Please Help

[Jode]

I feel like I am going nuts! I will list my symptoms and I hope someone can tell me if these could be gluten related or if something else is going on and you can recommend any other tests.

I will be 40 in two weeks I am female. I have had acid reflux disease since I was 9. I had The Nissen Fundo to correct the problem last June since the meds for the reflux made me sick. I have had low thyroid since my 20's ( I believe I had it since I was at least 17 but wasn't diagnosed). I had a partial hysterectomy for heavy periods from my thyroid in 2006. I have always had stomach problems my sister and Mother also have digestive problems. About a month ago I went into my see a Physicians assistant to have my thyroid tested because I was having symptoms that seemed to be like my thyroid problems. Fatigue was the major one. She tested that and my iron levels and my Ferritin level was at 24 (range:11-300) I was told this was not low enough to give me these symptoms. But my thyroid was normal. She basically told me to see a primary physician as she couldn't help with my symptoms. I made an appointment to see my general Dr. this coming Sunday (he works weekends only he's a senator too). My sympoms that I am feeling the last few Months are.....

1.Severe fatigue that I was put on anti depressants for

2.Bad joint pain especially in my hips and back

3.muscle spasms in back and a feeling of immflamation

4.mental confusion

5.Severe bloating and stmache aches (assumed it was from my Nissen surgery)

6.Gassy (also told from surgery)

7.allergies which I'm doing shot therapy 2 times a week

8. sores on tongue and mouth and in nose (have had this for years)

9. itching on back of scalp and neck

10. muscle weakness

11. Heart palpitations

12. shortness of breath

13. swelling under eyes (especially my right one) and black circles (also for yrs)

14. irritability

15. extreme low libido (tested and was low on testosterone and was put on a progesterone test cream and it is not helping)

16.iron deficiency

17.anxiety

18.unable to lose weight

What's weird is I started eating walnuts about a month ago and it has kept me very regular. Before that I had to take something to help me go. I'm usually constipated.

But what really scared me was my Grandmas funeral was yesterday and about an hour and a half before, I was getting ready and I started getting a stomache ache which didn't concern me as I have a stomache ache about 85% of the time anyway. But it got worse and worse. I felt like I needed to throw up like I was getting the flu. by the time we needed to leave to go I was very sick. I started losing feeling in both arms and had a severe pain in my upper gut. I sat in the car for awhile hoping it would subside. I could barely speak and I was extremely weak. My husband helped me in but I got so weak I was shaking. I decided to leave and after I came home I got in bed and I started to feel better about 2 hours later. But now I am so fatigued once again and my hip and back pain is awful. I do have a gastro Dr. but he seems so useless. I feel like my primary Dr at least fakes listening to me. But he just wants to put me on antidpressants and anxiety meds like he doesn't know what else to do.

Should I ask to be tested for celiac and what if he says he doesn't think I need to be?

Is there any other tests I should take?

This is really scaring me. I feel like there is something really wrong.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

I have had a colonoscopy. Had my gallbladder tested. I decided not to eat my wheat toast this morning and just have an egg and so far I'm not having my usual stomache ache. Or what usually feels like i'm trying to "pass glass".

[Jode]

Oh yes and I forgot about the dizziness I have had off and on since 2004.

[ravenwoodglass]

  Jode said:

I feel like I am going nuts! I will list my symptoms and I hope someone can tell me if these could be gluten related or if something else is going on and you can recommend any other tests.

I will be 40 in two weeks I am female. I have had acid reflux disease since I was 9. I had The Nissen Fundo to correct the problem last June since the meds for the reflux made me sick. I have had low thyroid since my 20's ( I believe I had it since I was at least 17 but wasn't diagnosed). I had a partial hysterectomy for heavy periods from my thyroid in 2006. I have always had stomach problems my sister and Mother also have digestive problems. About a month ago I went into my see a Physicians assistant to have my thyroid tested because I was having symptoms that seemed to be like my thyroid problems. Fatigue was the major one. She tested that and my iron levels and my Ferritin level was at 24 (range:11-300) I was told this was not low enough to give me these symptoms. But my thyroid was normal. She basically told me to see a primary physician as she couldn't help with my symptoms. I made an appointment to see my general Dr. this coming Sunday (he works weekends only he's a senator too). My sympoms that I am feeling the last few Months are.....

