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

Do You Always Have To Be Underweight With Celiac Disease?

Jamie

By Jamie
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

Jamie Contributor
Jamie
Posted

I am 4'10'' and 1/4 I am about 104 lbs... I am average weight... I look healthy. I do have a big butt and a little gut that I am constantly trying to lose... but weight loss for me has always been very hard for me.... After I was diagnosed... (Last Tuesday by the way)... I read up that many people lose a lot of weight are are usually very skinny and malnurished by the time of their diagnosis. I eat about 1700 calories a day to sustain my heavy work outs and I am at a healthy weight... body fat 19.5 and a BMI of 21.... The only indication that I had celiac disease was through a blood test I had. Should I get an endoscopy just to be sure before I make this life change?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Hi Jamie and Welcome to the Club!

BTW, can I have some of your butt please. :D My stomach is bigger than my bottom. If you turned my torso around, I'd have a pretty good figure. :P

Yes, those with malabsorption issue can be thin, but not always. Some can be overweight and still have malabsorption issues.

Curious though, what made you test for Celiac? Some members here are silent Celiacs and have no symptoms. An endoscopy exam can also serve as confirmation as well as look for damage. This might be important, especially if you are a silent Celiac.

MELINE Enthusiast
MELINE
Posted
BTW, can I have some of your butt please. :D My stomach is bigger than my bottom. If you turned my torso around, I'd have a pretty good figure. :P

lol.... :D :D :D

Jamie Contributor
Jamie
Posted
  • Author
Hi Jamie and Welcome to the Club!

BTW, can I have some of your butt please. :D My stomach is bigger than my bottom. If you turned my torso around, I'd have a pretty good figure. :P

Yes, those with malabsorption issue can be thin, but not always. Some can be overweight and still have malabsorption issues.

Curious though, what made you test for Celiac? Some members here are silent Celiacs and have no symptoms. An endoscopy exam can also serve as confirmation as well as look for damage. This might be important, especially if you are a silent Celiac.

I have been having bad stomach problems since last January... I am a hypoglycemic, I have hypothyroidism and I get terrible migranes... so I see a neurologist, an endocrinologist and a gastro.... No one could figure out what the stomach pains linked to. I would up in the emergency room last January.. had a bunch of tests done.. they found nothing. I had a colonoscopy.. nothing.. Small bowel series.. nothing.. Blood work.. nothing. .. Cat scan.. nothing. regaurdless of nothing showing up.. every 3-4 months I would have these random attacks.. it would last about 7 hours and would be so bad it would wake me from my sleep.. I couldnt go to work... I would have to curl in a ball.. I would cry from the pain. On regular days I just have chronic constipation, gas and bloating. I finally found a new doctor.. an internist.. I gave him all the files from all the doctors I've been seeing, he gave me blood work and he said my antibodies were high to gluten. I've been on this diet fully since Wed. I don't feel any different. I have so many questions. He told me the results over the phone in 1 minute... but its a life change. I need more details.. I have more questions.. and I want to get the endoscopy.. just to see.. just to make sure this is def it.

dandelionmom Enthusiast
dandelionmom
Posted

I was overweight when I was diagnosed.

Jamie Contributor
Jamie
Posted
  • Author
I was overweight when I was diagnosed.

Now that you are on the diet... have you lost weight, gained? still the same?

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Hi Jamie: I was overweight when I diagnosed myself a year ago; have lost 44 lbs.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 1 month later...
nw0528 Apprentice
nw0528
Posted

I love the question for this thread of comments. Apparently the first GI I went to subscribes to this thought - that someone with Celiac MUST be underweight.

I went to see him a few weeks ago. I explained my symptoms (oily stools, frequent bowel movements, severe urgency to "go" within 15 min. after most meals) and he said, "You have IBS, take 1 Immodium every day and if that doesn't work, take 2 Immodium every day." I've had IBS for 24 years (I'm only 35) and I kept telling him that my symptoms are totally different from the IBS symtoms I've had in the past, especially the fact that I had never had oily stools before. (I've had no symptoms of IBS in over three years, then this past summer I started with my current symptoms.) Anyhow, at the end of our appt., the GI looked at me and said, "Well by looking at you I can tell that clearly you aren't sick." I was so PISSED! (The last time he saw me was in 2002 and I weighed 135 pounds. I'm 5'8". Since then, I became pregnant in 2006 I weighed about 145. Then, I was on bedrest for FOUR MONTHS, and at the end of my pregnancy I weighed 245 pounds! My son is now two years old. I'm now at 175 pounds. Sure I've still got a ways to go, but still...) This GI just took one look at me and made his own mind up. I guess to him you must be skinny to have Celiac! Hmm...I'm considering sending him an informative letter once all my results are back. (I've since switched to a different GI.)

Anyhow, the question you posed made me chuckle, since a trained MD apparently thinks it is true!

Nicole

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
Anyhow, at the end of our appt., the GI looked at me and said, "Well by looking at you I can tell that clearly you aren't sick."

