celiac

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Celiac Disease! Your Diagnosis and Your Diet


Welcome to our discussion blog into the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Celiac Disease.

Wheat and celiac

Wheat and celiac

Celiac disease goes by a number of different names these include celiac sprue, non-tropical sprue, endemic sprue, gluten enteropathy or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, and gluten intolerance.

To find out more about the condition please have a look at our previous Celiac awareness blog https://patienttalk.org/?p=349

The purpose of this blog is to provide you with an opportunity for you tell to share your Celiac disease journey with other readers. We hope it will give you an opportunity to share your knowledge and learn from others. .

Here are some questions we’d like you to think about but do feel free to talk about any part of your celiac story.

  1. What were your original symptoms?
  2. When did they start to appear and at what age?
  3. How easy was it to get a diagnosis?  Was it a surprise to you?
  4. What kind of tests did you have? 
  5. How easy is it to keep to your diet? Do you ever eat an gluten products?
  6. What do you think of the available information regarding the Celiac disease?

Please enter your answers in the comments box below.

Thanks very much for your help.


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Flatulence – Three natural ways of fighting flatulence.


Lots of us suffer from flatulence. (My grandmother called it “passing the wind” but that is another

The Fighting Temeraire

The Fighting Temeraire

matter).  Indeed it has been the source of schoolboy jokes for generations and listening to my children I assume it always will be.

Flatulence can be caused by diet or by swallowing too much air.  It is also a symptom of a number of medical conditions; these include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (see our previous blog on IBS https://patienttalk.org/?p=962), Celiac disease (have a look at our blog on Celiac we ran earlier this year https://patienttalk.org/?p=349), gastroenteritis and our old friend constipation.

So what can help get rid of flatulence without resorting to medications?

Well there seem to be three major options:-

a)      Yoghurt.  I’ve taken to making my own yoghurt over the last few months.  I was making some this morning which in fact gave me the inspiration for this blog.  Natural yoghurt with a live culture is considered a great way of preventing flatulence.  It does so by restoring the balance of microorganisms in the human gut.   Charcoal tablets.  I have to say these sound worse than flatulence and I’ve never tried them.  That being said they come highly recommended.  According to experts charcoal tablets absorb some of the toxins associated with flatulence.  You should consult a medical professional before you use charcoal tablets as they aren’t right for everyone.  It has also been suggested that they can help with weight loss.  And apparently we have been using charcoal for the last 3,500 years but I do wonder who thought of it first.

b)      Diet.  Some foods are associated with flatulence so it is worth reducing their presence in your diet.  They include sprouts, prunes, beans and lentils, cabbage, onions and apples.

That being said what works for you?  I’d be really keen to hear your suggestions.  Also can you suggest other flatulence causing foods to eliminate from our diets? Feel free to use the comments box below.

Thanks in advance.


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Stem cells! So what actually is stem cell therapy? Are you for or against?


Are stem cells the futureTen or so years ago when I started my career (if thus it can be called) in healthcare research I have to admit I’d never heard of the concept of stem cells – let alone stem cell therapy.

But over the years reading patient blogs and social media I began to realise that there was a sort of “underground” buzz about such therapies.    Indeed when trawling around the web the two most common words associated with stem cell therapies seemed to be “controversial” and “breakthrough”.  So I decided to investigate more.

In fact I discovered that I had heard of stem cell therapies.  Bone marrow transplants (a type of stem cell therapy) have been in use for decades.  Showing, at least, there must be something in it.

This leads me, neatly, to the point to this blog.  What does stem cell therapy actually mean for us as healthcare users and why, if it is a breakthrough, should it be so controversial?

Well let’s start with the first question.  Stem cell therapy is where doctors introduce adult stem cells into damaged tissue which in turn helps to treat an injury or disease.  Simple,  I hear you cry!

So what is a stem cell?  You have to sift through a lot of waffle on the internet to find out the answer but, in a nutshell, they are cells which have the ability to become other cells.  They are a sort of “mother cell” which is not directly linked to a specific bodily function but can turn into, say, blood or bone cells.  In scientific parlance stem cells are undifferentiated cells as opposed to say muscle cells which are referred to as differentiated.

