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

Recommended Posts

Jamie Contributor

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

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
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
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

I was overweight when I was diagnosed.

Jamie Contributor
I was overweight when I was diagnosed.

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

mushroom Proficient

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

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
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.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,594
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    kathleenconley
    Newest Member
    kathleenconley
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):




  • Who's Online (See full list)


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Yes.  Now, if you hit your finger with a hammer once, wouldn't you do your best not to do it again?  You have identified a direct connection between gluten and pain.  Gluten is your hammer.  Now you have to decide if you need a medical diagnosis.  Some countries have aid benefits tgat you can get if you have the diagnosis, but you must continue eating a gluten-normal diet while pursuing the diagnosis. Otherwise the only reason to continue eating gluten is social. There are over 200 symptoms that could be a result of celiac disease.. Celiac Disease and Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity  both cause multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  Dealing with that should help your recovery, even while eating gluten.  Phosphatidyl Choline supplements can help your gut if digesting fats is a problem,  Consider that any medications you take could be causing some of the symptoms, aside from gluten.        
    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @Ben98! If you have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding gluten because of the discomfort it produces then it is likely that your blood antibody testing for celiac disease has been rendered invalid. Valid testing requires regular consumption of generous amounts of gluten. The other strong possibility is that you have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease but does not have the autoimmune component and thus does not damage the small bowel lining. It is 10x mor common than celiac disease. There is currently no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. Some experts in the field believe it can be a precursor to the development of celiac disease. Having one or both of the primary genes for developing celiac disease does not imply that you will develop active celiac disease. It simply establishes the potential for it. About 40% of the population has the genetic potential but only about 1% develop active celiac disease. 
    • Ben98
      TTG blood test and total IGA tested on many occasions which have always remained normal, upper GI pain under my ribs since 2022. I had an endoscopy in 2023 which showed moderate gastritis. no biopsy’s were taken unfortunately. genetic test was positive for HLADQ2. extreme bloating after eating gluten, it’ll feel like I’ve got bricks in my stomach so uncomfortably full. the pain is like a dull ache under the upper left almost like a stitch feeling after a long walk. I am just wanting some advice has anyone here experienced gastritis with a gluten issue before? thank you  
    • Wheatwacked
      "Conclusions: The urinary iodine level was significantly lower in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and iodine replacement may be important in preventing osteoporosis"  Body iodine status in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis Low iodine can cause thyroid problems, but Iodine deficiency will not show up in thyroid tests.  Iodine is important for healing, its job is to kill off defective and aging cells (Apoptosis). Skin, brain fog, nails, muscle tone all inproved when I started taking 600 mcg (RDA 150 - 1000 mcg) of Liquid Iodine drops. Some with dermatitis herpetiformis, Iodine exacerbates the rash.  I started at 1 drop (50 mcg) and worked up to 12 drops, but I don't have dermatitis herpetiformis.
    • cristiana
      That's great news, you can do this.  Let us know how things go and don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions. Cristiana 😊
×
×
  • 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.