Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Any One Over 60 Living With Celiac

Guest bananababy

By Guest bananababy
in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff

Recommended Posts

Welda Johnson Newbie
Welda Johnson
Posted

My name is Welda. I am 64 years old and have had Celiac symptoms since age 8. Mine manifested as severe Asthma, and at age 19, with two little babies, I was told that I would be bedridden by the age of 25 if I didn't take the scratch skin tests for allergies, and follow up with 3 years of shots. I did that, and still was so sick. By age 22 I had 3 babies, and was suffering terribly. I started eliminating foods--all grains, then all milk and dairy, then egg whites, yeast, casein, whey and modified food starch. Unfortunately, I would feel great when off those foods, and would think I could go back to eating them when I felt well. Wrong. Eventually in my fifties, I went for a colonoscopy and the nurse looked at my food intolerances and mentioned Celiac. I had heard that name before, and so I got on this website. It changed my life. I started stringently sticking to the Celiac diet, and have experienced a wonderful life change. I now eat mostly fruits and vegetables, and my weight has normalized. At five feet tall, I feel so much better now than I ever did before. I walk five miles almost every day, usually sleep great, and make sure that I eat every few hours to keep going strong. I thank God for the new direction my life has taken. I have an aunt in Texas who is 98 years young. Perhaps I'll live that long too. Every day gets better. Welda

  • 3 weeks later...
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


PinkLady Newbie
PinkLady
Posted
has any one , lived with undiagnosed celiac for over 60yrs or their abouts and has now been diagnosed I would love to see on the boards about seniors living and coping with the disease this would help much thanks

Yes, I was diagnosed jjust a week ago for the first time and I am 61! It is kind of fun to try out all these gluten free products and restaurants! What part of

the country do you live in and how old are you?

Chizlib Newbie
Chizlib
Posted
Yes, I was diagnosed jjust a week ago for the first time and I am 61! It is kind of fun to try out all these gluten free products and restaurants! What part of

the country do you live in and how old are you?

I am 64 years old suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia with a soupcon of Coeliac thrown in for good measure. I have only recently been diagnosed with Coeliac, and ridiculous as it may sound, previous to diagnosis my digestive system was well under my control, much more controlled than your average set of guts, with no symptoms of Coeliac. (OK !So I could fart {pardon me} for my country, but so can many people.)

I have a recto-vaginal fistula which for the last 28 years I have managed and controlled rigidly to the point of knowing what, and when to eat to prevent accidents, it had become second nature. Bearing in mind the female anatomy, there is no way you can stick a colostomy bag over that !!! So dietary control was/is of paramount importance.

Following endoscopy - it will NEVER catch on as a hobby - and diagnosis of Coeliac Disease I dutifully changed my diet to Gluten free. OH! MY GIDDY AUNT! (I dare not use the words I really want to use, I will be excommunicated from the message board/forum/ decent society and probably Life itself!! :o I don't know, quite literally whether I am coming or going, or more to the point WHEN! Do I sound ungrateful when I say I wish nobody had thought to investigate and find the coeliac problem? I am struggling at the moment, in fact I am on fluids only, and have to say that my guts are at peace for the first time since the biopsy and change of diet. Trouble is, having achieved peace and tranquility, I am reluctant to start n solid food again.

  • 3 months later...
Dan300 Newbie
Dan300
Posted

I just turned 61 , 2 weeks ago, and have had a skin problem (DH ?) for 25+ years, after 10 doctors, I had to do my own research and went Gluten free at the end of march. my lessions are healing (always took a while) and hadn't had any new break outs except for about 3 weeks ago when I had a six pack of Mikes Hard lemon aid ,Malted? (over 3 days ) and a large bag of candie ( bulls eyes, caramel cremes,,,,wheat flour) while driving back from Florida.......... broke out the next day !!! so I'm 99% sure I'm Gluten intolerant, this is after the doctors insisted that I didn't have Celiac disease . Went to a lecture by Dr Tom O'Bryan, he showed us a graph on what ages people where finially getting diagnosed ( average 5 doctors and 8 to10 years ) it showed that 25% finially got diagnosed at 60years and older.... he showed that Celiac ( official biopsi of the gut ) and Gluten intolerance are the same,,,,,,,,, just a matter of degrees and how long , and also that it can affect any organ in your body including your Brain (migraines , depression ect ) He also said that we still don't know all the DNA genes yet as a lot of people have this problem and don't have the gene trigger , I've also seen on the web reciently that "as much as 30% of the American population is Gluten sensitive" I was at a talk tuesday night at a Whole Food store, on gluten free cooking with also a certified dietitian nutritionist, as her family was from India she reminded us that 2/3 rds of the world is on a gluten free diet, some thing to think about..... I know the drug companies don't want to hear about a cure without drugs $$$$$$$ and I think that the doctors are only trained it treating problems with medications so thank you to forums and web sites like you and the intertnet we are learning on our own how the world works , no we're not doctors but knowledge is power Dan

nutralady2001 Newbie
nutralady2001
Posted

Yes I am 61 also

Was diagnosed over 2 years ago via biopsy and antibodies after nearly 50 years of being stuck with "other labels" the most persisent one being "IBS"

marfa62 Newbie
marfa62
Posted

senior, senior?? middle age, I just started living 2 years ago. I still can remember the time I took them all to Spain for the last family vacation. I spent the week in the bathroom or the bed, zoning out and sleeping when I wasn't angry.

