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

Missing Classes

Aeva

By Aeva
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Aeva Rookie
Aeva
Posted

I'm still fairly new to being gluten-free, so my body is still adjusting, and I'm figuring out just how strict I have to be. Because of this, I'm still getting sick on a semi-regular basis. I've already missed 2 classes because I got glutened last week, and had D for several days...not good for the first week of school. In most of my classes there is a strict absence policy: 3 strikes and you're out, unless you have a doctors note, or something comparable. If you're not there for more than 15 minutes of the class (including leaving in the middle), it counts as half of an absence. But if I get sick, there's really no way to avoid it. Even if I were to go to class, I'd definitely be in the bathroom for more than 15 minutes of the three hour classes, so it's fairly pointless to go at all. I know that I'm going to exceed the number of classes I'm allowed to miss because of my stomach, or other gluten-related issues (my joints get so bad I literally can't get out of bed sometimes, let alone be able to drive to school). What can I do about this? Is there somebody at the school I should talk to, or get some sort of letter from my doctor?? My grades have suffered for most of my life because I've spent half the classes in the bathroom, and this needs to change! Help!!!

I'm a sophomore in college by the way.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Looking for answers Contributor
Looking for answers
Posted

Until you feel better, you might want to cut out dairy as well. It may help calm your digestive track. Also, I highly recommend taking high doses of probiotics for a while and digestive enzymes. Since you're probably on a college budget, my GI recommended Trader Joes (hopefully they have these stores where you're at) acidophilus. It's only a few bucks and helped me very much during my healing.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If a doctor has diagnosed you, get a note from him explaining you have celiac disease and some of the issues. Go to your colleges disability office and talk with them. You may need to take a semester off to get your health together. Good luck.

Aeva Rookie
Aeva
Posted
  • Author

The acidophilus sounds like a good plan, I shall check into that. Several people have mentioned the dairy thing to me, and it confuses me slightly. In the quest to diagnose my tummy troubles, I've been tested for lactose intolerance, and it's been negative. But does that not necessarily mean that cutting out dairy wouldn't help?

I unfortunately can not take a semester off. To be on my parents health care plan, I need to be attending school full time. I will definitely talk to my doctor thanks.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Yes, go to the campus disability office. That's what the office is there for. They will help you negotiate with your profs.

As for the dairy, a lot of celiacs are sensitive to casein, one of the main proteins in milk. It has nothing to do with lactose.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I unfortunately can not take a semester off. To be on my parents health care plan, I need to be attending school full time. I will definitely talk to my doctor thanks.

That may not be the case if your taking the semester off for health reasons. Go to the disability office and talk to them and also give your health insurance company a call.

You should immediately drop dairy, even if you have not had positive lactose tests you may have casien intolerance and dropping dairy is not going to hurt. What are you eating? To heal fastest you should be eating whole unprocessed foods. If you are eating in the cafe at school make sure what you are eating is for sure gluten free. If your eating at home you also need to be careful of cross contamination. You need your own new gluten-free toaster, condiments, nut butters etc. Fresh fruits and veggies, meats, chicken, fish, potoatoes, rice etc are going to be naturally gluten free so build your diet around those. Go easy on gluten free replacement foods for now. Add those in after you have healed a bit.

I hope your feeling better soon.

i-geek Rookie
i-geek
Posted

The acidophilus sounds like a good plan, I shall check into that. Several people have mentioned the dairy thing to me, and it confuses me slightly. In the quest to diagnose my tummy troubles, I've been tested for lactose intolerance, and it's been negative. But does that not necessarily mean that cutting out dairy wouldn't help?

I unfortunately can not take a semester off. To be on my parents health care plan, I need to be attending school full time. I will definitely talk to my doctor thanks.

It's the casein, most likely. It's hard to digest when your gut is destroyed from celiac disease. I had to cut all dairy, including butter, when I first went gluten-free in late December 2009. I was able to add it back in after a few months, but had to give it up again this week to heal from a bad glutening last month. The bloating and GI turmoil started calming down after 24 hours without dairy. It's annoying, sure, but less so than being in constant pain, not having my pants fit and having to barricade myself in the bathroom on a daily basis.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I took a year off school on disability and was eligible for COBRA at a reasonable price.

