Pregnant And Possible Celiac

[hmseyer21]

I recentely posted in another board because my son is suspected of having celiac disease. We are waiting for his endoscopy to be scheduled, but I am convinced that he might have it because of his symptoms. He was born with heart and spine defects, and has been labeled as "failure to thrive". We never knew what caused his many problems, but now I am supsecting that I might have celiac as well.

I had bloodwork done yesterday, but they only did one test that I could tell, even after asking for a full panel. I have hypothyroidism and am lactose intolerant, I also suffered a miscarriage this past February. Well now I am pregnant again. We were trying to conceive and after trying, DS got sick and that's what began the journey to finding out about celiac. After testing this morning, I am now scared. If I have celiac what do I need to do?? I know I should change my diet, but because I am so new to this disease I have no idea what to do. I don't want to lose this baby or for the baby to go through what DS has gone through with his birth defects. I don't know if Celiac is our answer to all these problems, but I don't want to wait and risk this baby's health. So I've decided that I need to make changes to be on the safe side.

Please, anyone who has been through pregnancy with celiacs, can you tell me what I need to be doing? What are some good resources on celiac and pregnancy. And if my test comes back negative, should I pursue further testing, or just stay gluten free during the pregnancy no matter what?? And how do you find out if your prenatal has gluten? I've been taking New Chapter Organics Perfect Prenatal whole food vitamin, does anyone know if that's safe?

[mommyagain]

I am also pregnant, and pretty sure that I'm celiac. I have never been tested, but have had a great response to the gluten-free diet, so I'm convinced. It is very important to stay gluten-free throughout your pregnancy, due to the risk of miscarriage and birth defects, like you mentioned.

You should notice a definate improvement within a few weeks of being on the diet. Just don't be too quick to add in "replacements" for the stuff you can't eat. A lot of people have problems with the bread replacements if they add them in too early, because they can be difficult to digest and you need to give your intestines time to heal. A diet that is made up of "whole foods" (i.e. nothing processed, only one ingredient) is best to start with.

In addition to your diet, you need to check every personal care item (shampoo, soap, lotion, makeup, toothpaste, etc) that you use. Some people are extremely thorough and call each company about every product. I'm a bit lazier. I filled a crate with all of my stuff and went through each item and searched for it on this board. About 3/4 of the stuff I had was already mentioned on this board. After throwing out the bad stuff, and putting aside the "not sure" items, I still had at least one of each thing that I used that was safe. I kept those safe items, and threw out the rest. It just about killed my hubby to see me throw out all those expensive cosmetics and stuff... but it's worthless to me, so why keep it?

I'm not sure about the prenatal vitamins that you mentioned. There are a couple of older threads about prenatal vitamins, do a search for prenatal vitamins, and you'll find them. I am taking Neevo which my OB had samples of, it said gluten free right on the box! After you search this board, contact your OB. Tell them that you think you are celiac and you need a gluten-free prenatal vitamin. In my experience, OB's don't really care about an "official" diagnosis as long as they feel like you are doing the best you can for baby.

I hope some of the other moms who frequent this board will answer your questions too. Most of them are much more experienced at this stuff than I am.

Good luck (for you and your son).

[hmseyer21]

Thank you for those suggestions. I would've never thought to check beauty products, should everyone do that, or if you have the skin rashes?? I saw on my natural body wash that their was wheat protein, and I don't really know what else to look for, I guess I need to research my usual things. I buy mostly all natural products so maybe it won't be that bad. I don't wear much makeup either, so that won't be a big change.

So now that I've been reading on here about how it takes a while for the intestines to repair, I am really scared that my baby won't get the nutrients if I have a lot of damage. We were trying to get pregnant, but found out about the gluten issue after it already happened. So all I can do is change my diet, take a good prenatal, and pray for a healthy baby. I'm trying to stay calm and not stress out because I know that's unhealthy too.

I have been 1 day gluten free and it's not been bad at all. I did buy a no gluten ingredients lasagna and didn't notice it was produced in a plant with wheat until after I ate it! So I will have to check even closer on my ingredients list next time. I feel like I will eat healthier on a gluten free diet, and that's always good during pregnancy.

I am going to try to stick to whole foods as much as possible, and I already eat a lot of them, so it will just be a matter of reminding myself to always include as many whole foods as possible in my day.

I also found a really good liquid prenatal at my health food store, so I feel much better about that.

I feel like a student cramming for a test, trying to learn about this gluten free lifestyle. There is a sense of urgency now, so I am trying to learn everything really fast. It's overwhelming to say the least, I've been on the web way too much the past few days.

[gfpaperdoll]

It is great that you are taking the liquid prenatal. It is very important that you start taking a sublingual B12 - right away, It will not harm you... You need it, no matter if your B12 level tests okay.

The lasagne noodles should be okay, the only thing is that you should also be dairy free. Dairy is very hard to give up but you need to for at least during the pregnancy because not having dairy will speed the healing. Also do not start eating or drinking soy, you do not need soy, it is very bad for you.