Now I have a neat racing bicycle, cross country ski and after years of fighting muscle fatigue, am getting some serious exercise. I have always felt that this disease attacks my muscles. I cannot keep up with other people my age- or twenty years older! But every year is better. I have a disabled son ( a direct result of undiagnosied celiac and pregnacy) who is a joy, he is my partner in running around.

The tiredness has lessened. the fight is to exercise, then nap or do a low key day. But I am looking forward to being a hellion. M

has any one , lived with undiagnosed celiac for over 60yrs or their abouts and has now been diagnosed I would love to see on the boards about seniors living and coping with the disease this would help much thanks

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Wheatwacked
      - Wheatwacked replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      4

      Feel like I’m starting over

      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals. Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D. By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease. You got it from your mom or dad. Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms...
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Kirita's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      3

      Recovery from gluten challenge

      Hopefully the food she eats away from home, especially at school, is 100% gluten-free. If you haven't checked in with the school directly about this, it might be worth a planned visit with their staff to make sure her food is safe.
    3. Scatterbrain
      - Scatterbrain replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      4

      Feel like I’m starting over

      Thanks to those who have replied. To Cristina, my symptoms are as follows: Dizziness, lightheaded, headaches (mostly sinus), jaw/neck pain, severe tinnitus, joint stiffness, fatigue, irregular heart rate, post exercise muscle fatigue and soreness, brain fog, insomnia. Generally feeling unwell. To Trents, We didn’t do any of the construction but did v...
    4. Kirita
      - Kirita replied to Kirita's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      3

      Recovery from gluten challenge

      Thank you so much for your response! I have a follow-up appointment with her pediatrician next week, and also an appointment with her pediatric GI Dr. Your message gives me some ideas for questions to ask the doctors. My daughter went strictly gluten-free in January following her first endoscopy so I’m guessing her diet is pretty solid. She is compliant b...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Kirita's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      3

      Recovery from gluten challenge

      While the positive endoscopy confirms the diagnosis, it's important to be skeptical of the idea that your daughter will simply "bounce back" to a pre-challenge state. The gluten challenge was essentially a controlled, prolonged exposure that likely caused significant inflammation and damage to her system; it's not surprising that recovery is slow and that...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,287
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Desert Ratt
    Newest Member
    Desert Ratt
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Feel like I’m starting over

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
    • Scott Adams
      Recovery from gluten challenge

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Hopefully the food she eats away from home, especially at school, is 100% gluten-free. If you haven't checked in with the school directly about this, it might be worth a planned visit with their staff to make sure her food is safe.
    • Scatterbrain
      Feel like I’m starting over

      By Scatterbrain · Posted

      Thanks to those who have replied.  To Cristina, my symptoms are as follows: Dizziness, lightheaded, headaches (mostly sinus), jaw/neck pain, severe tinnitus, joint stiffness, fatigue, irregular heart rate, post exercise muscle fatigue and soreness, brain fog, insomnia.  Generally feeling unwell. To Trents, We didn’t do any of the construction but did visit the job site quite often.  While getting the old house ready we stirred up a lot of dust and I’m sure mold but haven’t been back there for over a month.
    • Kirita
      Recovery from gluten challenge

      By Kirita · Posted

      Thank you so much for your response! I have a follow-up appointment with her pediatrician next week, and also an appointment with her pediatric GI Dr. Your message gives me some ideas for questions to ask the doctors. My daughter went strictly gluten-free in January following her first endoscopy so I’m guessing her diet is pretty solid. She is compliant but also reliant on others to make her food (at school and home) but she didn’t have this problem prior to the gluten challenge when she went strictly gluten-free. It really makes sense to me that the gluten challenge inflammation hasn’t healed and I will be asking her doctors about nutritional issues. I ask for anecdotal stories because the research surrounding the gluten challenge seems to be inconsistent and inconclusive (at least what I’ve been able to find!). Thank you so much for your response!
    • Scott Adams
      Recovery from gluten challenge

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While the positive endoscopy confirms the diagnosis, it's important to be skeptical of the idea that your daughter will simply "bounce back" to a pre-challenge state. The gluten challenge was essentially a controlled, prolonged exposure that likely caused significant inflammation and damage to her system; it's not surprising that recovery is slow and that a subsequent exposure hit her so hard. The persistent fatigue is a major red flag that her body is still struggling, potentially indicating that the initial damage hasn't fully healed or that her system is now in a heightened state of reactivity. Rather than seeking anecdotal timelines from others, her experience underscores the critical need for close follow-up with her gastroenterologist to rule out other nutrient deficiencies commonly caused by celiac flare-ups, like iron or B12, and to consult with a dietitian to scrutinize her diet for any hidden sources of cross-contamination that could be perpetuating her symptoms. The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs.      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.