New Here, Could I Have Celiac Disease?

[tuxedocat]

Greetings folks...

I went to a doctor for treatment/diagnosis of a rash, and he suggested I might have Celiac Disease... he ordered some blood tests. I'm waiting for them to get back.

Here's what happened up to then.

For months now I've been having really bad gas. Getting bloated and having to pass gas a lot after every single meal and almost every time I eat or drink something. It was going on so long that I assumed everyone had gas like that...

I've also been having morning diarrhea that is more and more frequent... sometimes until my stomach is empty, but most often it's a feeling of urgency and very little material comes out. A yellowish slimy liquid and one or two small pieces of fluffy stool, and LOTS of gas. I have had two accidents like this in recent months. Sometimes I haven't gone anywhere in the morning because I'm not sure if I'm going to have diarrhea.

About a week ago, I started breaking out with a rash that started off as red bumps that then coalesced and became this itchy nightmare of a rash. It started on my thighs and soon was under my arms, inside my elbows, and inside my knees. Now it's on the front of my knees and elbows, but on the thighs it is healing.

It was the rash that finally brought me into the doctor. The first doctor (at Urgent Care) said I had Shingles and gave me an antiviral and the rash kept getting worse and spreading. The second doctor suggested Celiacs and ordered two blood tests and suggested I stop eating wheat and gluten.

I've since started watching the wheat and gluten even to choosing to go hungry if nothing else is available. For the first time I don't have constant gas (no after-meal "atom bombs"). After about three days, the rash is starting to fade, but maybe it has run its course.

Does this sound like Celiacs?

[SchnauzerMom]

Sounds to me like you have classic celiac symptoms. Especially since the rash is starting to clear since going gluten free. The gluten free diet is not easy but it's worth it. You'll better and better the longer you stay on it.

[7-cody]

You definitely sound to me like you could have Celiac.

If I don't get hardly any gas or D, but major C and not very much bloating... and I have a hard time gaining weight, are the chances of me being Celiac still very possible? I have MAJOR brain fog... the worst. Legs cramp and feel stiff all the time. Hands and feet tingle a lot.

[loraleena]

Yes! But if the doc is going to do blood testing don't stop the gluten until after testing it will alter the results. Or you could go gluten free on your own. The test can give false negatives. Even if negative I would try a gluten free diet anyway. You could also do stool testing at enterlabs. You can be off gluten to do this test. It will show gluten intolerance, not celiac.