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February 10, 2012

Patient Discussions: Celiac Disease - Symptoms at Onset of Disease

Question:The symptoms of celiac disease can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?

Published: July 23

20 years ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease--a hypothyroid disorder. 3 years ago I began to feel sick and developed what the gastroenterologist said was "oily stool". Other than that, after several tests, I was told it was just "your system" and I should just live with it. I continued feeling badly and having diarrhea all the time and eventually I developed severe tiredness. I was taking three naps a day and still feeling exhausted. I thought that this constant diarrhea was exhausting me. Finally I accidentally discovered a most reliable endocrinologist who, incidentally, was doing research on Celiac disease. I have now begun a gluten free diet and am on vitamins and regular inoculations of B12, folic acid, B complex and a couple more. It is his belief that Hashimoto's is directly related to this gluten intolerance. I feel so much better! It is early in my treatment but I notice a difference. I basically believe that most endocrinologists do not relate this to celiac disease. I am fortunate to have found someone who understands this. Also, my father had severe rheumatoid arthritis and my brother has diabetes--both autoimmune diseases.

Related Reading: rheumatoid arthritis | diabetes

Published: July 09

I have been having gut problems for about 6 years now my symptoms are sick every morning, sick after I eat solid food, bloating and severe stomach pain nausea and vomiting sometimes requiring hospitalization to stop vomiting and help with pain, diagnosed with gastroparesis, diabetes (insulin dependency) fibromyalgia, arthritis, glaucoma, have had Hysterectomy, now the latest Celiac? I am finding it hard to believe, I have chronic constipation and am fat, I can not lose weight no matter how little I eat or keep down. Blood work confirmed celiac disease.

Comment from: gc, 25-34 Female (Patient) Published: September 05

My first symptoms of celiac disease were anemia and abdominal bloating. As time passed, the bloating became worse and worse. It actually felt as if someone was inside my stomach and just kept pushing it out. I also had a lot of fluid retention, pitting edema, diarrhea off and on, thin stools, and eventually nausea. It was an awful feeling, and when I would have a bad attack, the only thing that helped was to lie on my stomach until it passed.

Related Reading: edema

Comment from: 45-54 Male (Patient) Published: August 28

With my celiac disease, I experience unrelenting and disabling fatigue, quality of sleep issues, cognitive impairment, and proneness to respiratory infections. At one point, I was suffering a seizure while on a psychotropic medication: an outcome that celiac disease places one at greater risk of. I also had G.I. symptoms including peptic ulcer, pain, swelling of the hands, and hypothyroidism. In short, a whole bunch of symptoms that anyone trained in/believes wholly in "the medical model" would dismiss as necessarily unrelated but in these cases are wholly related under a unifying diagnosis, which very often may include an autoimmune disease diagnosis.

Related Reading: sleep | seizure | peptic ulcer

Comment from: Blue Eyes, 55-64 Female (Patient) Published: August 21

I was diagnosed with celiac disease five years ago. I am now 59. Since then, I have followed a gluten-free diet and have been symptom-free. However, during the last year, I have accidentally had some gluten and had no reaction. I tried to experiment with a little gluten here and there. I even had a hot dog (with bun) and a beer and again, did not have a reaction. Maybe I have a mild case of it?

Published: July 21

For years I battled very loose stool and or nausea after eating certain foods. Then the bloating started, gradually. I would wake up every morning with a flat tummy, but as the day went on...with each meal I ate, I would become more and more bloated. Sometimes the diarrhea would be watery and constant throughout the day. I was extremely tired by 2pm every day. Sometimes just felt out of sorts, loss of memory even. Doctor said I had all the signs of Celiac disease. I've been on the gluten free diet for 6 months and I'm a new person! I still deal with bouts of watery, discolored stool, but I'm also still learning where NOT to find gluten. It's just about in everything you find! By reading this article I've learned that the swelling of my hands and feet were also related to malabsorption.


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