Living with Celiac Disease in Denver
After a viral infection in the summer of 2004, I never seemed to get better. I began having a constant sore throat, muscle weakness, extreme fatigue and weariness, and difficulty concentrating. Being a dancer and figure skater, my life was irrevocably altered when I could no longer exercise without the immediate onset of fever and faintness, followed by days of intense fatigue. I went to the doctor and they tested me for everything under the sun- Mono, Anemia, Thyroid deficiency, liver problems, you name it. All my tests came back normal and healthy looking, although I was feeling neither normal nor healthy. The doctors made me feel as though I just had a drawn out virus, or a syndrome they could not explain. One doctor even insinuated that I was depressed and that all my physical ailments were stemming from a psychological imbalance. I convinced myself I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. But I didn’t give up. Finally when I started exhibiting bowel irregularities, a doctor had the sense to test me for a condition known as Celiac Disease.
After a year of debilitating fatigue, sore throat and an ‘allergic reaction’ to exercise I was finally diagnosed with an intolerance to a protein called gluten after having a blood test and upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy performed. My case was rare and previously overlooked because Celiac is usually inherited genetically and appears in early childhood, while my onset did not occur until I was 23. I am now discovering there are many people who have Celiac or gluten sensitivity and were not diagnosed with such until adulthood. Many people are living with it and do not know they have it! It is my hope that this article can bring more awareness to an extremely under diagnosed condition.
What Is Celiac Disease?
Celiac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disorder. Damage to the mucosal surface (also called villi: tiny hair-like projections) of the small intestine is caused by an immunologically toxic reaction to the ingestion of gluten and interferes with the absorption of nutrients. Gluten is the common name for the offending proteins in specific cereal grains that are harmful to persons with Celiac. These proteins are found in all forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, and faro), and in related grains, rye and barley.
What Happens With Celiac Disease
When individuals with Celiac ingest gluten, the villi in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food, are damaged. This is due to an immunological reaction to gluten. Damaged villi do not effectively absorb basic nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and, in some cases, water and bile salts. If CD is left untreated, damage to the small bowel can be chronic and life threatening, causing an increased risk of associated disorders – both nutritional and immune related.
Symptoms
Celiac Disease may appear at any time in a person’s life. The disease can be triggered for the first time after surgery, viral infection, severe emotional stress, pregnancy or childbirth. Celiac is a multi-system, multi-symptom disorder. Symptoms are extremely varied and can often mimic other bowel disorders, like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Classic symptoms may include:
abdominal cramping, intestinal gas, distention and bloating
chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both)
anemia – unexplained, due to folate, B12, B6, or iron deficiency
weight loss with large appetite, or weight gain
Other symptoms:
dental enamel defects
osteopenia, osteoporosis
bone or Joint pain
fatigue, weakness and lack of energy
infertility – male/female
depression
aphthous ulcers
Diagnosis
A person seeking preliminary diagnosis must be consuming gluten. Specific antibody blood tests are used to identify the presence of Celiac and are the initial step in screening. Blood tests include: Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA, (AGA) IgG, Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA, Anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and total serum IgA. It is essential that patients with positive antibody test, and those with an IgA deficiency, have a small bowel biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and assess the degree of mucosal damage.
Treatment
The only treatment for Celiac is the lifelong adherence to gluten-free diet. When gluten is removed from the diet, the small intestine will start to heal and overall health improves. Medication is normally not required. Because osteoporosis is common and may be profound in patients with newly diagnosed CD, bone density should be measured at or shortly after diagnosis. Consult your physician regarding specific nutritional supplementation to correct any deficiencies. The diagnosed celiac should have medical follow-up to monitor the clinical response to the gluten-free diet. Dietary compliance increases the quality of life and decreases the likelihood of osteoporosis, intestinal lymphoma and other associated illnesses.
The Tweenies
There is a growing number of people who exhibit multiple symptoms of Celiac but do not show the actual damage to the villi after the biopsy is taken. Therefore, the doctors will not diagnose that person with Celiac, although the person is clearly suffering from some ailment. These people are falling into a category called “gluten sensitivity”. People with gluten sensitivity can exhibit symptoms of fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, frequent colds, and depression. In most cases, once these individuals begin adhering to a gluten-free diet, these symptoms all but disappear! It is unfortunate though that most of these people are falling through the cracks when it comes to doctors and diagnosis. In doctor’s eyes, either a person has Celiac or nothing at all, when in actuality these people are suffering from real symptoms similar to those found in Celiac Disease. I have had multiple friends who have been diagnosed with NOT having Celiac disease, but once they cut gluten from their diet, there health and well-being were much improved.
Changing Your Lifestyle
At first, it was extremely difficult to give up all bread products, cookies, cake, buns, pancakes, etc. But once I began to feel the healthy effects of going gluten free it was an incredibly easy decision. My fatigue went away and I was able to exercise without getting ill! I also began to discover the incredible amounts of alternatives for people living with Celiac Disease. There are gluten-free cereals, cookies, crackers, tortillas and even brownies! Supermarkets like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Vitamin Cottage are great places to buy these products, and all of them are labeled “Gluten Free”. There is also a wonderful magazine called “Living Without” that offers alternatives and Gluten Free recipes for those who like to cook! “Living Without” also addresses other food allergies like dairy, nuts, and wheat.
Locally, there is even a Gluten Free bakery that I am very fond of – Deby’s Bakery and CafÃ?©. They have a wide assortment of Gluten Free breads, cakes, cookies, pastas, and pastries. For those interested here is their information:
2369 S. Trenton Way, Suite M
Denver, CO 80231
303-283-4060
