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

Gluten Intolerant Vs. Celiac ?

blc40

Recommended Posts

blc40 Newbie
blc40
Posted

Hi

I was just wondering what is the differnce between being Gluten intolerant and having Celiac ? Are the symptoms different etc ? I have had a stomach biopsy that was negative for Celiac but i went gluten free and most of my symptoms dissapperared ?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to ask all your questions.

Did you have blood tests run for celiac disease? Which ones? If you post your results here, there are those who are very knowledgable and can explain your test results for you.

There is a lot of debate here about the difference between gluten intolerant and celiac disease. I guess it comes down to what you believe. I don't think medical science agrees on the difference. Some believe an intolerance means you will suffer some symptoms when you ingest gluten which will be uncomfortable but not long term damaging to your body. celiac disease means you have an autoimmune disease where your own body percieves gluten as an enemy and attacks your small intestine when you eat it. This can lead to gluten "leaking" into other organs in your body and all kinds of other diseases and problems.

Some believe that's true but others think that an intolerance to gluten is the beginning stages of celiac disease. If a gluten-free diet is followed at this stage, other long term damage can be stopped in its tracks, if not, the damage to your intestine progresses until you have serious health issues that you may not be able to stop with a gluten-free diet.

It's a heated debate on this forum so I'm sure many will let you know what they believe. Those with more knowledge than I, can give you links to evidence on what they believe. It's good for us to talk about it as we are all learning new information.

Mother of Jibril Enthusiast
Mother of Jibril
Posted
I have had a stomach biopsy that was negative for Celiac

By definition, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the villi in your intestines. A stomach biopsy can't rule it in or out.

blc40 Newbie
blc40
Posted
  • Author
Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to ask all your questions.

Did you have blood tests run for celiac disease? Which ones? If you post your results here, there are those who are very knowledgable and can explain your test results for you.

There is a lot of debate here about the difference between gluten intolerant and celiac disease. I guess it comes down to what you believe. I don't think medical science agrees on the difference. Some believe an intolerance means you will suffer some symptoms when you ingest gluten which will be uncomfortable but not long term damaging to your body. celiac disease means you have an autoimmune disease where your own body percieves gluten as an enemy and attacks your small intestine when you eat it. This can lead to gluten "leaking" into other organs in your body and all kinds of other diseases and problems.

Some believe that's true but others think that an intolerance to gluten is the beginning stages of celiac disease. If a gluten-free diet is followed at this stage, other long term damage can be stopped in its tracks, if not, the damage to your intestine progresses until you have serious health issues that you may not be able to stop with a gluten-free diet.

It's a heated debate on this forum so I'm sure many will let you know what they believe. Those with more knowledge than I, can give you links to evidence on what they believe. It's good for us to talk about it as we are all learning new information.

thanks so much

i have not had blood tests yet i had a Biopsy which came back negative , i went gluten free after my biopsy was taken and it was the best i have felt in months ! so i was again disappointed when results were negative . i have colonoscopy tomoorow and then my follow up appointment . very frustrated but i think if i felt better gluten free i might follow my bodies advice !

what blood tests should i ask to have done for further checking ?

blc40 Newbie
blc40
Posted
  • Author
By definition, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the villi in your intestines. A stomach biopsy can't rule it in or out.

so why did they take one to see if i had it ?

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted
so why did they take one to see if i had it ?

A very good question. And one you should ask your doctor.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

They may have been looking for something else in your stomach. Did they take a biopsy of your intestine? If they didn't, they can't say you do/don't have Celiac. You may want to follow up with your doctor for clarification.

Info on Celiac/gluten intolerance: Open Original Shared Link

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

None of the tests given now will be positive since you've been eating gluten-free. If you are planning further testing for celiac disease, you must eating gluten some say for at least 3 months. Being gluten-free for your testing will result in negatives. Don't worry about the colonoscopy though. It doesn't test for celiac disease and it won't matter if you're gluten-free for that test.

Gfresh404 Enthusiast
Gfresh404
Posted
so why did they take one to see if i had it ?

Usually when they take a biopsy of the stomach, they also take one of the duodenum (the opening of the small intestine) and sometimes even the esophagus. So they had to have taken one of the small intestine when they were down there.

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
Fiddle-Faddle
Posted

Not necessarily, gfresh--I've had 2 endoscopies, and they looked at ONLY stomach and esophagus. In my case, they were looking for Barrett's esophagus, and were not suspecting celiac at all.

gfb1 Rookie
gfb1
Posted
By definition, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the villi in your intestines. A stomach biopsy can't rule it in or out.

this is a VERY interesting thread.

so...

has the work on mhc locus completely supplanted the concept of celiac as an inborn error of metabolism??

the nih does not say so directly... i Open Original Shared Link:

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

however.. later the same article suggests an immune component/causation

When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,037
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    cbattiato
    Newest Member
    cbattiato
    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

    • Scott Adams
      Celiac getting dentures

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is an older article, but may be helpful.  
    • gfmom06
      Celiac getting dentures

      By gfmom06 · Posted

      I have had orthodontic work done. The 3M invisalign material was no problem. BUT my retainers are another matter. They seemed okay for a few months. Now, however, they cause a burning sensation on my tongue, gums and insides of my lips. The burning sensation is now spreading to my throat. I notice it when I breathe. This is annoying and interferes with my enjoyment of eating. I am visiting with my provider tomorrow. We'll see where this goes from here.
    • Beverage
      Is this celiac?

      By Beverage · Posted

      Exactly which blood tests were done? There are a few different ones and some docs don't do them all. Also, your results and reference ranges for each?
    • Jmartes71
      Fighting for a name

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      Thankyou so much for your words.Its a hard battle when a supposed well known hospital whose celiac " specialist " has down played me because my colon looks fine and put it in my medical and so pcp doesn't take seriously. In their eyes we all carry that gene.Im having alot of bad days trying to be positive because of it.
    • Scott Adams
      Celiac getting dentures

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your experience is both shocking and critically important for the community to hear, underscoring the terrifying reality that cross-contamination can extend into the most unexpected and invasive medical devices. It is absolutely devastating that you had to endure six months of sickness and ultimately sustain permanent vision loss because a doctor dismissed your legitimate, life-altering condition. Your relentless research and advocacy, from discovering the gluten in MMA acrylic to finding a compassionate prosthodontist, is a testament to your strength in a system that often fails celiac patients. While the scientific and medical consensus is that gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin or eyes (as the molecules are too large to pass through these barriers), your story highlights a terrifying gray area: what about a substance *permanently implanted inside the body*, where it could potentially shed microparticles or cause a localized immune reaction? Your powerful warning about acrylic lenses and the drastic difference with the silicone alternative is invaluable information. Thank you for sharing your harrowing journey and the specific, severe neurological symptoms you endure; it is a stark reminder that celiac is a systemic disease, and your advocacy is undoubtedly saving others from similar trauma.
×
×
  • 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.