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

Doctors In Houston?

sue1234

By sue1234
in Doctors

Recommended Posts

sue1234 Rookie
sue1234
Posted

I have had bloating for 10 years. It has reached a critical level that makes me short of breath. I had the celiac testing locally:

anti-gliadin IgA 42 (0-10)

every other blood test was negative. Had the biopsies, and told they were negative also.

I guess whoever I would go to in Houston that kind of specializes in celiac would also be a gastroenterologist also, so could address my intense bloating, whether it is due to gluten or not.

Could someone give me a name or two? Thanks!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


vbecton Explorer
vbecton
Posted

I have had bloating for 10 years. It has reached a critical level that makes me short of breath. I had the celiac testing locally:

anti-gliadin IgA 42 (0-10)

every other blood test was negative. Had the biopsies, and told they were negative also.

I guess whoever I would go to in Houston that kind of specializes in celiac would also be a gastroenterologist also, so could address my intense bloating, whether it is due to gluten or not.

Could someone give me a name or two? Thanks!

Howdy! I use Dr. Ray Verm in the medical center. He's beyond excellent and the Celiac expert that the local support group recommends. Just saw him last week and he's awesome! He's in Scurlock Towers, 6560 Fannin, Ste 1625, Houston 77030 (713-791-1800).

sue1234 Rookie
sue1234
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the contact info for Dr. Verm! You sound like me--I've been fighting hypoglycemia for almost 20 years. Is it related to celiac?

vbecton Explorer
vbecton
Posted

Thanks for the contact info for Dr. Verm! You sound like me--I've been fighting hypoglycemia for almost 20 years. Is it related to celiac?

Oopsie! Just saw that you replied with a question. Yes, the hypoglycemia is most certainly related to Celiac. My doctor explained it to me and I remember it having to do with the inability to process proteins adequately due to malabsorption. Therefore, the only thing the body can use for energy is the cheap carbs and sugars. Our bodies over respond to the sugar and send out too much insulin, creating a dramatic drop in our blood sugar with all the leftover insulin. Over time, we can become insulin resistant if the problem isn't corrected :( I rarely have issues with blood sugar now, thanks to eating very few processed carbs and going gluten free.

Dr. Verm is the only doctor who has taken me seriously and actually listens to all my complaints. He even remembers all the little details! Let me know if you see him and good luck!!

  • 2 weeks later...
sue1234 Rookie
sue1234
Posted
  • Author

By the way, thanks for the explanation!

I actually have not made an appt. yet with Dr.Verm because my stomach is too bloated to travel! It would be a three hour one-way trip for me, and when I am bad like this, I am most comfortable reclining or lying on my side. Until it lets up, I won't be able to navigate the trip AND the big medical center. But, I hope soon....

  • 3 weeks later...
Lockheed Apprentice
Lockheed
Posted

Is there another doctor in Houston that is highly recommended also? Dr. Verm is not on BCBS TX PPO. I just have a bad feeling my current GI doc is missing stuff left and right and I was told by my previous GI doc in Dallas that they had removed tubular adnoma polyps - the kind that become colon cancer. But my screenings for the last six years have shown nothing and my current GI doc keeps wanting to take me off my gluten free diet (Heck no!).

vbecton Explorer
vbecton
Posted

Try looking at this site: Open Original Shared Link

Scroll down to Medical Advisors. Janet (the leader of the Houston support group) is very knowledgable and I'm sure everyone on this list is highly recommended for Celiacs. Someone on that list is bound to accept BCBS. Good luck! :)

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Aphreal Contributor
Aphreal
Posted

Thanks Vbec, I might go see him too. I live in Houston.

  • 2 weeks later...
rhiannon34 Newbie
rhiannon34
Posted

Thanks! Great info. I live in Houston as well, so this gives me hope enough I just still might try to get my diagnosis.

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. trents
      - trents replied to SilkieFairy's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      IBS-D vs Celiac

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @SilkieFairy! You could also have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) as opposed to celiac disease. They share many of the same symptoms, especially the GI ones. There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out.
    2. trents
      - trents replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

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

      Under the circumstances, your decision to have the testing done on day 14 sounds very reasonable. But I think by now you know for certain that you either have celiac disease or NCGS and either way you absolutely need to eliminate gluten from your diet. I don't think you have to have an official diagnosis of celiac disease to leverage gluten free service in...
    3. SilkieFairy
      - SilkieFairy posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      IBS-D vs Celiac

      After the birth of my daughter nearly 6 years ago, my stools changed. They became thin if they happened to be solid (which was rare) but most of the time it was Bristol #6 (very loose and 6-8x a day). I was on various medications and put it down to that. A few years later I went on this strict "fruit and meat" diet where I just ate meat, fruit, and squash...
    4. catnapt
      - catnapt posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      0

      anyone here diagnosed with a PARAthyroid disorder? (NOT the thyroid) the calcium controlling glands

      learned I had a high PTH level in 2022 suspected to be due to low vit D got my vit D level up a bit but still have high PTH I am 70 yrs old (today in fact) I am looking for someone who also has hyperparathyroidism that might be caused by malabsorption
    5. catnapt
      - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

