Celebrities With Celiac?

[redheadheather]

Over dinner this evening I brought up the question about celebs and sprue.

The comments were what celeb is going to get up and talk about their diarrhea problem? Come on... think about it!

Stand up and say, "My stools are typically smelly, floating, pasty, fatty, or bulky, light tan or gray, frothy, and rancid smelling diarrhea; better know as steatorrhea.  And sometimes accompanied by bloating or distention, pronounced flatulence,  weakness and seizures. All caused by gluten in food!" 

My friends should take their show on the road. They were cracking-me-up doing a improv of Robin Williams & Billy Crystal acting like Sillyaks.

It's a serious health issue... We need a paid spokes person.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just curious (I just started this board)... You make mention of a famous rock-star brother... have you ever named which band? Or, did you not want that known? ........... Just wondering

[Corrine]

Ms Sillyak,

If I didn't know you were from Flordia, I would of sworn that my sister had wrote that. Your dinner conversation sounds like the type of fun my sister and I have. I suspect she has celiac disease so getting her on to the web will not only inform her but entertain her as well.

[mytummyhurts]

I think that a celebrity doesn't have to come out and tell the world all of their health issues just because they are a celebrity. I don't have a problem with telling people I hardly know that I have celiac disease. But a celebrity outing themselves with celiac is almost the equivalent of me walking up to people in the store and saying "Guess what, I have celiac disease." I say it's the equivalent because celebrities would be sharing these personal aspects with people they don't and never will know. I don't think it's selfish to not want to tell the whole world about your personal life, because nothing about their life is sacred anymore. So I can understand them wanting to keep it to themselves. But I would be really happy and impressed if someone came out and said it. Have you seen how mean the stalkarazzi can be these days? Saying crap to Rebecca Romijn, like "No wonder your husband left you, you're a b***h." Can you imagine in their meaness what they may say to a celebrity with celiac? "How'd your poo look this morning? Been barfing lately?" They can be really rude and I wouldn't put it past them.

Honestly, I don't really mention diarrhea to often as a symptom because I am embarassed about saying that to some people, I know I should so people know in case they or somebody else could have diarrhea. I more mention nausea and throwing up. I threw up a lot and that more sticks out as a really bad symptom that I had (even though I had some horrible diarrhea episodes too).

Elonwy - Maybe you could make a informational, emotional documentary about celiac. Something we could all buy and show to our families to teach them about the disease and what we go through.

[debmidge]

The bottom line is if the Celebrity WANTS to talk about it, they should not have to feel like it's a dread disease. No one, at least not me, is saying that the info should be forced out of them and splashed across ET. But if the celebrity is established enough and has their symptoms under control, for the most part, if they want to talk about it and disclose it they should. And we all know that control of symptoms is a subjective term depending on the day/week/month. But again, if they are symptom free enough to be on a set for weeks/months they are doing something right or perhaps their presence isn't needed everyday so they are able to take care of themselves and/or not be in a position to disclose as much as we would, who work regular jobs on a daily basis.

The final decision is up to the celebrity but let's not discourage them from doing so.

[celiac3270]

No, MJ isn't, but whoever had him on the show is (the host, I think.)

[debmidge]

I saw those puppets before they were auctioned off, on FOX cable news. Was it Keith Oberson (or something like that...)? While the trial was going on the newsperson was reporting it; then they did a skit with those puppets. On the last day of trial they mentioned that the puppets were going on sale to raise money for CSA; and they had a little CSA logo on the screen. I thought the puppets would get $100 or so; but I see that they went for $15,999.99. Crazy price, but that's a nice chunk of change for CSA.

[celiac3270]

Yes--that's it--like Keith Oberson or Oberman or something....

[KaitiUSA]

Do you mean Keith Olbermann from MSNBC? He supposedly has celiac.

[Guest Addicted2Gluten]

Ok, I don't think she has Celiac Disease but Madonna mentioned recently in an interview that she doesn't eat wheat which is sort of interesting because she has previously mentioned that she's on a macrobiotic diet (which incorporates a lot of unrefined wheat products).

[Deby]

I heard the othe day that Jude Law has Celiac. Now there woud be a great spokes person!

[Nantzie]

Ooo... I might have found something.

This reports that Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) has celiac. I wasn't able to find an original source. But there's a rumor, at minimum...

Open Original Shared Link

[CMCM]

I imagine you COULD die from celiac disease....my mom almost did, but it was from years of no one being able to figure out what she had. She had gotten terribly thin...about 85 lbs. when her normal weight would be 115 to 120. She was absorbing almost no nutrients at that point, and was literally starving to death. This was about 1965, and I'm happy to say that she has been on a 100% gluten free diet since then...she is now 84 and in great health....as long as she doesn't get a smidgen of gluten she's fine. If she gets any inadvertently, she gets violently ill...frighteningly so.

So obviously, if you figure out what is wrong and treat it with the proper diet, it would NOT be fatal. This report insinuating that boy died of celiac disease is just typical press misinformation. I doubt someone so young would ever "ignore" it long enough to die....he would have been so sick (my mom was unbelievably ill continually at the point of her ultimate diagnosis..finally) that he would have been in the hospital and diagnosed before it could become fatal. Just my opinion, but my mom was very seriously ill for YEARS before a doctor finally figured it out. I can't believe you would just die not even knowing you had a problem. When severe damage is done to your intestines...well, you are incredibly sick and you KNOW there's a problem.

