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bluewave

By bluewave
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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bluewave Newbie
bluewave
Posted

Hi I have just joined up today looking into celiacs as my 14 year old daughter has just had blood tests to test for celiacs and is having a scan on her stomach next week.

I am just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me whether they have had the same symptoms as my daughter over the last couple of months when she exercises eg. playing sport athletics running her whole body has cramped and she found it hard to breath and then she can not move her arms or legs and a couple of times has passed out for a few seconds. Just last monday she was playing netball when after playing she had pains in stomach and felt like vomiting and then her body went very heavy and was unable to move her legs for short time.

In between all this she has been having cramping in her stomach, feeling sick when she eats sometimes, diarrea sometimes and constipated occasionally.

Also after these turns started she seemed to get more cramps in her legs feet toes fingers and hands more then she ever had and suffered pins and needles in her legs and feet more then usual. She has never really had these symptoms before in her life.

We have also been at the dentist lately where she has to recieve 3 deep fillings where 2 years ago was not needing any dental treatment at all.

Her Iron is low and also gets severe diarrea when she eats red meat only has just started since these turns, she has been able to eat anything until now.

She has been sick on and off most of the year with anything that was going around it was like her immune system was very low before the turns started.

She also had glandular fever 2 years ago and since then her immune system has been alot lower picking up more sickness then usual.

A year before she had glandular fever she had giardia. Why i am bringing this up is I am just wondering whether these would be connected at all with why she would have celiacs or not.

While reading a few forums before writing, some forums were talking about deslexia and lupus I dont know whether they are related at all but

Not that she has been diagnosed I am sure my daughter has deslexia as she has learning difficulties.

I do not know whether lupus has a direct link or anything to celiacs but my cousin has lupus.

If anyone could get back to me that would be fantastic as i am very curious as I have not really known to much about celiacs except the basics like having to be on a gluten free diet.

Many Thanks

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gfgypsyqueen Enthusiast
gfgypsyqueen
Posted

Hi, I'm not sure about the cramping and sports related issues and how those might fit in to the big picture.

What do you mean a stomach scan? The "gold standard" for Celiac diagnosis is a biopsy of the intestines. It sounds awful but it is not painful. They are looking for damage to the villi in the intestines.

Dental issues, soft teeth, etc can be related to Celiacs. Malabsorption seems to affect the enamel and you get problems. The dentist may never have heard of any relationship with "soft teeth" and celiacs. Go look it up and talk to him next time.

Low iron, inability to keep iron levels from dropping, etc are all common with Celiacs. Myself, I had one dr shocked that I was standing because my iron levels were so low. I went on iron pills yet again and levels went up and then stopped taking iron and levels dropped yet again. Years later I found out about celiacs.

Low immune system catching every virus and cold in the state, yup that's me before diagnsis. Start her on some good vitamins. Go to the health food store and get a recomendation. That made a workd of difference for me. I don't get sick nearly as often or as badly now. If she has celiacs, her intestines are severly damaged and she is not absorbing much in the way of vitamins and nutrients right now. Since she is in sports you may want to try some Ensure types of drinks to see if that helps her to get some nutrients. The lack of certain nutrients may have to do with the cramping and passing out.

Diarrhea and constipation are both common in celiacs before diagnosis.

I don't know about Deslexia, but ADD and ADHD respond to a gluten-free diet.

If the Dr is not talking about Celiacs as a possibility, bring up the conversation and insist that she gets tested for it. At this point you are ruling out diseases. Try to rule out Celiacs.

The good news. If she has Celiacs, it is a life long adherance to a strict gluten-free diet. The diet sounds hard at first but you'll pick it up pretty fast. This disease does not require any medication. She can still be very active in sports. She can still drink alcohol, when she is older :rolleyes: but just cannot have regular beer. She can be a regular happy healthy kid with no limitations, just a gluten-free diet.

Please ask more questions or research this site. Good luck in figuring out what is bothering her system.

gfpaperdoll Rookie
gfpaperdoll
Posted

yes, a gluten free diet will help dyslexia.

Be sure to look into getting her a sublingual B12, she needs to start taking that right away.

keep us posted. If her tests are negative, you need to just test thru Enterolab.com or give the diet a try. It sure sounds like she has a gluten problem.

I recently ran into a young man that was 6'8" & skinny as a pencil, when he was playing high school basketball he could not finish because he had an "undiagnosed breathing problem" when he exercised. He also had bad teeth, depression, & a couple other things that I forget, anyway he seemed to be a walking textbook of celiac symptoms - I gave him all the info & he was very grateful - he has since quit the low paying security job that he had ;) I hope he has gone on the diet & onto a better healthier life.

bluewave Newbie
bluewave
Posted
  • Author

Thankyou for your reply.

Well blood tests got back on friday and her level is not in the level of celiacs, the scan she is getting and just on her abdomen on thursday not a test for celiacs I am hoping something turns up just so we know why this is happening. I still am thinking of putting her on gluten free diet to see if this makes any difference. Well just a quick reply Im heading home today after a weekend away. Thanks again for replying.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted
Thankyou for your reply.

Well blood tests got back on friday and her level is not in the level of celiacs, the scan she is getting and just on her abdomen on thursday not a test for celiacs I am hoping something turns up just so we know why this is happening. I still am thinking of putting her on gluten free diet to see if this makes any difference. Well just a quick reply Im heading home today after a weekend away. Thanks again for replying.

Bluewave, the cool thing about a gluten-free diet is that it can't possibly hurt. There is absolutely no risk involved in trying gluten-free, there's no way to 'trigger' celiac, either you have it or you don't. If she has it, the fever she had a couple years ago may have exacerbated her symptoms, made them more apparent. It does sound to me like her symptoms are Celiac- related, so even if the doctor doesn't agree with you (most doctors don't know much of anything about Celiac) then it's a good idea to try the diet. And don't forget, it is genetic, so if she starts feeling better Gluten free, it wouldn't hurt for you to try it either. Things you never thought could be related might start getting better for you, like hair loss or being over or under weight.

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