The Varying Ranges?

[kitten37]

Hey all I'm new to the forum but I've been doing some digging around and it brought me here. I'm only 26 and have always had a "sensitive stomach" as it's said in my family. I was just wondering what other peoples ranges were as far as symptoms? My cousin in the US was diagnosed with celiac as a child and it was my understanding forever that it is a label only for people almost like an anaphylactic allergy. But given my medical history and all the unanswered questions I'm thinking that this might actually be my problem as well. Is there a distinct separation between celiac and what may be gluten sensitivity?

[psawyer]

Welcome to the board.

There is certainly not a clear line between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

If you have celiac disease then you are intolerant to gluten. Some believe that celiac is a spectrum disorder, with varying degrees. Others believe that the intestinal damage presented in celiac disease is just one possible symptom of the underlying gluten intolerance. I personally believe that it is a moot point. In each of these cases, the solution is the same: strict adherence to a gluten-free diet.

(You will also find some people who will tell you that all humans are gluten intolerant, but that most do not know it or are in denial.)

Some people who have the antibodies associated with celiac disease show no visible symptoms and may not even show damage to the villi. These "silent celiacs" are still at much greater risk for associated conditions such as colon cancer, type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis and many more.

I had the classic symptoms of weight loss, anemia, severe diarrhea, malabsorption, nausea, vomiting, well, you get the picture.

[jayhawkmom]

Anaphylaxis is an immediate life-threatening reaction. Celiac won't kill you that fast. So, there is a major distinction to clear up the misunderstanding between Celiac symptoms and an anaphylactic allergy.

Other than that... Peter hit the nail right on the head, as he always does. =)

[MDRB]

Hey all I'm new to the forum but I've been doing some digging around and it brought me here. I'm only 26 and have always had a "sensitive stomach" as it's said in my family. I was just wondering what other peoples ranges were as far as symptoms? My cousin in the US was diagnosed with celiac as a child and it was my understanding forever that it is a label only for people almost like an anaphylactic allergy. But given my medical history and all the unanswered questions I'm thinking that this might actually be my problem as well. Is there a distinct separation between celiac and what may be gluten sensitivity?

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. I'm twenty three and am fairly new to all of this as well. I've also been digging around a lot. I found that doctors journals are a really good source. Here are some things that I have found out. My understanding is that a wheat allergy can cause an anaphylactic reaction but that celiacs is an intolerance not an allergy and so should not cause anaphylaxis (although you can have both celiacs and other food allergies)

Also symptoms vary a lot in celiacs, some celiacs don't get any symptoms at all, go on eating gluten and only get diagnosed when the celiacs leads to bowel cancer.

Common symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and chronic fatigue. But there are a lot of other symptoms that not all celiacs get.

Good luck

[kitten37]

What are some key questions I should be asking my doctor? re: tests to narrow it down. I have been apparently a unsolvable medical mystery all my life down to having all the symptoms of endometreosis only for them to operate and find nothing. It may have just been this all along. Growing up in an Italian household gluten-free is like blasphemy...lol. I've always had a "sensitive stomach" so I've been told my whole life. Headaches, my family is one of migraine sufferers so I wouldn't know if any were from gluten or not. I've pretty much been keeping immodium in business this past year as things just seem to get worse. Though I had stopped drinking beer because after 1 pint I would get sick. Guess I need to do some further investigation.

[happygirl]

Discuss with your doctor your symptoms. Discuss how you have a family member with Celiac (which increases your risk). Discuss how Celiac is very underdiagnosed, and is often misdiagnosed as other things, and how 97% of those with Celiac don't know they have it (Open Original Shared Link) Discuss the Celiac bloodwork that you would like run: (taken from: Open Original Shared Link

Anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) both IgA and IgG

Anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA) - IgA

Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTG) - IgA

Total IgA level.

[MDRB]

Hi,

all the tests mentioned by 'happy girl' are a really good start. Remember that you will need to continue eating gluten in order to get an accurate diagnosis. I went gluten free prior to the seeing a doctor and then had to go back on the gluten to get tested. This is a really bad idea as my body had started to heal and reacted really really badly to being back on the gluten. Most doctors will argue that the only way to accuratly diagnose celiacs is with an endoscopy, I would ask your doctor to arrange one for you as soon as possible.

Good luck