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Is Extreme, Sudden Abdominal Bloating Part Of Celiac?

ksangie

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ksangie Rookie
ksangie
Posted

A little background:

I was diagnosed with IBS and fibro back in 2006 due to mysterious pains and consitpation. They tested my EMA and it was negative, so no further tests were done. A (highly regarded) doctor from a university research hospital said it couldn't possibly be celiac and that test is accurate unless there is an IGA deficiency which he claimed I obviously didn't have due to my otherwise good health.

Fast forward to late 2009. I started having extreme joint pain in my feet, then my hands, then my other joints. They tested for RA and lupus, both negative. Then the really strange thing happened in January. My stomach swelled so that my waist is 5 inches larger than it used to be. I was totally poopooed for worrying about this by my PCP because I'm just 6 months past having a baby. I tried to tell him I'd regained my figure already, but he wouldn't listen. Anyway, my stomach swelled and has yet to go down.

Got a new PCP and he ran a celiac panel. My IGG was literally off the charts, my IGA was literally below the charts (IGA deficient?) and my EMA was negative. Awaiting my biopsy on Friday and the results of that next week.

Okay, to make a long question much shorter... Has anyone had extreme and sudden stomach bloating that has gone down after going on a gluten-free diet? I'm just praying this is related to Celiac and easily solved. I've yet to get a diagnosis of Celiac, but I'm actually hoping to.

Thanks for reading/ answering.

Angie

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Wolicki Enthusiast
Wolicki
Posted

Angie,

I am one of the few strange ones who never had bloating before going gluten free, I think it's because nothing stayed in me long enough to cause bloat.

When I first went gluten-free, it took a while for my body to figure out how to process everything, and I literally looked 8 months preggers :blink:

Now, if I get accidentally glutened or get cc, BOOM , massive bloating.

Regardless of your biopsy result, you could probalby benefit greatly by the diet. Testing isn't foolproof, and gluten intolerance will not show up on any test, only Celiac.

A strict dietary trial would probably give you a "firm" dx.

Janie

bekkaz Apprentice
bekkaz
Posted

A little background:

I was diagnosed with IBS and fibro back in 2006 due to mysterious pains and consitpation. They tested my EMA and it was negative, so no further tests were done. A (highly regarded) doctor from a university research hospital said it couldn't possibly be celiac and that test is accurate unless there is an IGA deficiency which he claimed I obviously didn't have due to my otherwise good health.

Fast forward to late 2009. I started having extreme joint pain in my feet, then my hands, then my other joints. They tested for RA and lupus, both negative. Then the really strange thing happened in January. My stomach swelled so that my waist is 5 inches larger than it used to be. I was totally poopooed for worrying about this by my PCP because I'm just 6 months past having a baby. I tried to tell him I'd regained my figure already, but he wouldn't listen. Anyway, my stomach swelled and has yet to go down.

Got a new PCP and he ran a celiac panel. My IGG was literally off the charts, my IGA was literally below the charts (IGA deficient?) and my EMA was negative. Awaiting my biopsy on Friday and the results of that next week.

Okay, to make a long question much shorter... Has anyone had extreme and sudden stomach bloating that has gone down after going on a gluten-free diet? I'm just praying this is related to Celiac and easily solved. I've yet to get a diagnosis of Celiac, but I'm actually hoping to.

Thanks for reading/ answering.

Angie

I am wondering the same thing Angie. I also get very bloated right after eating and also get a little cough for about 10 mins. or so. I had a baby 7 months ago. I sound just about like I could have written your post!

boysmom Explorer
boysmom
Posted

Yep, sounds about right to me. In my case, my tummy just never returned to normal after my 4th baby, which I attributed to it being my 4th baby ;). However, I had finally begun to suspect something wasn't normal a few months before I went gluten-free and had measured myself to see whether it was all in my mind. I found that I could gain 2-5 inches on my waist just by eating a small meal. Once I finally discovered celiac disease and went gluten-free I lost 8 inches off my hips (measuring around my lower abs also) and 2 1/2 inches off my waist the first month!

OptimisticMom42 Apprentice
OptimisticMom42
Posted

I ate a dill pickle and a handfull of walnuts and swelled to about the 7 month size. Started forcing down the cherry juice/maple syrup/miralax tonic as soon as the itching started and today I'm tired but things are moving again. Not sure if it was the pickle or if the walnuts were CC'd. Anyhow my tummy will be flat again in about a week :angry: Hate it when this happens.

