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What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease (aka coeliac disease) is a genetic autoimmune disorder where ingesting gluten (a protein in wheat, barley, and rye) triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine's lining. This damage leads to inflammation and atrophy of the villi, tiny finger-like projections in the intestine responsible for nutrient absorption. As a result, individuals with celiac disease may experience symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, and malnutrition. Over time, untreated celiac disease can lead to more severe health problems, including anemia, osteoporosis, weight loss, and increased risk of certain cancers. A strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, not a wheat allergy. It's also different from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, or sensitivity to gluten.
My Long Journey to Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Like many people, I spent a lot of years, a lot of dollars, and endured many tests and misdiagnoses, before doctors finally discovered that I had celiac disease (also known as coeliac disease or celiac sprue), and needed to eliminate gluten and all gluten-containing ingredients from my diet. Gluten is a protein found in the three main gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye, and barley; and is often hidden in processed foods, and things like soy sauce and beer...[READ MORE about my long and winding road to a celiac disease diagnosis and recovery.]
Gluten-Free Diet
To treat my celiac disease I had to go on a gluten-free diet for life. That meant learning to read food labels to avoid gluten ingredients, and eating a diet of mostly naturally gluten-free foods like meats, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and packaged foods only if they are certified gluten-free or labeled gluten-free, for example gluten-free breads made using gluten-free grains.
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Recent Activity
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- cristiana replied to maylynn's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease8
4 Years and very little progress
Hello there @maylynn I'm a slow healer from the UK. I sympathise. Despite three endoscopies which showed nothing wrong, I frequently suffered from a very sore stomach, bloating, feeling queasy. For some time I was taking the wrong iron supplement (Floradix instead of Floravital - the former has gluten in it, but the latter none). But... -
- RMJ replied to SMK7's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms18
High IGA antigliadin, everything else normal, what does this mean?
Yes, it would make sense to go mostly gluten free, since it gives your troubles. -
- SMK7 replied to SMK7's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms18
High IGA antigliadin, everything else normal, what does this mean?
Yes, I made an effort to eat extra gluten at least 3 weeks before the endoscopy. I probably ate a some amount in the weeks before that. I had diarrhea, which resolved once I cut back after the endoscopy. So I think it would make sense to go mostly gluten free? -
- RMJ replied to SMK7's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms18
High IGA antigliadin, everything else normal, what does this mean?
Yay for the normal biopsy! Thanks for the follow up. Were you eating gluten prior to the endoscopy? -
- Scott Adams replied to SMK7's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms18
High IGA antigliadin, everything else normal, what does this mean?
I think that with the elevated antibodies found in past tests, and a negative biopsy, you are firmly in the NCGS camp. If symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would be confirmation that you should likely stay on the diet.
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