Help... Fibro... Ra... Better With Gluten Free?

[shanbr]

I have been diagnosed with RA and told them over and over that my muscles are what is wrong, not the joints. I know their tests say RA due to inflammation, but you can have inflammation in muscles and not be RA.

Anyway, all their meds methotrexate, arava, prednisone, ultram all made me horribly sicker.

Currently I am treating myself with a gluten free diet and mucinex in a fibro protocol. And I am doing much better.

Anyway, I wanted a celiac test and my doctor said that my liver functions showed good so i didn't need a test, i don't have it and since my bowels aren't showing white, then there is no worry.

I have always had horrible stomach problems and when it is going through the roof, so are my muscles. If I am slightly gassy, my mucles errupt.

Is my doctor right with the liver test? If so, then why does a gluten free diet help so much?

Thanks.

[RiceGuy]

Well, I stopped trusting doctors years ago, so I'm not going to give you a particularly "balanced" opinion. To me it sounds like your doctor is an idiot. The symptoms vary so widely from person to person that it just can't be as simple as the way he/she describes. I say just look at the posts on this board and see for yourself, and I'm sure the responses you get on this thread will show the same.

For my muscle problems, I began taking a sublingual methylcobalamin (vitamin B12), and more recently added a powdered magnesium supplement. Between these two, I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. No more twitching, spasms, aches, tingling, etc. Especially from the magnesium, and the benefits have gone much farther than just addressing muscle problems. From what I've read, Celiacs can often be low on these nutrients, and supplementation may prove helpful even when tests show their levels to be within a normal range. You don't need a doctor to approve before you try them either.

If you want the tests, then I think you should be able to have them done whether the doc thinks you need to or not.

[larry mac]

  shanbr said:

Currently I am treating myself with a gluten free diet..... And I am doing much better.

....... I wanted a celiac test and my doctor said ...... i didn't need a test.......

s,

I'm assuming your doctor is not a gastroenterologist, sounds like you need one. You can imagine, that if all gastroenterologists are not even knowlegeable about celiac disease, regular doctors (general practitioners, md's) and specialists in other areas, are even less likely to know much about it.

What kind of celiac test did you want? Since you are on a gluten-free diet, the only test that would be valid is a gene test. Your going to have to go back on gluten for the rest.

best regards, lm

[wethree]

Fibromyalgia, celiac disease and thyroid conditions very often go hand-in-hand. It looks like you need a new doctor. I have all three and I use magnesium with malic acid and Mobic which is an anti-inflammitory and other than occasional flare-ups I am pretty much under control.....and then of course eating gluten-free. You probably do no have RA, however, a trip to a rhumatologist would be a good idea. There is a blood test for that. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed after they rule out other kinds of arthritis..............as it is a kind of arthritis too. Best wishes to you.

[CarlaB]

RA and fibro symptoms can be associated with both celiac and Lyme Disease. If you can get the testing for celiac (blood test), I would do that. The testing you had done does not test for celiac. You have to be eating gluten for months to be tested, so it's best to do it now when you haven't been gluten-free for long.

Steriods are very bad for you if you have Lyme and will make it worse. I definately would not take steroids again unless Lyme has been ruled out, especially since you've reacted as you have. Open Original Shared Link is the only lab with accurate Lyme testing ... it's all they do. If you want more info on this, please pm or email me, I don't want to take the focus off celiac since it's a celiac forum.

After all your testing, I would go gluten-free. If you feel better gluten-free, you don't need a doctor's permission to eat that way! I am gluten-free, and no doctor has ever thought it was necessary for me.