Advice...new To This Topic.

[Momma Bird]

I have been reading posts all morning, and was reluctant to post myself because it seems so many others have written what I want to say...but I feel lost and have nowhere else to turn right now. I just heard about celiac disease last night. I picked up a free pamphlet from QFC that had an article about it in there, and I had hope for the first time in a long time that this might be why I feel so crappy all the time. I have been so frustrated with my doctors...I have dealt with depression and anxiety since I was a young teenager (I am 21 now.) But lately, I'd say in the last couple years, my body has just felt like it was shutting down. I am so completely exhausted all the time, no matter how much I sleep. I started Weight Watchers six months ago, and over the last year I have lost 76 pounds. I am constantly wondering why if I'm eating all this healthy stuff (fruits, veggies, whole grains) exercising, drinking tons of water, do I feel worse than I ever have? Everything feels so heavy, especially after meals. I do not eat heavy fatty meals anymore. After a bowl of cereal I feel like I must lay down. I either have horrible constipation, or I can't stop going. My nails are terribly brittle and the skin is always peeling around the nail. I'm anxious, and depressed, mostly because I don't enjoy anything because Im too tired and achy. Thank god my husband and I are apartment managers, and he often will let me go home to sleep in the middle of the day. I don't know exactly what I'm asking for, except for maybe what kind of doctor I should turn to, or what specifically to ask for, test wise? I just want to rule celiac out at the very least. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago for this, and wanted them to check my thyroid...somehow I end up coming home with Celexa (medication for depression) which sends me into a crazy spell, and no thyroid test taken. I am off that now, only took it for a few days. I am frustrated with myself because I don't stand up for myself in the doctors office. I always believe what they tell me, and dont seem to know how to get the answers I need. I am kind of wanting to just try the diet and see if it helps..because the thought of going to another doctors appointment and not getting answers just makes me want to puke. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just needed to vent a bit, because no one else will listen to me!!!

[MySuicidalTurtle]

You can go to your regular doctor for tests. Tell them you want to be tested for Celiac Disease and they will do a blood test and/or a biopsy. Hopefully these tests will halp you find your answer.

[Momma Bird]

Thank you so much! I will make an appointment...I just hope they don't blow me off.

[Jnkmnky]

Go to your dr and get a blood test for Celiac Disease. Your dr works for you. This is YOUR appt. You're paying him for it. Ask for what you want and get what you want. If he wants you to do or take anything other than a blood test for celiac disease, tell him to call you at home and schedual an appt himself at his expense. A blood test for celiac disease can be done immediately and you can begin eating gluten free that day. If nothing else, you will know you're possibly working at solving a problem that is ruining your enjoyment of life. If it's not celiac disease, a gluten free diet while you await blood test results will not hurt.

[KaitiUSA]

I agree, definitely get tested. Don't let them blow you off...you have the cards in your hand.

Make sure they do a complete panel though because that is very efficient in detecting celiac.

[Tasha2004]

I have been reading posts all morning, and was reluctant to post myself because it seems so many others have written what I want to say...but I feel lost and have nowhere else to turn right now. I just heard about celiac disease last night. I picked up a free pamphlet from QFC that had an article about it in there, and I had hope for the first time in a long time that this might be why I feel so crappy all the time. I have been so frustrated with my doctors...I have dealt with depression and anxiety since I was a young teenager (I am 21 now.) But lately, I'd say in the last couple years, my body has just felt like it was shutting down. I am so completely exhausted all the time, no matter how much I sleep. I started Weight Watchers six months ago, and over the last year I have lost 76 pounds. I am constantly wondering why if I'm eating all this healthy stuff (fruits, veggies, whole grains) exercising, drinking tons of water, do I feel worse than I ever have? Everything feels so heavy, especially after meals. I do not eat heavy fatty meals anymore. After a bowl of cereal I feel like I must lay down. I either have horrible constipation, or I can't stop going. My nails are terribly brittle and the skin is always peeling around the nail. I'm anxious, and depressed, mostly because I don't enjoy anything because Im too tired and achy. Thank god my husband and I are apartment managers, and he often will let me go home to sleep in the middle of the day. I don't know exactly what I'm asking for, except for maybe what kind of doctor I should turn to, or what specifically to ask for, test wise? I just want to rule celiac out at the very least. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago for this, and wanted them to check my thyroid...somehow I end up coming home with Celexa (medication for depression) which sends me into a crazy spell, and no thyroid test taken. I am off that now, only took it for a few days. I am frustrated with myself because I don't stand up for myself in the doctors office. I always believe what they tell me, and dont seem to know how to get the answers I need. I am kind of wanting to just try the diet and see if it helps..because the thought of going to another doctors appointment and not getting answers just makes me want to puke. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just needed to vent a bit, because no one else will listen to me!!!

[Tasha2004]

But also take a list of other autoimmune conditions, or read up in advance. They tried to give me antidepressants and I had Thyroid disease (Graves.) You dont just need a Celiac panel, you need a whole blood workup all the way around!

Look up Mary Shomon's site on Living Well with Autoimmune disease and look over some of the condtions, and then try to offer an educated reason to your doctors on why you want tests for these things. yes, Celiac but also thyroid and some other tests. All simply done with one blood draw.

The key is to be well informed, but dont act like you know it all (even if you are right!). I usually say, do you agree with me? The good doctors say yes or no, or lets discuss. The bad doctors get angry!

I have three chronic diseases, so I always arm myself with info!

[Carriefaith]

I agree with Tasha2004, I think you should definately be tested for celiac, but also other auto-immune diseases, and other things like thyroid, lactose intolerance, ect. And Jnkmnky also made a good point, if you are from the states you pay the doctor to go to the appointment so your doctor should want your business and thus be willing to listen and help you.

I think that you should go into the doctor and tell him all your symptoms, even the minor ones, and make it seem like a big deal, because it is! What I do when I go into the doctor is tell them all the symptoms in such a way that they will think of the problem themselves. For example, in your case, I would say something like I have extreme fatigue, lack of energy, constipation and D, brittle nails, anxiety, depression, achiness, and mention that you feel badly after you eat cereal. If the doctor doesn't suggest celiac... I would also mention that you have been doing some research on your own and then mention that you feel like you have a lot of symptoms of celiac, and any other diseases/problems you may want to bring up.... and then ask him if you could be tested for those.

[julie5914]

I like Carrie's suggestion a lot - sometimes talking to doctors is like talking to spouses - you might already have an idea in your head, but you have to make it seem like it's their idea! I did that when I was having migraines - I needed medicine bad and I didn't want to waste any time, so I looked up the terms most used to describe the symptoms and used those terms verbatim. I was like, " I get these headaches, right over my eye, and I am sensitive to light and they last for hours, unresponsive to regular OTC pain killers." She was like, sounds like migraines, and I had my drugs. Thankfully, those are gone now that I am gluten-free!

[lbsteenwyk]

Here are 2 documents from well-respected organizations in the medical community that may help you make a case for your doctor to test you. The first is Myths and Facts about Celiac Disease, from the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Open Original Shared Link

The second is the National Institutes of Health Concensus Panel on Celiac Disease.

Open Original Shared Link

Good Luck!