These stem cells are often cultivated in a lab and then transplanted to the host/patient as a treatment.  The cells may help generate new cells which can affect a cure.  One example is that stem cells may be used to kick start insulin production in the pancreas as a way of treating T1 diabetes.

While bone marrow transplants are now common; other uses of stem cells are still to some extent in the future.  Some scientists see the therapy as the future of treatments for such conditions as cancer (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=cancer), Type 1 diabetes (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=diabetes) , Parkinson’s disease (https://patienttalk.org/?p=208), Celiac disease https://patienttalk.org/?tag=celiac), cardiac failure, muscle damage and neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=multiple-sclerosis).  But only now are clinical trials being conducted so it may take some years.  Though in China, among a number of countries, stem cell therapy has reached clinical level  i.e. it is being used on patients.

It is quite possible that stem cells may be very valuable for future drug development.  It may well be that the testing of new drugs will be on stem cells rather than living creatures.

That being said a number of medical practices offer patients access to stem cell therapy today.

One of the reasons the therapy has been described as controversial is the use or embryonic as opposed to adult stem cells.  For many the use of or embryonic stem cells is equivalent to abortion.  But it does seem that almost all current research is into adult stem cells.

So where does it leave us?  For some it is humans “playing God” while for others it will be the future of medicine.

The reality in my view is somewhat different.  In fact we are just embarking on the study of stem cells so in my opinion we still have to wait.  As with most things in life the result may not be what we imagine.


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Autoimmunity! What actually is an autoimmune medical condition? Updated with reader comments

Autoimmune disease awareness

Autoimmune disease awareness

On PatientTalk.Org we run an occasional series of blogs which try to bust the jargon used in the healthcare and medical industries.  In today’s blog we are turning our attention to autoimmune conditions.

Autoimmune conditions are, to say the least, very unpleasant.  Importantly they do not just appear in humans but in fact, in most organisms.  Simply put autoimmune conditions are when the body fails to recognise one of its constituent organs as part of itself.  This leads the immune system to, in effect; attack its own body or part of the body.  This will often “present” as inflammation.

There are two main types of autoimmune disease:-

a)      Systemic.  This is where the sufferer’s immune system attacks the whole body.  Lupus can be an example of this. To find out more about Lupus please see our awareness blog https://patienttalk.org/?p=270.

b)      Localised. This is typically when an attack is made on a specific organ of the body.  In the case of Celiac disease (https://patienttalk.org/?p=349) which affects the gastrointestinal organs or tissue.

Typical symptoms and signs of an autoimmune disease can include:-

1)      Pain in either joints or muscles.

2)      Fatigue.

3)      Brain fog or cognitive impairment.

4)      Numbness in the body’s  extremities such as hands or feet.

5)      Reoccurring rashes or hives.

Obviously if you suffer from any of these symptoms it is vital you see a doctor as soon as you can.

Interestingly autoimmune conditions occur more often in women  than men.  Indeed it has been estimated at up to 50 million Americans suffer from one kind of autoimmune condition or another.

There is, as of yet, no full list of autoimmune conditions but certainly they run into hundreds. These include multiple sclerosis (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=multiple-sclerosis), rheumatoid arthritis (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=rheumatoid-arthritis), psoriasis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and Addison’s disease.

Do you suffer from an autoimmune condition?  If so it would be great to hear your story!  You might want to consider some of the following questions:-

a)      What autoimmune condition have you been diagnosed with?

b)      What were your original symptoms?

c)       What treatments did you use?  E.g. Steroids.  How effective were these treatments?

d)      What one piece of advice would you give to somebody who has just been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition?

Please feel free to tell your story in the comments box below.

Many thanks in advance.

