Maybe It Is Celiac...

[chocolatebunny]

A year and a half ago, a doctor put me on the gluten free diet even though my blood test results were negative due to failure to absorb certain vitamins. I've skeptically followed the diet, mostly because I have a mom who insisted and who also eats gluten free (I'm 17). I've been skeptical that I've really had celiac because I've had no gastrointestinal problems that are classically present with celiac. When I went on the diet, I did feel more energetic and my thyroid improved, but I thought that maybe it was unrelated. Anyway, last week I decided to reintroduce gluten into my diet. I just felt so tired and mentally foggy and unfocused and moody... I hadn't felt that bad since the months before I went on the diet. I even became pale and my cheeks were puffy and I had bags under my eyes- my mom told me I looked terrible and that is not like her. I didn't think it could be related, but my mom and chiropractor told me to go back off gluten products and in 2 days I felt better and more relaxed and focused- my mental fog lifted and I started to look healthy again. I'm starting to think that maybe I do really have celiac disease, but is it possible to have the disease with no gastrointestinal symptoms?

[Ursa Major]

Yes, it is absolutely possible. There are people here who's only obvious symptom was anemia, yet their villi were completely destroyed. Some people have no obvious symptoms at all with celiac disease. You might feel lethargic, have brain fog, aches and pains from gluten, yet never connect the dots and suspect celiac disease.

From your reaction to the gluten, and the subsequent improvement when going back on the gluten-free diet makes it perfectly obvious that gluten is a huge problem for you. Whether you call it celiac disease or gluten intolerance makes no difference, the fact is that you need to stay away from gluten.