Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Ugh! I Feel Like Crap!

iamhalfsickofshadows

Recommended Posts

iamhalfsickofshadows Newbie
iamhalfsickofshadows
Posted

Hello new friends! I'm SO glad I found this forum! My eyes are starting to burn from reading about celiac disease all night (& almost every night for a few weeks) on this here computer screen... :blink:

Anyways.. I need your help! Do you think I have celiac disease? I've been suffering for so long, and I'm SO tired of people not taking me seriously! I feel like I can't FUNCTION at ALL. It's hard to even focus on writing this post.. Argh!

Here are my symptoms:

depression

anxiety

a strange dull itch all over my body that drives me INSANE. (mostly at night)

acne

NEVER feeling rested/ very sensitive to light

sore body

headaches

SERIOUS BLOATING/gas :(

inability to focus/have a conversation/read....BRAINFOG!

weird messed up periods (sometimes I don't get it for months)

possibly infertility? D:

I swear to you my face looks different depending on what I eat.. it gets itchy, swollen, and just looks....OFF.

panic attacks

shooting pains in my back/lower abdomen

my hands and feet always seem to be cold

eczema

generally feeling all friggen messed up, all the time.

everything stresses me out

I'm probably forgetting some symptoms..

I've turned into such a bummer to be around... I just want to function. I don't feel well enough to do anything. I don't have a job. I keep dropping out of college classes because I just can't do it. I do nothing all day long, I get angry & I feel dull and so very frustrated & I just want to sleep forever. I don't want to complain anymore!! I've had these symptoms for many years to a lesser extent, it's gotten a lot worse in the last year and a half.. I moved to the Bay area, I'm vegan... and I discovered gluten "meats". What can I say? ...Ahem. Gluten "drumsticks" weekly for uh, maybe 7 months.. Every time I'd eat out at a restaurant I'd go straight for the dishes with gluten meats in them too. D'oh! I'm also allergic to bananas, avocados, melons, carrots... these are all self-diagnosed. I have never been tested for allergies. Pretty allergic to cats, dogs, bunnies... pets in general. I'm pretty sure my symptoms are caused by allergies! I started my gluten-free diet about a week ago.. made some mistakes though :[ I just want to live & function somewhat normally, darn it.

Thank you in advance...

(Oops, I meant to post this in pre-diagnosis, testing & symptoms >_< & I just realized I've left a lot of information out... I'm so tired.)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Dear halfsickofshadows: welcome to the forum and to people who understand what you are going through.

First questions first: do you have a primary care physician and health insurance? Can you ask her to run a celiac blood test panel on you, right away, before you stop eating gluten, because it's important to be eating gluten up until the time you are tested. Your symptoms are certainly representative of what many of us suffer, and what doctors dismiss as "all in your head" or "women"s issues". I think it is important that you be tested for celiac as soon as possible. Can you do this? Get back to us and let us know. Do you have a doctor you can trust? The tests the doctor needs to run are:

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

When you get your results, post them here with the ranges the lab uses for reference. And come back and ask further questions any time. Good luck.

amberlynn Contributor
amberlynn
Posted

I can totally sympathize with you! That's almost exactly how I felt before going gluten-free. I didn't have depression though, and my anxiety wasn't horrible (though apparently my stress and anxiety *should* be high, I'm told because of all I deal with, lol). I was just tired, ALL the time. My husband got really tired of my complaining that I was tired all the time! LOL! My back hurt, my legs hurt, my hip hurt (I didn't even think this stuff was related til I'd been gluten-free for 2 weeks, and that pain mysteriously went away!). I always felt like there was a cloud in my head... or a fog. Like the allergy fog they always talk about in those allergy med commercials. I didn't have the energy to deal with my 2 boys, slept like a log when I was actually asleep (I woke up, typically, several times a night - I also didn't realize this until I'd gone gluten-free). Bloating, gas (also gone!), sensitivity to bright light (also, didn't realize it), and my hands and feet are still cold - though its OCT in IL, lol ;). I've never really felt, normal. Ever. I was also hungry ALL the time. I'd eat, then be hungry (starving) again in an hour! I also had nausea- all the time. I varied from diarrhea to constipation all the time. I used to have irregular periods as well, and still suffer from acne.