 

NicoleGoulemas I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. It started when i was 20. I just had a sore knee. Then 3 days later i had 2 sore knees. Went to the doctors and they gave me anti inflammatories. I went back a few weeks later with a sore jaw and he suspected arthritis so referred me to a specialist after doing a blood test which came back clear. The wait to see the specialist was around a year and in that year i went downhill fast. I lost my job because i took 3 days off in my probation period with a medical certificate. Their reason was i was unreliable. I spent most days in bed because i couldnt walk. Which took a toll on my relationship because i was unable to do household chores. My relationship ended and i moved back into my mums house where she became my full time carer. She prepared my meals and precut my meat (when i could eat it) by this stage (maybe 5 months) i had 2 sore knees, a sore ankle, a sore jaw that stopped me from eating and talking most of the time because i couldn’t open my mouth, a sore elbow and my hands had started to close up and i couldnt grip a knife or my hair brush. I had gone into a wheelchair coz it was too painful to walk and mum had to help me with personal care as well as cutting all my meals and having them prepared so all i had to do was reheat coz she still had to work. I got quite depressed as well. After my 21st i eventually got in to see the specialist who did more tests. It turned out i had seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. It didnt show up in a normal blood test so they did some other  blood tests and found it. My arthritis is worse in the warmer months so I’m a little back to front.

My gp had me on a mix of pain killers and anti inflammatories until i got into see the specialist. They then stopped the painkillers and started me on methotrexate and anti inflammatories with prednisolone. I was able to get out of the wheelchair and walk again and then my hands returned to normal. I still had pain and a lot of it. They then introduced another medication  (i cant remember what one now) and it didnt work so they put me on arava with the methotrexate. The arava gave me a bad allergic reaction and i was hospitalized for 5 days. After that i was on methotrexate and sulfasalazine for the next 5 or so years. After about 3 years i kept feeling very sick. I told my specialists (each year i got a new one) and they didnt really do much to help. I complained for 2 or more years about it until one listened and i got in to see a biologic rheumatologist. The biologic rheumatologist was also the dr who diagnosed me when i was 21. So it was nice to see a familiar face. I started taking humira that stopped working after a knee arthroscope. I then got put on enbrel that i was allergic to and now im on actemra infusions and they work. Ive been on them for about 2 years now. Through all that i have been on and off prednisolone as well. It was a very long and bumpy road to finding a treatment that worked. I am a new person now and i can even work again. Some days are hard to work as i work in retail which was probably not a smart choice haha. I still battle fatigue and brain fogginess especially after a long day at work and sometimes i have to just sit in the car because i hurt but it doesnt last long because my meds work so after a good nights sleep i am ok again the next day.