1.Severe fatigue that I was put on anti depressants for

2.Bad joint pain especially in my hips and back

3.muscle spasms in back and a feeling of immflamation

4.mental confusion

5.Severe bloating and stmache aches (assumed it was from my Nissen surgery)

6.Gassy (also told from surgery)

7.allergies which I'm doing shot therapy 2 times a week

8. sores on tongue and mouth and in nose (have had this for years)

9. itching on back of scalp and neck

10. muscle weakness

11. Heart palpitations

12. shortness of breath

13. swelling under eyes (especially my right one) and black circles (also for yrs)

14. irritability

15. extreme low libido (tested and was low on testosterone and was put on a progesterone test cream and it is not helping)

16.iron deficiency

17.anxiety

18.unable to lose weight

What's weird is I started eating walnuts about a month ago and it has kept me very regular. Before that I had to take something to help me go. I'm usually constipated.

But what really scared me was my Grandmas funeral was yesterday and about an hour and a half before, I was getting ready and I started getting a stomache ache which didn't concern me as I have a stomache ache about 85% of the time anyway. But it got worse and worse. I felt like I needed to throw up like I was getting the flu. by the time we needed to leave to go I was very sick. I started losing feeling in both arms and had a severe pain in my upper gut. I sat in the car for awhile hoping it would subside. I could barely speak and I was extremely weak. My husband helped me in but I got so weak I was shaking. I decided to leave and after I came home I got in bed and I started to feel better about 2 hours later. But now I am so fatigued once again and my hip and back pain is awful. I do have a gastro Dr. but he seems so useless. I feel like my primary Dr at least fakes listening to me. But he just wants to put me on antidpressants and anxiety meds like he doesn't know what else to do.

Should I ask to be tested for celiac and what if he says he doesn't think I need to be?

Is there any other tests I should take?

This is really scaring me. I feel like there is something really wrong.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

I have had a colonoscopy. Had my gallbladder tested. I decided not to eat my wheat toast this morning and just have an egg and so far I'm not having my usual stomache ache. Or what usually feels like i'm trying to "pass glass".

Yes you should be tested for celiac. In addition, and not trying to scare you but...the symptoms I bolded could be indications that you had a heart attack. If it happens again call an ambulance to take you to the ER. You need to get back to your doctor as soon as you can and tell him about that incident. If your doctor won't listen to you find another as soon as you can.

[Jode]

Thanks for your reply. It's ironic you mention a heart attack. Last night I had bad chest pains that sat me straight up in bed with shortness of breath. When I got up this morning I was extremely fatigued and was still having chest pains. I went to the Dr and she tried to tell me I was having anxiety ( I knew that was coming) or allergies? Allergies? I have no idea where she came up with that. Oh yes I do I told her I was in shot therapy for allergies. I think if I told her i had a pickle for breakfast she would have tried to use that! She gave me a EKG and sent me on my way and told me to give it 2 months to see if I feel better. She didn't think it sounded like a heart problem. I researched online and it sounds exactly like a heart attack. She said I could do a stress test but basically made me feel like it would be a waste of money. She then looked right in my eyes and said "I'm stumped I dont know what to tell you". So I guess now I hope in the mean time something bad doesnt happen. I just never heard of allergies having those symptoms of a heart attack. Dr's are so useless! She aslo wouldn't check me for celiac even though she drew blood for lyme desease. She said to just stop eating bread to see if I feel better.

[one more mile]

Please read my profile I had a ton of things the matter to. I suspect that when anyone has so many systems going hay wire it is gluten. Go gluten free for a month then look at your list and see what is better. Just giving up toast may not make that much of a difference. I Just had all my body achs and pains return and walking problems start because I had taken a pill coated in wheat for three days. My doctor must still not get it. Gluten made me so ill in so many ways. I don't need tests to prove it, I have the way I feel and the way my family knows I have changed to prove to me how much of a change being gluten free has made my life. I have gone from 15 hours a day of sleeping to being up for a 4 day camping trip! It is a whole new life for me and can be for you also.

[daphniela]

Check out DoIHaveCeliac.org. They have a checklist of symptoms for you to bring into your doctor. That worked for me.