Jump to content

  • 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

Still Learning

SarahJimMarcy

Recommended Posts

SarahJimMarcy Apprentice
SarahJimMarcy
Posted

We are coming up on one year gluten free. Yay us!

My daughter (14) has had a few strange things happen, and from reading what others have posted, it sounds like ataxia.

In one episode, she couldn't move her legs.

Last night, she couldn't move her arms or speak very easily.

Scary for her, and my husband was ready to carry her into the ER.

Having been through the legs episode with her, I wanted to wait 10 minutes, and sure enough, it resolved itself. She described it as her muscles felt like they had been overworked, like a marathon, and she just couldn't get them to move.

In each of these cases, we can track it back to unintentional gluten exposure. If this is ataxia, do we do anything more than what we're doing? Is there any permanent damage or could this escalate to a real dangerous level? Does ataxia happen to different parts of the body? Anything we can do to help her get through it?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Ataxia is a loss of balance. What you are describing does not sound like ataxia, IMHO. It would be a good idea to get her to the doctor very soon to be checked out. If it happens again before you can get her into the doctor call an ambulance. Better to be safe than sorry.

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

I agree with ravenwoodglass--this doesn't sound like a gluten-exposure problem (and it doesn't sound like ataxia); however, gluten has been known to cause neurological and muscle problems. This could be something else, though (and I can think of two possibilities), and I agree that your daughter needs to be evaluated very soon by a doctor. Please let us know what happens....

SarahJimMarcy Apprentice
SarahJimMarcy
Posted
  • Author

We are only about an hour from the Mayo. Do you think I should try to get her in there?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

We are only about an hour from the Mayo. Do you think I should try to get her in there?

I would get her in wherever she can be seen soonest. She might get to Mayo quickest with a referral from her ped if they feel she needs a specialist not available in your city.

UKGail Rookie
UKGail
Posted

There is a woman in our local support group who arrives in a wheelchair. As newbie to the group the only thing I know is that she is under the care of a respected neurologist, who thinks her problems are probably linked to celiac. He is apparently trying to get her walking again, and is not neccessarily anticipating a successful outcome. I'm afraid I don't know if she is newly diagnosed or a celiac with a well-established gluten free diet. I suspect the former though, as the meeting was specifically for old hands to give support to the newbies.

I would definitely take your daughter to see a good neurologist as soon as possible. If you can find one with an interest in celiac disease, then so much the better.

I think I understand what your daughter is saying about her muscles feeling "overworked". I also get chronic fatigue when glutened, and my muscles feel like I have just run a marathon. I will have zero desire to move, and it is really hard work to go anything, even to get up to go to another room. This issue lasts about a week each time. However, I am much older than your daughter, and have been dealing with this symptom at this lower level of severity for a long time. Given your daughter's youth and the severity of her reaction, it is important for her to be thoroughly checked out.

I would be very pleased to hear how you get on with this, and hope to see you post in due course that this distressing symptom has resolved.

Best wishes.

SarahJimMarcy Apprentice
SarahJimMarcy
Posted
  • Author

Well, we ended up at Children's ER today as she had another episode early this morning. They did a bunch of tests and their working guess is that she is low in trace nutrients, especially selenium and zinc, and that thyroid may be an issue. More results to come on Thursday ...

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Well, we ended up at Children's ER today as she had another episode early this morning. They did a bunch of tests and their working guess is that she is low in trace nutrients, especially selenium and zinc, and that thyroid may be an issue. More results to come on Thursday ...

I hope they figure out what is going on and she feels better soon. Thanks for the update on how she is doing.

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Oh, this is good news! I hope that nutritional elements will be the only thing they find. Hooray for good medical care!

SarahJimMarcy Apprentice
SarahJimMarcy
Posted
  • Author

All tests have come back normal and it is the primary care doctor's opinion that it is stress. Being 14, starting high school, having a vision disability and celiac on top of that is too much. We have calls in to therapists. I feel like a terrible parent for not knowing. When I got my diagnosis, I was relieved. But I should have known that is not how a 14 year old would feel.