Eat seafood, fish, poultry, beef, pork, any meats, all veggies, all fruits, nuts - walnuts & almonds are important, seeds. be sure to eat sweet potatoes & watch out for a problem with white potatoes. & do not buy that gluten free pasta & stuff - you do not need it - you will get over the craving for gluten in about three weeks...

cook your meals & make extras to freeze - so you will have a meal "to go" when needed. I would also make a soup of poultry, cabbage, carrots, fresh herbs, tomatoes. That is it - very healthy & freezes well. wishing you a great pregnancy...

[hmseyer21]

It is great that you are taking the liquid prenatal. It is very important that you start taking a sublingual B12 - right away, It will not harm you... You need it, no matter if your B12 level tests okay.

The lasagne noodles should be okay, the only thing is that you should also be dairy free. Dairy is very hard to give up but you need to for at least during the pregnancy because not having dairy will speed the healing. Also do not start eating or drinking soy, you do not need soy, it is very bad for you.

Eat seafood, fish, poultry, beef, pork, any meats, all veggies, all fruits, nuts - walnuts & almonds are important, seeds. be sure to eat sweet potatoes & watch out for a problem with white potatoes. & do not buy that gluten free pasta & stuff - you do not need it - you will get over the craving for gluten in about three weeks...

cook your meals & make extras to freeze - so you will have a meal "to go" when needed. I would also make a soup of poultry, cabbage, carrots, fresh herbs, tomatoes. That is it - very healthy & freezes well. wishing you a great pregnancy...

Thanks for the great advice. The liquid prenatal has 100mcG's of b-12, do I still need more? I've taken sublingual before, but haven't taken it in a while.

I have another quick question, I have keratosis pilaris, is this common with gluten allergy? It seems to be getting better after only 3 days gluten-free and I was wondering if that is because of the gluten-free diet?

[yogamom]

I recentely posted in another board because my son is suspected of having celiac disease. We are waiting for his endoscopy to be scheduled, but I am convinced that he might have it because of his symptoms. He was born with heart and spine defects, and has been labeled as "failure to thrive". We never knew what caused his many problems, but now I am supsecting that I might have celiac as well.

I had bloodwork done yesterday, but they only did one test that I could tell, even after asking for a full panel. I have hypothyroidism and am lactose intolerant, I also suffered a miscarriage this past February. Well now I am pregnant again. We were trying to conceive and after trying, DS got sick and that's what began the journey to finding out about celiac. After testing this morning, I am now scared. If I have celiac what do I need to do?? I know I should change my diet, but because I am so new to this disease I have no idea what to do. I don't want to lose this baby or for the baby to go through what DS has gone through with his birth defects. I don't know if Celiac is our answer to all these problems, but I don't want to wait and risk this baby's health. So I've decided that I need to make changes to be on the safe side.

Please, anyone who has been through pregnancy with celiacs, can you tell me what I need to be doing? What are some good resources on celiac and pregnancy. And if my test comes back negative, should I pursue further testing, or just stay gluten free during the pregnancy no matter what?? And how do you find out if your prenatal has gluten? I've been taking New Chapter Organics Perfect Prenatal whole food vitamin, does anyone know if that's safe?

[yogamom]

Hi, Congratulations on your pregnancy! I got tested through www.Enterolab.com for gluten and casein. The lactose intolerance is likely due to the gluten intolerance. Gluten erodes the gut lining, where enzymes like lactase are made. Once lining heals, enzymes produce again. You may, however, also be intolerant to casein. Many are. Testing would confirm.

My doctor recommended Fish oil supplement as one of the most important things. I use Carlson's brand fish oil.

Good luck!

[mommyagain]

The fish oil is for DHA, which some (but not all) prenatals have. Mine does not, so I take it separate. Others do, and my doc said that if it's already in your prenatal, you shouldn't take extra... check w/ your doc.

[dionnek]

First, don't stress!

I just had my second baby - first pregnancy I didn't know I had celiac so was eating gluten (and lots of it) all throughout. My daughter was born 3 1/2 weeks early and had jaundice, but other than that she was and is very healthy. A year after that pregnancy is when I was finally dx with celiac (had the symptoms since age 12 but that pregnancy seemed to make things much worse). Then last year got pregnant again and of course was/still am gluten free during that. I took the Target brand prenatal vitamins (they have all the same vitamins/minerals as the prescription and are gluten free). Just call the company that makes your brand and ask if they are gluten-free. I wouldn't worry too much about the dairy right now - I didn't ever go completely dairy free (and my villi were completely flattened!) but just cut out milk for a while (still ate yogurt and cheese ocassionally) and my villi healed after a while (it did take a while though - like 7 or 8 months - since they were so damaged).

As far as cosmetics, etc., the issue is if it can get into your mout (i.e., lipstick definitely needs to be gluten-free, and shampoo/conditioner can get in your mouth so I would use gluten-free). I don't have the rash (DH), but at first I continued to use my wheat filled shampoo and conditioner, and wasn't getting any better. Then I got these little pimple type bumps all over my scalp/neck so I switched to gluten-free shampoo/conditioner and they went away, and I started feeling better finally. So, I think it helps. Body wash not so sure it matters - it's a personal decision (I personally buy all Dove stuff now since they list any gluten in the ingredients - just easier). Good luck and keep searching this site - it has the best information available!

