Can Celiac Be Confused With AS?

[kiki2005]

Hello Everyone,

I have been diagnosed with AS for about 2 years, and just last month I met a new rheumatologist who thought that the main problem could be Celiac disease. I had tested positive last year on my blood work for the sprue test, but the biopsy was negative. For AS I tested negative on the Hlab27, but some xrays show fusion. I am a little confused, I think that now since 2 weeks ago when I started a gluten free diet, the pain in my joints, which were the worst pain I can imagine got soooo much better.I don't have the inflammation anymore that I experienced in my pelvis. I could not even walk some times because of the severe pain I would get on my pelvic area. Now that I started the glute free diet, I'm able to function about a 80 percent better. Has anyone ever experienced the same thing????? I wonder if I truly have AS or maybe both autoimmune disorder. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[domesticactivist]

My son's most severe symptom was joint and bone pain and inflammation/fluid. He got it in his hip so bad that he had to have surgery. Turns out that eliminating gluten completely removed these symptoms.

[Guest]

Celiac disease interferes with the consumption of nutrients from food. human being who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten. Gluten is mainly found in foods and it also in medicines, vitamins, lip balms etc.

It is vary from person to person.

[gotme3gorgeousboys]

Hi Kikki2005,

I have had RA for years and years. I when I was younger the Rheumatologist had diagnosed as probable AS, as I had slight fusion, however after having children, the fusion is gone. Anyway, I have had heaps and heaps of pain over the years, indescribable pain in my feet and hands. Have been on various NSAIDS, stomach protectants and cortisone injections. During the cooler months I usually can't walk too well in the mornings as my feet are normally sooooo full of pain, I cried many mornings! I started a gluten free diet to control my digestive system issues and it has worked so well for that. I have now (after a year of being gluten-free) noticed that I can't remember the last time I felt sore. I have a slight 'thickness'feeling in my problem joints, eg feet, and little finger, but none in my knees or anywhere else and definately no pain!! I remember last year after I'd been gluten-free for just a few months (but still cooking with gluten-free so had lots cross contamination) I still had pain in my feet, but this year there's nothing!! I can only assume that it's from going gluten-free. I haven't been pain free since before I was diagnosed with arthritis at 16!! I'm 28 now, so that's a lot of time to be sore!! I don't think the two can get confused, however I think they go hand in hand. I'm not celiac as tests all came back negative but non-celiac gluten intolerant. I would never never never go back onto a gluten diet as this has helped me with all the pain in my body. I feel like a 28 year old, not a 60 year old, like I have since I was 16!!!

[ravenwoodglass]

If your blood test was positive you have celiac. It sounds like the diet is helping you a great deal so keep with it. I only expected my gut issues to go away gluten free and was shocked when my arthritis went away also. Glad your having such good improvement and I hope it continues.

[mushroom]

I first became aware of the association between diet and AS when our builder refused to eat any gluten, and told me that AS was the reason. I went gluten free hoping it would help my RA. Unluckily for me, it didn't, but it sure helped my digestive symptoms

[maximoo]

Glad you are improving but whats SA?

[mushroom]

It's AS - ankylosing spondlitis - a rheumatoid-type arthritis of the spine

[maximoo]

ok thanks

AS also stands for Asperger's Syndrome