I'm New And Have Some Questions

[Dawnsister]

Hi everyone - I'm new here, I'm a 39 yr old Mom of 3 and I live in the Boston area. I'm married and my husband has been pretty supportive. I'm getting tired of feeling like cr*p all the time, this has been going on for about 3-4 mo.

I have been having some symptoms that the Dr.s are looking at, so far the tests that I've had done are a CAT scan and last an endoscopy. So far the results have been from teh CAT scan fluid in my small intestine and I'm waiting for the biopsy results. They did look for ulcers because my Dad had them, but that looked fine.

The symptoms that I have are lots of bloating in the upper abdominal area, with LOTS of fullness feelings. A lot times I don't want to eat because I already feel full, or if I do it it's a small amount because I feel full after a small meal. I did feel better eating things like tapioca or cream of wheat, until the thought was I might be gluten intolerant. Some days are better than others, and some days I'm just so tired or some tasks just wipe me out that I want to lay down and take a nap, my limbs are so heavy. Also, I have an almost continous upset stomach, not reflux, just upset.

The other wierd thing is that I'm losing my hair - the hair up near the front of my head is coming out, especially when I wash it!! I have always had fine hair, but a ton of it, and the women in my family have never lost their hair, so this has kind of freaked me out. Yesterday I went and got my hair cut up above my shoulders because it was looking a little ratty.

I don't know a lot about celiac, I also feel like if they come back and tell me everything is normal I'm going to scream. My GP told me that it's a possibility, and I asked him wouldn't I have known after all this time and he said 'not necessarily'... being Italian, being gluten intolerant would really be a HUGE lifestyle change, but at this point I'm so sick all the time I think it would be a relief.

[TrillumHunter]

Sounds like you are going through a rough time! Sad to tell you but you will find some research that links alopecia to celiac disease.

Keep reading and pushing for a diagnosis. It took 13 years for me to get the right diagnosis. This is a great site and I highly recommend reading the FAQ as they answer many questions. Also, the "old timers" on this board are super patient and helpful.

Take care!

[ClaireE]

Hi Dawnsister, I am new to the forum too and thought I would share with you that a few years ago my hair started to fall out and I was devastated but after going to the doctors and having a blood test it turned out I was anemic and there wasn't enough iron in my body for my hair to grow. After a few months of taking iron tablets my hair grew back and was in the best condition it had ever been in. 3 years later and again I have become anemic and just this week tested positive by a blood test for coeliac but I have started to notice hair falling out again but my irons levels are apparently quite low so as I am awaiting for a consultants appointment and hospital tests I feel another trip to the doctors again and the more I probably am stressing about my hair falling out is making the situation worse.

I would advise that you get a blood test to see if you anemic and give you an explanation for your hair loss. Anemia will also make you feel so tired, the last week or so I have felt shattered and easily nod off during the day.

I hope you feel better soon.

Claire

[lamp]

Hi Dawnsister, I am new to the forum too and thought I would share with you that a few years ago my hair started to fall out and I was devastated but after going to the doctors and having a blood test it turned out I was anemic and there wasn't enough iron in my body for my hair to grow. After a few months of taking iron tablets my hair grew back and was in the best condition it had ever been in. 3 years later and again I have become anemic and just this week tested positive by a blood test for coeliac but I have started to notice hair falling out again but my irons levels are apparently quite low so as I am awaiting for a consultants appointment and hospital tests I feel another trip to the doctors again and the more I probably am stressing about my hair falling out is making the situation worse.

I would advise that you get a blood test to see if you anemic and give you an explanation for your hair loss. Anemia will also make you feel so tired, the last week or so I have felt shattered and easily nod off during the day.

I hope you feel better soon.

Claire

Hi Dawnsister,

I'm also new to this site. I was diagnosed with Celiac 2 1/2 months ago and then my daughter was diagnosed shortly after. I have also been deeply exhausted and weak, with muscle and joint pain, brain fog and headaches. I also have anemia. I had been misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia for years. The fatigue and weakness frighten me the most because it just feels like I can't move. "Heavy" is a great way to describe it. The good news is that this stuff goes away with the gluten free diet. For me, it has taken a long time for the fatigue to lessen. I seem to be getting better in baby steps, but at least I am getting better. From what I've read, the high levels of antibodies, plus the inflammation in the intestines does cause fatigue in many people with Celiac disease. So hang in there. If your endoscopy comes back positive, then at least those symptoms should go away with the diet. Also, I've found many pastas and sauces that are gluten free. So far I've liked them alot.

Good luck and I hope you feel better quickly!