Could Lung Inflammation Be Related To Celiac?

[vlm448]

I have been diagnosed (through biopsy) with an inflammatory lung disease.Minimal scarring and lots of inflammation. Dr. said immune system is in overdrive and need to be suppressed with steroids. I had a friend blow me away with suggestion that celiac disease could be the cause. I have had blood work and endoscopy (no biopsy)which dr. said revealed no celiac. I am so confused. Is this friend on to someting.

[mushroom]

I have been diagnosed (through biopsy) with an inflammatory lung disease.Minimal scarring and lots of inflammation. Dr. said immune system is in overdrive and need to be suppressed with steroids. I had a friend blow me away with suggestion that celiac disease could be the cause. I have had blood work and endoscopy (no biopsy)which dr. said revealed no celiac. I am so confused. Is this friend on to someting.

If he did blood work for celiac and then an endoscopy, why, oh why, would he not biopsy for celiac while he was there??? I had pneumonitis as a side effect of methotrexate, and I have a friend with interstitial pneumonitis who is also celiac. Maybe we just have weak lungs???

[ravenwoodglass]

I can't answer for you but I know in my case the inflammation did have effects on my lungs. Prediagnosis I had chronic bronchitis and asthma. Both were considered to be a result of my smoking. I haven't had to use my inhalor or my singulair since I was diagnosed and my yearly bout of bronchitis has not appeared since either. In fact I haven't even had a cold more than once or twice now in over 8 years.

[Cypressmyst]

Gluten Sensitivity can definitely cause inflammation in the lungs. My husband suffered from Asthma since he was 8 years old (32 now) and after 6 months gluten free he can now run without dying. Very, very cool.

Gluten causes inflammation as the body attacks itself. If it attacks the villi in the small intestine we call it Celiac. If it attacks the thyroid we call it Hypo/Hyperthyroidism. If it attacks the lungs we call it asthma or likely one of those other names previously mentioned. If it is inflamed there is a better than good chance gluten is your culprit.

Try going gluten-free for a month and see how you feel. Better then any biopsy or blood test.

[eatmeat4good]

My son has had severe asthma all his life and couldn't participate in sports and got short of breath walking.

He went gluten free when I did 4 months ago on a hunch it might help his fatigue and muscle weakness. Didn't dream it would get rid of his asthma. His lifetime of prednisone, inhalers and antibiotics didn't even manaage it very well. But 4 months gluten free and he has for the first time been able to take up jogging and hasn't had any problems with asthma at all.

I was so curious about that I googled vitamin deficiencies. One consequence of Vitamin D deficiency is severe asthma.

The above post about inflammation attacking different parts of your body is an interesting connection too.

His lungs, my thyroid and skin.

How many kids with asthma could be helped if only their parents knew? I'd taken him to specialists for years.

Yes, I believe there is a definite direct link between gluten and asthma.

However my study had only one participant with a 100% success rate. So I can't publish yet. Except here. Thanks for listening.

[Cypressmyst]

Amazing how little our doctors and specialists know isn't it? There is a very strong link between gluten and autoimmune conditions yet my endo laughed at me when I told him my thyroid was no longer swollen and my meds were going down (blood tests don't lie you jerk!) and said I wasn't wasting away so I couldn't have a gluten problem.

Get out of the stone ages doc...

I have less and less respect for that M.D title I can tell you that.

[BoJonJovi]

I am 56 and have had severe spring and fall allergies all my life mostly effecting my lungs and breathing. I also have moderate/severe COPD and have never smoked, and nothing in my life really explains it other that chronic asthma/allergies and or celiac. I was diagnosed though biopsy and blood test to have Celiac after I had  lung biopsy at National Jewish hospital in colorado. I had a lung biopsy and they found blood in the interstitial tissue of my lungs. When i asked the Dr. at National Jewish, the premier lung hospital of the world, if Celiac could explain the blood in the tissue he said it very could. Now that I have been diagnosed with Celiac I know that I have had ever since I was a kid. Although my allergies and asthma are still bad I have to think Celiac chewed my lungs up and perhaps caused or contributed to the lifelong allergies. My allergist does not feel asthma would cause the type of lung damage I have. 

 

Oddly I have been going to the same allergist since my early 20's. I told him several times through the years that when I get really I feel inflamed from my throat to my anus and I would get hemorrhoids during spring and fall airborne allergy season. Although allergists are called immunologist or doctors of Immunology, he never made the connection and never had me tested. You would think someone who deals with IGe all day would have a clue about IGg. 

 

When I had my over 50 colonoscopy I felt so horrible I told the gastro doctor that I have no referral for an endoscope but I would pay if my insurance would not. That is how they found Celiac. The damage was so severe the doctor new before the biopsy and told me right after I woke up from the procedure. I no longer have hemorrhoids but the lung damage is here to stay.  So a 56 year old lifelong health freak is now on supplemental oxygen. Ya I think Celiac had everything to do with it. 

[Steph1]

My son has had severe asthma all his life and couldn't participate in sports and got short of breath walking.

He went gluten free when I did 4 months ago on a hunch it might help his fatigue and muscle weakness. Didn't dream it would get rid of his asthma. His lifetime of prednisone, inhalers and antibiotics didn't even manaage it very well. But 4 months gluten free and he has for the first time been able to take up jogging and hasn't had any problems with asthma at all.

I was so curious about that I googled vitamin deficiencies. One consequence of Vitamin D deficiency is severe asthma.

The above post about inflammation attacking different parts of your body is an interesting connection too.

His lungs, my thyroid and skin.

How many kids with asthma could be helped if only their parents knew? I'd taken him to specialists for years.

Yes, I believe there is a definite direct link between gluten and asthma.

However my study had only one participant with a 100% success rate. So I can't publish yet. Except here. Thanks for listening.

My daughter has had wheezing, snoring, hay fever and sleep apnea since she was about 1.  The allergist. Prescribed nasal spray and said it is very possible it will progress to asthma.  I took her off gluten 3 weeks ago.  She didn't snore 1 night and had a normal bm.  She is beginning to keep up with other kids when playing.  She was glutened on Saturday so we've had symptoms until today.  I really hope the snoring is gone again tonight.  Oh another thing about ignorant doctors:  she had diarrhea for a month and always has gas pain.  They said it was a virus.

[ragan]

On January 25, 2011 at 0:01 AM, Cypressmyst said:

Gluten Sensitivity can definitely cause inflammation in the lungs. My husband suffered from Asthma since he was 8 years old (32 now) and after 6 months gluten free he can now run without dying. Very, very cool.

 

Gluten causes inflammation as the body attacks itself. If it attacks the villi in the small intestine we call it Celiac. If it attacks the thyroid we call it Hypo/Hyperthyroidism. If it attacks the lungs we call it asthma or likely one of those other names previously mentioned. If it is inflamed there is a better than good chance gluten is your culprit.

 

Try going gluten-free for a month and see how you feel. Better then any biopsy or blood test.

Ive had asthma since I was a child and it was in remission and now that I am gluten free I notice that when I have gluten I have a tight chest and can't breathe.  I am never wheezy though.  When I don't have gluten I am fine.