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celiac disease + Bulmia

LoveIsntMade

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LoveIsntMade Rookie
LoveIsntMade
Posted

Could a bulimic person be misdiagnosed as celiac disease from stomach issues? Even if they are a new bulimic? How does bulimia interfere with celiac disease and visa versa?

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psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

A diagnosis of celiac disease, based on positive blood tests or a positive biopsy showing damage to the villi, is specific and can not result from bulimia. It can only result from celiac disease.

Since celiac disease has so many varied possible symptoms, there could be some confusion, but proper testing for celiac disease will not give a false positive.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

I don't think so. Most doctors won't diagnose unless there's a positive blood test or scope which would be negative if a person just had bulimia. A bulimic would also not respond to a gluten-free diet.

Having celiac can indirectly cause bulima, though. A good number of celiacs subconsciously know that food makes them sick, gluten is an addictive substance that can lead to binging, and gluten also affects the mind and can result in things like eating disorders and depression.

jo-england Newbie
jo-england
Posted
Could a bulimic person be misdiagnosed as celiac disease from stomach issues? Even if they are a new bulimic? How does bulimia interfere with celiac disease and visa versa?

Hi, im new here too. i have been bulimic for 8 years and only diagnosed coeliac 6 months ago. i often wonder, have i caused the coeliac disease myself or wonder if they are linked, but my doctor does not seem to think so, but to be honest hes useless. who knows?? sorry not much help! but you say your new bulimic, i say if you only new, get out while you can, thats a choice, coeliac unfortunately isnt a choice. easier said than done i appreciate! take care

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Question
Guest Question
Posted

Hello - I'm also new and was glad to find this question on here, as I wanted to know if anyone had information on Bulimia causing (triggering) celiac.

I suffered with bulimia for almost 5 years....have been recovered for 2 years and have now just been diagnosed with celiac. I spoke with the doctor that did my biopsy scope and he said that bulimia could not have caused the celiac.....but I've done some research online and found on a couple sites that bulimia can trigger digestive disorders such as celiac ...

Would love if anyone has any info - tell me I didn't put myself in this gluten-free world!!

Thanks.

  • 2 years later...
mimi1231 Newbie
mimi1231
Posted

Hi, im new here too. i have been bulimic for 8 years and only diagnosed coeliac 6 months ago. i often wonder, have i caused the coeliac disease myself or wonder if they are linked, but my doctor does not seem to think so, but to be honest hes useless. who knows?? sorry not much help! but you say your new bulimic, i say if you only new, get out while you can, thats a choice, coeliac unfortunately isnt a choice. easier said than done i appreciate! take care

If you can try reading this article. I think it might be helpful. I am in your same situation, have had bulimia for 10 years and have been dealing with stomach problems for the last 7 months which the doctor thinks may be Celiacs. I have read a lot of things online suggesting their is a link and am quite curious to know if ending the ED would cure the Celiacs? Let me know what you think of the article, it was written up in the European Journal for Gastroentrology by some Harvard Md "The interaction between eating disorders and celiac disease: an exploration of 10 cases."

mimi1231 Newbie
mimi1231
Posted

Hello - I'm also new and was glad to find this question on here, as I wanted to know if anyone had information on Bulimia causing (triggering) celiac.

I suffered with bulimia for almost 5 years....have been recovered for 2 years and have now just been diagnosed with celiac. I spoke with the doctor that did my biopsy scope and he said that bulimia could not have caused the celiac.....but I've done some research online and found on a couple sites that bulimia can trigger digestive disorders such as celiac ...

Would love if anyone has any info - tell me I didn't put myself in this gluten-free world!!

Thanks.

Let me know what you think of this. Unfortunately it's quite spendy $35 for the article but was written by experts from Harvard and Beth Deaconess for the European Journal of Gastroentrology (sp?). I too have Bulimia and am almost certain I cause Celiacs (if not Celiac type symptoms) and wonder if maybe in ED as opposed to genetic cases, the Celiacs could be reversed by discontinuing the ED.

"The interaction between eating disorders and celiac disease: an exploration of 10 cases/"

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CarolinaKip Community Regular
CarolinaKip
Posted

Open Original Shared Link

I don't usually put this out there, but I suffer from eating disorder non specific. I started out a true bulimic, but ended up with anorexic behaviors. If you have Celiac, you've always had it. Whether the ED triggered it, you'll never know. I've always had digestive problems. Going gluten free, my behaviors have gotten better. I suggest you get the blood test done and move on from that. Keep eating gluten to get a true test result. I hope this link works, this is a very good site about eating disorders. It really helped me and I highly suggest it. You won't feel crazy or alone. I understand. I may be a newbie to gluten-free, but I totally get EDs.

Get the blood test and I hope you will think about an eating disorder group or therapy. I didn't check your profile, may I ask how old you are?

An eating disorder is used as a coping mechanism, a co dependency. Once this starts it can spin totally out of control. It is about control. What you might not be able to control in one part of your life, you can control your body. Some people stay in denial of their ED. Just as someone can be bi polar, having an eating disorder is an illness as well.

CarolinaKip Community Regular
CarolinaKip
Posted

Let me know what you think of this. Unfortunately it's quite spendy $35 for the article but was written by experts from Harvard and Beth Deaconess for the European Journal of Gastroentrology (sp?). I too have Bulimia and am almost certain I cause Celiacs (if not Celiac type symptoms) and wonder if maybe in ED as opposed to genetic cases, the Celiacs could be reversed by discontinuing the ED.

"The interaction between eating disorders and celiac disease: an exploration of 10 cases/"

This is something I haven't thought about before. I would almost think it was the Celiac that lead us to be more likely to have an eating disorder. If Celiac can cause depression etc, I can see it causing the ED? Something to think on. I'm going to research it.

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