New Member With Questions?

[AndieA]

Hi everyone! Thanks for reading!

I think that I might have Celiac Disease and I have some questions. I am currently a full time student and without heath insurance so I am trying to decide if I should go gluten free without testing.

[eatmeat4good]

Yes, you should go gluten free.

Yes, all your symptoms could be Celiac.

Yes, if you keep eating it you can cause further damage.

Yes, Stomach ulcers and gallbladder problems are symptoms of celiac disease.

You should join the ranks of us who are self-diagnosed and give the diet a good strict try.

You should get a thyroid test since thyroid problems are common in Celiacs and vitamin deficiencies too.

Even without insurance, these tests are important. It will tell you if you have damage in other areas too. Then you know if you need thyroid meds and what vitamins you are deficient in.

But I wanted to say welcome! I think you are a perfect candidate to try the gluten free diet. It is a shame your Dr. said that 2 years ago that it is too hard to avoid gluten in the south..or something to that effect. I live in the south, and we have meat, vegetables, fruit and nuts here like they do everywhere else. Waste no time....read read read and get started purging your kitchen. You are going to be feeling better soon I have a feeling! Ask away when you have questions. It took me until 47 to find out, so I am excited when someone as young as you catches on to this. Take care,

[mushroom]

IBS is not a diagnosis; it is a cop-out. It means I don't know what is wrong with you. And that GI doc who told you not to go gluten free and eat more fiber!!! You can eat gluten free in Alaska, you can gluten free in the Sahara desert or Hawaii, you can eat gluten free anywhere that you put your mind to it, even in the south. And it does sound like you need to, most definitely. And yes, the longer you continue to eat gluten the more at risk you are to develop other autoimmune diseases. And you do not want those!!! If your symptoms resolve on the diet then you don't really need a diagnosis. But even if you did the testing on a full gluten diet there is a 20% chance of a false negative result, and there is an even higher chance that you are non-celiac gluten intolerant, meaning you will always test negative on the testing. You need specific antibodies in your blood and specific damage in your small intestine to get a celiac diagnosis. Many people have the symptoms without these findings, and gluten intolerance is genetically based, like celiac disease (steps off soap box )

It sounds like your oldest son could benefit from eating gluten free as well. .