Is It True?

[Q1821]

I read somewhere that celiac disease can suddenly show up if you experiance lots of stress or have something traumatic happen in your life. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true? Can it lay dormant and then just show up?

[Lisa]

I read somewhere that celiac disease can suddenly show up if you experiance lots of stress or have something traumatic happen in your life. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true? Can it lay dormant and then just show up?

Sort of. You carry the gene and are predisposed for Celiac. It often takes a trigger such as stress, pregnancy, surgery, etc. to kick Celiac into high gear.

[little-c]

I am a living example of 'dormant' celiac coming to life. I did not start showing symptoms until age 49 and was healthy until then. I blame the onset to stress.

[tabdegner]

This happened to my mom. She had anemia for years but was otherwise healthy. But the day my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, her celiac symptoms became very very severe and sudden. It took a while for her to be diagnosed -- but when this traumatic event happened, her celiac all of a sudden showed up.

[confused]

I think it is very possible. My ss was a normal kid. Then when his mom started not to be consistent and not see him very often. His symptoms would come out. Now after not seeing her for almost an yr, we learned he was celiac.

I also think all my symptoms started when I had an emergency c/s and they told me that my son or I might not live threw it.

paula

[Tim-n-VA]

No scientific basis here but based on comments I've read...

Some possible explanations:

1) The celiac was dormat and then started due to some trigger (as mentioned above)

2) The celiac wasn't dormant but you were asymptomatic (possible villi damage that wasn't tested for). This is most likely in an otherwise healthy person whose body is able to compensate. The trigger in this case is not causing the celiac but interferring with the compensating.

The problem is that there is little research into celiac in people who don't have any symptoms.

[happygirl]

agree with the above mentioned posters.

you could have always had Celiac, but no symptoms (hence, "silent" Celiac) and then the symptoms kicked in.

you could have NOT had Celiac, and it was triggered on at some point.

[gfp]

No scientific basis here but based on comments I've read...

Some possible explanations:

1) The celiac was dormat and then started due to some trigger (as mentioned above)

2) The celiac wasn't dormant but you were asymptomatic (possible villi damage that wasn't tested for). This is most likely in an otherwise healthy person whose body is able to compensate. The trigger in this case is not causing the celiac but interferring with the compensating.

The problem is that there is little research into celiac in people who don't have any symptoms.

Tim, exactly what I was going to post....

I think for most people they probably did have celiac disease but the symptoms were not severe...

The reason for saying this is many of us actually find out after going gluten-free that little things we put down to everyone having or old age etc. then clear up...

I think the trigger can be what tips the balance... but its like you so not really scientific.

[2kids4me]

Same is true for Type 1 diabetes - something triggers it. The genetic predisposition is always there ...the trigger can vary - from stress to an illness.

Stress (physical or emotional) wreaks havoc on the body - immune system, brain chemicals , hormones (all kinds). Stress leads to poor eating habits (no appetite or grabbing comfort foods) and lack of sleep to mention just two...

People under stress have adrenal function on overdrive, it affects thyroid fucntion, it affects sex hormone production - leading to heavy periods or lack of periods in women, it can either boost testosterone or lower it in men. Initially there is surge of hormones from all endocrine tissue and if it is prolonged - then "burnout" creates low levels of various hormones.

The immune system is affected - many people under stress are sicker than the average person. The body is an intricate machine and when one system is affected - it impacts everything.

Emotional stress affects blood sugar control in diabetics - if either Matt or I are under stress, the blood sugars climb.

It also explains why people with chronic conditions are way more likely to suffer depression - they are depleted in brain chemicals.

Any number of autoimmune conditions can be triggered in such a way - IF the susceptibilty is there at a DNA level.

Sandy

[TrillumHunter]

I was diagnosed just recently but I can trace my first symptoms back 13 years. It started with nerve pain (like electricity) in my arms and really severe "out of my body" floating sensations when I was 25. That was eventually diagnosed (SIX YEARS!!) as pernicious anemia. Four years prior at 21 I had a severe viral infection lasting a week. It was a scalp to sole rash that no one could diagnose. I think it was probably EBV but I'm guessing. Prior to that there were some quirky problems as a kid but nothing major. I am testing all my kids because I do believe it can be silent and asymptomatic. I want to keep their intestines as healthy as possible!

Monica

[blueeyedmanda]

I can fit into this category, I was healthy all my life, in college I was exposed to menegitits and I got real ill, it seems things went downhill from there. I was officially diagnosed in August of 2004. Between 2001-2004 I was a mess, and I kept the Immodium company in business

[CMCM]

I read recently that when you have celiac disease (active) your autoimmune system isn't suppressed as some might think, rather, your autoimmune system is highly overactive and oversensitive, which might explain why a lot of other sensitivities also get triggered....your system is hyped up and reacting to everything as an invader.

Once you eliminate the primary problem (gluten) and perhaps in the process elimiinate all the other things bothering you (perhaps stuff like dairy and whatever else...), months later you might be able to re-introduce some of those things without problems. That was my case....I always thought dairy was my major problem. When I eliminated gluten (also dairy), now a year later I find I can actually have limited dairy without problems. I tested sensitive to casein, so I realize I probably should totally eliminate dairy, but I seem able to have limited dairy without upset now whereas in the past, dairy caused instant D and cramping.

[Guest j_mommy]

Yup I have also been told that. I have obviosly had the gene, but they believe it was pregnacy that actually "triggered" the celiac. Divorce ect can also "trigger" it!

[Lisa]

So many of us have been diagnosed with IBS for oh so many years. That may be the precursor to Celiac where the trigger is needed. What happenes in the transition from IBS to Celiac Disease? Is it a weaked system or over-heated regarding the defense system? Does that make sense?