  • 1 month later...
SarahJimMarcy Apprentice
SarahJimMarcy
Posted
  • Author

I know people can come back to these threads many years later so I thought I would update it. After the ER visit, we had to go follow up with our primary care doctor. He was out that week, so I asked for the most experienced doctor they had available. So it was Dr. Hoffman at Southdale Peds (MN) who said, "I think this is stress. I could send you to more doctors and I will give you some names, but whenever I give someone a life-chainging diagnosis like celiac, I give them therapists names as well." Well, Dr. Hoffman was giving me some very wise advice. We have found a good therapist and it is starting to make a difference. I guess the lesson is do not ignore the psychological element to celiac. I'm really proud of the progress my daughter is making.

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Thank you so much for the update--I've wondered over the past month if your daughter's problems had been resolved.

It's good to know that she's on the path to good health once again and that you found a caring doctor.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,097
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Ann Den
    Newest Member
    Ann Den
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By trents · Posted

      Your DGP-G is also high. The thing to do now would be to trial the gluten-free diet for a few months to see if there is improvement in symptoms.
    • trents
      GI DX celiac despite neg serology and no biopsy

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Roses8721! How long were you off gluten before getting the celiac blood testing done? The testing is not valid after having been gluten free for a significant period of time. Many of your symptoms align with celiac disease.
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      Hello, I am feeling frustrated. I have hEDS and lifelong digestive issues but my GI PA is very focused on my celiac panel and I just want to make sure that she should be focused on that because completely changing my diet seems to have worsened my symptoms.  Symptoms are constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux with spicy foods and certain foods like tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. I also don't have a gallbaldder as it was removed almost a year ago. This also exacerbated my symptoms. I did have joint pain from hEDS but that was already treated with low dose naltrexone about 4 months prior to going completely gluten free. Endoscopy was abnormal but inconclusive; basically showed some inflammation - which common with hEDS. I don't have any vitamin deficiency.   Celiac Panel Results: TTG-A <0.5 U/ML Reference Range: 0.5-14.9 U/ML NEGATIVE: <15 POSITIVE: =>15 DGP-A 72.0 U/ML Reference Range: 0.2-14.9 U/ML NEGATIVE: <15 POSITIVE: =>15 TTG-G <0.8 U/ML Reference Range: 0.8-14.9 U/ML NEGATIVE: <15 POSITIVE: =>15 DGP-G 24.0 U/ML Reference Range: 0.4-14.9 U/ML NEGATIVE: <15 POSITIVE: =>15 IgG-A-M Results: IMMUNOGLOBULIN A, QN, SERUM 165 MG/DL Reference Range: 87-352 MG/DL IMMUNOGLOBULIN M, QN, SERUM 164 MG/DL Reference Range: 26-217 MG/DL   What are your thoughts, internet? Are there any questions I should be asking the PA? Thanks!
    • Roses8721
      GI DX celiac despite neg serology and no biopsy

      By Roses8721 · Posted

      Help. I’m spiraling. Years of extensive symptoms:  What could this be? Years of: Mildly elevated alk and alt Fatty liver Random days of feeling like I’m coming down w flu but no fever and nobody else in house sick Intermittent diarrhea Severe abdominal distension Long history of cavities and enamel deficiency Sound sensitivity Anxiety and depression Low libido Sun skin allergy Frequent fatigue ended up seeing PCP because I looked 8 mo preg. Started gluten-free diet then celiac serology negative. SW GI Dr dx me w celiac as I had been in bed for 3 days after eating gluten after cutting. GI said not to do biopsy because it was clear what was going on and added to chart. My spiral is not seeing anywhere this is done and want to see if anyone else has dealt w this. If not celiac idk what else I will do. Family history or celiac as well as a death related to this. 
    • miguel54b
      Canker sores

      By miguel54b · Posted

      I get canker sores one hour after eating Oats, and pimples in my butt. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.