New Here & Not Diagnosed (yet?)

[melisap]

Hello! I've been lurking for a bit gathering lots of great info here.

A bit of background with the necessary TMI, LOL. I'm 23, and the last few years I've struggled with diarrhea off & on and always kept a bottle of pepto bismol handy. The last several months, however, have been nothing but intestinal issues - painful cramping & diarrhea. After suspecting & cutting out lactose and seeing no results, I went to my primary care doc, who did the regular lab work, and saw nothing definitive. I've been referred to a GI specialist, with whom I have an initial appt with next week.

In the meantime, I've gone gluten free because I couldn't wait to see the dr while it may have possibly been something I could control. I was just in so much pain! It's been just over 2 weeks now, and the pain/cramping almost immediately went away. What a huge difference from being doubled over in pain the previous few weeks! I've also in the last week experienced some of my first solid stools in a while. I may not be celiac, but whatever I have is being further irritated by gluten, that's for sure! Unless I happened to randomly start feeling better with no gluten in my diet.

I know when I go to the specialist, I'll have to go back on a regular gluten filled diet to get an accurate test done, but until then I'm enjoying my pain free existence!

[The Fluffy Assassin]

Hello! I've been lurking for a bit gathering lots of great info here.

A bit of background with the necessary TMI, LOL. I'm 23, and the last few years I've struggled with diarrhea off & on and always kept a bottle of pepto bismol handy. The last several months, however, have been nothing but intestinal issues - painful cramping & diarrhea. After suspecting & cutting out lactose and seeing no results, I went to my primary care doc, who did the regular lab work, and saw nothing definitive. I've been referred to a GI specialist, with whom I have an initial appt with next week.

In the meantime, I've gone gluten free because I couldn't wait to see the dr while it may have possibly been something I could control. I was just in so much pain! It's been just over 2 weeks now, and the pain/cramping almost immediately went away. What a huge difference from being doubled over in pain the previous few weeks! I've also in the last week experienced some of my first solid stools in a while. I may not be celiac, but whatever I have is being further irritated by gluten, that's for sure! Unless I happened to randomly start feeling better with no gluten in my diet.

I know when I go to the specialist, I'll have to go back on a regular gluten filled diet to get an accurate test done, but until then I'm enjoying my pain free existence!

Welcome! You seem to have an unusually good handle on things celiac. You may want to see if the GI specialist is willing to diagnose you based on the response to the diet. From what I've read here, this is more likely if you can show a family history. Does anyone in your family show similar symptoms? Do you have any Irish or Italian heritage? (It's somewhat commoner among them.) It would be a shame to have to go back on gluten just to get an official diagnosis, especially as people seem to have to wait a long time for the biopsy.

You might also want to consider seeing an allergist. We seem to be prey to a lot of allergies, and it's nice to catch them while you're young.

Again, welcome, and good luck to you.

[melisap]

Thank you! I plan on talking to the GI spec about that - I'd rather not go back to it if i can avoid it, but I'll do what i have to do, I guess!