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How Would You Define Celiac Disease?

es2443

By es2443
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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es2443 Contributor
es2443
Posted

Hey everyone,

I'm a college student and next year my school is implementing a substance free dorm. We are required to write an essay about how our lifestyle fits into the wellness theme and I somehow want to bring up gluten intolerance. I want to mention that I am unable to drink alcohol due to this illness and do not want to even come in contact with it for fear of becoming ill. I have been looking for a good definition of the disease that covers everything but in a fairly simple and understanding way. I'm also gluten intolerant, not Celiac and its not in my health charts because I have not given the school new charts since I have figured out this problem so I don't really want to mention the word celiac besides saying that its related. How would you describe gluten intolerance to 5 people who most likely know nothing about it?

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I would describe it as a full body and brain immune and inflammatory response to a toxin that is consumed by many on a regular basis. I would then go on to define a few of the subsets of effects like on liver and gallbladder function, the brain and the hormonal systems, amongst many, that people are not often aware of. I would also point out that undiagnosed it can lead to the body destroying itself. I know there will be others on with better descriptions but perhaps this can get you started.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I would be careful to not phrase it as "celiacs cannot drink alcohol" because there are MANY alcoholic beverages that are completely gluten free. But saying that it has affected your digestive tract so severely that you cannot handle it without getting sick could be an example of how it affects different people in different ways, and can affect them severely, in a way that also affects social life (though I've never had not drinking really affect my social life...).

I would describe it as a genetic predisposition to an autoimmune reaction from the protein in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. The reaction can range, in different individuals, from virtually no symptoms at all, to significant, varied, systemic symptoms.

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    • trents
      celiac, chocolate and alcohol

      By trents · Posted

      So, you had both and endoscopy with biopsy and a colonoscopy. That helps me understand what you were trying to communicate. No, no! It never occurred to me that you were trying to mislead me. It's just that we get a lot of posters on the forum who are misinformed about what celiac disease is and how it is diagnosed so I need some clarification from you which you were so gracious to give.
    • barb simkin
      celiac, chocolate and alcohol

      By barb simkin · Posted

      I had both the genetic genes for celiac.  My gastroenologist advised he also took a biopsy during one of my colonoscopies and endoscopy and advised I had celiac disease, along with stomach ulcers from my esophagus stomach down to my small bowel. I was shown the ulcers on the catscan and endoscopy report.  I also had polyps in 3 places throughout my large bowel. I was on a strict diet for months following.  I am sorry if I didnt define how I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  I am sorry if you think I was misleading you. I also had to pay $150.00 for the genetic testing.
    • trents
      celiac, chocolate and alcohol

      By trents · Posted

      So, I'm a little confused here. I understand you to say that you have not been officially diagnosed with celiac disease. Is this correct?  You have had genetic testing done to check for the potential for developing celiac disease and that was positive. Is this correct? I think you meant to type "gluten sensitivity" but you typed "gluten insensitivity". Just so we are clear about the terminology, there is celiac disease and there is NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). They are not the same but they have overlapping symptoms. Celiac disease causes damage to the small bowel lining but NCGS does not. NCGS is often referred to in short form as gluten sensitivity. However, people often use the terms celiac disease and gluten sensitivity interchangeably so it can be unclear which disease they are referring to. Genetic testing cannot be used to diagnose celiac disease but it can be used to establish the potential to develop active celiac disease. About 40% of the general population has one or both of  the genes that have been most strongly connected with the potential to develop active celiac disease but only about 1% of the population actually develops active celiac disease. This makes the genetic test useful for ruling out celiac disease but not for diagnosing it. A colonoscopy cannot be used to diagnose celiac disease because it doesn't permit the scope to go up into the small bowel where celiac disease does the damage. They use an endoscopy ("upper GI) for checking the small bowel lining for celiac damage.
    • barb simkin
      celiac, chocolate and alcohol

      By barb simkin · Posted

      I did nor read the chocolate pkg as it was of fered to me and I ate 2 pcs. I do know that only very dark chocolate and and a very few others are gluten free. Most alcohols contain gluten. I have several yrs of not knowing my celiac condition as docs would not do the test. After looking on the internet about my sufferings I insisted on the gene trsting which showed positive for gluten insensitivity and a biopsy on my next colonoscopy that also showed positive which could not help the damage done to my small bowel. So I very rarely have a glass of wine
    • trents
      celiac, chocolate and alcohol

      By trents · Posted

      @barb simkin, are you sure the chocolate products are gluten-free and not "manufactured on equipment that also handles wheat products and tree nuts", i.e., cross-contamination? And what kind of alcoholic beverages are we talking about? Most beers are made from gluten-containing grains. Just checking.
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