I functioned though, because I have to. I made it through college by the skin of my teeth, I've managed to care for two very energetic boys and a husband, while maintaining a part time night job (so, that's like working, what, 3 jobs?? LOL).

My doc suggested I give the diet a try b/c I don't have any Celiac symptoms (he said - like weight loss). I really don't have the money for testing, so this is my truth, I guess. My husband believes me, and is 100% supportive. Even though its costing him more money for groceries, lol! I am so much happier now though, and I have so much more energy - though that's not all the way back up to par I think. It is getting there.

I'm putting my 4 year old Autistic son on the diet the first of next month (slowly weaning him off wheat, lol). He's got a lot of stomach issues.

Oh, and I get tested for allergies every year, and nothing has ever come back positive.

Good luck with the diet! It does get easier!

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

given the symptoms you list, honestly, I would not put celiac disease on the top of the list of likely issues. is it possible? oh definitely.

the list you give:

  1. depression
  2. anxiety
  3. a strange dull itch all over my body that drives me INSANE. (mostly at night)
  4. acne
  5. NEVER feeling rested/ very sensitive to light
  6. sore body
  7. headaches
  8. SERIOUS BLOATING/gas sad.gif
  9. inability to focus/have a conversation/read....BRAINFOG!
  10. weird messed up periods (sometimes I don't get it for months)
  11. possibly infertility? D:
  12. I swear to you my face looks different depending on what I eat.. it gets itchy, swollen, and just looks....OFF.
  13. panic attacks
  14. shooting pains in my back/lower abdomen
  15. my hands and feet always seem to be cold
  16. eczema
  17. generally feeling all friggen messed up, all the time.
  18. everything stresses me out

strikes me as primarily a central nervous system issue. yes, I'm saying that you are stressed out, and not managing the stress well, and that's causing the problems, but I don't mean that in a dismissive way at all. chronic stress does nasty things to the body - chemically speaking. constantly running the sympathetic nervous system can cause the majority of these problems. for me, it's manifested via fibromyalgia (which covers symptom 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, and 18 in your list for me). it is well worth noting that some people find that exposure to gluten precipitates this chronic sympathetic nervous system response - e.g. the gluten is physically stressing out their bodies. this is not true for everyone, but I don't want to overlook it either. it can also cause abdominal issues (because it slows the digestive tract) and infertility (lack of ovulation due to stress hormones).

I think there are a few other things that can cause the bulk of these symptoms as well, such as hypothyroidism and/or adrenal insufficiency (which can be related to chronic stress or not), but others with more knowledge than I will have to talk on those.

but, if you strongly think that it's food, I would suggest that you ask your doctor for the full celiac panel (as listed above), but only if you've been eating gluten regularly (three slices of bread a day for at least the past three months). even if the test results are inconclusive or negative, I would suggest trying the diet (100% - no cheating, avoid contamination) for at least three months, and seeing what difference it makes. do not try the diet until you have had testing, however, if you are going to do testing.

ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

I also wanted to say to have your thyroid checked. Many of those signs could be a thyroid condition. That's a simple blood test. You didn't mention if you're seeing any relief on the gluten-free diet. Let us know.

  • 1 month later...
ktnhsv Newbie
ktnhsv
Posted

Oh my word, are you my twin? Seriously? :blink:

We have identical symptoms, except I have terrible teeth issues. I've had many tests run over the last 10 years and all were normal.......and I discovered this gluten intolerant thing a few weeks ago. Please talk to me if you want, I literally know EXACTLY how you feel! ;)

Jean'sBrainonGluten Newbie
Jean'sBrainonGluten
Posted

iamhalfsickofshadows

Most of my symptoms are neurological, which has made it hard to get a diagnosis. A lot of them are similar to yours. There is a lot of information out there about celiac white matter lesions in the brain as well as celiac mimicing such fun things as epilepsy. Also there are studies showing that for some people the immune components they now test, IgA and IgG, can cross react with brain proteins.