Advice i can give is never give up. It may be a long hard road to finding treatments that work but dont give up. The road will make u stronger and when u look back on where u have come from u will be proud of yourself. Every small victory gets u closer to the biggest victory, meds that work and a happier life. It may seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel but it does come trust me. Its a hard depressing battle but when u can get back to work and have a better life it will have been worth the fight. And get a good support network. If anyone is negative get rid of them from your life for a while or permanently. Try to stay positive and go easy on yourself. If u need help ask for it. Dont feel bad if u cant get out of bed things will get better when u find the right treatment.
Mser1986 I can remember as far back as age thirteen or fourteen of having pain and weakness in my feet and legs. Sometimes I would cry from the pain. Playing volleyball was very hard on me but I loved the game. As I got older the pain and weakness got worse. My first hospital stay was when I was twenty two. I was there for about two weeks before the doctors decided that they didn’t know what was wrong with me. I was hospitalized a few more times before my doctors told me that I needed to see a psychiatrist that it was all in my head. My dad had to help me walk out of the hospital. Then an elderly neighbor told me about a MS specialist near my home to see. That was in 1987 the year I was diagnosed. When I finally found out what was wrong with me, I was relieved. I had a name for what was wrong with me.
My new normal has me taking life one day at a time. Pain, weakness and fatigue are a part of who I am. But it does not define who I am. When I’m tired I lay down. When I feel MStrong I babysit my one and two year old grandsons. They are a huge handful but I love it. I’m from a family of thirteen children. I have six children and ten grandchildren.
My advice would be this: take one day at a time, own your MS diagnosis, don’t let it own you. If you feel fatigued, then lay down and rest. YOU DONT OWE ANYONE AN EXPLANATION. Live life don’t wait till you feel better, that may never happen.
Sweett588 I was diagnosed with RRMS ( relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis ) in 2004. My neurologist now thinks it has progressed into Secondary progressive ms. I did not come out out my last relapse even after IV steroids ( solumedrol) and a month of prednisone.
My original beginning symptoms were difficult to diagnose. They were numbness in fingers/ toes. Tingles/ electrical like impulses in my lips especially, but throughout my body. Weird sleep paralysis. And MAJOR fatigue. I was initially told by my family doc I had anxiety and given anti anxiety meds!!! But I knew something was not right with my body. I got an MRI and it showed 5 lesions on my brain, although my spinal tap came back negative.
I had a 2 1/2 year old son , and we wanted 1 more child after I made sure it was safe. No one in my entire family either side has ever had MS. I had another child in 2006. Then I started Rebif. I immediately had an allergic reaction. Couldn’t breath! Switched to copaxone. I’ve been on copaxone ever since. I tried Tecfidera briefly after studying it during trials, but once it was clear it causes PML I went back to copaxone 3 x a week. I am JVC positive.
My one piece of advice would be to study each drug carefully. They all have terrible side effects! Pick what is right for you. Start ASAP. STAY ON IT. SEE NEUROLOGIST MONTHLY AND GET BLOODWORK REGULARLY! Eat well also!
t
RobynSmith1980 I have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease(MCTD). I was diagnoised in 2003, after I had my second child. MCTD is lupus, RA and one other autoimmune rolled into one. Some days I flare with lupus others with the RA. I have been on a whole bunch of medicines and hate taking them. Currently I am taking CIMZIA for the RA, that seems to be helping. I should also be taking methodrexate, planquienl, folic aicd, mutlivit. and I also suffer from depression. I take abilify for the depression sometimes.  I am the only one in my family that has been dx with MCTD so I don’t know where I got it from.  At first the drs thought that I was crazy saying that this hurts and that hurts, but finally my internal medicine (PCP) did some tests and said I think this is what you have. It was an eye opening for me.  I had my third child and when I went to the rheu after she was born they told me that I should not have had her, because of my MCTD. Well my previous rhue did not tell me that! I was furious but glad to have her. I had a host of other medicial issues with the third child and it seemed to be never ending. But now I can say that I am much better. I do have to pace myself and make sure that I dont do to much and get plenty of sleep.
CindiBootheHancock I have had M.S. for 34 yrs. My father, his first cousin, me, my daughter, my sister..we all have it. There may be more in my family I don’t know about.

