Diagnosed Myself-am I Right?

[tonyabeth]

Ok so I'm new here, I've been all over the web and this is the best site. I've had strange symptoms since I was about 19 that I didn't even realize could be related.

-joint pain and cracking A LOT mainly my knees, tmj, bloating,gas,stomach aches,small blisters on fingers mainly in the evening,fatigue,anemia, depression,diarrhea,miscarriages, low blood pressure and I know there's more but I can't think of any more. One thing that I don't have is weight loss. I saw that that was one of the main symptoms. I've had weight gain but not dramatic. I do carry most of my weight in my belly. I get really bad allergies and my mother told me that if I go off of wheat then it should clear up. Well not only did it clear up, but most of my other symptoms started to go away but didn't totally realize it at the time. I didn't stay on a wheat free diet for long, I just didn't stay disciplined enough. Looking for wheat free recipes I stumbled across a gluten free website which then led me to Celiac. And WOW I feel like a new woman already just by learning all of this. It excites me to know that I could have a whole new life just by changing my diet. Does this sound right??

[*lee-lee*]

hi - i'm pretty new at this too but from what i've read just on this board, your symptoms could definitly be Celiac. I had a few of the same symptoms as you...TMJ as a teenager, cracking ankles for as long as i can remember, joint pain in the last year, fatigue, diarrhea plus acne that appeared out of nowhere and gradual weight gain (mostly in the belly).

do you have any known family history of Celiac?

i'm not officially diagnosed yet (positive blood, negative biopsy, awaiting genetic testing) but started the gluten-free diet a few weeks ago and am already starting to feel better.

go to your doctor and ask them to run a full Celiac panel. then you'll probably be referred to a GI doc. continue eating gluten until the tests are complete. if you stop now, you may start to heal and will end up skewing the results.

good luck to you. i was freaked out and worried beyond belief at first but knowing what to do to feel better is enough to keep me from giving up.

[dbmamaz]

I went gluten free several weeks before my celiac panel, and it was negative, but my allergy test showed up most gluten grains as well as yeast. I dont know if i have celiac, but I know that i felt SO much better off of gluten - plus i was id'd as allergic to wheat and milk as an infant (by diet challenge). I'm pretty sure i'll stay off gluten for every, tho i'll probably test it once in a while. i also really wonder, since as a child, I preferred rye bread to regular bread, and rye didnt show up on my allergy test.

anyways, being gluten free before your test can invalidate it. But not all of us need a dx in order to do what makes us feel better - some day you have to decide you just want to feel better, kwim!

[Amyleigh0007]

It does sound right! I have IBS and would have never known about a gluten free diet if it wasn't for my son. He was dx with Celiac in March and after seeing how much his health improved decided to give it a try with him (plus having a gluten free house is so much easier). I have been gluten free for one month and my IBS symptoms are gone. I have had one setback but I pretty much know what that was from (my dentist). I am self diagnosed gluten intolerant. The diet works wonders. It's worth sticking to it.

PS- I was tested for Celiac but was negative. I was eating gluten "lite" at the time and I don't think it was enough for the test to be positive. Stay on gluten if you plan on being tested.

[slmprofesseur]

It does sound right! I have IBS and would have never known about a gluten free diet if it wasn't for my son. He was dx with Celiac in March and after seeing how much his health improved decided to give it a try with him (plus having a gluten free house is so much easier). I have been gluten free for one month and my IBS symptoms are gone. I have had one setback but I pretty much know what that was from (my dentist). I am self diagnosed gluten intolerant. The diet works wonders. It's worth sticking to it.

PS- I was tested for Celiac but was negative. I was eating gluten "lite" at the time and I don't think it was enough for the test to be positive. Stay on gluten if you plan on being tested.

The dentist? I went to the dentist and was exhausted for 2 wks. (And I wasn't going to work.) What has gluten in it at the dentists office?

[Amyleigh0007]

I asked that question on here and some people said that it may have been the flavored cleaners or polish. I don't know if that's it for sure but I can't think of anything else it could have been. When my son went to the same dentist I told them to use gluten free materials. He was fine. I did not do that for myself and I got sick. I am going to ask for gluten free next time!