IC Disease

Treating Celiac Disease doesn’t require medication or surgery.  A patient who has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease is treated by giving up all food items that contain gluten.  It may sound simple but it’s really not.  I have a relative who has Celiac Disease and there are so many foods that contain gluten and she has had trouble sticking to the diet.  Anything made with and that includes wheat, rye, barley and oats is off limits for someone with Celiac Disease.  That means no bread - unless you make your own gluten-free bread or buy gluten-free bread.  Most cereals would also be off limits to Celiac patients as well as many, many other foods.

This is what the Celiac Sprue Association has to say about gluten:

What is Gluten?

The term “gluten” is, in a sense, a generic term for the storage proteins that are found in grains. In reality, each type of protein - gliadin in wheat, hordein in barley, secalin in rye, avenin in oats, zein in corn and oryzenin in rice - is slightly different from the others. The “gluten” in wheat, barley, rye, and a much lower amount in oats* (WBRO), contain particular amino acid sequences that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. It is important to note that the gluten found in corn and rice does not cause harm to those with CD. (Note: In order to avoid confusion, the term “gluten” used in this web site refers to only that gluten found in WBRO, not that found in corn and rice.) Gluten-Free Defined.

* Inconclusive information exists concerning the inclusion of oats in the gluten-free diet. Some clinical studies indicate that uncontaminated oats may be tolerated by some people with CD. Other studies indicate that some people with CD have an immune response to oats (avenin). Currently, there is no way to identify which people with CD may tolerate oats. Therefore caution is advised when considering the use of un­contaminated oats in a gluten-free diet.

Please go back and read Part 1 (Celiac Disease:  Overview) and Part 2 (Celiac Disease:  Symptoms).

As I mentioned in Part 1, Celiac Disease can be difficult to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to several other chronic conditions.  Recently diagnosis rates have begun to increase because doctors are starting to learn more about this misunderstood illness and there are blood tests that can diagnose the illness. 

People with Celiac Disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies in their blood.  If a doctor suspects Celiac Disease, patients will be tested for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA). If test results are negative but celiac disease is still suspected, additional blood tests may be needed.

If both the blood test and symptoms point to Celiac Disease, the doctor will more than likely perform a biopsy of the small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.  During the biopsy, the doctor will check for damage to the villi in the small intestine which is what Celiac Disease does - damages the small intestine.  To obtain the tissue sample, the doctor inserts a long, thin tube (an endoscope) through the patient’s mouth and stomach into the small intestine. The doctor then takes the samples using instruments passed through the endoscope.

From what I’ve been told, it is possible for someone to have Celiac Disease but to not test positive for the autoantibodies.  I have talked to Celiac patients who have all of the symptoms but the blood test was negative, yet when they switched to a gluten-free diet their symptoms disappeared.

Please make sure you read Part 1 of this week’s Spotlight On Chronic Illness for Celiac Disease that I posted yesterday by clicking here.  Today’s post surrounding Celiac Disease is the symptoms of this little understood chronic illness.   Symptoms that may possibly affect those suffering from Celiac Disease include:

• Anemia
• Cramping and bloating in the stomach
• Appetite changes and increased cravings
• Back pain
• Constipation
• Dehydration
• Decreased ability to clot blood
• Gas
• Lack of coordination
• Mouth sores
• Muscle cramps
• Extremely dry skin
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Changes in bowels/stools
• Depression
• Loss of interest in normal routine activities
• Mood changes and/or irritability
• Inability to concentrate

I have a sister-in-law who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease several years ago.  Celiac Disease is when someone has an intolerance to products that contain gluten (wheat, rye, barley & oats).  Eating any foods that contain gluten will result in damage to the small intestine and doesn’t allow the body to absorb nutrients properly.

People who have Celiac Disease are often misdiagnosed with having other chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, intestinal infections and iron deficiency anemia. 

Approximately 1 out of every 133 people have Celiac Disease but 97% of those suffering have not been diagnosed.  The risks that come with having Celiac Disease may include cancer, thyroid disease, Type 1 Diabetes, malnutrition, anemia and infertility.

Tomorrow I will post the symptoms of Celiac Disease.