a)      What autoimmune condition have you been
diagnosed with?
Multiple Sclerosis
b)      What were your original symptoms?
The first
symptom I remember was my hands not working to fasten my oldest daughter’s
stroller strap. You remember, those that had the two circles? Was 34 yrs ago.
Then when I was pregnant with my second child (born in 1981) my legs kept going
paralyzed! Doctor kept saying it was because of the baby! But it continued
after his birth. Then when he was 5 months old (late 1981) my feet were going
numb but tingled up to the midcalf. Doctor finally said he wanted me to have
tests for M.D. Yes, he knew MY father had M.S. but remember that back then it
was NOT hereditary at all. And was considered terminal. I knew what was coming and said NO! So I did
NOT get officially diagnosed till 1992 when I HAD to because I suddenly could
not walk and one arm went dead. Yup was M.S. My eye doctor saw the symptoms in
1982.
c)       What treatments did you use?
There
were times I used Steroids for some symptoms.  I tried Rebif.
How effective were these treatments?
Steroids, now I will not. They mess up
my eyes. Rebif I had terrible injection site reactions, got depressed, had the
flu, cold, bad fatigue. For 6 months. Then I said to heck with it and decided
taking a med that I had to take meds for the symptoms….not cool. I quit. Now I
take COQ10, B complex, ibuprophen, Vitamins E/D, iron, potassium, fish oil, and
a multivitamin. As long as I take them regularly, get enough sleep, avoid
stress when possible and don’t over due, no one can tell I have M.S. When I
last saw my neuro he said “NO ACTIVITY” Don’t stop what ever I am doing! First
time in 30 yrs I heard those words! I ALWAYS had active lesions!
d)      What one piece of advice would you give to
somebody who has just been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition?
Get doctors you trust, do your own research. DON’T STRESS!! And take care of
YOURSELF….no one else will do it for you! And if your support system won’t support you, GET ANOTHER ONE!
DaphneRoberts greetings everyone.  i have multiple sclerosis and have been dx since 2002.  it happened shortly after i had my third son with a recurring blind spot in my right eye, but this time it did not leave.  i had been trying to find out what was wrong with me since i was twelve.  i had recurring blind spots, but because i was born with congenital cataracts, they mis-dx me with glaucoma for years.  i would get terrible tingling and pain in my legs, extreme fatigue in the summer, numerous headaches and so on and so forth.  they couldn’t find anything wrong so they said i was just a hypochondriac.  it wasn’t until my son was born that the scars actually showed up.  i take Copaxone, baclofin, and an anti-depressant for the attacks and pain.  i was taking steroids, but all of a sudden my body has had a very bad reaction to them.  if i could give any advice, it would to be your own advocate and be kind but be assertive.  it is after all your body and no one knows it, even the drs, like you do.  if no one listens or disregards you keep at it, keep reminding them, and keep telling them.  be persistent while being kind.  God bless you all  daphne roberts
RobynSmith1980 I have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease(MCTD). I was diagnoised in 2003, after I had my second child. MCTD is lupus, RA and one other autoimmune rolled into one. Some days I flare with lupus others with the RA. I have been on a whole bunch of medicines and hate taking them. Currently I am taking CIMZIA for the RA, that seems to be helping. I should also be taking methodrexate, planquienl, folic aicd, mutlivit. and I also suffer from depression. I take abilify for the depression sometimes.  I am the only one in my family that has been dx with MCTD so I don’t know where I got it from.  At first the drs thought that I was crazy saying that this hurts and that hurts, but finally my internal medicine (PCP) did some tests and said I think this is what you have. It was an eye opening for me.  I had my third child and when I went to the rheu after she was born they told me that I should not have had her, because of my MCTD. Well my previous rhue did not tell me that! I was furious but glad to have her. I had a host of other medicial issues with the third child and it seemed to be never ending. But now I can say that I am much better. I do have to pace myself and make sure that I dont do to much and get plenty of sleep.
CindiBootheHancock I have had M.S. for 34 yrs. My father, his first cousin, me, my daughter, my sister..we all have it. There may be more in my family I don’t know about.

