Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Do You Know?

still-fat

Recommended Posts

still-fat Newbie
still-fat
Posted

Hi, i'm new to this forum :) so if this isn't the right place any suggestions of other sites would be helpful.

Last Fall I went to my doctor because I was suddenly gaining weight and experiencing symptoms that seemed like hormones were all of the sudden wacko. I had my thyroid checked and regular blood work done and everything looked normal. She also checked hormone levels - they're in the "Normal" range - but unless we test over and over, she couldn't tell if they're normal for ME (that's what she said anyway) So then I went to a nutritionalist (this was October and I'd gained 12 pounds in 2 weeks and had to wax my lip after just 4 days!!! I'm 30!!! Moods were OOC too - but that could just be b/c my clothes were too tight no matter how little i ate) Anyway - nutritionalist suggested a wheat allergy. I did some web research and I didn't see anything that pointed Wheat to these sorts of symptoms?

So since the fall I've been logging everything i eat, running like crazy (i even ran a 1/2 marathon), and averaging net calories of 1200 - 1600 calories a day. I haven't lost any weight. NONE! I finally decided to try to cut out wheat (following the nutritionalists advise) but it seems like there is hidden wheat in everything - my worry is, how do i know if i'm eating wheat & if my symptoms don't go away - how can i be sure it's not b/c I'm accidentally eating wheat? How long does it take to see symptoms subside once you stop eating wheat? Thanks for any help! This is so frustrating! :(

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kpyoung24 Rookie
kpyoung24
Posted

hi! and welcome! im pretty new here as well, but i can tell you that the people here are very supportive and knowledgeable!!! as far as the question of hidden wheat/gluten in products, im learning that this stuff is everywhere, and often "disguised" as something else! i don't want to give you mis information so I'll let someone else give more info on that, just be patient and someone WILL chime in. as for the weight gain, i started struggling with the same thing after i had my first child, inability to lose a substantial amount of weight(despite the 1200 calorie diet and 45 mins a day of cardio i was doing), and the onset of hair growth on my chin, lip etc... to say nothing of the moodiness!! finally when i was trying to become pregnant with my second child, and needing assistance, my obgyn did an ultra sound and diagnosed me with PCOS(POLICYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME), symptoms of which include but are not limited to.... sudden and unexplained weight gain, inability to lose weight, mood swings, facial hair growth, infertility, the list goes on. i don't know if you've been checked for this but i just thought i would put it out there. its an EXTREMELY common issue, and just like with celiac, despite the fact that its very common, very few doctors are knowledgeable about it, in fact my regular doctor looked at me and said "what is that " when i put it on my medical history paper. anyway, hope this helps!! good luck to you!!!

missy'smom Collaborator
missy'smom
Posted

Welcome.

It's important to learn the difference between a wheat allergy and problems with gluten like celiac disease or gluten intolerance and be tested so you know which one you have. Some people have both. Those with celiac disease have to eliminate wheat, barley,rye and oats. Oats because of cross-contamination and the fact that some don't tolerate them because of a similarity to the gluten protein. Here is a link to a checklist of symptoms for Celiac Disease. Open Original Shared Link

Wheat is require by law to be listed on the label. If it is not listed, there is none in the product. Do read labels carefully to learn about possible cross-contamination. Not all companies will have info. about this on the package but many will. Oats in raw form or as an ingredient in a product that are not certified gluten-free are considered to be contaminated with wheat.

Hidden wheat is not a problem. For Celiacs, hidden gluten is because barley is not required by law to be listed. Here is a list of forbidden ingredients for those on a gluten-free diet. Sometimes we need to contact the manufacturer to ask about the ingedients that could potentially contain barley.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html

AliB Enthusiast
AliB
Posted

Yes, I too would add my voice to the possibility of PCOS. The symptoms you are describing sound fairly classic of the syndrome. Mind you, I am pretty sure that PCOS can also be helped by avoiding wheat and even gluten too although it is not the same as Celiac.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,901
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tessycork47
    Newest Member
    tessycork47
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By Judy M · Posted

      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.