Ladies With Celiac Disease

[pretty in paleo]

Hi all. this is my first post on the forum. well i heard that women are 9x more likely to get dx than men.

Is this true? if yes do we know why? I think it might just be that women are more likely to see a doctor, more likely to have insurance, and to admit certain symptoms, etc. thoughts?

[tarnalberry]

It is worth noting that, in general, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with ANY autoimmune condition. No one knows why.

[pretty in paleo]

It is worth noting that, in general, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with ANY autoimmune condition. No one knows why.

yeah i remember reading that somewhere too

[shadowicewolf]

I've heard its because women are more in tune to their body and more willing to go in and find out why.

[Chaff]

My doctor said people who are high-strung are more likely to get diagnosed because of their personality. But I wonder if people with severe GI issues are more likely to be high-strung. I feel out of control when everything I eat makes me sick, so I get anxious...which means anxiety all the time until my diet is resolved. I've noticed women with autoimmune diseases do tend to be high-strung. Could there be a connection there?

[pretty in paleo]

My doctor said people who are high-strung are more likely to get diagnosed because of their personality. But I wonder if people with severe GI issues are more likely to be high-strung. I feel out of control when everything I eat makes me sick, so I get anxious...which means anxiety all the time until my diet is resolved. I've noticed women with autoimmune diseases do tend to be high-strung. Could there be a connection there?

That makes sense. when you are stressed your body releases cortisol, which disrupts your immune system. Which may be the reason celiac disease presents itself after a period of stress or illness. I myself still get panic attacks even after being gluten free a long time :\

[guest134]

There is debate whether or not the diseases are more prominent in women or the fact that most men will ignore minor/medium symptoms. Since most autoimmune diseases cause very minimal symptoms until they progress in severity it is common for people just to think of a minor symptom as part of their life. It is also important to remember that autoimmune disease won't always progress to severe stages, take a look at the Chicago celiac center:

"Only 3% of people with the disease are diagnosed" -http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/medical-professionals/guide/diagnosis'>Open Original Shared Linkmedical-professionals/guide/diagnosis

"The number of Americans with celiac disease would fill 936 cruise ships. Passengers on 908 of the ships won’t know they have it." - Open Original Shared Link

I highly doubt that of these 97 percent undiagnosed celiac's they are all just ignoring severe symptoms and suggestive blood tests (I.e- anaemia) - The disease can very well have little affect on some people and show low positive results, sometimes these low positives will go to full blown positive and sometimes it wont. Autoimmune diseases in general are a guessing game with few providing a slam dunk diagnosis. Some people will go and live a completely normal and long life with a low stage autoimmune disease that never progresses.

I would be willing to bet that around 60 percent of the general population would have at least one slightly elevated antibody test if you ran the entire disease panels on them (I have had 15 different A.I antibodies tested and there are still more). Do these tests really mean anything at the current time? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

[kareng]

I saw a few reports on TV that said women would be more prone to the autoimmune diseases than men because our immune systems are slightly different. We have to be able to shut off the immune response to a parasitic invader living inside us for 9 months. I affectionately call mine M & J. . I don't have time to google that, but maybe you could find something along those lines as an explanation. Female hormones may be a factor, too. I don't think there is a real answer.

I have also heard that women are more likely to talk to each other, on forums, and with a doctor about health issues than men. I think women may go to doctors more regularly as they tend to see an OB/gyn every year or two.

[pretty in paleo]

There is debate whether or not the diseases are more prominent in women or the fact that most men will ignore minor/medium symptoms. Since most autoimmune diseases cause very minimal symptoms until they progress in severity it is common for people just to think of a minor symptom as part of their life. It is also important to remember that autoimmune disease won't always progress to severe stages, take a look at the Chicago celiac center:

"Only 3% of people with the disease are diagnosed" -Open Original Shared Link

"The number of Americans with celiac disease would fill 936 cruise ships. Passengers on 908 of the ships won’t know they have it." - Open Original Shared Link

I highly doubt that of these 97 percent undiagnosed celiac's they are all just ignoring severe symptoms and suggestive blood tests (I.e- anaemia) - The disease can very well have little affect on some people and show low positive results, sometimes these low positives will go to full blown positive and sometimes it wont. Autoimmune diseases in general are a guessing game with few providing a slam dunk diagnosis. Some people will go and live a completely normal and long life with a low stage autoimmune disease that never progresses.

