Do You Think I Have Celiac Disease?

[ned4spd8874]

It started a few months ago, but we thought we had it under control...

To make a long story short, I saw my family doctor about the issues that I have been having and after a while of trying different medications and test, I started to see a Gastroenterologist. He thinks I have IBS and currently has me on Reglan.

Like I said..short story.

Now currently, this is what is happening.

I have been doing very well recently...until yesterday. I had Olive Garden for lunch. I had Fettuccine Alfredo w/ sausage, some bread sticks and that sausage soup. My stomach was a little upset afterward, but nothing a trip to the bathroom didn't help clear up.

Well, got home, still had that gotta go to the bathroom feeling. But it wasn't too bad. So, I had the rest of the Fettuccine for dinner, but before I was able to finish, I had to run to the bathroom again. I didn't want to the rest of the food to go to waste, so I finished up the Fettuccine and 2 bread sticks thinking nothing of it. Well, my mom happened to stop by and dropped off a chocolate, rich brownie. Yep, had that too.

When I was half way through the brownie, I started to feel full and bloated. Within an hour later, I had a full attack of whatever is going on inside me. And it is now 9 hours later and I still have the symptoms. Not as strong as last night, but still strong non the less. If last night was 100%, I am about 75% right now.

My symptoms are these:

• Stomach Pain
  
• Cramps
  
• Gotta go to the bathroom again feeling
  
• Indigestion (worse when I am lying on my side)
  
• Feel like I could throw up, especially when I get up and move around
  
• Can't currently stand up straight
  
• Nausea
  
• Stomach/abdomen tightness
  
• Bloated feeling
  
• Shortness of breath, worse when I get up and move around
  
• Bealchy
  
• Stomach is doing backflips/summersaults feeling
  

I just had to call into work, there is no way I can go to work feeling like this. My brother and sister-in-law are both paramedics and she is a nurse. They think I might have gluten intolerance. And when I search online I do see some of my symptoms are similar to gluten and Celiac issues.

I found this forum while stumbling Google for symptoms and trying to find something that might help me right now. Oh, I haven't tried yet today or last night, but the last time I felt this way, I tried every antacid under the sun and non of them helped. I have tried Pepto-Bismol, Maalox, Mylanta, Gas-X, etc. Nothing helped then, and I'm not sure they will help now. And I'm also not sure if I can even take them because of the Reglan that I'm taking.

Well, I have to run to the bathroom again! Ug...any advice out there? Does it sound like I might have a Gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease? If this doesn't get better in a few hours by the time the doctor's office opens up, I think I just might give them a call.

Help!

[ravenwoodglass]

Many of us suffer under the IBS diagnosis for years. What you need to do is call your doctor and ask if they will call in a complete celiac panel for you. Then get the blood drawn for it. It would be a good idea for them to also order tests for anemia, both iron and B12. With your IBS diagosis they should have done one already IMHO but doctors don't. The next test for a doctor derived diagnois is going to be an endoscopic exam of your small intestine. You do need to keep in mind that the tests do have rather high rates of false negatives. After you are done with all the testing you choose to do then do give the diet a good strict try. You found a great place for info and support. Hopefully the worst is over reaction wise and you will feel better soon.

[ned4spd8874]

Thanks for the reply. I actually just made a doctor's appointment. I will be seeing him in 45 minutes. I will definitely talk to him about gluten and Celiac.

I will ask for the tests you mentioned. Now, I did have an upper endoscopy done a couple months ago and it came up negative. And I know I have had regular blood tests from my family doctor, but I'm not sure if Celiac is a normal thing they test for.

From what I have posted here, does it sound like this may actually be the issue that I am having? The weird thing is that I've NEVER had these issues before earlier in the year. I am 35 years old and this is all new for me. Does this sort of thing just pop up like this? Also, no one in my family has any issues like this.

Thanks all for the help!

[homemaker]

Thanks for the reply. I actually just made a doctor's appointment. I will be seeing him in 45 minutes. I will definitely talk to him about gluten and Celiac.

I will ask for the tests you mentioned. Now, I did have an upper endoscopy done a couple months ago and it came up negative. And I know I have had regular blood tests from my family doctor, but I'm not sure if Celiac is a normal thing they test for.

From what I have posted here, does it sound like this may actually be the issue that I am having? The weird thing is that I've NEVER had these issues before earlier in the year. I am 35 years old and this is all new for me. Does this sort of thing just pop up like this? Also, no one in my family has any issues like this.

Thanks all for the help!

I think it is a good idea that you made an appointment with your MD. I had my bloodwork done yesterday...and before I had my bloodwork and I had big bagel! I have been miserable since then .... gassy, pain in belly...I am not running to the bathroom, but everything just seems to be stuck in there and not moving! arghhhh! Can't wait to get the the bottom of these tummy troubles!

[ned4spd8874]

Just got back from the doctor's. I am going to have a colonoscopy with a biopsy. Hopefully we will find out more from that.

[ravenwoodglass]

Just got back from the doctor's. I am going to have a colonoscopy with a biopsy. Hopefully we will find out more from that.

If they didn't do any biopsies with the endo you had you may want to consider having that redone at the same time. If you are celiac the colonscopy isn't going to help with the diagnosis.

[Mayflowers]

Hi,

I have no real lower intestinal symptoms but I have insane indigestion, burning in my stomach, shortly after eating wheat and acid reflux. Those are my symptoms that stop as soon as I stop eating wheat. But it's weird. I can go a while and eat wheat with no digestive symptoms and all of a sudden BOOM! Every time I eat it, I get burning and indigestion. Anyone have those symptoms?

[Skye-N]

My symptoms are these:

• Stomach Pain
  
• Cramps
  
• Gotta go to the bathroom again feeling
  
• Indigestion (worse when I am lying on my side)
  
• Feel like I could throw up, especially when I get up and move around
  
• Can't currently stand up straight
  
• Nausea
  
• Stomach/abdomen tightness
  
• Bloated feeling
  
• Shortness of breath, worse when I get up and move around
  
• Bealchy
  
• Stomach is doing backflips/summersaults feeling
  

Help!

Yes, this sounds exactly like what I used to go through all the time before I quit eating gluten. If you read through many of the other celiac symptoms, see if you may be experiencing other things that seemed totally unrelated to gut issues.

Many of us suffer under the IBS diagnosis for years. What you need to do is call your doctor and ask if they will call in a complete celiac panel for you. Then get the blood drawn for it. It would be a good idea for them to also order tests for anemia, both iron and B12. With your IBS diagosis they should have done one already IMHO but doctors don't. The next test for a doctor derived diagnois is going to be an endoscopic exam of your small intestine. You do need to keep in mind that the tests do have rather high rates of false negatives. After you are done with all the testing you choose to do then do give the diet a good strict try. You found a great place for info and support. Hopefully the worst is over reaction wise and you will feel better soon.

I totally agree with this and I'm glad that you are taking this seriously and getting the tests done imeadiately. Once you've taken the tests, I think that you should stop eating gluten completely. Your body will probably tell you the answer before you even get your test results back.

Also I did read somewhere on this site about triggering events (traumas) bringing on the disease (or the symptoms). Maybe someone else can clarify this a little more.