Newbie Here

[songbird123]

Hello everyone! Until today, I had never even heard of Celiac Disease, but ran across it on Google while doing some research on my current medical state. For about a month, I have been having bowel habits that are not normal for me...having to go 10-15 minutes after I eat (especially if I have milk), diarrhea (which sometimes "looks funny" and has a foul odor) and loose stools, abdominal cramping, feeling like I have to go but can't, and a little bit of blood. I've been worried I might have colon cancer, so I went to the doctor and they did a colonoscopy this past Friday with two biopsies. They said everything looked fine...no tumors or polyps, but I have to wait until next week to get the biopsy results. Well, after doing more research, I discovered some info on Celiac Disease and now I'm concerned that might be my problem. You see, I also have gas/bloating, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, rectal itching and I was diagnosed last year with fibromyalgia because of the pain and easy bruising. And I will admit...I love sugar. I don't sit around all day eating candy bars, but I do love chocolate and sugary things and I live off of Mt. Dew. Just was wondering if anyone here thinks that Celiac Disease might be what's wrong with me. Can it be diagnosed by a biopsy taken during a colonoscopy? Thank you!

Michelle

[mushroom]

Hi Michelle, and welcome. No, a colonoscopy cannot diagnose celiac disease. Even an upper endoscopy cannot diagnose it unless they are specifically looking for it and treat the biopsy samples with special staining.

Many of your symptoms are synonymous with those of celiac disease and it is possible you could be in the early stages. Your first step is to go to your GP and ask her to perform a celiac blood panel test on you. That consists of the following tests:

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) IgA and IgG

Total Serum IgA

The normal procedure if any of these IgA tests are positive is to refer you to a GI for an upper endoscopy and biopsy samples for confirmation of the positive diagnosis, although more and more doctors are feeling that the biopsy is no longer necessary if the blood testing is firmly positive. And it is your decision whether or not to have the endoscopy.

[songbird123]

Well, the more I read about Celiac Disease, the more convinced I am that I have it. Forgot to mention earlier that I also have insomnia, and I have had asthma since I was 18 months old. My best friend is being supportive but said "What would you eat?!?" LOL I haven't told my boyfriend yet what I suspect, because I don't want him to think I'm being a hypochondriac like my family does. My mother thinks I'm just looking for something to have. No...I'm looking for a way to feel better. I do want to have the blood test done, but I don't know if I can convince the doctor to do it.