Help

[April21361]

I have had gastrointestinal problems for about 6 years now (since i was 18 or so). i have not yet gotton a diagnosis but have been tested for ulcers and gall bladder. I am wondering if I have celiac disease because i read the signs and symptoms and i have them all except the skin blsiters and weight loss. in fact my weight has been pretty much the same for many years. Is it posible to have celiac and not have lost any weight from it? also , does a blood test always show if you have celiac or is it possible it could not show up in the blood test?

I have been eating gluten free for about a week now and have not felt any better.

how long does it usually take people to notice a significant change?

also, lately i have noticed that the skin on my face around my mouth starts to burn and turn bright red sometimes. its on and off. but has only been happening for about 2 weeks or so. could that be related ?

My dr suggested taking antihistamines while we wait for the lab results. is this a good idea?

any advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you

[JillianLindsay]

Hi April,

My weight stayed relatively stable and I did not have any DH (skin problems), but tested positive. Everyone manifests symptoms differently. If you haven't completed all your testing and you want to seek out a definitive diagnosis, you should not change your diet until you've met with your DR and had all the tests done. If you are not eating gluten then you could get a false negative.

That being said, some people have negative bloodwork and then are diagnosed by endoscope, and some people just go gluten-free and feel better and don't need an official diagnosis, it all depends on your personal decisions. It can take up to six months gluten-free for people to start feeling better, as well some people are highly sensitive so CC (cross-contamination) or hidden sources of gluten can make them sick (like bread crumbs in the toaster for example).

The skin inflammation could be related to celiac, or an allergic reaction to something you're eating. Did the antihistamines help? If they did, allergies are likely the culprit. Personally (IMHO) I don't think there's anything wrong with taking antihistamines and waiting to see if they help. I'm not a DR or expert and am just speaking from personal experience. Make sure you have good communication with your DR and research any advice people give you to make sure it is valid.

Good luck!! I hope you get some answers soon I found waiting for test results was the most difficult part of the process for me.

All the best,

Jillian

I have had gastrointestinal problems for about 6 years now (since i was 18 or so). i have not yet gotton a diagnosis but have been tested for ulcers and gall bladder. I am wondering if I have celiac disease because i read the signs and symptoms and i have them all except the skin blsiters and weight loss. in fact my weight has been pretty much the same for many years. Is it posible to have celiac and not have lost any weight from it? also , does a blood test always show if you have celiac or is it possible it could not show up in the blood test?

I have been eating gluten free for about a week now and have not felt any better.

how long does it usually take people to notice a significant change?

also, lately i have noticed that the skin on my face around my mouth starts to burn and turn bright red sometimes. its on and off. but has only been happening for about 2 weeks or so. could that be related ?

My dr suggested taking antihistamines while we wait for the lab results. is this a good idea?

any advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you

[The Fluffy Assassin]

I have had gastrointestinal problems for about 6 years now (since i was 18 or so). i have not yet gotton a diagnosis but have been tested for ulcers and gall bladder. I am wondering if I have celiac disease because i read the signs and symptoms and i have them all except the skin blsiters and weight loss. in fact my weight has been pretty much the same for many years. Is it posible to have celiac and not have lost any weight from it? also , does a blood test always show if you have celiac or is it possible it could not show up in the blood test?

I have been eating gluten free for about a week now and have not felt any better.

how long does it usually take people to notice a significant change?

also, lately i have noticed that the skin on my face around my mouth starts to burn and turn bright red sometimes. its on and off. but has only been happening for about 2 weeks or so. could that be related ?

My dr suggested taking antihistamines while we wait for the lab results. is this a good idea?

any advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you

Regarding the burning redness around your mouth, Medhelp suggests Perioral dermatitis Open Original Shared Link The Mayo Clinic addresses dermatitis, including perioral, here: Open Original Shared Link I'm unclear whether the doctor wanted to give you antihistamines for this or for your gastrointestinal problems, but Mayo Clinic suggests the antibiotic tetracycline.

Regarding celiac disease, some people (like me) got immediate relief from going gluten-free; some people take longer. Frequently celiac disease is associated with other food intolerances, especially (again like me) dairy and fructose. Also, we're also often prone to food allergies. Rather than just take antihistamines (assuming s/he meant them for digestive issues), you'd probably do better to ask your doctor for a referral to an allergist. Making sure you don't have food allergies is also important, and if you find out that you do have any, avoiding those foods would certainly speed your recovery. (Not that there's anything wrong with taking antihistamines either.)

Good luck, I hope you find your answer soon and welcome to the board.