Whats Next

[Murray]

My Problems signs and symptoms and how I think I may or may not have celiac disease

At the age of 22 a very smart lady that I will soon be married to next year made me go to the doctor and find out why after almost every meal I was getting sick. (cramps, gas and very foul and half solid #2) This killed dating because I never wanted to leave my house in fear of getting sick. A problem I have to this day. I visited a gastro doc in Rockville, Maryland who on my first visit informed me he believed that I had celiac disease. He explained a little and gave me some reading to do and some blood tests. So I went the next day to get my blood work done.

A few days later I was contacted by the office and asked to make another apt. I did just that. When I went in that day I was very worried that the doctor was going to tell me I did not have celiac disease and it was going to be something so worse. Well that visit the doctor never said a thing to me. I talked to his aid who told me that some levels? (What levels) were elevated and they wanted me to have a biopsy, and to start a gluten-free diet. The diet I did however I delayed the biopsy at all cost.

A few weeks later while adjusting to this new diet I continued to cheat eating cheese burger and I had to have a donut or two. Having no reaction I called my doctor a quack and said no way to the biopsy. However in that time I got real sick and any movement in a car or on a train where I worked made me so sick I could not stand it. I contacted the doctor and 4 days later I was having my biopsy done. It came back negative. So the doctor would not code me with celiac disease. This causes a little bit of a problem. 1. you cant write of the food on your taxes with out it. 2. Whats the real problem.

4 years later I am still trying to stay on this diet however I find myself getting sick mainly after meals with tomato in it. But I can go get a double cheese burger Mac-D's and will not get sick at all.

Now lets say I go out to dinner (outback) get a gluten free meal. I still find myself getting sick. However sometime I think I worry so much about getting sick I make myself sick. Who wants to get sick away from home. No one.

I have been on the rice diet for the past 3 weeks as well as gluten-free and I am down 12 lbs. But wait I am still getting sick some meals just gas but some times its cramps and everything I talk about earlier.

Can anyone tell me what they think using there experiences, or can any one point me to a really good doctor in the Maryland area. I live on the shore but will run to Annapolis or Baltimore.

[sfm]

My Problems signs and symptoms and how I think I may or may not have celiac disease

At the age of 22 a very smart lady that I will soon be married to next year made me go to the doctor and find out why after almost every meal I was getting sick. (cramps, gas and very foul and half solid #2) This killed dating because I never wanted to leave my house in fear of getting sick. A problem I have to this day. I visited a gastro doc in Rockville, Maryland who on my first visit informed me he believed that I had celiac disease. He explained a little and gave me some reading to do and some blood tests. So I went the next day to get my blood work done.

A few days later I was contacted by the office and asked to make another apt. I did just that. When I went in that day I was very worried that the doctor was going to tell me I did not have celiac disease and it was going to be something so worse. Well that visit the doctor never said a thing to me. I talked to his aid who told me that some levels? (What levels) were elevated and they wanted me to have a biopsy, and to start a gluten-free diet. The diet I did however I delayed the biopsy at all cost.

A few weeks later while adjusting to this new diet I continued to cheat eating cheese burger and I had to have a donut or two. Having no reaction I called my doctor a quack and said no way to the biopsy. However in that time I got real sick and any movement in a car or on a train where I worked made me so sick I could not stand it. I contacted the doctor and 4 days later I was having my biopsy done. It came back negative. So the doctor would not code me with celiac disease. This causes a little bit of a problem. 1. you cant write of the food on your taxes with out it. 2. Whats the real problem.

4 years later I am still trying to stay on this diet however I find myself getting sick mainly after meals with tomato in it. But I can go get a double cheese burger Mac-D's and will not get sick at all.

Now lets say I go out to dinner (outback) get a gluten free meal. I still find myself getting sick. However sometime I think I worry so much about getting sick I make myself sick. Who wants to get sick away from home. No one.

I have been on the rice diet for the past 3 weeks as well as gluten-free and I am down 12 lbs. But wait I am still getting sick some meals just gas but some times its cramps and everything I talk about earlier.

Can anyone tell me what they think using there experiences, or can any one point me to a really good doctor in the Maryland area. I live on the shore but will run to Annapolis or Baltimore.

The thing is, if you are still eating gluten occasionally (and it sounds like you are) then you are not giving your intestines a chance to heal. Then, when you eat something like tomato, which can be hard on your stomach, you react. Also, some people have delayed reaction to the gluten, so instead of getting sick right away, it can be a day or two later - and then how would you know?

Frequently someone newly diagnosed needs to stay away from processed foods, dairy, etc., simply because your system is so screwy that it can't handle those foods. Before I was gluten free it didn't matter what I ate - I got sick. I did not associate it with gluten because it wasn't specific to when I ate gluten. But when I stopped eating gluten - totally - I realized how sick I had been, all the time.

You won't know for sure unless you eliminate ALL gluten from your diet. It's not like lactose intolerance where you only react when you have lactose. Your digestive system becomes damaged by the gluten, so that it can't handle much of anything. Also, it takes time for your body to heal, so the relief isn't necessarily immediate.

But I have to tell you that your symptoms sound classic, so it's worth trying to really do the diet and see how you feel. I'm thinking you will be amazed at how good you feel in time.

Good luck.

Sheryll

[Lisa]

Well said!