Question From The Daughter Of A Celiac

[bellaluna]

I have a strong family history on my dad's side, and although I don't have many of the classic symptoms (bloating, gas, pain etc.) I do have a a few that have motivated me to try going gluten free for awhile- in addition to the family history. I have a persistant, bumpy, itchy rash that comes and goes on my legs, buttocks, back and shoulders. My MD says it's dry skin. It's not. Although I DO have exremely dry skin that's not relieved by any amount of lotion, water intake or omega 3 supplementation. The strangest thing though, is the condition of the skin on my fingers and hands. They're "pruney" looking, as if I've been soaking them in water. Especially my fingertip pads. They're covered in crosshatch marks. In fact, this is so pronounced that when I try to produce a fingerprint, the fingerprint is barely visible due to the presence of these lines. I can't wash dishes without wearing gloves because my fingertips become split and painful so easily. Has anyone ever heard of this as a symptom?

[RiceGuy]

Yes, the lines on the finger tips was the subject of quite a discussion a few months ago I think. I'm sure a search would turn it up.

However, the important thing is if you feel better on a gluten-free diet. If so, then you have an answer. But, if you maintain a gluten-free diet for more than a week or two, it will reduce the accuracy of any tests you might want to have done. So, if you intend to seek an "official" diagnosis, it is often advised to get the tests done before going gluten-free. Symptoms from ingesting gluten are often quite a bit more pronounced if you have been gluten-free for awhile, and new symptoms may show up too.

Also, it is often helpful to avoid dairy, especially as the body heals. You may be able to add it back later, though not everyone can.

The skin problems are very similar to what many on this board have described.

[bellaluna]

Thanks for your response. I will do a search of the forum on this topic.

It seems like obtaining an "official" diagnosis can be challenging, as many people who are symptomatic and respond positively to going gluten-free will often have negative test results. Even the supposedly definitive biopsy is subject to error. That's why I've decided to just try going gluten-free. I am also dairy-free. Vegan, in fact. My diet's pretty clean right now.

It's my understanding that gluten intolerance can produce outward symptoms, but the more insidious internal inflammatory damage may or may not be accompanied by visible symptoms, at least for awhile. What's the general opinion on this?

[RiceGuy]

Well, my impression of how most doctors (who know anything about Celiac at all) view it, is that they seem to expect every Celiac to experience diarrhea and weight loss. But from the many posts about doctors, it seems clear that most are still fairly clueless.

I believe, that the symptoms are so wide-ranging, that the total absence of outward symptoms may never really be true. For instance, I had all sorts of seemingly unrelated symptoms, and not a single doctor ever even got close to a correct diagnosis. The actual causes of so many conditions are simply not known. At least not to most doctors. Plus, as time goes by, and we grow up with those various issues, they can seem like what's "normal". Looking back, I had a bunch of symptoms, but many were not debilitating enough to demand attention. Others I actually thought were common, like part of being human. It's amazing what we can become accustomed to.

But, it would seem logical that symptoms resulting from malabsorption wouldn't manifest immediately. The nutrient deficiencies will need to persist long enough to deplete reserves, and cause enough of a problem to be noticed. At which point, it is up to the person to take notice, take it seriously, and get to the bottom of it. It may seem like a minor thing, and more of a slight irritant or inconvenience, but can actually be the tip of a huge mountain of trouble.