What is CD or Gluten Intolerance

Growing up I never ran into problems with certain foods. I could eat anything I wanted. Around 4 or 5 months after Miss A was born I started noticing changes in my bowel movements (ewww) and was having really intense stomach pains. One night specifically I remember taking a trip to the ER. I thought I was dying. Seriously, dying. I thought my stomach, at any moment, was going to explode all over the waiting room. I have never had stomach pain EVER like that in my life. After a few hours of sitting in the lovely, cold ER waiting room, I was called back. The diagnosis.......gas. Trust me, Ive had gas before, and I could have promised that ER doctor that it was not gas. She referred me to a gastroenterologist doctor to do some further testing into my "gas" problem. 

After seeing the "Gas Doctor" and jotting down some family history (we have a lot of bowel issues in my family tree) she decided it was best to do a Colonoscopy. Can I just tell you how AWWWFUL the prep was for the colonoscopy?! At the time we were on state insurance because Josh was in school full time and I was staying at home with Miss A (so we pretty much ate dirt for dinner). So due to having state insurance I was given the worst possible colonoscopy prep drink. They gave it to me in a GALLON jug. It looked like water. I thought, "huh, this shouldn't be too bad". Oh, was I EVER so wrong. It tasted like I was drinking liquid metal, mixed with gasoline and urine. I was suppose to drink the entire gallon in less than 8-10 hours. For most of the day I sat in the bathroom, hugging the toilet and a bowl (for throwing up in). That day was worse than labor pains. 

The next morning was the colonoscopy. Im back in the pre-op room when the nurse asks me, "Hun, did you finish ALL of your liquid drink?" I kindly replied, "Ma'am, have you ever had to drink it yourself? No, no I did NOT finish ALL of that nasty drink, and if they still find poop in my digestive tract, I don't give a crap - no pun intended". She nodded, left the room, and came back with my IV. 

The procedure itself was not bad at all. I was knocked out (all though I do remember seeing images of my bowel here and there on the TV screen, but don't recall any pain or anything else) and 30 minutes later I was in the recovery room. I don't remember much there. Josh states that I kept repeating over and over and over again, "MY BUTT IS WET! MY BUTT IS WET!! MY BUTT IS WET!!!" Someone finally came in and gave me a towel. Lovely, huh?

A few days later I met up again with the gastroenterologist. The diagnosis........Lactose Intolerant. Oooooookay. So from now on I couldn't eat anything with lactose in it. So yes, cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, etc. You get the picture. HELLO!!! I live off dairy! It was quite the change. After going off lactose almost completely (come on, you think I could live without ice-cream?!) I started feeling better, but not ever completely. I still had constant stomach pains and irregular bowel changes for a few years after. My sweet hubby couldn't even put his arm around my stomach at night because it was so uncomfortable and painful for me. Miss A couldn't lay on her mommas stomach either. 

Now in modern day.....

I was seeing my family doctor for a yearly checkup. He just did the regular stuff, you know the blood pressure, pulse, listening to heart and lungs.....that kind of stuff. He then had me lie down and began pressing on my stomach. For a split second I thought about ripping his eyes out. AAhhhHHhHH......GOSH, it hurt! I explained that I was lactose intolerant and that my stomach was in pain all the time and if he was smart he'd better stop pressing on my stomach or he'd push out a fart (yes, I said fart). He said he wanted to see me in two months and we'd discuss some things.

Fast forward to mid-January (this year).....

Im at my doctor appointment. Once again he does a check up and once again presses on my guts. Yes, yes doctor they still hurt. He began asking me about my diet. "Do you eat a lot of breads and pastas?"........."Ummm, YES! I live off that stuff." - I replied. He then explained to me that it sounded as though I had a gluten intolerance and needed to go on a gluten free diet right away. He was concerned that I had been feeling this way for over four years. He ordered some blood tests to check for the antibody. He explained that a high percentage of people who are diagnosed with CD don't have the antibody appear in their blood. My test came back negative. He called to tell me to continue my gluten free diet and that THAT would be the true test. I've now been gluten free for about 4 weeks. I've never felt better. My bowels feel healthy. The majority of my pain has subsided. 

I later learned that lactose intolerance is secondary to CD. Its believed that I was misdiagnosed four years ago. Since a colonoscopy is only done in your lower intestines and checking for CD is done in your smaller intestines, it was missed. It also common to have a sibling or siblings with Colitis (click here to learn about Colitis). My sister has colitis. There were many signs out there that would have led to a sooner diagnosis IF we would have known what to look for and that CD was a possibility. 