I know that IBS is not a diagnosis, but why do so many of us have the symptoms which eventually become Celiac Disease?

[Guest j_mommy]

I think it is b/c we all have the gene and may have only IBs prior to teh "triggering" event. That is how I understand it happens.

[Gonbad]

My father had Celiac. They called it Tropical Sprue. It didn't manifest itself until his late 30's.

I didn't show any symptoms until my early 30's. My symptoms are not severe. Occasional oily stool, cramps, gas and loose movements a couple of times a year. Well I read recently that a blood test was available and had it done during my last physical in Feb. Kind of wish I hadn't as it was positive and I had my EGD and biopsy done today. Well the Gastro said my intestines looked like the typical case of Celiac. I will find out in a couple of weeks how much damage there is.

[dragonmom]

Yes, after 54 years of happily eating gluten I became very ill with a kidney stone and other "female" problems...4 days in intensive care 6 pints of blood later and 60 pound weight loss.....I have Celiac . After learning about the disease you think back to things that probably are linked. Asthma, sinus headaches, just general stuff like that. Unfortunately the weight loss did not last, I am a good gluten-free cook. I really feel that my body won't let me lose weight now , don't want to starve , I 'm sure I could last for a good year at this point.

[wowzer]

I'm sure it has probably been with me all my life. I just didn't realize it until I was 52. The more I read the more this all makes sense. I'm sure that I have other family members that haven't figured it out yet.

[gfp]

So many of us have been diagnosed with IBS for oh so many years. That may be the precursor to Celiac where the trigger is needed. What happenes in the transition from IBS to Celiac Disease? Is it a weaked system or over-heated regarding the defense system? Does that make sense?

I know that IBS is not a diagnosis, but why do so many of us have the symptoms which eventually become Celiac Disease?

It depends what you call IBS I guess.... it seems to be a diagnisis of "we don't really know" ???

My theory is that we are destroying villi all the time... but the repair faster than we destroy them, then when the trigger happens the body can't keep up... some other forms of IBS probably exist but I seem to remember a whole load of IBS patients (well above normal) actually are celiac but just not diagnosed and when they take the blood tests they show up.

[debmidge]

For my husband he had an infection of blood; got antibiotics for it; next thing happened was severe D and gas/bloating that never ended. He lost 30 lbs in about 3 months and doctors Moe, Larry and Curly diagnosed him as

1) Drug addict (Veteran's Hospital) and refused to do any more testing

2) IBS

3) Colitis

4) Mental disorder

then he was finally diagnosed with celiac disease about 27 years later.

[darlindeb25]

I think my sister and I both had mild symptoms for years and years. As a child, she ate dirt and the doctor said it was a vitamin deficiency, she was given some medicine to take everyday and no further mention. I had tummy aches often, motion sickness, anxiety. When I was pregnant over 30 yrs ago with my 2nd child, my symptoms worsened. Each pregnancy made them worse. Twenty-five yrs ago last March, my sister lost her first baby and both of us became much sicker, so I guess the stress was a big trigger for worsening our system. From then on, we both were very ill, stomach cramping, diarrhea a good share of the time--she lost weight, I gained, she became iron deficient, I developed severe panic attacks, agoraphobia, anticipatory anxiety. For me, they said, IBS, nervous stomach, all in my head--for her they could not understand how she could be so vitamin deficient. Her hubby found celiac disease on the internet and she immediately went to her doc and requested to be tested. He, of course, said she didn't have it and there was no reason to test because it is so rare, yet she persisted and he finally did the test, even apologized for his mistake. That was 7 yrs ago last March--took us many years to get a doctor to listen. I was 44 at the time and she was 41, if I did my math correctly!

I do believe it's with us from the day we are born. I believe there is no difference between a gluten intolerant person and a celiac. For now, some doctors only recognize flattened villi as true celiac, yet I think it's just because they have not figured out a standard test that shows celiac before so much damage is done. The diagnosis is exactly the same. It's like being pregnant, you can't be a little pregnant, you are, or you aren't. We all are celiac's if we can't tolerate gluten.

[Tim-n-VA]

I do agree that the classic celiac diagnosis is overly restrictive. However, most of what I've read indicates that there are two distinct types of reactions to gluten - allergy and autoimmune. While they have similar symptoms in some people, the internal mechanisms are different.

[jewi0008]

I read somewhere that celiac disease can suddenly show up if you experiance lots of stress or have something traumatic happen in your life. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true? Can it lay dormant and then just show up?

I think this is exactly what happened to me. I always had stomach problems; nothing major, though. Then, in one year, I had tonsillitis 4 times. I had my tonsils/adenoids removed. Right after my surgery, I started having major issues with my stomach/bm's/mouth/teeth. This was 3 years ago. A few months ago was the first time someone brought it to my attention; when I was at the Dentist. Anyone else with a similar story?

[Lolabell]

I think this is exactly what happened to me. I always had stomach problems; nothing major, though. Then, in one year, I had tonsillitis 4 times. I had my tonsils/adenoids removed. Right after my surgery, I started having major issues with my stomach/bm's/mouth/teeth. This was 3 years ago. A few months ago was the first time someone brought it to my attention; when I was at the Dentist. Anyone else with a similar story?

I have yet to be diagnosed, but I started showing major symptoms 3 years ago as well, directly following a gall bladder surgery. The Doc told me it was common to have diarrhea for a few months following the surgery....well, it's never stopped and a host of other symptoms started erupting quickly following. Out of curiosity...what did the dentist tell you? I've been having dental problems as well the last several months...My teeth where always my best attribute.

[gfpaperdoll]

There really is no true disease called IBS. IT is just a symptom of something wrong in your body.

There is really no disease that is called vomiting either. It is just a symptom of something wrong in your body.

Some of us call IBS the " I Be Stumped" problem.