I agree with tarnalberry about getting the testing and being willing to try a gluten free diet.

but, if you strongly think that it's food, I would suggest that you ask your doctor for the full celiac panel (as listed above), but only if you've been eating gluten regularly (three slices of bread a day for at least the past three months). even if the test results are inconclusive or negative, I would suggest trying the diet (100% - no cheating, avoid contamination) for at least three months, and seeing what difference it makes. do not try the diet until you have had testing, however, if you are going to do testing.

You might also try a multiple food elimination diet since other sensitivities can be a problem.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Ivyblaze Newbie
Ivyblaze
Posted

does anyone know what they costs typically are for the blood work to be done? I posted my post under hello from Oklahoma if anyone wants to look at my symptoms and help me out....if the tests are not that expensive I'm willing to do this. thank you

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to sha1091a's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Issues before diagnosis

      I agree, it so often overlooked! I live in the UK and I have often wondered why doctors are so reluctant to at least exclude it - my thoughts are perhaps the particular tests are expensive for the NHS, so therefore saved for people with 'obvious' symptoms. I was diagnosed in 2013 and was told immediately that my parents, sibling and children should...
    2. chrisinpa
      - chrisinpa commented on Scott Adams's article in Skin Problems and Celiac Disease
      2

      Celiac Disease and Skin Disorders: Exploring a Genetic Connection

      Maybe they can attribute certain skin conditions to either being susceptible to getting Celiac......or the other way around....but I have to ask if certain people are prone to Celiac because of genetics and some people aren't. It's kind of the same thing as what came first.....the chicken or the egg.?
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      3

      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      @xxnonamexx, There's labeling on those Trubar gluten free high fiber protein bars that say: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, milk, soy, fish, WHEAT, sesame, and other tree nuts." You may want to avoid products made in shared facilities. If you are trying to add more fiber to your diet to ease constipation, considering...
    4. trents
      - trents replied to sha1091a's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Issues before diagnosis

      Welcome to celiac.com @sha1091a! Your experience is a very common one. Celiac disease is one the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed medical conditions out there. The reasons are numerous. One key one is that its symptoms mimic so many other diseases. Another is ignorance on the part of the medical community with regard to the range of symptoms that celiac...
    5. trents
      - trents commented on Jefferson Adams's article in Other Diseases and Disorders Associated with Celiac Disease
      6

      Celiac Disease Patients Face Higher Risk of Systemic Lupus

      What kind of practitioner did the blood test? Was this a medical doctor, a naturopathic doctor, a GI doc? I would certainly follow up with them and ask why they advised you not to eat red meat. I mean, it could be something like they, themselves, are a vegetarian and give that advice to everyone. Have you had an endoscopy with biopsy of the small bowel...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,692
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Ali Zaib
    Newest Member
    Ali Zaib
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Issues before diagnosis

