Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Symptoms

racheldeniseh

Recommended Posts

racheldeniseh Newbie
racheldeniseh
Posted

Hi everyone, I am new here but I would really appreciate any help or advice. I am a 20 year old female and have been having chronic diarrhea, bloating, gas, and pain for about 7 years. Around the same time that my GI problems began, I also began getting eczema really bad on my neck and arms. I used to have really oily skin and acne and now my skin is dry and painful no matter how much fluid I drink or how much lotion I put on. My lips are almost always chapped and cracking at the corners. Well I never really was treated or talked about any of my problems except the eczema. Now that I am in college, I know that what has been going on is not normal and I want answers. I went to my nurse practitioner who said I had IBS and gave me antispasmodic medicine that did not help at all. In a separate visit to the health services doctor on campus, I was diagnosed with "angular cheilitis" which explains the cracking of the lips. I seriously do everything I can to eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and take care of my skin but I feel that everything is out of my control. The rash has spread to my eyelids and my lips are so red and painful, and I am so embarrassed even to go out in public or talk to anyone that I know. I went to a different doctor again today who said that she thought it sounded like celiac, and she did a blood test for celiac. My question is, do any of these symptoms sound like celiac? If so, does the rash and angular cheilitis go away on a gluten-free diet? Thanks in advance for any help!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Welcome to the board. Yes it does sound like you may be celiac. Do make sure you don't go gluten free until all testing is finished. However even if your test results are negative you should still give the diet a good strict try as false negatives do happen.

If you do have problems with gluten then yes the problems you are having should hopefully resolve. You may want to get some stress level B vitamins as that may help a bit.

basilicious Explorer
basilicious
Posted

Hi racheldeniseh,

I can't add to what ravenwoodglass already said, but just wanted to say hang in there! I'm sure it's difficult to juggle these health issues with schoolwork and your social life, but it sounds like you're taking good care of yourself and you're on your way to getting some answers. Good for you! Hugs!

LOWNskater52 Apprentice
LOWNskater52
Posted

You certainly sound like a typical celiac from the symptoms you described.

Be happy your're a typical celiac and not a celiac like I am. I have some digestive problems(gas, poor digestion) but the bulk of my celiac symptoms or neurological and psycological. Crippling Anxiety, and messed up hormones. Blows. The eczema I can relate with. I have eczema on my right achilles heel, right hand, and belt area of my stomach. Its minor when I am gluten free but when I eat something with gluten it literally explodes.

Go get a test I suppose but some people can be extremely gluten intolerant and not show up on a Celiac panel. Thats my case. I can't even eat the Gluten Free Food products.

Couple of questions

You mentioned skin. Do you get dandruff? I had terrible dandruff with my overall dry, cracked skin. Getting better though.

DId you have some sort of trauma that caused these symptoms to start back 7 years ago? Physical/Mental Trauma/Stress can cause gluten intolerance to appear. Did for me.

Main Advice: Go gluten free. Fruits, Veggies, and meat only. Its not that Bad. You get used to it. Also remember to stay with it and don't get discouraged and cheat. It could take months or even years for your body to repair itself. Its been 4 months gluten-free for me and I am alot better but not everything is back to normal. Stay the course kiddo.

racheldeniseh Newbie
racheldeniseh
Posted
  • Author

Thank you so much everyone for your responses! It makes me feel good that I have support and people that can relate to what I am going through. :) To Lownskater52: I do have really bad dandruff.. My entire body is just always dry. I do not think I had any trauma during that time, but I cannot remember that time period very well. I wish I would have sought help sooner about all of this. Hopefully my results come back soon. I am still eating gluten as of now, but I will talk to my doctor about what to do next if it is positive or negative.

LOWNskater52 Apprentice
LOWNskater52
Posted

Bingo. You sound just like me.

Get tested and whatnot then go gluten free. Whole Foods = Mecca. I guarantee some improvement but I do not guarantee being back to 100%. I'm not even there yet and I've been gluten-free for 4 months.

LOWNskater52 Apprentice
LOWNskater52
Posted

One more thing. DO you have dark circles/bags under your eyes? I do and its a sign of overall toxicity.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


racheldeniseh Newbie
racheldeniseh
Posted
  • Author

YES! I always have dark circles under my eyes!! Everyone always tells me how tired I look. What does overall toxicity mean? Thanks Lownskater52!!!

LOWNskater52 Apprentice
LOWNskater52
Posted

Hahaha. Sounds like we have the same thing going on.

Dark circles are a sign of toxicity or hormonal imbalance. Most likely both. Your body prob sees the gluten as a toxin and you develop these bags under your eyes. In addition to this, this toxicity in your blood also causes hormonal imbalances (in your adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, ovaries etc...) for the double whammy effect.

