Can It Really Be So? All Of These Years!

[DivasDare]

Hello,

I am new to the forum, and also new to possibility that my many years of pain, hair loss, etc. could be from Celiac disease. Years ago it started with my hair. I thought it was my thyroid went through lots of tests... nothing. All along I kept using my wheat based hair products. Next I started having these unexplained pains in my stomach, side and back. I knew it was my gall bladder. I had test after test.. nothing. I was told it was IB and well anything could be the cause, take more fiber and drink lots of water.

I did this... my friend suggested Benefiber, it worked for her. I couldn't figure out why my system seemed to all but shut down. What is wrong with me I wondered. I stopped taking it and was to embarrassed to say anything. I made my doctor look for ulcers... nothing in my blood work. I just dealt with the pain up until this year when I felt like I was going to DIE.

Again, I tried more doctors. I went to a cardiologist just to make sure that my heart wasn't giving out. During our conversation I mentioned that I had IB, but couldn't figure out what foods it was because each time I eat chocolate or caffeine, I was ok, but other stuff like organic cereal I felt like I was going to die. She casually mentioned, "are you gluten intolerant?" I never heard or thought of it. So back to my allergic who was treating me for an allergic reaction that ended in the rash from hayle. We still could not find a reason. He just gave me zantac and zyrtec.

My allergy tests came back negative for gluten/wheat allergies... so I had the best cherry tart and almost DIED of pain... my joints.. everyone of them were hurting along with my stomach and I had chills and a headache. What is going on? If it was not for GOOGLE!

I went back to the internet and with the help of a friend we started reading more about gluten and cealiac. I had no idea that wheat was in EVERYTHING... my vitamins that I took everyday... yes and I was in pain but never stopped to associate it. The flaxseed I was putting on my food had traces of wheat. The triscuits that I ate EVERYday and the cream of wheat.

Ok, this is too long, but I am just happy to find this site and tell someone truly what I have been going through. I could not tell family or friends, they thought I was crazy complaining and doctors just treated whatever was in their pervue.

Yesterday I went to a new GI and had the blood work... please keep your fingers crossed and pray for me that this is truly what has been going on with me.

Thanks for reading!

[ang1e0251]

Welcome to the forum! I'm so glad you have found your first answer! I felt the same when the idea first came to my attention. Can it really be this simple? Can I really just change my diet and be healed? To me it was a miracle. I hope it all works for you. Keep us posted and ask anything you need.

[Lisa]

Welcome!

These are the tests:

Anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) both IgA and IgG

Anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA) - IgA

Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTG) - IgA

Total IgA level.

Hope you find your answers soon.

[ranger]

Welcome and I hope you find the answer. My bloodwork came back negative. I havn't eaten gluten for 8 months and never will knowingly again. Listen to your body.

[DivasDare]

Thank you all. I am taking it one day at a time. I hope that this is the answer and that the damage isn't quite as bad. I really would like to see my hair come back if possible. Girlie stuff...