[Guest CD_Surviver]

It seems the medical community really needs to catch up with diagnosing this disease in it's early stages, instead of just allocating us to the hypochondriacs of the world and dismissing us at first.  Shirley

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would like to enter the medical feaild just for celiacs and gluten in general. just to speed up the process of dxnes and to stop with all the miss dxning. I hope that if possible i will and it will work and maybe i will come up with a new kind of doctor just for celiacs and people with the gluten gene. i am going to a genetics confrence tomorrow and hope to find out something crucial to the celiac genes.

Lauren

[JKJ]

In regards to dying from Celiac's, it almost took my mother.  If it goes undiagnosed, then eventually the body will stop absorbing nutrients.  That's what the villi are for.  My mom was literally starving to death, she even looked malnourished, was loosing her hair, bloated stomach, everything.  I am so glad that her doctor finally got her on the right track, and she should live alot longer now that she is gluten-free.  From all the research my wife (who is an RN) did, a Gluten Free diet is the only "cure" we need to avoid death.  So it doesn't seem so bad when I think about how much I miss Subway sandwiches. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THAT is for sure!!! and while I miss subway sandwiches, I feel very blessed that I learned quite quickly what was causing my Intestinal Distress, Fatigue,and Depression!!! Thanks to a celiac neighbor -- - and another observant neighbor who saw a Dr's column in a local paper addressing Celiacs being discovered even in one's 40's, 50/s, 6o's and 70's!!!! I thought that was impossible! but after 4 days of gluten-free eating-voila on those symptoms. A few others hang on - funny feelings in rib cage, imbalanc, etc. - but I only suffered the worst - for about 6 weeks!

Besides - - my husband makes incredible gluten-free Peanut butter cookies! Ginger cookies! shortbread! -- and tha Pasta's taste no different to us with the sauces we adorn them with

JKJ

[jenvan]

Open Original Shared Link

Just got my Living Without magazine....here is someone "famous" with Celiac... Granted, I don't think I had heard of her before though

[CeliaCruz]

Within the last year or so, I was reading some article about Harvey Weinstein -- the guy who runs Miramax films. Harvey is legendary for having a temper (and that's putting it mildly!). Lately he's been noticeably mellower and he has said in interviews that he attributes his newfound state of mind to his "low carb diet." Of course when I was reading this, I was all, "yeah, Harvey, it was carbs that made you throw that desk at your assistant -- whatever!" But recently I've been noticing that I've been less of a hothead since going gluten-free and I'm wondering if Harvey is also suffering from Celiac.

Avril Lavigne mentioned a similar change of attitude after going low-carb.

[jerseyangel]

For all the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fans here, I found out that Susie Essman has Celiac. She plays Larry David's manager's wife. I think her character is hilarious! Anyway, you can read it here at: Open Original Shared Link and click on *Susie's NYT Food Interview*. In it, she says she has it and would become "the poster girl"--tongue in cheek, I'm sure.

[jenvan]

jersey--that's cool! we could use a poster girl

[ms-sillyak-screwed]

Susie Essman has Celiac? That's wonderful, not really. But we need her help. She might be able to do a comic act about sillyak.

THANX! --jerseyangel

[par18]

I was really looking forward to posts about celebs. However couldn't help but post a response. My mom and grandma passed away from celiac. It was never diagnosed. My mom died of dehydration. The intestine becomes so permable that water cannot be retained. My doctor had given up on me because I was in the hospital at least once a week w/dehydration. Lets get every celiac diagnosed and become celebs our selves. Lots of love, Royann

That is really the right attitude towards this illness. I would venture to say that celebs as well as thousands of other people are suffering as we communicate right now. If more articles like yesterday's Wall Street Journal piece on this disease are made public then we can expect to see more of us. It doesn't take a genius to figure out this illness. Trial and error on one's diet will accomplish the desired result. The most important thing for each of us to do is try to educate those people we meet in our everyday lives. I'm sure one of the stumbling blocks some people encounter is discussing one's bowel habits. Well it should be no different than discussing one's eating habits. Just the other day I encountered a friend of mine from 20 years ago. He had recovered from cancer. His son was with him and his son's wife has Celiac. She was diagnosed at a party by someone who was not a doctor! We may succeed in this quest in spite of the medical profession.

I was really looking forward to posts about celebs. However couldn't help but post a response. My mom and grandma passed away from celiac. It was never diagnosed. My mom died of dehydration. The intestine becomes so permable that water cannot be retained. My doctor had given up on me because I was in the hospital at least once a week w/dehydration. Lets get every celiac diagnosed and become celebs our selves. Lots of love, Royann

[linz boowie]

just wondered if any famous sportsmen and woman or celebs are known celiacs.

I know some famous diabetics but not celiacs.

[VydorScope]

just wondered if any famous sportsmen and woman or celebs are known celiacs.

I know some famous diabetics but not celiacs.

Teh lady that "played" voliet in The Incredibles.

[jerseyangel]

The only one I know of for sure is Susie Essman--a comedianne and cast member on "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I posted on this a while back. You can read her interview where she says she has Celiac:

Open Original Shared Link

Its in the NYT interview.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Here is another topic on famous Celiacs, Open Original Shared Link.

[jkmunchkin]

One of the women from the view does. Not sure which one as I don't watch it.