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Celiac And Fertility?

K8ling

By K8ling
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

Well, it's happened again, guys. My husband got back from the desert a few weeks ago and I am 3 weeks late. I went to a new OB today who said my fertility issues could be related to

CELIAC!!

I had no idea it could affect it to this extent! Hopefully I AM pregnant but if I am not, I am going to start on shots to kind of reset my body.

Can any of you help me out with this? Have any of you had fertility issues stemming from Celiac?

I am so confused.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Did they do a pregnancy test?

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

*fingers crossed*

Yes, lots of people around here have suddenly gotten pregnant when they went gluten-free. You're pretty new to the diet so you might want to give it a little more time before you start getting shots and whatnot. I'd say to go at least a year gluten-free first.

srall Contributor
srall
Posted

I cannot say for certain, but my opinion is that my unexplained secondary infertility was because of my gluten intolerance.

twinkle-toez Apprentice
twinkle-toez
Posted

While I've never tried to actually conceive children, my menstrual cycles have been irregular since, well since I started menstruating 13 years ago. I was diagnosed in the summer of 2009 with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a shock to everyone as I am NOT the typical phenotype (I"m very slim, heavily involved in athletics, normal glucose tolerance and not insulin resistant, no hirutism, only mild acne, etc). Anyway, when I wasn't on the pill I'd average a period once every 4-6 months.

I eliminated gluten from my diet in July, and aside from two accidental glutening since then, I have been totally gluten free. My period in October came only one week late, and my period in November was exactly on time at the four week mark.

While I know that PCOS isn't exactly unexplained infertility per se, it certainly does not make sense in my case that I should have the syndrome, and I personally believe that for me, the PCOS is linked to gluten consumption.

Philippa Rookie
Philippa
Posted

Oops, my computer is acting up.

I meant to say, I believe I have had issues with celiac and fertility. I had 7 miscarriages over 10 years. Many tests were done and no cause was found. I had one successful pregnancy during that time. Oddly enough I was on prednisone during that pregnancy (treatment for unexplained miscarriage). I don't know if it was just a fluke, or if it was the prednisone. Given that celiac is an autoimmune disease it does make me go hmmm.

Now my family doctor says maybe the celiac caused the miscarriages But who can say for sure. The other thing that was different with that pregnancy is that I was taking a lot of vitamins. I'd seen a naturopath.

Hopefully you are pregnant and everything is good! Have you had trouble getting pregnant? I have heard that celiac can cause infertility as well as miscarriages.

SheaLynne Newbie
SheaLynne
Posted

I also do not have definite proof, but believe that secondary infertility issues have been related to gluten. I started menstruating at age 14, and had light and often skipped periods until I was in college. By my late 20s when dh and I were trying to conceive, it took about 6 months for us to conceive (not too unusual, so thought nothing of it other than that my sister gets pg if she thinks about it!). Then we started trying for a 2nd 2.5 years after that one was born, and it took over 2 years. By then I was showing possible short luteal phase (so cycles tended to be short). Since that birth almost 6 years ago, we have not prevented anything, but have not opted for any fertility treatments and nothing has happened.

When I went gluten free for the first time nearly a year ago, I immediately skipped two periods. Since then (fully gluten-free for the past 6 months) I have been more regular than I have in years. There's no doubt that it has affected my menstrual cycle in some ways. I'm not pregnant, but I'm 40, so that may be pretty low odds by now any which way.

I hope you get the results you want and have no issues from celiac and infertility/miscarriage. I'm very fortunate to be able to be a mother, and I am ever grateful for it.

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K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for all the support guys. I went today and the urine test was negative. The thing is, it would have been HUGELY off cycle...My husband returned 11/3 and my period was supposed to start 11/6. So I am SO confused. She said I would be 6 weeks but thats not fair to measure from October because Sean wasn't even home until 11/3!!!! Gah.