How typical! My PCP responded much the same way when I was complaining that I had trouble digesting food. She said, "Well, clearly, digestion iS taking place." :wacko:

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. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      Get tested for vitamin deficiencies. Though neuropathy can be a symptom of celiac, it can also be caused by deficiencies due to poor digestion caused by celiac and could be easier to treat.
    2. Colleen H
      - Colleen H replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      Thank you so much for your response Yes it seems as though things get very painful as time goes on. I'm not eating gluten as far as I know. However, I'm not sure of cross contamination. My system seems to weaken to hidden spices and other possibilities. ??? if cross contamination is possible...I am in a super sensitive mode of celiac disease...
    3. Jmartes71
      - Jmartes71 replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      4

      My only proof

      EXACTLY! I was asked yesterday on my LAST video call with Standford and I stated exactly yes absolutely this is why I need the name! One, get proper care, two, not get worse.Im falling apart, stressed out, in pain and just opened email from Stanford stating I was rude ect.I want that video reviewed by higher ups and see if that women still has a job or not...
    4. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      4

      My only proof

      We feel your pain. It took me 20+ years of regularly going to doctors desperate for answers only to be told there was nothing wrong with me … when I was 20 pounds underweight, suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, and in a great deal of pain. I had to figure it out for myself. If you're in the U.S., not having an official diagnosis does m...
    5. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      If you're just starting out in being gluten free, I would expect it to take months before you learned enough about hidden sources of gluten before you stopped making major mistakes. Ice cream? Not safe unless they say it is gluten free. Spaghetti sauce? Not safe unless is says gluten-free. Natural ingredients? Who knows what's in there. You pretty much...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,084
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    bigwave
    Newest Member
    bigwave
    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

    • AlwaysLearning
      Gluten related ??

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      Get tested for vitamin deficiencies.  Though neuropathy can be a symptom of celiac, it can also be caused by deficiencies due to poor digestion caused by celiac and could be easier to treat.
    • Colleen H
      Gluten related ??

      By Colleen H · Posted

      Thank you so much for your response  Yes it seems as though things get very painful as time goes on.  I'm not eating gluten as far as I know.  However, I'm not sure of cross contamination.  My system seems to weaken to hidden spices and other possibilities. ???  if cross contamination is possible...I am in a super sensitive mode of celiac disease.. Neuropathy from head to toes
    • Jmartes71
      My only proof

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      EXACTLY! I was asked yesterday on my LAST video call with Standford and I stated exactly yes absolutely this is why I need the name! One, get proper care, two, not get worse.Im falling apart, stressed out, in pain and just opened email from Stanford stating I was rude ect.I want that video reviewed by higher ups and see if that women still has a job or not.Im saying this because I've been medically screwed and asking for help because bills don't pay itself. This could be malpratice siit but im not good at finding lawyers
    • AlwaysLearning
      My only proof

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      We feel your pain. It took me 20+ years of regularly going to doctors desperate for answers only to be told there was nothing wrong with me … when I was 20 pounds underweight, suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, and in a great deal of pain. I had to figure it out for myself. If you're in the U.S., not having an official diagnosis does mean you can't claim a tax deduction for the extra expense of gluten-free foods. But it can also be a good thing. Pre-existing conditions might be a reason why a health insurance company might reject your application or charge you more money. No official diagnosis means you don't have a pre-existing condition. I really hope you don't live in the U.S. and don't have these challenges. Do you need an official diagnosis for a specific reason? Else, I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you're diligent in remaining gluten free, your body should be healing as much as possible so there isn't much else you could do anyway. And there are plenty of us out here who never got that official diagnosis because we couldn't eat enough gluten to get tested. Now that the IL-2 test is available, I suppose I could take it, but I don't feel the need. Someone else not believing me really isn't my problem as long as I can stay in control of my own food.
    • AlwaysLearning
      Gluten related ??

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      If you're just starting out in being gluten free, I would expect it to take months before you learned enough about hidden sources of gluten before you stopped making major mistakes. Ice cream? Not safe unless they say it is gluten free. Spaghetti sauce? Not safe unless is says gluten-free. Natural ingredients? Who knows what's in there. You pretty much need to cook with whole ingredients yourself to avoid it completely. Most gluten-free products should be safe, but while you're in the hypersensitive phase right after going gluten free, you may notice that when something like a microwave meal seems to not be gluten-free … then you find out that it is produced in a shared facility where it can become contaminated. My reactions were much-more severe after going gluten free. The analogy that I use is that you had a whole army of soldiers waiting for some gluten to attack, and now that you took away their target, when the stragglers from the gluten army accidentally wander onto the battlefield, you still have your entire army going out and attacking them. Expect it to take two years before all of the training facilities that were producing your soldiers have fallen into disrepair and are no longer producing soldiers. But that is two years after you stop accidentally glutening yourself. Every time you do eat gluten, another training facility can be built and more soldiers will be waiting to attack. Good luck figuring things out.   
×
×
  • 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.