Is It Possible To Develop An Intolerance To Gluten After Getting Your Appendix Removed?

[justjess13]

I tried Googling this, but of course I couldn't really find anything.

I had my appendix removed January of 2010. My appendix originally ruptured in September 2009, but the infection was so bad the doctors put me on antibiotics and pain meds to get the infection cleared up before going in to remove the appendix.

Anyway, almost a year later I started having stomach issues with dairy, & decided to limit my intake of milk and cheese. Now, 2 years after my surgery I am getting horrible headaches, chest pains, body pains and joint pains. I haven't had a normal menstrual cycle since my appendix was removed & I've been unable to get pregnant.

Could these things to linked to having my appendix removed? Because of the strain my body was under during the 4 months I was sick I feel like it could have done some serious damage to my stomach.

Any thoughts, comments or info would be great! Thanks!

[psawyer]

Celiac disease seems to consist of a genetic factor, and activation by some trigger. Once activated, the disease causes an autoimmune reaction to gluten, producing antibodies that attack the villi.

Surgery is commonly reported as a trigger. The trigger can be anything that puts stress on the body, especially stress on the immune system. Childbirth and infectious disease are commonly identified. Emotional stress has also been cited: job loss, divorce, death of a loved one, etc.

[frieze]

T beat me to the "surgery as trigger"....i would also be thinking scar tissue within the abdomen perhaps preventing preg. and causing pain....good luck

[justjess13]

Thank you both for the responses.

I plan to set up an appointment with a doctor early January to figure some stuff out. Between now and January 1st, I will be removing all Gluten from my diet... who thought it would be so easy though? I have found it easy to replace gluten filled foods I used to eat, with Gluten free options from my local grocery store. & they are pretty darn tasty too!

Thanks again!

Happy New Year!

[mushroom]

If you are planning on asking your doctor for testing for celiac disease, you will need to continue eating a full gluten diet up to that point because the antibodies that are tested for in the blood begin to recede as soon as gluten is removed. Likewise, if the doctor wants to do an endo with biopsy you need to be still eating gluten. As soon as all testing you wish to have done is finished you can remove gluten from your diet.