DoodleDog Apprentice
DoodleDog
Posted

bekkaz,

My symptoms are identical to yours! Fiannaly I don't feel crazy! I was diagnosed with IBS, symptoms exactly like yours when I was 17 now I am 38. My stomach pains are in the middle of my abs above belly button...so I question if IBS is a correct diagnosis for me. REgarding the belly, I am very thin and thought my belly was due to children. And this past year my belly has been swelling to look like 3-5 months preg. after I eat sometimes. In addition, I have been having joint pain and numbness in feet, hands and other joints. RA test came back negative as with other tests. I was not tested for celiac. Doc said no reason for my fatigue and etc... So I have gone gluten free for about 2 months with cheating about 3 times. For about 2 weeks I have been swelling up like a baloon! I must be getting gluten somewhere. But I can tell you when I first went gluten free, I was not sure what to eat so I ate rice and stuck to safe, boring food items ... the result... a flat belly! So maybe the same will be true for you.

newgfcali Rookie
newgfcali
Posted

Ditto what DoodleDog described. I'm pretty thin, but when I was eating gluten, I would blow up and look like I swallowed a bowling ball. Very uncomfortable. Now that I'm gluten-free, my abdomen is almost flat, even after I eat. The only difference from what you're describing, Angie, is my belly would go down in size overnight, then blow up again the next day after eating gluten.

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ksangie Rookie
ksangie
Posted
  • Author

Ditto what DoodleDog described. I'm pretty thin, but when I was eating gluten, I would blow up and look like I swallowed a bowling ball. Very uncomfortable. Now that I'm gluten-free, my abdomen is almost flat, even after I eat. The only difference from what you're describing, Angie, is my belly would go down in size overnight, then blow up again the next day after eating gluten.

My belly actually does get a bit smaller overnight and I just experienced it going down even further after fasting for yesterday's edoscopy (by about 3 inches.) Here's to hoping this is it and the biopsies come back positive!

CecilyF Rookie
CecilyF
Posted

My belly actually does get a bit smaller overnight and I just experienced it going down even further after fasting for yesterday's edoscopy (by about 3 inches.) Here's to hoping this is it and the biopsies come back positive!

CecilyF Rookie
CecilyF
Posted

I too have extreme bloating and the other symptoms you described. I went gluten-free December 7th and my bloating has been better, but I still cannot get into my pants. I've had NO weight loss whatsoever and am VERY discouraged. I feel 100 percent better. I also find that right before my cycle I get extremely bloated. I went back to my natural doc Monday, and he said my thyroid and hormones are out of whack too. Anyone have any wisdom or knowlege for me.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

It might be time for a visit to an endocrinologist. You need to get all your systems back into "whack" :)

Girrlock Newbie
Girrlock
Posted

Hi. Extreme bloating can be a symptom of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO.) SIBO is very common in people with Celiac disease. In fact one in ten people with Celiac also have SIBO.

Please review the relevant information on medicinenet: Open Original Shared Link

Its a great resource on SIBO. The treatment is completely different; and the diet, unfortunately is...stricter...than just going gluten-free. I have a SIBO; I made the mistake of eating at a gluten-free restaurant once and I got very bloated after!

For even more info, a recent Huff Post article called "All that Bloats is Not Celiac Disease" is helpful: Open Original Shared Link

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    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      after several years of issues with a para-gland issue, my endo has decided it's a good idea for me to be tested for celiac disease. I am 70 yrs old and stunned to learn that you can get celiac this late in life. I have just gradually stopped eating most foods that contain gluten over the past several years- they just make me feel ill- although I attributed it to other things like bread spiking blood sugar- or to the things I ate *with* the bread or crackers etc   I went to a party in Nov and ate a LOT of a vegan roast made with vital wheat gluten- as well as stuffing, rolls and pie crust... and OMG I was so sick! the pain, the bloating, the gas, the nausea... I didn't think it would ever end (but it did) and I was ready to go the ER but it finally subsided.   I mentioned this to my endo and now she wants me to be tested for celiac after 2 weeks of being on gluten foods. She has kind of flip flopped on how much gluten I should eat, telling me that if the symptoms are severe I can stop. I am eating 2-3 thin slices of bread per day (or english muffins) and wow- it does make me feel awful. But not as bad as when I ate that massive amnt of vital wheat gluten. so I will continue on if I have to... but what bothers me is - if it IS celiac, it seems stupid for lack of a better word, to intentionally cause more damage to my body... but I am also worried, on the other hand, that this is not a long enough challenge to make the blood work results valid.   can you give me any insight into this please?   thank you
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