If Your Symptoms Are Not That Bad, Is The Damage From Celiacs Not That Bad?

[kprince]

I just got diagnosed with celiacs and then found out a week later that I was pregnant. My symptoms were not that bad, I just knew that something was not normal. I am now following a gfd, however I am not sure if I am tired from pregnancy or celiacs. I am trying to calm myself down because after reading everyone's input, I am convinced that the baby will not get any folic acid and or calcium etc.

Is celiacs on a spectrum? If my symptoms were not that bad, does that mean I might be absorbing some nutrients?

If I did not have d ( more of a tar-like stool), can you still have malnutrition?

Is it too early to see were I have deficencies? And if not, which areas should I get tested?

Thank you all so mch in advance for any help!

[aikiducky]

I think it would be a good idea to get tested for deficiencies, especially since you're pregnant. Definitively ask your doctor to test your folic acid (I think it can be tested?).

Symptoms and amount of damage don't go hand in hand so it's not really possible to tell that way. Did you have a biopsy? If you did the lab report should say how much damage there was to your intestine.

I wouldn't worry too much about the baby, as I've understood it your body will take care to first send nutrients the baby's way.

Still I think it's utterly reasonable for you to ask your doctor to test for vitamins etc., i hope other people will chime in with what exactly you should ask for to be checked.

Pauliina

[ravenwoodglass]

As was stated you should have your doctor run panels on your folate, also ferritin, iron and B12. Your doctor should also do a standard complete blood count and all the other usual tests. Gluten free specialty foods also tend to be rather carb dense so you should make sure that your doctor is testing your blood sugar levels on a regular basis. Most do this with everyone. You should be taking a good for sure gluten free prenatal vitamin, I am sure those on the pregnacy section of the board will know of a good one.

As far as your symptoms relating to the degree of damage as was stated it varies with the individual and the systems effected. Not all celiacs have strong GI symptoms at first, some present with more brain or muscle and joint sort of stuff. You need to be really strict with the diet even if it seems that gluten does not cause much GI distress. Some of us even have a seemingly total remission of symptoms while preggers, that happened to me, but then things went to heck in a handbasket after the baby was born. Congratulations, try not to worry to much as chances are everything will be okay.

Oh and after you have the panels run, your doctor can just call the order in to the lab if you call and ask the nurse in most instances, you should get some sublingual B12. That should help a bit with your tiredness and almost all of us need the supplement. If you start supplements before you get the blood drawn make sure you let the doctor know that you have.

[Ursa Major]

You should also get your vitamin D tested, as well as calcium, magnesium and vitamin K. Without adequate levels of vitamin D, your body can't absorb calcium and magnesium.

Your symptoms don't always show how much damage there is. I have heard of people who's only symptom was anemia and their villi were totally flat. In fact, some people who were completely symptomless were tested because a first relative of their's was diagnosed with celiac disease, and they had extensive damage!

I had five children and eight miscarriages (and several grandchildren ) before I figured out I have celiac disease. I NEVER had a miscarriage after the fourth month, by the time I was five months pregnant those babies were safe.

And now that you are on a gluten-free diet, I imagine that your baby will be safe, too. Make sure you eat only good, wholesome food to make everything you eat count, and avoid junk and empty calorie foods. Unfortunately, the majority of the gluten-free replacement foods fall into the junk category, and are best avoided.