Is This Gluten Intolerance? Where To Go From Here?

[marijoy]

Hello,

I have been reading through this board, and I think I may have a gluten intolerance. These are my symptoms:

- thryoid nodule that keeps getting larger - TSH is normal

- hair loss

- painful pimples on scalp

- acne

- cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas

- low albumin in blood (low protein)

- low vitamin D

- slightly high liver enzymes

- high calcium

- low iron

- extreme fatigue

Do you think this could be gluten intolerance? If so, what do I do from here? What tests do I need done? What supplements to take? I was thinking that I would just start on a gluten free diet and see what happens. However, after going to whole foods last night I have changed my mind. I have no idea what products are gluten free. Do all foods have to be bought from a specialty store? Everything was so expensive! I would like to start the diet, but have no idea what is okay to eat!

Thanks for helping a newbie!!!

[The Fluffy Assassin]

Hello,

I have been reading through this board, and I think I may have a gluten intolerance. These are my symptoms:

- thryoid nodule that keeps getting larger - TSH is normal

- hair loss

- painful pimples on scalp

- acne

- cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas

- low albumin in blood (low protein)

- low vitamin D

- slightly high liver enzymes

- high calcium

- low iron

- extreme fatigue

Do you think this could be gluten intolerance? If so, what do I do from here? What tests do I need done? What supplements to take? I was thinking that I would just start on a gluten free diet and see what happens. However, after going to whole foods last night I have changed my mind. I have no idea what products are gluten free. Do all foods have to be bought from a specialty store? Everything was so expensive! I would like to start the diet, but have no idea what is okay to eat!

Thanks for helping a newbie!!!

You don't really have to get anything at a specialty store if you're prepared to do nearly all your own cooking. Whole foods are the way to go, but you don't have to get them at Whole Foods. Meats, fruits and vegetables are inherently gluten-free. It's important to avoid marinades and sauces, because these often aren't. Rice and potatoes are gluten-free; while there is something called gluten in corn, it isn't the kind of gluten that causes problems for celiacs (or gluten intolerant people). What you're trying to avoid are wheat, barley, rye and oats. (Oats themselves are gluten-free, but are often cross-contaminated. Also some celiacs can't eat even the gluten-free ones; I apparently am one of those.) Wheat is easy to look out for, as it's a top 8 allergen and has to be listed on the label. The other three you have to read labels carefully for. Breakfast cereal is particularly tough; it's best to go with ones that are labeled gluten free (for example, most varieties of Chex).

Your symptoms mostly sound consistent with a gluten problem. Most of us have low calcium, rather than high, but symptoms vary greatly from person to person, so it certainly wouldn't rule anything out. I hope you'll give the diet a chance, and I hope it works for you. Good luck, and welcome to the board.

[marijoy]

Thanks for the response! I am currently waiting for my doctor to call me back with the results from my lab test. I am not sure if she checked for celiac disease, but I hope so.

I have been reading through the forums quite a lot in the past couple days and I now think my mom might have a gluten intolerance too. She is painfully skinny and can't gain weight no matter what she does. She also has bad osteoporosis (only 55), very high blood pressure that isn't responding to medications, diarrhea frequently, and thyroid issues earlier in life. It looks like these are all things that can be related. I am going to try and convince her to do the gluten free diet too.

[ang1e0251]

I would guess that if you didn't discuss the celiac blood work with your dr, he probably didn't order it. Call the office and find out. If not, go back and get it or ask that they run it with some of the blood they've already drawn. Do not start the diet if you want to be tested as it will throw the testing off. If you don't care about the testing, then start the diet right away. It's up to you. Plenty of us are self dx'd for various reasons and just jumped to the gluten-free diet. Either way is OK and we will support your decision.