What Do You Think?

[Lissa]

Hi all! My name is Lissa, and I'm sixteen. I've spent a bit of time lurking and finally decided to post.

So I had the blood test for Celiac at the beginning of the month, and I finally made an appt to find out the results for the 25th. If I did infact have a postive result, do you think my doctor would asked me to make an appointment? (she has a strict rule about never giving out results over the phone as then she doesn't make the money from the appt)

Anyways, I came across this site while researching Celiac and have found it very helpful. (Thanks!) I've also found you to be very knowledgeable, so I'm asking, what do you think?

I'm sixteen years old. I'm obese (about 250 pounds) but I'm an avid horseback rider and am always running around the barn. I'm about 5ft5" and have never menstruated. GI diseases run in my family, my mother has Crohn's and we're pretty sure (while they were never tested) that my grandmother and greatgrandmother had Celiac.

I have diahrrea several times a week, I'm always tired, and I feel bloated/cramped quite often. But I have to admit, I don't have the greatest eating habits (I'm a fan of carbs) though. I can remember being sick every once in a while for no reason (the diahrrea) from about 11 years old and on. I go through a bottle of Pepto Bismol a month. I don't know if these are bad eating habits, or if it's an underlying problem, which is why we had me tested. I also have bad gas and headaches (although, I can't really be sure if the headaches are a symptom or from my other disorder, Adie's Tonic Pupil - in which my pupil is unreactive and dilated so I cannot focus in light). I'm not sure of any other symptoms.

Anyways, if you could let me know what you think, that would be great. I'm getting quite anxious over this whole issue and I would like some opinions from knowledgeable people. If you have any other questions, please, ask away. Thank you so much.

-Lissa

[Lisa]

Hi all! My name is Lissa, and I'm sixteen. I've spent a bit of time lurking and finally decided to post.

So I had the blood test for Celiac at the beginning of the month, and I finally made an appt to find out the results for the 25th. If I did infact have a postive result, do you think my doctor would asked me to make an appointment? (she has a strict rule about never giving out results over the phone as then she doesn't make the money from the appt)

Anyways, I came across this site while researching Celiac and have found it very helpful. (Thanks!) I've also found you to be very knowledgeable, so I'm asking, what do you think?

I'm sixteen years old. I'm obese (about 250 pounds) but I'm an avid horseback rider and am always running around the barn. I'm about 5ft5" and have never menstruated. GI diseases run in my family, my mother has Crohn's and we're pretty sure (while they were never tested) that my grandmother and greatgrandmother had Celiac.

I have diahrrea several times a week, I'm always tired, and I feel bloated/cramped quite often. But I have to admit, I don't have the greatest eating habits (I'm a fan of carbs) though. I can remember being sick every once in a while for no reason (the diahrrea) from about 11 years old and on. I go through a bottle of Pepto Bismol a month. I don't know if these are bad eating habits, or if it's an underlying problem, which is why we had me tested. I also have bad gas and headaches (although, I can't really be sure if the headaches are a symptom or from my other disorder, Adie's Tonic Pupil - in which my pupil is unreactive and dilated so I cannot focus in light). I'm not sure of any other symptoms.

Anyways, if you could let me know what you think, that would be great. I'm getting quite anxious over this whole issue and I would like some opinions from knowledgeable people. If you have any other questions, please, ask away. Thank you so much.

-Lissa

Hey Lissa:

I am glad you found us and double glad that you are learning from these great people. Well, you certainly have may symptoms of Celiac...headaches, diarrhea, aches and pains and certainly not so good eating habits. All can be signs of Celiac. I know that I used to use glasses to be at the computer, now I don't have to anymore. That's a good thing.

I would recommend not to go gluten free until you recieve your testing results. But in the mean time try to learn as much as you can from this site. If, in fact, you do have Celiac you will a jump ahead.

Celiac of gluten free is definately a life style change. But, I must say a good one. It can relieve your symptoms and helps you eat alot more heathy. After a while, you just feel soo much bettter. It's a little tough in the beginning, but every day it gets earier.

There are a lot of people here that can help you walk through it.

Glad you "de-lurked"

[Lissa]

Thanks for your reply, Momma Goose, I appreciate it.

Another concern/question - if I eat gluten everyday, should I be sick everyday? I only ask this because yesterday, I had a horrible case of diarrhea. It was my friend's birthday, so we had pizza. And I don't have diarrhea (yet) today, but I do feel kinda sick.

Also, this is kind of random, but should there be a bubbling feeling in my gut? It feels like I'm passing gas, except its not actually leaving my body. It's just depleating in my bowel. I know it sounds weird, but I've been noticing it for a couple of months and I noticed the rumbles are longer and worse. I have no idea what it is, but if you do, could you enlighten me? I'd appreciate it, lol.

Thanks again!

[Lisa]

Thanks for your reply, Momma Goose, I appreciate it.

