Need Help

[S-EBarr]

I could use some advice. I was "partly diagnosed" with celiac disease. I say partly because my biopsy came back saying that I have the blunted vili but no other symptoms. I have been on the diet for almost a month and have seen no changes. I am in constant pain and can't leave the house for more than an hour at a time (nature calls).

The doctors are running a lot of tests and I do trust them to come up with a diagnosis, but i'm getting really frustrated and I'm sooooo sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Could use some advice or just someone to talk to!

Beth

[gf4life]

Hi Beth, Welcome to the board.

You could just be taking a while to heal, or you could be getting a fair bit of gluten in accidently. If you post a sample of what you usually eat maybe we could try to pin down any culprits. You wouldn't believe all the things they put gluten in! If we don't find any foods (or medications) in your daily diet, then it could be an additional illness or just delays in the healing process and relief of symptoms. Some people do take months and even years before getting real relief.

You say you only had blunted villi, but no other symptoms. I would say your "nature calls" are a symptom. Did you have this problem before going gluten-free? Also there are over 250 known symptoms and related diseases to Celiac, so maybe you had some and didn't realise they were related. But I wouldn't say that you are "partly diagnosed". You had a positive biopsy. This is undisputable evidence that something is damaging your intestines. Do the doctors think it is gluten doing the damage or something else? If it isn't gluten what do they think it would be??

And another question, are you still consuming dairy products?? If your villi are blunted, then you will not be able to digest any dairy, since the tip of the villi is where the enzymes to digest lactose (milk sugar) are located. If you don't have the tips back yet, then the dairy will give you problems. You may need to give up dairy for at least a few weeks, possibly a few months.

Looking forward to seeing your food "diary".

God bless,

Mariann

[S-EBarr]

The thing is I have no problems ingesting dairy products. I have tried going without dairy products before and trust me that's not it, I was no different going without dairy than I was eating it. I have always had problems with my "nature calls" as well. For a while the doctors thought I had Crohn's Disease (which may still be an option) or Ulcerative Colitis.

I have been sticking to the diet very strictly I read every single ingredient that I ingest. I usually just stick to chicken, rice, fruit, and veggies ( I am a vegetarian that eats chicken and fish).

I have some more tests that the doctors want me to do one being a test for CF and we really hope that's not it! The only thing that is coming out positive right now is that biopsy, however the pathologists were very hesitant to say that is what I have. They sent the biopsies out to the Military Testing place (don't know the name) and we are now waiting for the results.

I am really frustrated and in a whole heck of a lot of pain. Thank you for writing me back and for just listening to me!

Beth

[Laura]

I'm assuming that since you're being careful to read ingredients you've checked out the chicken you're eating -- I know some chicken has broth injected into it or something like that, and the broth could be a culprit.

Other than that, all I can say is I hope you figure it out and feel better soon!

[S-EBarr]

It's fresh chicken not the frozen stuff.

Beth