Celiac Disease Suspected But Have Other Health Conditions

[only1nik]

I have pcos and insulin resistance and have been told to be on a low carb diet. when i do that, i feel alot better. the symptoms i have are almost exactly the same as celiac disease minus losing weight. Could i be having those symtoms just from the insulin resistance or could it be that i have both problems? any input will help.

[Ursa Major]

The insulin resistance could be a direct result of celiac disease. Since you are still eating gluten, I suggest you demand to be tested for celiac disease. The blood test can be ordered by your regular GP.

On the other hand, if you don't care about official diagnosis, you could just try the gluten-free diet and see if it is helpful. Feeling better on the low-carb diet is a good clue for sure, that being completely gluten-free would be good for you.

And not all people with celiac disease lose weight, a high percentage will actually gain weight. Because unexplained weight gain can also be a sign of malnutrition!

[only1nik]

The insulin resistance could be a direct result of celiac disease. Since you are still eating gluten, I suggest you demand to be tested for celiac disease. The blood test can be ordered by your regular GP.

On the other hand, if you don't care about official diagnosis, you could just try the gluten-free diet and see if it is helpful. Feeling better on the low-carb diet is a good clue for sure, that being completely gluten-free would be good for you.

And not all people with celiac disease lose weight, a high percentage will actually gain weight. Because unexplained weight gain can also be a sign of malnutrition!

How did you find out about being intolerant to potatoes and tomatoes? just curious cuz i eat tomatoes alot and love potatoes. thanks.

[Ursa Major]

I was tested for intolerances by a naturopathic doctor, and tested very high for nightshades. I obviously had an immediate severe reaction to those, while gluten causes a delayed reaction and wasn't picked up then (four years before finding out about gluten).

Tomatoes give me migraines, while potatoes cause gastrointestinal distress.

But one clue is, when you're pretty much addicted to a food. I thought I couldn't live without potatoes and tomatoes!

[Cath4k]

I have pcos and insulin resistance and have been told to be on a low carb diet. when i do that, i feel alot better. the symptoms i have are almost exactly the same as celiac disease minus losing weight. Could i be having those symtoms just from the insulin resistance or could it be that i have both problems? any input will help.

My 16 yo dd has not been diagnosed with PCOS because the gyn. didn't want to run all the tests for it quite yet because my dd is so young and the doctor said the tests are expensive. I had already suspected PCOS because of her symptoms, but then I figured out that she was gluten intolerant because the symptoms matched even more so (many are the same.)

PCOS is a syndrome and no one knows for sure what causes it, although the insulin resistance is the strongest suspect. But the question is - what causes the insulin resistance?

My dd was tested through Enterolab, but was then also tested by a gastroenterologist through bloodwork and gastroscopy. She is confirmed celiac. Since she went gluten free 3 months ago, many (many!) of her symptoms completely resolved and many more are improved (including restarting her menstrual cycle after two years without one.) She also gained weight - very rapidly. That hasn't changed yet and after her next visit with her GI, I will probably get her into an endocrinologist just to make sure there isn't something else going on.

I firmly believe the celiac is at the root of all the problems she has experienced. We were essentially poisoning her for 16 years. Fortunately, she is young and I believe we can turn the damage around. It is just a matter of figuring out everything that needs fixed (like her B12 deficiency which was found through bloodwork - we need to do more investigative work.)

HTH,

Cathy