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

I am a full time student, and what I did was at the beginning of the semester I brought in doctors notes and hand outs on Celiac. Then I told them that because I have Celiac, I am going to get sick occasionally. I could provide doctors notes or whatever else was needed. If I had to miss class, I had to miss class. Unfortunately, GI upset is not something you can "tough out".

I hope you figure it out :)

StacyA Enthusiast
StacyA
Posted

It's probably too late into the semester to switch, but does your college offer web-based courses? Same credit hours, just all online... Great for people with medical concerns.

MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

I'm still fairly new to being gluten-free, so my body is still adjusting, and I'm figuring out just how strict I have to be. Because of this, I'm still getting sick on a semi-regular basis. I've already missed 2 classes because I got glutened last week, and had D for several days...not good for the first week of school. In most of my classes there is a strict absence policy: 3 strikes and you're out, unless you have a doctors note, or something comparable. If you're not there for more than 15 minutes of the class (including leaving in the middle), it counts as half of an absence. But if I get sick, there's really no way to avoid it. Even if I were to go to class, I'd definitely be in the bathroom for more than 15 minutes of the three hour classes, so it's fairly pointless to go at all. I know that I'm going to exceed the number of classes I'm allowed to miss because of my stomach, or other gluten-related issues (my joints get so bad I literally can't get out of bed sometimes, let alone be able to drive to school). What can I do about this? Is there somebody at the school I should talk to, or get some sort of letter from my doctor?? My grades have suffered for most of my life because I've spent half the classes in the bathroom, and this needs to change! Help!!!

I'm a sophomore in college by the way.

Check to see what the ADA rules are for your school. It's not fair for you to "strike out" if this is a disease, not a choice.

polarbearscooby Explorer
polarbearscooby
Posted

My class has a STRICT attendance policy and last semester I did horribly because I got sick and missed to many classes.

I've already had to miss classes this semester too :( I just hope this time they let me pass

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,982
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    volivier
    Newest Member
    volivier
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Outgrow celiac?

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      @Riley., Welcome to the forum.   It was once believed that Celiac Disease was only a childhood disease and it can be outgrown.  That was before 1951, before gluten was discovered to be cause of Celiac Disease, also called Infantilism.  Back then Cileac Disease was thought to be only a gastro intestinal disease, once you  "outgrew" the colicky phase, you were cured. You were so lucky to be diagnosed at 5 years old so your developing years were normal.  Gluten can affect multiple systems.  The nervous system, your intellegence. The muscules, skeleton. It can cause neurological issues like brain fog, anxiety, and peripheral neuropathy.  It can cause joint pain, muscle weakness, and skin rashes. Epilepsy is 1.8 times more prevalent in patients with celiac disease, compared to the general population. Because through malabsorption and food avoidances, it causes vitamin D and numerouus other essential nutrient deficiencies, it allows allergies, infections, poor growth, stuffy sinuses and eustacian tubes. There is even a catagory of celiac disease called "Silent Celiac".  Any symptoms are explained away as this, that or the other thing. Gluten is one of the most addictive substances we consume.  Activating the Opiod receptors in our cells, it can numb us to the damage that it, and other foods are causing.  It has become socially acceptable to eat foods that make us feel sick.  "There's a pill for that".   It is generally accepted that n fact you are weird if you don't. The hardest part is that if you don't eat gluten you will feel great and think why not.  But slowly it will effect you, you'll be diagnosed with real diseases that you don't have. You'll be more susseptable to other autoimmune diseases.  As you read through the posts here, notice how many are finally dianosed, after years of suffering at older ages.  Is it worth it? I think not. Perhaps this book will help:  Here is a list of possible symptoms:   
    • Riley.
      Outgrow celiac?

