RoseTapper

Keep us posted on your test results. I also don't agree that IBS is a condition--I truly believe it is just a symptom. It's the most common misdiagnosis of celiac. My daughter was diagnosed with IBS of the small intestine when she was 15. Ridiculous! Now, of course, we know she had celiac, but the gastroenterologist never even suggested testing her....

I'm so very sorry that you feel so ill right now. I know how hard it is to live and eat on a skimpy budget--I usually just eat mashed potatoes or tomatoes from my garden during the last week of the month because I've run out of money to buy food. It can be discouraging, I know. Although I don't normally tout processed foods, since I've been eating pretty...

I thought I'd pop back in to mention that after you go gluten free, it can take quite a while before the diarrhea goes away. You're young, so maybe your intestinal lining will heal more quickly than mine did, but it took 18 months before I finally felt "normal" in that regard. However, I did see some real improvements within 5-6 months. The reason why...

I'm VERY glad to learn that you're going to go on a gluten-free diet, because your symptoms sound like the same ones that many of us on this forum suffer from. I don't have all of your symptoms, but I have had most of them--and more. The fact that you're in the military worries me, though. Did you know that people with celiac can't serve in the military...

Flour on wine corks? Sorry...this is nonsense.

So...you're coming to the U.S.? You might encounter a little culture shock because of how poorly celiac is understood here. You might wish to obtain a list of the restaurants that offer gluten-free menus; otherwise, you'll need to ask a LOT of questions at the restaurants you visit. Yes, the tea was at the Queen Victoria Building, but I didn't get sick...

I just got back from visiting my daughter in Sydney, Australia. You would not believe how easy it is to live a gluten-free life there! Most restaurants list whether a meal is gluten free, and they happily accommodate people by substituting different ingredients. In addition, gluten-free bread and pizza were available at almost every restaurant I visited...

Personally, I haven't had a gluten reaction to any of those candies (and I've eaten them many times). I think your suspicion about what may have been on the others' hands may lead you to know what caused your symptoms.

Okay, your situation sounds very familiar to me. I, too, was severely anemic and ill after getting a celiac diagnosis. I was so fatigued, I actually pulverized iron tablets and placed the powder under my tongue, hoping that sublingual iron would make me feel better. Well, I did feel better almost immediately, but my teeth instantly turned black. It seems...

Interesting....I recently attended a celiac conference, and I learned that schizophrenia is common in people with celiac. When celiac is the cause, the symptoms disappear with a gluten-free diet. You stated that you've avoided gluten lately, but do you really know exactly what contains gluten? You might consider throwing yourself wholeheartedly into following...

Gemini, I know it's an ongoing debate regarding external products that contain gluten, but I know from PERSONAL experience that I break out in DH big time whenever I use a shampoo or makeup that contains gluten. I don't know of a single study on this subject, so until there has been at least one study with confirmed data, it cannot be stated definitively...

As they say, "When you have your health...." Glad to hear that you're feeling better even though the economic outlook appears poor. If you have a computer, you might consider starting an Internet business, which is easier to do than one might think. I can recommend the book "Internet Riches" by Scott Fox. After I read it, I had more ideas than I knew...

Yes, you should have her ferritin level checked--when it's low, fatigue and trouble sleeping can be common. However, if she DOES have a low ferritin level, it's possible that oral iron will have no effect, since she may not yet have the ability to absorb it. When I first went gluten free, it took nearly a year for my anemia to resolve itself. Then, when...

I also see no reason for a gluten challenge. There's simply no point. If you feel better without gluten, then you either have celiac or are gluten sensitive. Case closed.

Okay, I'm going to take a differing point of view here. My DH developed in my early 30s, and for four years I was tortured with it. However, I noticed that when I took an anti-histamine, the itching and blistering would decrease somewhat. That led me to believe that the rash was the result of an allergy, and I eventually identified iodine as the culprit...