New To This, Need Advice

[shoequeen]

Hi, I am not sure whats going on with me so I thought I might try asking here.

About 6 months ago I began having mild stomach problems, nausea, urge to run to the bathroom and occasional constipation or diarrhea. I went to a GI who took stool samples and blood and found nothing. Being that I have a niece with celiacs, he even tested for that too. Everything came back normal and he told me it was probably IBS but that I would need a endoscopy and a colonoscopy for a diagnosis. I decided that because of my age (26), and sex (f) and the fact that I have a lot of general anxiety, that he was probably right about the IBS and did not further test.

The symptoms got much worse over the next 6 months, including intermittent nausea, constipation,diarrhea, urgent need to go, terrible gas, and literally swirling gas that I could feel and hear in my intestines, but was not always able to pass and bouts of searing heartburn. Deciding I had enough,i scheduled the tests. Also, noticing a increase in symptoms when I ate fats, I eliminated fats from my diet for 2 weeks, wherein I felt abosolutely FINE, and ate lots of gluten without caring. So I got a colonoscopy and an endoscopy this morning. After the tests were done, the doctor said I have celiacs, just based on what it looked like from my endoscopy. He did send samples for pathology and took blood for a complete celiac test which will .

These are my questions, If I have celiacs, wouldnt I have problems all the time, instead of once a week, and certainly these past 2 weeks where I ate gluten every day without incident?

Also, could my GI have definitively decided celiacs without the pathology done? Could what he saw possibly be something else? like damage from reflux or something?

I do remember when my niece was diagnosed at 2 years old, she was emaciated, and vomited everything all the time. I just dont see how we could have the same thing yet have SUCH different symptoms.

Any help would be appreciated.

The questions

[divamomma]

Your dr could have seen damage to the intestianl tract via scope. Sometimes they can only see with a biopsy. I would ask for a report or find out what they saw exactly. But yes, a diagnosis of Celiac Disease can be made without pathology.

[Dixiebell]

Hi shoequeen.

Many, many people are diagnosed with IBS and actually have celiac or gluten intolerance. It's sad really that so many people could be helped w/o drugs by just changing their diets. Many Dr.s are clueless.

No, you would not need to have problems all the time while eating gluten. If you read through the boards, some people don't have many or any smyptoms and some have a lot. It does sound like you have symptoms though.

The best thing to do is to go ahead and start the gluten-free lifestyle especially since your Dr saw damage. You do not have to wait on the results from the endo. or blood tests.