I would be willing to bet that around 60 percent of the general population would have at least one slightly elevated antibody test if you ran the entire disease panels on them (I have had 15 different A.I antibodies tested and there are still more). Do these tests really mean anything at the current time? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

So basically a lot of men will ignore the problem, GI problems or whatever it is, for as long as possible? Yeah I know people who would rather die than have to eat healthy/different food than they are used to!

[nvsmom]

LOL I'm "manly" and ignore the symptoms until a while after I should have gone to the hospital. LOL I ignored celiac for 30+ years.

I don't think acquiring an AI disease has to do with being highstrung. I've been called laid back to a fault so I know it's not the case for me, although I wouldn't doubt that a stressed person would end up with more symptoms.

I've read that they are looking into the link between the differences in our sex hormones. For some women, AI disease symptoms lessen after menopause because we have less hormones.

[mushroom]

I think it really has to do with the individual, not their sex. I am pretty laid back, always end up at the doc's after later than I should have been there (almost manly there but had to diagnose hubs' DH - which made a believer out of him when he looked it up)

I would agreen with Karen that my immune system appears to be different, and perhaps??? one which the TNF inhibitors were designed for - crossed fingers smiley --).

But I do think, in general, women are more likely to avail themselves of medical treatment, or force the men in their lives into it, than men. I don't know if it comes from the mothering instinct (I have no children) or a general awareness of the body or interest in its functions, but speaking for myself only, I want to know what's going on, gosh darnit !!! I hate that fuzzy IBS zone

[guest134]

So basically a lot of men will ignore the problem, GI problems or whatever it is, for as long as possible? Yeah I know people who would rather die than have to eat healthy/different food than they are used to!

Well, I am a male. Since I have been going through a possible diagnosis I have talked to several friends about it and the surprising consensus among my male friends is that they all have pains that come and go and they just ignore, a few of them even have daily pains. I might be diagnosed although I have no symptoms of celiac, my way of thinking is treat it before it becomes symptomatic and problematic, my male friends all say the same thing "I would keep eating gluten until I was horribly sick and couldn't". My female friends are much more supportive of treating it before it becomes a problem. Once again you can't just simply group it as men do this and women do that but I do feel that men are more likely to ignore pains.

[GottaSki]

I saw a few reports on TV that said women would be more prone to the autoimmune diseases than men because our immune systems are slightly different. We have to be able to shut off the immune response to a parasitic invader living inside us for 9 months. I affectionately call mine M & J. . I don't have time to google that, but maybe you could find something along those lines as an explanation. Female hormones may be a factor, too. I don't think there is a real answer.

I have also heard that women are more likely to talk to each other, on forums, and with a doctor about health issues than men. I think women may go to doctors more regularly as they tend to see an OB/gyn every year or two.

This is very close to what I was about to respond - thanks for typing it out for me K!

[kareng]

This is very close to what I was about to respond - thanks for typing it out for me K!

This is very close to what I was about to respond - thanks for typing it out for me K!

My poor tired fingers! Glad I could help.

[GottaSki]

but I do feel that men are more likely to ignore pains.

I believe women are more likely to ignore all minor pain and are more likely to realize and ADMIT something is not quite right in the bathroom.

[pretty in paleo]

LOL I'm "manly" and ignore the symptoms until a while after I should have gone to the hospital. LOL I ignored celiac for 30+ years.

I don't think acquiring an AI disease has to do with being highstrung. I've been called laid back to a fault so I know it's not the case for me, although I wouldn't doubt that a stressed person would end up with more symptoms.

I've read that they are looking into the link between the differences in our sex hormones. For some women, AI disease symptoms lessen after menopause because we have less hormones.

I used to ignore my symptoms when I was in middle school/high school (I'm in college now)

[pretty in paleo]

Well, I am a male. Since I have been going through a possible diagnosis I have talked to several friends about it and the surprising consensus among my male friends is that they all have pains that come and go and they just ignore, a few of them even have daily pains. I might be diagnosed although I have no symptoms of celiac, my way of thinking is treat it before it becomes symptomatic and problematic, my male friends all say the same thing "I would keep eating gluten until I was horribly sick and couldn't". My female friends are much more supportive of treating it before it becomes a problem. Once again you can't just simply group it as men do this and women do that but I do feel that men are more likely to ignore pains.

A possible dx of gluten sensitivity you mean? Yea I have had people (mostly guys) tell me, "Well if I was you I would still eat whatever I wanted LOL"