Going gluten free will help. Idk if it will get you to 100% but i know it will help. hormonal imbalances also can take years to correct so stick with it.

Keep it up. I know how it is. When I got sick with this disease for the first time 1.5 years ago, I was in my last semester of college.

racheldeniseh Newbie
racheldeniseh
Posted
  • Author

I will let you know how my test turns out.. All my favorite foods have gluten but I would happily sacrifice if it meant I didn't have to suffer anymore. P.S. Are you a male or female?

LOWNskater52 Apprentice
LOWNskater52
Posted

Aw you're a a cutie.

I'm a macho man.

We'll get you well. Can't be sick for the college experience.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,956
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    John767
    Newest Member
    John767
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Heatherisle
      Blood results

      By Heatherisle · Posted

      Thanks everyone for replying. Actually made a mistake when stating the lab range for results, should have been 0.0-7.0 not 0.7 u/ml. She was 19 u/ml. I’m afraid science bamboozles me especially trying to understand all the IgA’s and other bits!!!!Regular blood results like full blood count etc not so much!!!!
    • John767
      Diagnosed w Celiacs, but reacting to gluten-free Digiorno Pizza AND Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

      By John767 · Posted

      DiGiornos gluten free pizza at one point was  made from a dough derived of wheat starch...yet they were able to call it gluten free probably because it came in at under 20ppm for gluten.  Apparently the recipe was changed and the pizza not longer contains a wheat starch derived crust.  As for the Heinz dressing, it could be an issue with cross contamination with wheat barley and or rye somewhere during the production process.  If you read how Frito-Lays (on their website) designates items gluten free, you will understand the variances in the lengths companies go through in deciding when to put on a gluten free label and when not--Frito-Lays is pretty solid.  Also being in Canada, they may follow a common international rule of less than 20ppm of gluten is all that is required to be labeled gluten free regardless of the grains used to manufacture the product (common in Europe, Central, and South America)...it took a couple of really rough mornings after consuming some Dura Damm (labeled as gluten free outside the USA) for me to realize that it was a gluten reduced beer. Same with Mahou Beer which actually says in Spanish "suitable for celiacs", unfortunately it is not suitable for this celiac and of course the following day was really rough as well...really take the time to read the ingredients because had I read the ingredients of  Mahou's "suitable for celiacs" "sin gluten" beer I would have noticed that it was made from cabada (Spanish for barley)...hope this helps...        
    • Wheatwacked
      Blood results

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Here is an article that explains test results and what they mean.  Testing for Celiac Disease is so elusive, any positive, unless a lab error false positive, is evident of Celiac.  It is easier to be in denial, tnan committing to gluten free.  Like not believing a pregnancy test.  Denial will lead to more suffering. Are You Confused About Your Celiac Disease Lab Results?
    • Wheatwacked
      Diagnosed gluten allergy but not Celiac

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      I believe that what triggers acute Celiac Disease is vitamin D deficiency.  When we have stress it depletes our already low vitamin D, (40% to 60% of us in the industrial world are deficient) allowing the Celiac genes and the immune system to run amuck.  At 93 ng/ml 25(OH)D blood level, the last time I accidentally glutened myself, all that I got was a runny nose and burning eyes three days later.  It took 8 years, taking 10,000 IU a day to get to this blood level. Vitamin D Is Not as Toxic as Was Once Thought Possible Role of Vitamin D in Celiac Disease Onset So true.  If I am working on something I'm enjoying, I put off eating because after I eat I mostly feel worse.  Not so much anymore, but it's been a life long struggle with the anorexia.  M&M Peanuts is a good go-to snack.  For the dairy Kosher Dill pickles, brine fermented, not vinegar quick pickles (vinegar kills the bacteria), will repopulate your gut with Lactobacillus that exretes lactase, the reason adults are not lactose intolerant.  Also, grassfed milk has less omega 6 fatty acids than commercial grain fed dairy. Grassfed omega 6:3 ratio is 1:1; Organic milk 3:1; Commercial Dairy 5:1.  Omega 6 causes inflammation.  The typical western diet is 14:1.  Wheat flour is 22:1.  A good reason not to eat gluten.  Here is a list: High omega-3/low omega-6 I find it interesting that the new diagnosis of Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity was created 10 years after Norman Borlaug, "the father of the Green Revolution" and our modern grain crops, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.  
    • Heatherisle
      Blood results

      By Heatherisle · Posted

      Thanks for your reply. She has been given a date for her endoscopy, 28th of this month, so hopefully she’ll know for sure if she definitely has coeliac. Needless to say she’s dreading it!!!!
×
×
  • Create New...