Introducing Self

[SandyC]

Hi everyone.

I'm one of the many lurkers, seeking answers to questions I didn't know I had. Reading all of your posts, I see my strange symptoms finally painting a big picture. I can't tell you how many misdiagnoses that I have had over the years, from viruses, flu, irritable bowel syndrome, to it's just my imagination, or too much stress. My 4 year old son was having a lot of the same symptoms that I have had over the years, from upset stomach, days of diarrhea, bone and joint discomfort, and eczema and itchy skin that drove him wild. His pediatrician finally decided to test him for allergies and he was diagnosed with wheat allergies, among a few others. As a family, we went gluten free and amazingly many of my own symptoms improved. I started doing research and fell onto this site. When I mentioned being tested for Celiacs, my doctor laughed as did my son's pediatrician. Celiacs are suppose to be frail and skinny and underdeveloped I am not that and my son is very healthy looking! A month later, my doctor called stating she had been reading up on Celiacs disease and felt this was a really strong possibility for both Matthew and myself and quite possibly even my father. She agreed to test me, however it meant I would have to go back to eating gluten for a period of time. The thought of getting that sick again, slipping back into that depression and mental fogginess, not to mention the aches and pains and the dreaded diarrhea, and the itchy skin and the overall feeling- miserable was not an option. For the first time in years, I actually feel like I am getting my health back. I look at all of your posts, and have learned a lot. I still have days when I don't feel so well but I have only been gluten free for 3 months. I realize after reading some of your posts that it's going to take time, but at least I know that I am healing, FINALLY! Thank you all for letting me "lurk" through your posts.

Sandy

[mftnchn]

Welcome!! So glad you are here and that you have learned a lot to help you heal. Also I celebrate with you the great improvement.

Thankfully your doctor was willing to research and admit she might have something to learn!!!

[Ursa Major]

Hi Sandy, and welcome to this board. I did what you did and diagnosed myself eventually, at the age of 52. And there is NO way I'd go back to eating gluten for months, just for tests, either. I possibly wouldn't survive that. Besides the fact that I'd have to go back to taking codeine 24 hours a day for fibromyalgia pain!

I am glad you figured it out, and that you and your son are on the road to perfect health. And thanks to your doctor actually doing research because of you, she won't make the same mistakes with the next patient with celiac disease.

[missy'smom]

Welcome. I'm glad you found some answers and are feeling better. For years I told myself it was just stress.

[SandyC]

Welcome. I'm glad you found some answers and are feeling better. For years I told myself it was just stress.

I can relate to the stress answer. I was a nurse in the ICU and finally left for a less stressful job thinking that would help. I'm just glad Matthew's pediatrician did an allergy profile on him. That is how we finally started putting the pieces together and lead to my allergy testing. I thought it was rather strange that I barely had an allergy to wheat, but had these horrendous symptoms. I knew then that there was some correlation and decided to start eliminating. I wish I would have fallen on this website before I went gluten free so I could have been tested to find out for sure, but I would never go back to feeling the way I did. It feels good to not have to drag myself out of bed because I didn't feel well. My husband even commented that my disposition and mood is much better. To think eating wheat almost cost me my marriage! (I was a real nasty, irritable person and when I wasn't that, I was crying or sleeping all the time). Poor guy, having to suffer through that. In addition, I was also indifferent to my little boy a lot and have a lot of making up to do and a lot of regrets for missing out on so much. Life is so much better without wheat!

Sandy