Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Coeliac Awareness Week!

[Amaunet]

This week is Coeliac Awareness Week! I thought I'd post a thread with some basic information about coeliac disease and tell you all my story!

This is from Sick and Tired - "Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired" is the theme of coeliac awareness week and the page is part of Coeliac Australia.

What you need to know

Coeliac disease is a genetic condition that has a wide range of symptoms impacting on quality of life and general wellbeing
Proper diagnosis is important to effectively manage the condition and rule out more sinister conditions with similar symptoms
Diagnosis should be through your doctor (not natural therapists) and you should continue to eat gluten for at least 6 weeks prior to and throughout the testing period.
Managing the condition through diet after diagnosis can improve your quality of life and general wellbeing
If you even suspect you might have coeliac disease, see your GP today
Find out more at Coeliac Australia
What are the symptoms of coeliac disease?

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease with a wide range of non-specific symptoms. Symptoms can be mild or severe, but a number of serious health consequences can result if coeliac disease is left untreated. Symptoms often lead to a reduction in quality of life and general wellbeing. They include, but are not limited to the following:

Constipation or diahorrhea
Abdominal discomfort including nausea, flatulence and bloating
Lack of energy and general tiredness
Iron deficiency and other vitamin/mineral deficiencies
Bone and joint pain
Failure to thrive in children
These symptoms occur because of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. In people with coeliac disease, the body’s immune system reacts to gluten, causing inflammation and damage to the small bowel lining. This damage impairs the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.

The average time between onset of symptoms and official diagnosis is 10 years. If left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to serious long term health complications including osteoporosis, infertility/miscarriage and some cancers, including lymphoma. It is also associated with an increased risk of other autoimmune diseases, like type 1 diabetes. Fortunately, adopting a strict gluten free diet allows the small bowel to heal and reduces your risk of long term complications.

Why is it important to be correctly diagnosed?

Correct diagnosis is important for a number of reasons:
Proper diagnosis rules out more sinister conditions with similar symptoms (e.g. ovarian cancer or bowel cancer).
Coeliac disease is a genetic condition passed down through blood relatives, and so your diagnosis may have implications for your extended family.
The gluten-free diet required by coeliacs is not a fad and must be adhered to strictly. Your doctor will educate you about the condition upon diagnosis
Diagnosis will prompt your doctor to screen you for related health complications that may require treatment (e.g. type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis).
If you are experiencing unexplained fertility issues or recurrent miscarriage, proper diagnosis and management of coeliac disease may improve your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Diagnosis through your doctor will generally prompt a referral to a dietitian, who can guide you through the transition to a balanced gluten free diet.
Vaccines and other medical therapies are being investigated by researchers. To be eligible for these treatments when they become available, it is expected that you will require evidence of a biopsy proven diagnosis.

How is it diagnosed?

Diagnosis generally starts with a visit to your local GP to discuss your symptoms. If you have family members with diagnosed coeliac disease, it is important to let your doctor know. And if the GP doesn’t mention coeliac, don’t be afraid to ask if they think it might be a possibility.

It is important to note that if you suspect you might have coeliac disease, you SHOULD NOT cut gluten out of your diet prior to seeing your GP. The tests below only work when you are eating gluten.

If the GP suspects coeliac disease, they will order some simple blood tests, the results of which should take 2-3 days. These tests alone cannot diagnose coeliac disease, but they can indicate whether you are likely or unlikely to have the condition. If the GP suspects it is likely, you will be referred for a small bowel biopsy.

The small bowel biopsy is a day procedure performed by a gastroenterologist that involves a light anaesthetic. It is essential for correct diagnosis, and cannot be replaced by guesswork or alternative remedies.

Genetic tests may be performed when diagnosis is unclear or in cases where a gluten free diet has already been started. It is important to note that a gene test cannot be used to diagnose coeliac disease, but it can rule it out if certain genes are not present. If the genes associated with coeliac disease are present, then the above steps for testing need to be followed, including a diet containing gluten for a minimum period of 6 weeks.

I was first introduced to the idea I might have coeliac disease in October 2010 following a missed miscarriage. My lovely OB was happy to investigate the causes even though it was my first loss. Part of his general miscarriage screening is a coeliac antibodies test - a simple blood test. My results were through the roof!

I had none of the regular symptoms of stomach pain, diarrhea. I wasn't aware that coeliac disease also caused other symptoms. Since the birth of my first child, I had been feeling very run down, my bowel movements had changed (toothpaste type consistency), I was incredibly depressed and would often feel sick in the mornings and occasionally vomit. Blood tests had shown vitamin deficiencies as well. All of these things can be symptoms of coeliac disease but I just thought it was being a new mum, breastfeeding etc...

I saw my GP with my results from the OB and she was shocked and sorry she hadn't had me tested earlier (it's now a more routine test for her patients). I was referred to a gastroenterologist and saw him in late January. My antibodies were some of the highest he'd seen and said he was 99% sure I was coeliac but the only way to truly diagnose was an endoscopy. Luckily I have Private Health Insurance and my endoscopy took place 10 days later. My bowel was incredibly damaged and i was given a positive diagnosis. I have been on a gluten free diet ever since.

I found the change incredibly difficult initially, but two years on I have a healthy second child, I'm 10kgs lighter and feel amazingly better. I didn't realise just how sick I was until I got better! Now find eating GF pretty easy and my friends and family are all supportive of my dietary needs. My CD was probably triggered by my pregnancy, there is no history of it in my family, but I certainly plan to be gene tested and have my sons tested as well.

A simple blood test can be the start to feeling amazing again, so if you're sick and tired of feeling sick and tired see your Doctor and ask for a test!

[Amaunet]

[CinderToriella]

Iv suspected this for myself for quote some time , I am not pregnant , so you think this is something that an be investigated while pregnant ?

[Amaunet]

You could definitely have the initial blood test while pregnant. You would probably not be able to have the endoscopy though.

[Amaunet]

Do you have any friends who eat "gluten free" ? My friends are great at making yummy GF things for me. There are heaps of great recipes around, maybe you could try one out in honour of Coeliac Awareness Week!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

My sister has Coeliac, and she was just telling me the other day to get tested as well!

[Amaunet]

It definitely runs in families Keike!

[little_mrs]

Thanks! Sounds like something dh needs to be tested for