a)      What autoimmune condition have you been
diagnosed with?
Multiple Sclerosis
b)      What were your original symptoms?
The first
symptom I remember was my hands not working to fasten my oldest daughter’s
stroller strap. You remember, those that had the two circles? Was 34 yrs ago.
Then when I was pregnant with my second child (born in 1981) my legs kept going
paralyzed! Doctor kept saying it was because of the baby! But it continued
after his birth. Then when he was 5 months old (late 1981) my feet were going
numb but tingled up to the midcalf. Doctor finally said he wanted me to have
tests for M.D. Yes, he knew MY father had M.S. but remember that back then it
was NOT hereditary at all. And was considered terminal. I knew what was coming and said NO! So I did
NOT get officially diagnosed till 1992 when I HAD to because I suddenly could
not walk and one arm went dead. Yup was M.S. My eye doctor saw the symptoms in
1982.
c)       What treatments did you use?
There
were times I used Steroids for some symptoms.  I tried Rebif.
How effective were these treatments?
Steroids, now I will not. They mess up
my eyes. Rebif I had terrible injection site reactions, got depressed, had the
flu, cold, bad fatigue. For 6 months. Then I said to heck with it and decided
taking a med that I had to take meds for the symptoms….not cool. I quit. Now I
take COQ10, B complex, ibuprophen, Vitamins E/D, iron, potassium, fish oil, and
a multivitamin. As long as I take them regularly, get enough sleep, avoid
stress when possible and don’t over due, no one can tell I have M.S. When I
last saw my neuro he said “NO ACTIVITY” Don’t stop what ever I am doing! First
time in 30 yrs I heard those words! I ALWAYS had active lesions!
d)      What one piece of advice would you give to
somebody who has just been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition?
Get doctors you trust, do your own research. DON’T STRESS!! And take care of
YOURSELF….no one else will do it for you! And if your support system won’t support you, GET ANOTHER ONE!
DaphneRoberts greetings everyone.  i have multiple sclerosis and have been dx since 2002.  it happened shortly after i had my third son with a recurring blind spot in my right eye, but this time it did not leave.  i had been trying to find out what was wrong with me since i was twelve.  i had recurring blind spots, but because i was born with congenital cataracts, they mis-dx me with glaucoma for years.  i would get terrible tingling and pain in my legs, extreme fatigue in the summer, numerous headaches and so on and so forth.  they couldn’t find anything wrong so they said i was just a hypochondriac.  it wasn’t until my son was born that the scars actually showed up.  i take Copaxone, baclofin, and an anti-depressant for the attacks and pain.  i was taking steroids, but all of a sudden my body has had a very bad reaction to them.  if i could give any advice, it would to be your own advocate and be kind but be assertive.  it is after all your body and no one knows it, even the drs, like you do.  if no one listens or disregards you keep at it, keep reminding them, and keep telling them.  be persistent while being kind.  God bless you all  daphne roberts
ibumpn2thngz Do you suffer from an autoimmune condition?  If so it would be great to hear your story!  You might want to consider some of the following questions:-
a)      What autoimmune condition have you been diagnosed with? MS, February 14th 2000
b)      What were your original symptoms?l had many migrane headaches as a teenager, but the only thing that made me go see a doctor was the day I awoke, deaf in my right ear, change in sence of taste/smell and numbness that progrssively caused my to become imparied in my right leg (my driving was not possible because I could not judge where my feet where in relation to my body..I had to look at them to make them work or go in certain directions (very upsetting) but moreso with the numness of my “lady parts” being 18 years old I knew it was a problem!!  bY THE time it was suggestive of MS I had gone through several other diagnosises!! 1st was “too much ear wax” uh, nope I bought and used an earwax removal kit and not a thing came out-oops, then I paid to go see an ear nose and throat doctor due to my hearing loss and it was determined then that I had an Acuoustic Neuroma Brain tumor…Nope ultimately after MRI’s and an LP it was concluded definatively that it was MS…my life was over, well the hopeful part of being a successful woman, rather a single woman with 2 children she loves very much with no support rom thier father…shm…
c)       What treatments did you use?  E.g. Steroids.  How effective were these treatments? The one thing my PCP did, saved me and it saved me good!!!! by mouth steroids but in large doses..lt wasnt as quick as the solumedrol IV but pre-diagnosis and going through so much that wasn’t what it was, was really great!! However, though my hearing was a little bit improved and my arm and leg and foot were on there was for repair I didnt let it go becuase I had the 18 year old paranoid as crap thing…Though I HATE IT SO MUCH, I am glad I was able to be diagnosed within months versuses years!!
d)      What one piece of advice would you give to somebody who has just been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition? The one thing I would have done differently would not be so paranoid of a flare-up, worst thing ever and l know how bad they are and can be lve went through so many that l know now my risk of permanant disability in those areas is immenant (if that’s how you spell that). Anyhow I wasted SO MANY OF My GOOD DAYS BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF THE BAD DAYS….  ADVISE IS TO LIVE!
rohrback2 In reply to Karen Brown.Karen Brown You are the first person that I have ever spoke to that has both Lupus and MS. I was told that I had Lupus at age 30. The MS came many years later at 50. I tried many of the Lupus and MS drugs, Never had much luck. Doctor placed me on Rutuxan and it worked for 6 years. Then I lost the drug because I was in a drug trial. Have been without it for a year. Increased optic neuritsis and MS and Lupus flares. Now looking at trying to get into s stem cell program at Hopkins… Good Luck with your battle Karen Brown
Northwood101 In reply to JulieHolland.Julie! I have hypoglycemia and was just diagnosed with MS in September.
Karen Brown I have Systemic Lupus since age 19. Joint pain, pleurisy, pericarditis, pulmonary edema, mini-strokes, tremors, weakness. Naproxyn, Ibuprofen, steroids, aspirin therapy – many hospitalizations. Age 34 my legs went numb & I couldn’t walk. MRI didn’t show MS tho Dr suspected it. Recovered from that except some residual nerve damage infect. Was treated with steroids. Woke up one morning with numb right arm & lumbar puncture done. So in ’98 I was told I have MS. Steroids are typically the treatment for flares, whether Lupus or MS. I was on Copaxone 4 awhile. For years and years every new Dr I’d see, they questioned diagnosis. Yes u have it! No u don’t have it! One time I was put n hospital with apendicitis… Being prepared for surgery & then surgeon came n 2 room & said “It’s not apendicitis, it’s Lupus!” I know whether flare-ups are from MS or Lupus, treatment is generally the same… Steroids to clothe inflammation. I know stay out of the heat, rest more if I feel worse, try to avoid stress, & pace myself. I personally dislike meds due to side effects. Quit Copaxone & take Baclofen as needed, pain med as needed, & Adderol as needed. Taking Vita D3, B-12, folic acid, evening primrose oil. Fresh pineapple reduces inflammation. I have symptoms that now just are staying & slowly getting worse. Family members have auto-immune diseases…
ChipTori Munk I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis which occurred after a head trauma in 1995.  I had a goiter and had put on 30 lbs in less than a month.  My TSH was only slightly elevated but my antibodies were off the charts.  Then I was diagnosed with MS in 2012 after a neck injury.  I was just diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and possible Raynaud’s.  I was also told in 2010 that I have Hughes Syndrome (sticky blood syndrome).  Thyroid issues run in my family, but none of the others.  It’s been a few interesting years.
mandy1968 i had to have my thyroid removed because of hashimoto disease, i had a lump on my thyroid which tests indicated it was possibly cancerous, it was awful being told that and i just wanted it out of me, but after removal it was found to be hashimoto disease instead and i was told i would be more prone to other auto immune diseases, my husband also has progressive ms, i worry for my grown up children and my grandaughter incase autoimmune disease can be hereditory
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Celiac Awareness Month – What are the first signs and symptoms of celiac disease?


