My Sister Is Bloated All The Time...could It Be Celiac?

[ekdumas19]

Hi alll,

I am writing on behalf of my stubborn sister. I have been diagnosed with celiac disease for 5 years now, though none of my family appears to have it, and out of the four of them only one has been tested (It came out negative supposedly). So my older sister has been having bloating issues for awhile now. Every time she drinks a lot of beer, eats certain foods, she gets this incredible bloat. She is a tiny--but her belly swells to the point it looks like she is a few months pregnant. We had lentil soup last night, and this morning she woke up with the incredible bloat. I doubt this has anything to do with PMS as she get's it up to two or three weeks before her period starts. Anyways.....could this be a reaction to wheat? or could it be just IBS or some other dietary problems? She doesnt have insurance, so can't go to the doctor. She eats bread and stuff containing gluten all the time, but never complains of the stomach problems that I had back when I was eating wheat. I suggest she keep a food journal, but just wondering if anyone else has any ideas. Thanks!!!

[flagbabyds]

it sounds like celiac to me . you should ask her if she wants to get tested or see if her doctor will just screen her for it in a regular bloodtest.

[GlutenWrangler]

It really does sound like celiac disease, as the last 3 identical posts pointed out. She may not experience the same symptoms as you did, but that it completely normal. Everyone exhibits celiac disease differently. Genetically, she is a very high risk candidate for celiac disease. Beer is loaded with gluten, so it's no surprise that it causes her to bloat. Bloating is a red flag for celiac disease, and she really should get tested. Unfortunately, I know where you're coming from in terms of having a stubborn sister. My mother and I both have celiac disease, but my sister refuses to get tested because "she's not sick". I've explained the risks of untreated celiac disease, but she doesn't listen. I hope you have better luck than I did. I hope it works out for her.

-Brian