Celiac Disease

[Guest guest]

My mom has this disease, she has had this all her

life, but didnt know that she had it. She suffered

terribly, and still does. Doctors in the USA are just

learning about this, they have told my mom that it's

her nerves, that it's in her mind, and that there is

nothing they can do but give her steroids.

Finally she found out what she had through the

internet looking up her symptoms, she goes to her doc

and shows him and he says that he never heard of it,

its more common in europe.

Her symptoms were GERD, blotches on her skin like

leaporsy, itchy, terrible sores, bloating, she hurt

real bad, couldnt go to work in public.

And all from not being able to digest " gluten " ..read

more:

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that

damages the villi of the small intestine and

interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.

What does this mean?

Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the

protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley

and rye.

When people with celiac disease eat foods containing

gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the

fingerlike villi of the small intestine. When the

villi become damaged, the body is unable to absorb

nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to

malnourishment.

Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue,

nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy.

Researchers have determined that celiac disease is a

genetic condition, meaning that it is inherited. In

some cases, celiac becomes active or is triggered by

events such as surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral

infection, or severe emotional stress.

Roughly one out of every 133 Americans has celiac

disease, but 97% remain undiagnosed. This means that

almost three million Americans have celiac disease and

only about 100,000 know they have it.

Left untreated, people with celiac disease can develop

further complications such as other autoimmune

diseases, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, and cancer.

There are a number of medical problems that are

associated with undiagnosed celiac disease including

cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes Type 1, thyroid

problems and reproductive health issues.

Learn more about diseases related to celiac disease.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of celiac disease vary amongst different

people. Some patients develop symptoms as early in

life, while others feel healthy far into adulthood.

Symptoms of celiac disease may or may not occur in the

digestive system. For example, one person might have

diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has

irritability or depression. In fact, irritability is

one of the most common symptoms in children.

Some of the most common symptoms of celiac disease

include:

Bloating or Gas

Diarrhea Constipation Fatigue

Itchy Skin Rash

Tingling/Numbness Pale Mouth Sores

Joint Pain

Delayed Growth

Poor Weight Gain

Thin Bones

Infertility

Headaches

Depression Irritability Discolored Teeth

Anemia, delayed growth, and weight loss are signs of

malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious problem for

anyone, but particularly for children because they

need adequate nutrition to develop properly. Failure

to thrive during childhood development is a common

indicator of celiac.

Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms.

This is known as asymptomatic celiac disease. The

undamaged part of their small intestine is able to

absorb enough nutrients to prevent symptoms. However,

people without symptoms are still at risk for the

complications of celiac disease.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?

Accurately diagnosing celiac disease can be quite

difficult largely because the symptoms often mimic

those of other diseases including irritable bowel

syndrome, Chron's's disease, ulcerative colitis,

diverticulosis, intestinal infections, chronic fatigue

syndrome, and depression.

To gain a proper diagnosis of celiac disease, a

physician will order the following blood tests:

Total IgA

IgA antitissue transglutaminase (tTG)

IgA antiendomysial antibody immunofluorescence (EMA)

If IgA is deficient, IgG tTG test should also be

ordered. At the discretion of the doctor, antigliaden

IgG can also be ordered.

**It is important to continue eating a normal,

gluten-containing diet before being tested for celiac.

If the blood tests and symptoms indicate celiac, a

physician may suggest a biopsy of the lining of the

small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.

For more information about celiac disease screening,

please visit Quest Diagnostics. Although test names

may vary from those listed above, they are testing the

same antibodies and are the same test.

What is the treatment?

The only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong

gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet means avoiding

all foods that contain wheat (including spelt,

triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Despite these restrictions, people with celiac disease

can eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods,

including bread and pasta. For example, instead of

wheat flour, people can use potato, rice, soy, or bean

flour. Or, they can buy gluten-free bread, pasta, and

other products from specialty food companies.

The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement for

people with celiac disease. Eating any gluten, no

matter how small an amount, can damage the intestine.

This is true for anyone with the disease, including

people who do not have noticeable symptoms.

Following a gluten-free diet may seem daunting at

first, but, with a little creativity, anyone can make

delicious gluten-free meals! NFCA's monthly newsletter

features decadent gluten-free recipes that anyone can

make in a home kitchen.

For example, plain meat, fish, rice, fruits, and

vegetables do not contain gluten, so people with

celiac disease can eat as much of these foods as they

like.

Brown Rice Flour Guar Gum Potato Starch

Buckwheat

Quinoa Aramanth Almond Flour Teff

Corn Flour Tapioca Starch Soy Flour Xanthum Gum

Corn Starch Potato Flour Sweet Rice Flour

Lentil

Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Survival Guide

For more information or help with managing the

gluten-free diet, download a free copy of NFCA's

Gluten-Free Survival Guide.

The guide provides information for maintaining a

gluten-free diet and lists nationwide resources to

help you find the most delicious gluten-free food!

For more personal advice, consider visiting a

dietitian. Dietitians can help people learn about

their new diet. Also, support groups are particularly

helpful for newly diagnosed people and their families

as they learn to adjust to a new way of life.

What Are The Complications of Celiac Disease?

Damage to the small intestine and the resulting

problems with nutrient absorption put a person with

celiac disease at risk for several diseases and health

problems.

Lymphoma and adenocarcinoma are types of cancer that

can develop in the intestine.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become

weak, brittle, and prone to breaking. Poor calcium

absorption is a contributing factor to osteoporosis.

Miscarriage and congenital malformation of the baby,

such as neural tube defects, are risks for untreated

pregnant women with celiac disease because of

malabsorption of nutrients.

Short stature results when childhood celiac disease

prevents nutrient absorption during the years when

nutrition is critical to a child's normal growth and

development. Children who are diagnosed and treated

before their growth stops may have a catch-up period.

Seizures, or convulsions, result from inadequate

absorption of folic acid. Lack of folic acid causes

calcium deposits, called calcifications, to form in

the brain, which in turn cause seizures.

The information on this site was prepared and

assembled by NFCA staff and reviewed by NFCA's

Scientific/Medical Advisory Board. For credential

information, please click here.

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