[mommyagain]

I eliminated all personal care items with gluten simply because, as a society, we don't wash our hands enough. If it can get on your hands, it can (and probably will) end up in your mouth eventually. I know I'm not gonna go licking my eyeshadow, or drinking my hair spray, but I still use gluten-free just to be sure.

[hmseyer21]

My scalp and neck always have bumps, and I never knew why! I am using Bath and Body works aromatherapy right now, I didn't see any obvious signs of gluten in the ingredients, but my body wash said wheat protein, so I'm not using it anymore. I'm still looking for a natural brand, like Avalon or Burt's Bees, anyone use any natural gluten free products? Where could I find a list of ingredients that identify gluten, like the not so obvious ones?

Thanks again for all the suggestions, I'm learning more each day through this website. It is so helpful!

[mama2]

I recentely posted in another board because my son is suspected of having celiac disease. We are waiting for his endoscopy to be scheduled, but I am convinced that he might have it because of his symptoms. He was born with heart and spine defects, and has been labeled as "failure to thrive". We never knew what caused his many problems, but now I am supsecting that I might have celiac as well.

I had bloodwork done yesterday, but they only did one test that I could tell, even after asking for a full panel. I have hypothyroidism and am lactose intolerant, I also suffered a miscarriage this past February. Well now I am pregnant again. We were trying to conceive and after trying, DS got sick and that's what began the journey to finding out about celiac. After testing this morning, I am now scared. If I have celiac what do I need to do?? I know I should change my diet, but because I am so new to this disease I have no idea what to do. I don't want to lose this baby or for the baby to go through what DS has gone through with his birth defects. I don't know if Celiac is our answer to all these problems, but I don't want to wait and risk this baby's health. So I've decided that I need to make changes to be on the safe side.

Please, anyone who has been through pregnancy with celiacs, can you tell me what I need to be doing? What are some good resources on celiac and pregnancy. And if my test comes back negative, should I pursue further testing, or just stay gluten free during the pregnancy no matter what?? And how do you find out if your prenatal has gluten? I've been taking New Chapter Organics Perfect Prenatal whole food vitamin, does anyone know if that's safe?

I have celiacs , been gluten-free since this summer- diag a mth ago with DH. I have a 3 year old (DD) and a 10mth old(DS). I was sick with celiacs (did not knowit) with my first had MANY prego complications. Thought it might be celiacs was not sure , did not go gluten-free (long story, was following my GI doc advice). We were having trouble getting and staying pregnant. While being pregnant with my DS I had MANY MANY complications he was not thriving and had to be delivered early.

Just today before I saw your post, I had just told my DH that if I could do my last prego over I would have listened to my gut and went gluten-free. My doctor and I believe that why I had so many problems. Best wishes to you and your lil ones. I just want to add don't stress... your lil one will get what they need!

[mama2]

My scalp and neck always have bumps, and I never knew why! I am using Bath and Body works aromatherapy right now, I didn't see any obvious signs of gluten in the ingredients, but my body wash said wheat protein, so I'm not using it anymore. I'm still looking for a natural brand, like Avalon or Burt's Bees, anyone use any natural gluten free products? Where could I find a list of ingredients that identify gluten, like the not so obvious ones?

Thanks again for all the suggestions, I'm learning more each day through this website. It is so helpful!

mine did too. I have noticed that many of my B&BW stuff had oats in it ...which would be contaminated with wheat , for me it trigers skin problems. Like the red bumbs. So I would check for oats

[AMC-1978]

I too may be celiac and am pregnant and I need help! For as long as I can remember, I have had trouble going the bathroom regularly...and I am talking around 30 days...I know most celiacs have the opposite problem but the research I have done on the Internet has said that severe constipation could be a symptom. I have had my blood tested and it has come up negative and i have seen two GI doctors...they just look at me like I am crazy and tell me to eat more fiber.

My experiences with GI doctors has been since 2005 and now I am 9 weeks pregnant. From week 4 (as soon as I found out) to week 7, I was completely, 100% gluten free and felt great and was regular. But then I went to my OB and told her that I was wheat free because, although I wasn't diagnosed celiac, I thought I was and it made things better. She told me, it is not a problem, and most pregnant women are constipated...she actually made me feel silly. So what did I do? I ate bread that night...and of course, my stomach got HUGE and uncomfortable and I haven't gone to the bathroom since.

Any advise out there? If I do eat wheat, what can it do to my baby? I am super scared. I have an autistic cousin and fear that since it is in my family, I too could have an autistic child, and with this...I just want someone to agree with me, that yes, I probably have celiac.

[goldyjlox]

I just posted on another post similar ot this but I had complication with my pregnancys due to my Celiac and not being gluten-free...had to deliver early as he was not thriving. Go gluten-free....its healthier for that baby.