      By Riley. · Posted

      Hi! Im Riley, 18 years old and have been diagnosed for 13 years.. the testing started bc I stopped growing and didn’t gain any weight and was really small and thin for my age.  I got diagnosed when I was 5 and have been living gluten free since, in elementary and middle school it was hard for me and I kept contaminating myself bc I wanted to fit in with my friends so so badly. I ate gluten secretly at school and mostly regretted it 30 minutes later.  I’ve had symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, headaches, stomachaches, threw up a lot and was really emotional.  In 2022 I really started working on myself and tried to stay gluten free and if I did eat gluten I wouldn’t tell anyone and suffer in silence.  Last year in July I begged my mom to let me „cheat“ one day bc I just wanted to fit in… I ate a lot of different stuff, all the stuff I missed out on in my childhood like nuggets, pizza and all that.. I didn’t have symptoms that day and was doing really fine My mom and I wanted to test how far we can go and said we would test it for 12 weeks to get my blood taken after to see if I’m doing good or if symptoms start showing  As a now 18 year old girl who finally gained a normal weight and doesn’t get symptoms I’m to scared to get tested/my blood taken cuz I finally found comfort in food and it got so much easier for me and my family.  A year and 4 months later i still didn’t get any symptoms and have been eating gluten daily.  I’m scared to get tested/my blood taken cuz what if I’m actually not fine and have to go back to eating gluten free. Any tips to get over that fear and „suck it up“ cuz I know I could seriously damage my body… sorry if I seem like a idiot here… just don’t really know what to do :,)
    • Mari
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By Mari · Posted

      There is much helpful 'truth' posted on this forum. Truths about Celiac Disease are based on scientific research and people's experience. Celiac disease is inherited. There are 2 main Celiac 'genes' but they are variations of one gene called HLa - DQ What is inherited when a person inherits one or both of the DQ2 or the DQ8 is a predisposition to develop celiac disease after exposure to a environmental trigger. These 2 versions of the DQ gene are useful in diagnosing  celiac disease but there are about 25 other genes that are known to influence celiac disease so this food intolerance is a multigenic autoimmune disease. So with so many genes involved and each person inheriting a different array of these other genes one person's symptoms may be different than another's symptoms.  so many of these other genes.  I don't think that much research on these other genes as yet. So first I wrote something that seem to tie together celiac disease and migraines.  Then you posted that you had migraines and since you went gluten free they only come back when you are glutened. Then Scott showed an article that reported no connection between migraines and celiac disease, Then Trents wrote that it was possible that celiacs had more migraines  and some believed there was a causal effect. You are each telling the truth as you know it or experienced it.   
    • tiffanygosci
      Aldi Pueblo Lindo Yellow Corn Tortillas

      By tiffanygosci · Posted

      Another annoying thing about trying to figure this Celiac life out is reading all of the labels and considering every choice. I shop at Aldi every week and have been for years. I was just officially diagnosed Celiac a couple weeks ago this October after my endoscopy. I've been encouraged by my local Aldi in that they have a lot of gluten free products and clearly labeled foods. I usually buy Milagro corn tortillas because they are cheap and are certified. However, I bought a package of Aldi's Pueblo Lindo Yellow Corn Tortillas without looking too closely (I was assuming they were fine... assuming never gets us anywhere good lol) it doesn't list any wheat products and doesn't say it was processed in a facility with wheat. It has a label that it's lactose free (hello, what?? When has dairy ever been in a tortilla?) Just, ugh. If they can add that label then why can't they just say something is gluten free or not? I did eat some of the tortillas and didn't notice any symptoms but I'm just not sure if it's safe. So I'll probably have to let my family eat them and stick with Milagro. There is way too much uncertainty with this but I guess you just have to stick with the clearly labeled products? I am still learning!
    • tiffanygosci
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By tiffanygosci · Posted

      Thank you all for sharing your experiences! And I am very thankful for that Thanksgiving article, Scott! I will look into it more as I plan my little dinner to bring with on the Holiday I'm also glad a lot of research has been done for Celiac. There's still a lot to learn and discover. And everyone has different symptoms. For me, I get a bad headache right away after eating gluten. Reoccurring migraines and visual disturbances were actually what got my PCP to order a Celiac Panel. I'm glad he did! I feel like when the inflammation hits my body it targets my head, gut, and lower back. I'm still figuring things out but that's what I've noticed after eating gluten! I have been eating gluten-free for almost two months now and haven't had such severe symptoms. I ate a couple accidents along the way but I'm doing a lot better
×
×
  • 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.