Is This A Stretch?

[Jnkmnky]

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I've seen this before, the link between schizophrenia and Celiac but I can't find the reason why they're being linked. Does anyone here having been tested for the gene now see more of the 'related diseases' in their family? If you have celiac disease and aggavate your body, do you cause schizophrenia? Do you cause Lupus, R.A. by eating gluten when you have C.D.? My two kids and I were tested last week for celiac disease and the gene...none of us have either. I knew my husband gave it to the celiac disease kid~ But there's no one in his family with auto immune diseases, or schizophrenia. I think there's some celiac disease, but my inlaws don't want to hear about it. They still live in the dark ages about celiac disease and they insist I gave it to my son! That's why I got tested! The auto immune diseases associated with celiac disease are scary, but schizophrenia is scarier. What do they base the connection on?

[cdford]

I don't have a clue about the sch. but my extended family has lots of the more usual symptoms. It is my understanding that any of the autoimmune disorders can be worsened when you trigger the celiac disease by continuing to eat gluten. It keeps the immune system wound up. My arthritic condition is much worse after being glutened, and that is the only time my RA appears to be a real problem.

[mommida]

Calcification deposits on the brain. ( I think the frontal lobe in particular.)

[skbird]

I'm going to a rheumatologist on Friday to see if I have a connective tissue disease (like RA, lupus, scleroderma) and one of my questions will be about this. I have done a little research (OK, a lot!!!) about these and have found connections between the two gluten-intolerant (non-celiac) genes that I do have and both scleroderma as well as lupus. I thought that was interesting. (not the reason I'm going to the doc - actually because of some test results I had last month). I'm wondering if these things get activated something like Celiac does. Since these conditions can be linked to some of the same genes, it makes me wonder about the whole autoimmune category of disease.

Anyway, I'll let you know what I learn.

STephanie

[Jnkmnky]

Thanks, Stephanie.

I'm interested and kind of nervous at the same time. I wonder what kind of issues my son will face in his future. If I knew that schizophrenia, lupus, scleroderma *those are scary auto immune disorders!* were potentially in his future due to the celiac disease, I'd have to add that to my ways of dealing with his disease. I don't feel empowered to help him when I hear of "possible connections" but don't understand WHY their associated with one another. I feel I need a better understanding of how celiac disease relates to other more Serious auto immune disorders. Is the threat real, or is the connection exaggerated in order to justify some $grant for some off-beat researcher trying desparately to make a connection exist that doesn't.

[skbird]

I don't know a whole lot about this but am constantly researching these days. I have read on gluten-free sites that a gluten free diet is healthful for someone who has other autoimmune diseases but have not found any other sites about autoimmune disease that recommends limiting or getting rid of gluten. It's a one-way street, information-wise at this point, it seems. In fact, many of those sites advise against making dietary changes which I think, personally, is ludicrous. Why not change your diet if it might help you out?

One thing that bothers me is why after 8 months on a gluten free diet, would I be showing signs of another autoimmune disease? Unless it was there all along and I just didn't notice. It seems it would calm down any other autoimmune disease. I don't think I've been under undue stress lately or having any significant life events that would bring out something like this - not been sick, etc. So I'm hoping this is just a fluke event. Obviously gives me a good excuse to research all this.

Sometimes I think I should have been a scientist. I really enjoy putting things together. I can't believe how many things out there are on the Internet and not connected yet. Why is that? Maybe I should just get a web domain and connect dots and publish them. I could gain a reputation as "information coordinator" or something. Hmmmm.

Anyway, I think the best strategy is to be aware but not to worry. Why worry about what might happen? Being prepared by ensuring your son's health now is the best way to deal with this. If and when something comes up down the road, you'll know you considered it but will have to learn to deal with it at that time. I mean, even if you learn all you can now about the possibilities, if something does happen with him, you still will have to find ways to make that information work for you at that point, despite all the preparation you could be doing now. And think of all the other stuff that is going on now you will miss out on by focusing on "could happen"...

Of course I say this after about a month of stressful researching on my own behalf. Looking back I'm thinking that I have been torturing myself for no reason. Or for little reason, at any rate.

Must go find some music so I can do a little dancing now!

Stephanie

[Jnkmnky]

Stephanie,

Thanks. I'm actually not missing out on any time with him because of considering these things...I broke some toes last week and have been hobbling around the house so I'm sitting in front of the computer more too. I saw that stuff about schizophrenia and celiac disease and thought DAMN, that's a crappy thing to have and WHY is it that they think they're connected???? So I thought someone here would know, or understand the leap made to other autoimmune diseases.

Also, I've posted before about my own bout with joint pain....Is that what you're having issues with? I think I understood your post that way, so here's my take/experience. I took xanax for two weeks and had unGodly joint pain for 4 months. I'm not saying you're taking xanax, but the fact is, no doctor I saw made the connection to the xanax having caused my joint pain. I was tested ... I don't know how many times for elevated ana, and other stuff, tested for lupus, ra, thyroid, diabetes, on and on and on....I was in so much pain that I actually prayed to die....and I'm a MOM! So that's saying a lot. As it turned out, it was a prescription med I'd taken for two weeks in July that caused my pain that lasted through Thanksgiving. So, if you're having joint pain, I would loudly recommend you consider every single prescription med you've taken in the past 6 months as a culprit. Look on line for the "rare side effects" of those drugs and see if joint pain is listed...as it is for xanax. Also, our school had a bunch of fifth's disease cases running rampant back in March. I got a MILD case of it as did my daughter. I thought I had a patch of dry skin it was so small. However, as I and multiple other parents found out, fifth's disease is bad for adults. I've had joint pain on and off since march...it's mild, not like with the xanax. But some of my friends have been seriously laid up and I feel so bad for them because I know how bad joints can hurt. My dr said there's no test to take for the fifth's related joint pain to prove that's what it is. But to expect it can last for as long as 6 months!!!! Last week I had my hands wrapped in ice bags. This week, nothing hurts...except my toes! It's always something!

[Jnkmnky]

My first sentence above looks kinda mean! I didn't mean it to sound that way!