think or sleep. I went to a TMJ specialist and now wear a splint that alleviates that issue.

Long story short, I believe most of my issues are caused by Gluten. I believe my TMJ and dislocated jaw issues were made more severe by just an already present sensitivity to joint pain. The Angioneuroedema may not be related but I didn't always have that issue it came on around the same time as the sinus issues because I used to take aspirin for the sinus headaches.

I was planning on having the blood test done, but because I am pretty convinced Gluten is the issue I have started to change my diet already. I used to crave Pasta, Bread and Cereal. I've tried to avoid Gluten starting this week.

One last thing with my Migraines, I usually start burping before the Migraine comes on, after it comes on I get nausea which is followed by vomitting bile. The doctor I go to for Migraines says this is normal for Migraines. Which is true, but its not normal for humans. It tells me its digestive related.

[Sweetfudge]

Welcome! OMG what an ordeal! Some of your symptoms sound like me. I've always had bad teeth. I had lots of leg pains as a child too!

One suggestion. If you do go off gluten, and get tested, this usually results in a negative result, as your intestines begin to heal. I suggest either waiting on the gluten-free diet, getting the test done ASAP, or just self-dxing and swear off gluten, avoiding the test.

I hope you get better soon!

[Audiori J]

Yeah maybe I should get the blood test done now.

Strange thing, after not eating any Gluten filled products a few days I have had a headache, I had less fatigue and my skin feels like its burning.

[Sweetfudge]

you're experiencing withdrawals...it should go away in a few more days. hang in there yes, the sooner the better on that biopsy!

[super-sally888]

Hi,

Have you been tested for thryoid? Your symptoms could also be from that... Also people with Celiac Disease often have thyroid problems and vice versa... which comes first????

Best wishes on getting this sorted out.

S

[happygirl]

you have to eat gluten for the test to be remotely accurate.

make sure your docs run the FULL panel (print out from www.celiaccenter.org and click on FAQs)...sometimes docs only run part of the panel and you need it all.

best of luck,

Laura

[Ursa Major]

You may be intolerant to gluten, but you're also very likely intolerant to other foods as well. The welts could be an allergic reaction caused by food, but brought on by scratching your skin. I used to have that problem, too.

I had joint and muscle pain. The joint pain (very severe) was caused by lectins (gluten is a lectin, and they ALL cause gastrointestinal symptoms in me, as well as the joint pains, buckling of the ankles and knees and backaches), and the muscle and skin aches (as well as hives and being itchy all over) was caused by salicylates. And Aspirin is pure salicylic acid and the worst offender, and could put me into anaphylactic shock.

Since you're allergic to Aspirin, you probably can't tolerate foods high in salicylates, either, and need to eliminate them.

To find out more, click on the links in my signature.

[Audiori J]

Ive not been tested for any thyroid problems either. Pretty much all of my issues sort of come and go, intermittant, Thats why for a while I thought it was seasonal, or the weather, and then food allergy. I dont know enough about thyroid issues to know if they can come and go?

On the Gluten, part of my diet was already gluten free, I could of by accident gone a few days with none and then had a gluten heavy day or two. Sort of like going from a few days of meat and potato to pizza and a slice of cake. I sort of figure this random diet that I had before could explain the random timing of the symptoms.