Celiacs And Mild Lymphocytopenia/lymphopenia

[Lexi1989]

Hi all, I am new to this website so hope this post is in the right spot.

I am 23 and was diagnosed with Celiacs a year ago. I have been on a gluten free diet ever since (though I am a very lazy with it sometimes). I am still having some problems with my stomach.

I then got glandular fever and since then have been sick with colds/flus/chest infections a few times since then. On two blood tests (both taken when I had a chest infection) I showed mild lymphocytpenia.

The doctor thought it was just due to being sick and my body fighting infection. She was unaware I have celiacs at the time. However, she referred me to an immune system specialist anyway to figure out why I was prone to getting sick. However to be brutally honest, I have researched a little into the causes of lymphopenia and most of them are not nice (and not related to the Celiacs). I am too scared to go to the specialist in case she is going to tell me its something I dont want to hear.

However some of my research shows that lymphopenia can be simply caused by autoimmune diseases such as celiacs and also leaky gut syndrome.

Is there ANYONE on here who has experience mild lymphopenia which was due to celiacs or leaky gut? or even just due to an infection at the time?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I am losing alot of sleep over this. I realise the logical thing to do would be to go to the specialist and get an answer from her but I am just not ready for an answer I cannot handle at the moment.

Thankyou.

[gatita]

Yes!!!

Low lymphocytes were among the first symptoms that caused my doctor to consider celiac.

Just like your doctor, mine said they can often be low when you're fighting an infection -- in my case, it ended up being because a my T-cell lymphocytes were in my small intestines "fighting" gluten as part of the immune response (and therefore, a lower count in the blood).

My low levels weren't mild either, they were very low.

I was a tiny bit scared too, when I first googled lymphopenia. But my doctor assured me it was a totally normal part of my reaction to gluten, and as I heal the levels should go back to normal.

Of course I do think you should check it out with that specialist soon (since it's probably nothing serious and you'll feel better when you hear that)... and also try to be strict about eating no gluten, because eating it will keep weakening you.

Anyway, welcome to the board, people here are SO helpful!

[ravenwoodglass]

Please do get strict with the diet as it isn't something we can be lazy about. Everytime you get glutened your body is going to form antibodies that can take quite a while to resolve.

I also agree that you should go ahead and see the specialist. Chances are that doctor will be able to set you mind at ease.