May, as you may know, is Celiac Awareness Month.   To show our support to Celiac Awareness Month (http://www.celiaccentral.org/awarenessmonth/) we are running a discussion blog on the early signs and symptoms of celiac disease.

If you are concerned about any of these symptoms it is vital that you visit a physician as soon as

Wheat

Wheat

possible.  It is a serious condition which can lead to extreme weight loss and failure to thrive in children.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition which impacts the small intestine.  It is caused by an adverse reaction to gluten and similar proteins.

The early signs and symptoms of celiac disease are;

  • Diarrhoea is the most important symptom.  The diarrhoea is pale in colour, there is lots of it and it smells disgusting.
  • This may also be accompanied by abdominal pain and “stomach cramps”.
  • The belly area may become extended  because of the increase in the production of bowel gas.
  • Because of the damage to the bowel the patient may become lactose intolerant or react badly to the dairy products.
  • Fatigue is also possible as the body can no longer absorb vital nutrients.
  • Celiac is associated with an increased chance of developing certain cancers.  They include small intestine cancer and lymphoma of the small bowel.

Obviously there are a number of other signs and symptoms of celiac disease but it should be noted that some suffers show no symptoms.

Are you a Celiac?  If so it would be great if you could share your story with our readers.  In particular we are interested in the following question?

  1. How long have you been diagnosed with celiac disease?  How long did it take for you to get a diagnosis?
  2. What were you main symptoms of celiac disease?
  3. How did you treat your celiac disease?
  4. How successful has the treatment been?
  5. What advice would you give to somebody who has just been diagnosed with celiac disease?

Please treat these questions as just a guide and do include anything you think may be of interest to our readers.  Especially links to useful sites such as recipes or blogs.

One interesting point is that British and the Americans use different spelling for the condition.  In the UK we normally spell it as Coeliac.  But of course both are correct!

Thanks in advance for your help!