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Does It Injure Other Areas Of The Body?

Googles

By Googles
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Googles Community Regular
Googles
Posted

When I get glutened I tend to get bone and joint pain and neurological symptoms (there may be others but these are the big other two) in addition to the digestive problems. I was wondering if there is damage being done to those other body parts (ie bones and joints or brain) when I get trouble in those areas. Is it just inflammation in some areas, or is it more serious damage? I know it destroys the intestines, but was wondering if it is also destroying other areas where there is pain. Thanks for any insight.

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

In my own case the answer is yes. I still have nerve damage, although I have come a long way from where I was at diagnosis. I also have deformed hands but they now function normally and are painfree off gluten but they do look a bit nasty.

saintmaybe Collaborator
saintmaybe
Posted

Yes. In gluten ataxia, antibodies are attacking and destroying Purkinje cells, which are responsible for perception of space and your position in it. Celiac has also been known To cause severe MS like and RA like symtpto

S, the damage of which is so similar to the real thing, they are Often clinically indistinguishable.

lil'chefy Apprentice
lil'chefy
Posted

In my own case the answer is yes. I still have nerve damage, although I have come a long way from where I was at diagnosis. I also have deformed hands but they now function normally and are painfree off gluten but they do look a bit nasty.

In what way are your hands deformed?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

In what way are your hands deformed?

Like they would be with RA.

Googles Community Regular
Googles
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your replies. it really sucks. I wish that it would save it's damage for the GI track. Does anyone know what type of damage it causes to bones and joints? Does the damage to the brain make the problems you get when glutened become permanent? I am working really hard but lately have been getting glutened more lately (from CC). Ugh I hate this all.

saintmaybe Collaborator
saintmaybe
Posted

Thank you all for your replies. it really sucks. I wish that it would save it's damage for the GI track. Does anyone know what type of damage it causes to bones and joints? Does the damage to the brain make the problems you get when glutened become permanent? I am working really hard but lately have been getting glutened more lately (from CC). Ugh I hate this all.

I believe untreated celiac causes an inflammatory cascade, that can inflame the joints and cause damage. In my own case, I've recently been dealing with inflammation of the hip, specifically the bursa. I also have osteoarthritis of the spine, and possible very early stages of degenerative disc disease. Both of which had a familial history anyway, but when you add in the celiac, it triggered an early onset of all of them.

It doesn't help that celiac has been linked to the onset of *actual* Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, MS, and many other disorders. Once you develop one inflammatory disorder, your chances of developing others are unfortunately exponentially higher. I have no idea if going gluten free really reduces the risk of developing those other disorders.

Keep a wary eye on your symptoms- and have a GI, a rheumy, an endocrinologist, and a hemotologist in your back pocket if symptoms worsen.

P.S. As far as brain damage is concerned- sources vary as to whether it's permanent. It is an established medical fact that the neurological symptoms are treatment resistant and take a long time to heal on a strict gluten free diet. But people on these very boards have described medical miracles- recovering from canes and wheelchairs, regaining their balance. So it can and does happen. The brain is very plastic, and recovery is at least possible

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Lori2 Contributor
Lori2
Posted

Thank you all for your replies. it really sucks. I wish that it would save it's damage for the GI track. Does anyone know what type of damage it causes to bones and joints? Does the damage to the brain make the problems you get when glutened become permanent? I am working really hard but lately have been getting glutened more lately (from CC). Ugh I hate this all.

For me it has caused osteoporosis. The spinal density on my latest bone scan was 58% of the normal young adult. Whether this will reverse or not now that I am absorbing nutrients, I don't know--I can only hope so.

Chad Sines Rising Star
Chad Sines
Posted

My progression is normally lower GI, then upper GI (nausea, vomiting, heartburn), insomnia, sinus congestion, then wooziness/dizziness like an ear infection, then weird pinpoint chest pain issues (not heart), then bone pain.

It really seems to hit so much which does make sense since your body's immune system is attacking itself. You get worn out from the body fighting and worn out because it is hurting itself. Then it had to repair itself... It is amazing that the damage and symptoms are not worse than they are. Oh, and then you have to include nutrient deficiencies from a damaged GI..

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