So they took blood, and we'll go from there. As I type this I am nauseous, and I weigh the same but it seems like I have some extra padding at the front (I couldn't button my jeans this morning). I know it's not psychosomatic because after that many miscarriages you kind of tend to take everything with a grain of salt. I really expect the test to come back negative. I just want to know why I feel like this!! If I am pregnant, awesome. But if I am not? C'mon body! Work with me!

I am usually like clock work which is why it's a little odd that I am late at all. Gah.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

The stress of having your hubby home could throw off your periods. It isn't just bad stress that can do that good stress can also. Celiac can definately lead to fertility issues and miscarriages but the doctors don't really know why. At one time it was thought to be nutritional issues but research has shown that is not the case. It is still a medical mystery but they do know that many celiacs have a hard time concieving and carrying when they are still consuming gluten. In most cases things normalize after we have been gluten free for a while.

SGWhiskers Collaborator
SGWhiskers
Posted

I'm sorry you are going through this stress again. Raven's right. Stress can really affect your cycle. My periods will start on a weekend all but once or twice a year dispite being somewhat irregular (4-6 weeks). I know it is the stress of the work week that makes my body wait to ovulate until the weekend.

Unfortunately with celiac, our fertility really does get messed up quite badly. That stress isn't good for us either. Take care of yourself and when hubby comes home and you are ready to try again, consider seeing a reproductive endocrinologist who can do a little blood work to see if your body is ready. Stick to that diet and hugs to you and your son.

polarbearscooby Explorer
polarbearscooby
Posted

So I was gonna start a new topic, but this seems as good a place as any to ask....And it's kinda hard to ask because it's embarrassing.

I'm 20 years old, and I've had rough periods ever since I was 13 and had a cyst so huge rupture they thought it was my appendix, I was sick as a dog. The pill helped, but I've had to go off it for a few different reasons including money :P And now my periods are AWFUL again, especially since I got glutened right before this one. So I guess my question is, is this normal for someone with Celiac? Or is it unrelated? It seems every woman in my ENTIRE family has troubles like these.... Most of the women in my family have fertility issues too.....

Sorry for hyjacking.... :-/

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted
  • Author

I had really horrible periods ON the pill. It also killed my sex drive. The only problem now is apparently I don't have ANY periods LOL

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

So I was gonna start a new topic, but this seems as good a place as any to ask....And it's kinda hard to ask because it's embarrassing.

I'm 20 years old, and I've had rough periods ever since I was 13 and had a cyst so huge rupture they thought it was my appendix, I was sick as a dog. The pill helped, but I've had to go off it for a few different reasons including money :P And now my periods are AWFUL again, especially since I got glutened right before this one. So I guess my question is, is this normal for someone with Celiac? Or is it unrelated? It seems every woman in my ENTIRE family has troubles like these.... Most of the women in my family have fertility issues too.....

Sorry for hyjacking.... :-/

In case you want to go back on the pill:

Unless you are at a Catholic College, you might be able together the pill inexpensively at the Student Health Ct. If your college has a med school, usually discounts for students. Planned parenthood will do a basic exam and prescribe the pill inexpensively. County health services do this, too.

polarbearscooby Explorer
polarbearscooby
Posted

In case you want to go back on the pill:

Unless you are at a Catholic College, you might be able together the pill inexpensively at the Student Health Ct. If your college has a med school, usually discounts for students. Planned parenthood will do a basic exam and prescribe the pill inexpensively. County health services do this, too.

Thanks, I've got the RX for it from my doctor so now problem there, just had a bit of a tight budget lately... And since I've never been, um, active, It wasn't to high on my priority list until this month, I've never had a glutening and this at the same time.... I still wanna just crawl in a hole and possibly kill all males.. roflol

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted
  • Author

I totally remember that feeling LOL. Feel better!!!

firefightersgal Apprentice
firefightersgal
Posted

After two years of inexplicable secondary infertility and one miscarriage, my OB and I are certain that gluten intolerance has been the cause of my problems. He said that Celiac Disease can certainly lead to both issues.

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