Can Stress Make Celiac Disease Symptoms Become Worse?

[Evangeline]

I always suspected I was a Celiac but the symptoms were never severe enough for me to actually go on a gluten-free diet. I had plenty of edema, I was irritable, I had acne that -never- cleared, weak stomach acid and a host of other "atypical" symptoms of Celiac Disease.

Under stress a few years ago, my body stopped absorbing nutrients. I developed Chronic Fatigue and a host of new symptoms related to celiac disease.

My question: Can Celiac Disease become worse over the years via extreme stress?

[psawyer]

Yes, things can worsen over time, and yes, stress can escalate them. The stress can be physical due to illness, injury, childbirth or surgery; it can also be emotional due to a major change in life circumstances. Divorce, or loss of a job can also be triggers.

[DianeBinNY]

Stress can DEFINITELY cause symptoms to flare up. I hadn't eaten anything containing gluten but my stomach was KILLING me. Then I realized it was because the boss of my company was coming in for a visit and I was nervous. The whole week before he showed up my stomach was killing me. Once he was gone I was back to normal.

[ravenwoodglass]

If untreated yes as Peter said. After you have been gluten free for a while and have healed I think it is a bit more individual. In my case I get no problems gut wise from stress at all anymore.

[Reba32]

if you've had celiac undiagnosed for a few years, yes, the symptoms will get worse over time, and will eventually create more symptoms, and possibly more auto-immune diseases. As they pile up higher and higher, so to speak, they will become more noticable, even if before you thought your occasional upsets were "normal".