It has been quite an adventure learning what I can and cannot eat. It has led to a MUCH healthier diet. Lots of fruits and veggies. Potatoes. Corn. Rice. Josh has been very supportive. He and Miss A have even joined me in eating a gluten free diet........well, they mostly have. Miss A can not live without her Kraft 'Homestyle Mac and Cheese'. I had a lot of help from others as well. So my change wasn't as difficult as it may have been. 

Down below I have put together some information about CD and gluten intolerance. It is becoming more and more common because doctors are looking at the signs and testing. If you feel that you or someone you know may have it, please read further. If needed, don't be afraid to make an appointment with your doctor. (Some words will have a '*' next to it, this is indicating the sign and symptoms I personally had).  

Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance

"Celiac Disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is primarily found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.

Celiac disease can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Eventually, the decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment.

No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease by changing your diet."

What are the symptoms?

There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Most people with the disease have general complaints, such as:

• Intermittent diarrhea
• Abdominal pain *
• Bloating *

Sometimes people with celiac disease may have no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. Celiac disease symptoms can also mimic those of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, Crohn's disease, parasite infections and anemia.

Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including:

• Irritability or depression *
• Anemia
• Stomach upset *
• Joint pain
• Muscle cramps *
• Skin rash
• Mouth sores
• Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis)
• Tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy)* - I had tingling and numbness in my hands and fingertips

Some indications of malabsorption of nutrients that may result from celiac disease include:

• Weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating *
• General weakness and fatigue *
• Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily
• Stunted growth (in children)
• Osteoporosis

What is the cause?

The cause of CD is still unknown to doctors. They do know that CD or gluten intolerance usually run in families. "Researchers have discovered that some gene mutations seem to increase the risk of celiac disease, but having those gene mutations doesn't mean you're certain to have celiac disease. This means that other risk factors play a role in whether you'll develop celiac disease."

What are the complications of CD?

• Malnutrition. 
• Loss of calcium and bone density. 
• Lactose intolerance. 
• Cancer. (usually bowel related)
• Neurological complications. 

Tests and Diagnosis:

"Tests and procedures used to diagnose celiac disease include:

• Blood tests. Blood tests can detect higher than normal levels of certain antibodies (anti-endomysium and anti-tissue transglutaminase) in people with celiac disease. Antibodies are specialized proteins that are part of your immune system and work to eliminate foreign substances in your body. In people with celiac disease, their immune systems may be recognizing gluten as a foreign substance and producing elevated levels of antibodies to get rid of it.
• Collecting a sample of small intestine for testing. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may want to examine a small portion of intestinal tissue to check for damage to the villi. To do this, your doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) through your mouth, esophagus and stomach into your small intestine and takes a sample of intestinal tissue to examine under a microscope.
• Swallowing a camera pill that collects pictures of the small intestine. In some cases your doctor may want to examine the entire small intestine with a capsule endoscopy. This procedure involves swallowing a pill-sized capsule that contains a tiny camera. As the camera travels through your digestive tract, it takes thousands of images and sends them to a recorder you wear on a belt. Your doctor reviews the pictures to see the inside of your small intestine. The capsule leaves your body in your stool and can be flushed down the toilet.

Some people try a gluten-free diet on their own, to see if that helps relieve their signs and symptoms. But doing so may change the results of blood tests so that they appear to be normal. So see your doctor for testing first, before you try a gluten-free diet."

Treatments and Drugs:

"Celiac disease has no cure, but you can effectively manage the disease through changing your diet.

Changes to your diet to avoid gluten
To manage the disease and prevent complications, it's crucial that you avoid all foods that contain gluten, including:

• Barley
• Bulgur
• Durum
• Farina
• Graham flour
• Rye
• Semolina
• Spelt (a form of wheat)
• Triticale
• Wheat

Vitamin supplements to combat malnutrition If your nutritional deficiencies are severe, you may need to take vitamin and mineral supplements recommended by your doctor or dietitian to help correct these deficiencies. Your doctor may recommend supplements to increase your levels of:"

• Calcium
• Folate
• Iron
• Vitamin B-12
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K

(Click HERE for foods to avoid and allowed food ideas)

(All quoted sentences and paragraphs are information provided by MayoClinic.com)

My plan is to post gluten free recipes and/or gluten free food ideas frequently. Even if you don't need to eat gluten free you can still try these recipes! Have a good weekend!