New, And Hoping I Am Posting In The Right Place!

[somewhat-damaged]

Hi! My name is Christina and I do hope I am posting this correctly. Very nice to meet everyone!

I am here because I am not quite sure what to do. I have been battling an "unknown auto immune disease" since as long as I can remember. I have been to 5 different specialists ranging from Hematologists to Rheumatologists.

So far all that anyone can tell me is that I have SOMETHING and they don't know what. After years of constant frustrations and no diagnosis I decided to research my symptoms myself, and hope somehow I got somewhere with my research. One day while I was searching around for my intestinal symptoms, I ran across this website and a few others. It was like a light bulb went off. Alot of the symptoms seem to fit both my mine and my mothers symptoms. She too has spent her life with no answers and almost the same symptoms as me.

We both have had horrible bowel problems which we consistently are told is probably IBS. I have diarrhea so bad sometimes, just getting my daughter to school can be a challenge. I have spent my life plagued by cramps, and frequent bathroom trips. This was the first and perhaps most constant symptom. Then the fatigue started, which I was told was because I was Iron Deficient anemic. So that started the frequent iron supplements. My mother spent weeks on Hospital administered vitamin B12 treatments but after months they never could get her levels normal. She is always deficient. I have not been tested so I am not sure if that is an issue for me or not.

I also have other abnormal labs, from a real high RDW (red Blood cell distribution) chronically abnormal C Reactive Proteins, and others. I have been tested for everything from cancer to Lupus. Then I started getting dermatological symptoms. I would get little blister like bumps all over my fingers and palms. This I heard was probably DE. In fact I have them now.

To top everything off, my fiance and I have been trying for a long time to have a baby only to suffer miscarriages and probable fertility issues. I just want to know whats wrong.

Of all the things I was tested for, I have never been tested for Celiac. Neither has mom. I think in part this was never considered because I have always battled with weight. No matter what I eat, or how much I exercise I never could manage to loose weight. Finally my doctor decided it must be attributed to medical reasons although they don't know what. From what I have read though, you CAN be over weight and still have celiac right?

So now I am not sure how to approach my doctors with my concerns. I considered just starting a gluten free diet and seeing if it helped, but then learned that that could effect blood tests to diagnose it if the diet DOES work.

So I am hoping someone has some suggestions for me. Have any of you suspected Celiac before being diagnosed? Is there anyway to get my doctors to take me seriously when I decide to talk with them?

Any help would be appreciated, I am just darn right frustrated now.

Thank you!!

[ShayFL]

You just say to your doctor: I want a full Celiac panel run please. If he objects, just say: I have done a lot of research lately and I keep running across Celiac and I feel that it just might be my issue. There is no harm in finding out is there doctor? I am so hoping you will be the doctor to help me, but if you cannot run these tests, then I will have to find a doctor who will. So I appreciate your consideration in this.

[somewhat-damaged]

ShayFL-

You make it sound so easy! I guess part of the problem has been crappy insurance, so in turn I am used to less than par medical treatment. I'm not used to it being so easy to talk to them!

Should I ask my regular physician or my Rheumatologist? It could take longer to get into the rheumatologist but I have a feeling he would probably be more knowledgeable about Celiac and related tests.

Also I guess I would hate to sound silly or be wrong...it's just that so far this is the only thing that makes SENSE, based on my symptoms. From what I have said, does Celiac testing sound like a reasonable request?

[ShayFL]

Sounds reasonable to me.

Try your GP first and if he says no, try the next doctor. If all else fails and you can afford it.....you can contact directlabs.com You can get any test you want without a doctor. But of course you have to pay for it.

[gfpaperdoll]

You might want to think first if you want that official diagnosis on your medical records. If you are young & might be changing careers etc...

If you do go on the diet & get better then really that is the diagnosis.

You can also test thru Enterolab.com I highly recommend them.

Yes, being overweight does not mean you are celiac or gluten intolerant. I have an overweight family & they are all sick with celiac - but well, you will find out that like others, they just deal with the symptoms, take some meds & mossy thru life - half alive & cranky...

[somewhat-damaged]

My medical records are already a mess with all the health problems I had thus far. I also have osteoarthritis at the lovely age of 26 and the insurance companies all run from me with mach speed already!!

I think I have been sick for so long that nothing seems to get to me anymore. I have found a way thus far to maintain a relatively happy attitude and am convinced no matter what I can keep that up. Hell after two bone marrow biopsies and cancer scares, I can handle it!

I'm a photographer so freedom with my job is a big plus.

I appreciate your information and personal experience. You have no idea.

Thank you.

[*lee-lee*]

it certainly won't hurt anything to be tested for Celiac. i'm still fairly new to this but your symptoms seem pretty typical, from what i've read on this board. make sure you continue consuming gluten until after the blood work and subsequent endoscopy.

if you test positive in the blood, your doctor will most likely refer you to a gastroenterologist for a biopsy of your small intestine. most doctors claim the biopsy is the "gold standard" for a diagnosis...most people on this forum say if the blood is positive for antibodies, that's proof enough. since you've had symptoms for so long and if you do have Celiac, there's good chance you have visible damage to your intestines.

if there's a chance your insurance won't cover the endoscopy, you can opt to not have it done but that doesn't mean you can't start a gluten free diet. that's the good thing about Celiac...treatment is so simple!

[somewhat-damaged]

I_Love_bread,

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate the information!

I called my doctor today and she agreed testing would be wise and is going to set it up for me on Monday. I guess we'll go from there!

Thanks to everyone who replied, when I first stumbled across this forum, I knew it would a great place for information and for support if the tests DO come back positive.

[nora-n]

Hi, just surf around here for a list of the necessary tests.

I gather you are in the U.S. so there are a number of tests available, ask for all of them, including the IgG versions of them, and the total IgA which is not a celiac test btw.

Here en europe we usually now only can have the tissue transglutaminase test and they also automatically run the tottal IgA, and if one is IgA deficient, only then they bother t run the IgG versions. The thing is, some pwople only have one of the tests positive, and some have all negative and they still are celiac.

In the U.S. the antiendomysium test is available, they have phased it out and only do the ttg test here, and the antigiadin test, phased out most places, and maybe some more tests. Gene tests too.

You have to be consuming a fair amount of gluten in order to test positive on the blood tests. I only ate gluten every once in a while and tested low, but not zero.

nora