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

      I am on day 13 of eating gluten and have decided to have the celiac panel done tomorrow instead of Wed. (and instead of extending it a few more weeks) because I am SO incredibly sick. I have almost no appetite and am not able to consume the required daily intake of calcium to try to keep up with the loss of calcium from the high parathyroid hormone...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,323
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    James Minton
    Newest Member
    James Minton
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      IBS-D vs Celiac

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @SilkieFairy! You could also have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) as opposed to celiac disease. They share many of the same symptoms, especially the GI ones. There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out.
    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      Under the circumstances, your decision to have the testing done on day 14 sounds very reasonable. But I think by now you know for certain that you either have celiac disease or NCGS and either way you absolutely need to eliminate gluten from your diet. I don't think you have to have an official diagnosis of celiac disease to leverage gluten free service in hospitals or institutional care and I'm guessing your physician would be willing to grant you a diagnosis of gluten sensitivity (NCGS) even if your celiac testing comes up negative. Also, you need to be aware that oats (even gluten free oats) is a common cross reactor in the celiac community. Oat protein (avenin) is similar to gluten. You might want to look at some other gluten free hot  breakfast cereal alternatives.
    • SilkieFairy
      IBS-D vs Celiac

      By SilkieFairy · Posted

      After the birth of my daughter nearly 6 years ago, my stools changed. They became thin if they happened to be solid (which was rare) but most of the time it was Bristol #6 (very loose and 6-8x a day). I was on various medications and put it down to that. A few years later I went on this strict "fruit and meat" diet where I just ate meat, fruit, and squash vegetables. I noticed my stools were suddenly formed, if a bit narrow. I knew then that the diarrhea was probably food related not medication related. I tried following the fodmap diet but honestly it was just too complicated, I just lived with pooping 8x a day and wondering how I'd ever get and keep a job once my children were in school.  This past December I got my yearly bloodwork and my triglycerides were high. I looked into Dr. William Davis (wheat belly author) and he recommended going off wheat and other grains. This is the first time in my life I was reading labels to make sure there was no wheat. Within 2 weeks, not only were my stools formed and firm but I was only pooping twice a day, beautiful formed Bristol #4.  Dr. Davis allows some legumes, so I went ahead and added red lentils and beans. Nervous that the diarrhea would come back if I had IBS-D. Not only did it not come back, it just made my stools even bigger and beautiful. Still formed just with a lot more width and bulk. I've also been eating a lot of plant food like tofu, mushrooms, bell peppers, hummus etc which I thought was the cause of my diarrhea before and still, my stools are formed. In January I ran a genetics test because I knew you had to have the genes for celiac. The report came back with  DQ 2.2 plus other markers that I guess are necessary in order for it to be possible to have celiac. Apparently DQ 2.2 is the "rarer" kind but based on my report it's genetically possible for me to have celiac.  I know the next step is to bring gluten back so I can get testing but I am just not wanting to do that. After suffering with diarrhea for years I can't bring myself to do it right now. So that is where I am!   
    • catnapt
      anyone here diagnosed with a PARAthyroid disorder? (NOT the thyroid) the calcium controlling glands

      By catnapt · Posted

      learned I had a high PTH level in 2022 suspected to be due to low vit D  got my vit D level up a bit but still have high PTH   I am 70 yrs old (today in fact) I am looking for someone who also has hyperparathyroidism that might be caused by malabsorption    
    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      I am on day 13 of eating gluten  and have decided to have the celiac panel done tomorrow instead of Wed. (and instead of extending it a few more weeks) because I am SO incredibly sick. I have almost no appetite and am not able to consume the required daily intake of calcium to try to keep up with the loss of calcium from the high parathyroid hormone and/or the renal calcium leak.    I have spent the past 15 years working hard to improve my health. I lost 50lbs, got off handfuls of medications, lowered my cholesterol to enviable levels, and in spite of having end stage osteoarthritis in both knees, with a good diet and keeping active I have NO pain in those joints- til now.  Almost all of my joints hurt now I feel like someone has repeatedly punched me all over my torso- even my ribs hurt- I have nausea, gas, bloating, headache, mood swings, irritability, horrid flatulence (afraid to leave the house or be in any enclosed spaces with other people- the smell would knock them off their feet) I was so sure that I wanted a firm diagnosis but now- I'm asking myself is THIS worth it? esp over the past 2 yrs I have been feeling better and better the more I adjusted my diet to exclude highly refined grains and processed foods. I didn't purposely avoid gluten, but it just happened that not eating gluten has made me feel better.   I don't know what I would have to gain by getting a definitive diagnosis. I think possibly the only advantage to a DX would be that I could insist on gluten-free foods in settings where I am unable to have access to foods of my choice (hospital, rehab, nursing home)  and maybe having a medical reason to see a dietician?   please let me know if it's reasonable to just go back to the way I was eating.  Actually I do plan to buy certified gluten-free oats as that is the only grain I consume (and really like) so there will be some minor tweaks I hope and pray that I heal quickly from any possible damage that may have been done from 13 days of eating gluten.    
×
×
  • 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.