K.-celiac

[Guest guest]

Celiac disease is an auto-immune disease. It is sort of an allergy

to wheat and gluten. I never had any problems eating wheat

products, so I was completely thrown when I was diagnosed with it

last year. Anyway, when a person with Celiac disease eats

wheat/gluten (a protein found in wheat,rye,barley), the body doesn't

recognize it as food but a foreign substance (such as a germ, etc.)

and therefore sends out white blood cells to destroy the " germ " . So

in the process, the white blood cells attack the lining of the small

intestine (where nutrients and vitamins are absorbed)and cause

flattening of the villa. So once the villa are flattened they can

no longer absorb vital nutrients, etc and the result is damage to

the small intestine with possible life threatening consequences (ie:

cancer). The problem is that most doctors are diagnosing people

with IBS when they actually have Celiac. The symptoms are very

similar, also CP has similar symptoms too. (Abdominal distention,

gas, greasy stool, trouble gaining weight, or loosing weight, skin

rashes, stomach pain, etc.). So now I have to eliminate all

gluten/wheat from my diet and then my intestine will have a chance

to heal. After being on the wheat-free diet for one year, my

intestines healed approx. 55-75%, (according to my doctor at my last

sphincterotomy). Hope that explains it alittle.

Take care

Kris in TN

[Guest guest]

Kris,

I didn't know that you also have celiac disease. Fliss, Suzi and I

all have celiac disease too.

I was diagnosed with celiac a couple of months ago when I kept getting

stress fractures just walking. My dexascan showed osteopenia and my

vitamin D level was too low from the malabsorption caused by celiac

causing my calcium not to be activated.

Crystal Galloway