Celiac Disease - anyone else?

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Well after reading Tanya's (webfoot's) post a wee while back it got me thinking that Nathan's definitely got some issues, and after doing some other reading I took him to the doctor on Monday and explained his symptoms, she agreed it did sound like this.  I got the results from the nurse today and the comments said "quite likely Celiac".   :shock:   Even though I "knew" that it would test positive, I'm feeling a bit bummed at the changes we'll have to make and how difficult it will be, but I'm also glad to get a diagnosis.  When I look back at it, I introduced wheat products when he was about 10mths old and that is the same time we started having sleep issues which have never really gone away even with all the BW techniques in the book, I'm wondering if there is a co-relation there?  So I've not had a full nights sleep for almost 2yrs.

We've got a follow up appointment next Wednesday, so will find out more to where from here.  Does anyone know if the blood test is the only test they generally do or is there something more conclusive?  I have read about biopsies, but not sure if that's a standard thing or not.  Fortunately over here there are certain foods available on prescription from the doctor for diagnosed Celiacs - like my food bill's not high enough already. :roll:

Anyway, anyone else deal with this and how does it affect your day to day life, socialising, play dates etc.  Nathan is a pretty picky eater on the best of days so I'm not sure how we're going to get food into this kid.  He is getting better, but I'm sure it will be a challenge non the less.  I have been giving him a multi-vitamin but I'm picking that up until now that's also been going through his body undigested along with his food. :x  Also explains him being shorter than his friends, but apparently they do a catch up once the wheat's cut out fo the diet.

[deb]

Among other things you might want to check out Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter D'Adamo. DH had a number of unexplained digestive problems we couldn't put our fingers on (nor could any doctors), and when we tried it they went away almost immediately. The problem was that we couldn't figure out the foods triggering the problems, which turned out to be primarily chicken, as well as tomatoes and wheat. I wasn't having the same issues, but lost 5 pounds without trying all the same! (which was the last of what I was having problems getting rid of after Josie was born)

In the back of his book he has a case study of how a patient w/Crohn's (sp?) disease improved a LOT by avoiding foods bad for her; it might be worth a look-see to see if your library has the book.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[alligirl]

It runs in our family....given some of our issues, I;m going to talk to our doc about having the boys tested.  If Nathan has it (or anyone else in your immediate family) you and Danielle might want to be tested.  You could have it and not have any symptoms.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Deb, thanks for the reminder on that book, I might see if the library has it and hopefully the bloods they took the other day gave what Nathan's type is.

Alli, yes I think it probably does run through our family but undiagnosed.  Once I told my mum she thinks herself, my brother and grandmother probably suffer.  But hey, who talks about their toilet habits? :wink:  Maybe me and Danielle should get tested too.  In any case, I dont think I'll be in any rush to intro glutin food to Danielle.

[alligirl]

Well, the thing about Celiac's is that it can manifest itself in so many different ways....my uncle gets reeeeeaaaaalllllyyyy tummy sick if he has gluten.  But my aunt (his sister) didn't know she had it till my uncle was diagnosed with it....she did a little bit of research and found out that people with Celiac's are at risk for osteoporosis (because of nutrients not being absorbed in).  Well, she's in her mid-50s and was diagnosed with osteoporosis several years ago.  She immediately got tested for celiac....she had no symptoms except the osteo. 

It was once thought that Celiac's was a rare disorder....now it's believed to affect 1 in 133 people....not really rare at all.