Another concern/question - if I eat gluten everyday, should I be sick everyday? I only ask this because yesterday, I had a horrible case of diarrhea. It was my friend's birthday, so we had pizza. And I don't have diarrhea (yet) today, but I do feel kinda sick.

Also, this is kind of random, but should there be a bubbling feeling in my gut? It feels like I'm passing gas, except its not actually leaving my body. It's just depleating in my bowel. I know it sounds weird, but I've been noticing it for a couple of months and I noticed the rumbles are longer and worse. I have no idea what it is, but if you do, could you enlighten me? I'd appreciate it, lol.

Thanks again!

Lissa:

Everyone's reaction time is different. When I was at my sickest (not kowing why), my lunch would slide through within 20 minutes, and very very acidy. It was like a "slip-n'slide" in there with no villi to catch the food. Two years later, my gluten reaction is routinely 22 hours later.

I think that you symptom can reflect the amount of damage done

My first signs of the autoimmune reaction is a dry mouth and loud gurgles and bloating. I expect that the pizza is working it was through your intestings is causing the gurgeling.

If you had a positive blood test for Celiac, no further testing needs to be done to confirm it. An endoscopy exams can show the damage done to your intestings and biopsies can be taken to confirm. But you already have a diagnosis.

So, if you are going to be tested further, you much remain on gluten . Or, if you a confident of you positive blood test, you can begin the gluten free diet immediately.

Let us know how you are doing.

[micaela27]

hi lissa

the symptoms you describe could be indicators of any number of GI conditions... IBS, crohn's, celiac, or many other food allergies. getting your celiac screening is a good idea and a helpful first step. i'd encourage you to affiliate yourself with a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. a GI specialist will be able to handle your concerns better than a general doctor would.

does diabetes run in your family too and/or do you have it yourself? given that you are obese, your risk for this autoimmune disease (type 1 is autoimmune, at least... type 2 is diet/lifestyle-related) is much higher and diabetes is positively associated with celiac disease.

regardless of how your test results look, it would probably be in your best interest to begin a lower calorie, lower fat eating plan. just as a teenager with too little body weight can experience amenorrhea (no period) because of weight issues, a teenager who has some extra weight may also have hormonal disruption that could affect her cycle.

all that said, i started my period a few months shy of 16 and i was healthy as a horse... so you may have just lucked out in the gene pool and avoided all those extra months of nasty cramps! trust me... they aren't fun

good luck finding your answers! don't be afraid to PUSH for what you want... sometimes doctors get busy or distracted and don't always cover all their bases right from the start. being your own best advocate is SO important when it comes to finding medical answers about your body and your health.

[Lissa]

Thanks again, Momma Goose ....one more question, though. If I get a negative blood test result, should I push for a biopsy?

And michaela27....some relatives of mine have had diabetes, but only a few. As for myself, I am not diabetic, nor am I borderline. We have my blood taken every few months to make sure of my cholestorl, triglyceride and blood sugar levels stand, just because I am obese, and the high cholestorale runs in my family. Right now, aside from whatever is happening in my gut, I'm quite healthy on paper. The menstruation issue is a concern for my doc right now as all females in my family have gotten it at 12 or younger. As for me needing to loose some weight, yeah, I know that. I've been through so many doctors for that it's not even funny. I was always slightly chubby as a kid, but when they took my blood at 7 or 8, they found my cholestorle, triglyceride levels through the roof and that I was borderline borderline Type 2 Diabetic. My parents are amazing people and immeadiately got me onto (I don't wanna say a diet, but truly, it was basically one). My entire family is all extremely active, thin people and I'm kinda like the outsider. But back on track....I've been off and on diets my whole life since that 7 or 8, and I gave up on it when I was 14, and really packed on the pounds. My parents have tried to get me back on healthy living plans, but it never works because I don't want to diet anymore. So I was waiting to have some motivation. I know I need to push myself eventually, but right now, I just am fine with my body, and if my health becomes an issue, I will throw myself into healthy living. And it's not that I don't eat good meals now, but I'm not on a diet. I haven't gained or lost weight in a long time. I've been thinking about trying to get into shape, loose some weight before it becomes an issue, but I have so many other health concerns right now, worrying about a diet has kind of taken a backseat. I know thats long lol, and I aplogize! But thanks for your helpful advice and post

-Lissa

PS - also, I made a mistake in my very first post....I said we thought my grandmother and greatgrandmother had celiac? they had colitis, and crohns. Not Celiac, which kind of dampers my feelings thats Celiac could be passed on blood related. My mom was worried I had Crohns, though, when we first went to the doctor. My family doctor looked me up and down, then looked back my mom, and said, "You think she has crohns? She sure doesn't look like she has Crohns." And then she laughed. My mom damn near hit her. I hate rude doctors.

[Lisa]

Lissa,

Your blood test should be available by now. Try to call and check on them. Wait and see what the results are.

Just wanted to say that you sound like a very together, mature young lady. And someone who loves horses...me to and we have had four. I even liked to muck stalls.