      By cristiana · Posted

      I agree, it so often overlooked! I live in the UK and I have often wondered why doctors are so reluctant to at least exclude it - my thoughts are perhaps the particular tests are expensive for the NHS, so therefore saved for people with 'obvious' symptoms.  I was diagnosed in 2013 and was told immediately that my parents, sibling and children should be checked.  My parents' GP to this day has not put forward my father for testing, and my mother was never tested in her lifetime, despite the fact that they both have some interesting symptoms/family history that reflect they might have coeliac disease (Dad - extreme bloating, and his Mum clearly had autoimmune issues, albeit undiagnosed as such; Mum - osteoporosis, anxiety).  I am now my father' legal guardian and suspecting my parents may have forgotten to ask their GP for a test (which is entirely possible!) I put it to his last GP that he ought to be tested.  He looked at Dad's blood results and purely because he was not anemic said he wasn't a coeliac.  Hopefully as the awareness of Coeliac Disease spreads among the general public, people will be able to advocate for themselves.  It is hard because in the UK the NHS is very stretched, but the fallout from not being diagnosed in a timely fashion will only cost the NHS more money. Interestingly, a complete aside, I met someone recently whose son was diagnosed (I think she said he was 8).  At a recent birthday party with 8 guests, 4 boys out of the 8 had received diagnosis of Coeliac Disease, which is an astounding statistic  As far as I know, though, they had all had obvious gastric symptoms leading to their NHS diagnosis.  In my own case I had  acute onset anxiety, hypnopompic hallucinations (vivid hallucinations upon waking),  odd liver function, anxiety, headaches, ulcers and low iron but it wasn't until the gastric symptoms hit me that a GP thought to do coeliac testing, and my numbers were through the roof.  As @trents says, by the grace of God I was diagnosed, and the diet has pretty much dealt with most of those symptoms.  I have much to be grateful for. Cristiana
    • knitty kitty
      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @xxnonamexx, There's labeling on those Trubar gluten free high fiber protein bars that say: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, milk, soy, fish, WHEAT, sesame, and other tree nuts." You may want to avoid products made in shared facilities.   If you are trying to add more fiber to your diet to ease constipation, considering eating more leafy green vegetables and cruciferous vegetables.  Not only are these high in fiber, they also are good sources of magnesium.  Many newly diagnosed are low in magnesium and B vitamins and suffer with constipation.  Thiamine Vitamin B1 and magnesium work together.  Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine has been shown to improve intestinal health.  Thiamine and magnesium are important to gastrointestinal health and function.  
    • trents
      Issues before diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to celiac.com @sha1091a! Your experience is a very common one. Celiac disease is one the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed medical conditions out there. The reasons are numerous. One key one is that its symptoms mimic so many other diseases. Another is ignorance on the part of the medical community with regard to the range of symptoms that celiac disease can produce. Clinicians often are only looking for classic GI symptoms and are unaware of the many other subsystems in the body that can be damaged before classic GI symptoms manifest, if ever they do. Many celiacs are of the "silent" variety and have few if any GI symptoms while all along, damage is being done to their bodies. In my case, the original symptoms were elevated liver enzymes which I endured for 13 years before I was diagnosed with celiac disease. By the grace of God my liver was not destroyed. It is common for the onset of the disease to happen 10 years before you ever get a diagnosis. Thankfully, that is slowly changing as there has developed more awareness on the part of both the medical community and the public in the past 20 years or so. Blessings!
    • knitty kitty
      Dizziness after eating green beans?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @EndlessSummer, You said you had an allergy to trees.  People with Birch Allergy can react to green beans (in the legume family) and other vegetables, as well as some fruits.  Look into Oral Allergy Syndrome which can occur at a higher rate in Celiac Disease.   Switching to a low histamine diet for a while can give your body time to rid itself of the extra histamine the body makes with Celiac disease and histamine consumed in the diet.   Vitamin C and the eight B vitamins are needed to help the body clear histamine.   Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?
    • sha1091a
      Issues before diagnosis

      By sha1091a · Posted

      I found out the age of 68 that I am a celiac. When I was 16, I had my gallbladder removed when I was 24 I was put on a medication because I was told I had fibromyalgia.   going to Doctor’s over many years, not one of them thought to check me out for celiac disease. I am aware that it only started being tested by bloodwork I believe in the late 90s, but still I’m kind of confused why my gallbladder my joint pain flatulent that I complained of constantly was totally ignored. Is it not something that is taught to our medical system? It wasn’t a Doctor Who asked for the test to be done. I asked for it because of something I had read and my test came back positive. My number was quite high.Are there other people out here that had this kind of problems and they were ignored? 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.