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Celiac research way back in the 1980's included data on identical
twins (more than one set of twins) one  with fully developed celic
disease and the other (with the same genetic fault relating to celic
disease) with no sign of the disease.   At the time, research
scientists said that there must be some trigger which would cause the
disease to develop in the first twin and that the trigger mechanism
had not activated the disease in the second twin.  However, the
scientists said that the trigger (or possible triggers) had not been
identified and were not understood by medical science.

I do not know if anyone has followed up on this research and done
further tests.

I've been ruminating about the message two weeks ago from a woman who
said her reaction to gluten had been eliminated by Chinese
acupuncture treatments.  What I wonder is whether or not it might be
possible that the acupuncture treatments might turn off that trigger
after it had been activated?  That would make it possible for a full
blown celiac who had been successfully treated by acupuncture to
still have the defective gene which causes celiac disease, but not be
sick and not react to gluten.  It might, in effect, turn many of us
who have celiac disease back into the second twin.

The majority of doctors and specialists in celiac disease, including
those who are the core of this LISTSERV, are frequently found to
write, "Once a celiac, always a celiac."  Is the second twin a
celiac?  I don't recall anyone saying that the twin who had not
developed the disease needed a gluten-free diet.

I spent ten years searching for a reason for persistent diarrhea,
then steatorrhea, and eventually  DH.  Through a library search, I
found out about celiac disease, removed gluten from my diet and all
those symptoms [as well as many more including fuzzy thinking and
irrational anger] went away.  The first year of being gluten-free, I
licked stamps and envelopes and wondered why the symptoms returned.
Eventually I fine-tuned the sources of gluten, and after that I had
no more than 10 gluten accidents in 20 years (all from eating away
from home.  I am convinced that I had active celiac disease.

I rarely mention this to the list, as it seems to be a red flag, but
two years ago I had acupuncture treatments and since then have been
able to eat gluten with no adverse reaction. I must still carry that
errant gene, but it is inactive and my life has opened up to new
gastronomic wonders.

It is so easy to simply believe that we, as celiacs, have a
life-threatening condition that is irreversible and not dangerous as
long as we avoid gluten for the rest of our lives.  But that concept
may make us blind to the possibility that we can reverse the
process... undo the trigger, and become like the second identical
twin, the one with a celiac gene who never develops the disease.  It
is not only we as patients, but the doctors and the research
scientists who must at least consider this as a possibility.  I
realize there are babies who are born with active celiac disease.  I
am no scientist and cannot tell you why they are active celiacs at
birth, but I assume it has something to do with what the mother eats
before they are born.  My 48 year old son who has had celiac disease
symptoms for years, and has been gluten-free for over ten years, has
now also had positive results from a Chinese acupuncturist in the
city where he lives.

I am NOT urging all on this list to rush to the nearest
acupuncturists and expect a cure.  I am suggesting that we keep an
open mind, and that we encourage research into this phenomenon, as
well as open discussion.

Optimism and miracle cures do happen in medicine.  Reversals of
illnesses are part of medical history. That's what medical research
is all about. Perhaps there is still more to be learned about celiac
disease and perhaps, just perhaps, there is something besides a
gluten-free diet that can be done for at least some people who have
celiac disease.

I am inclined to believe that there is, at least in some cases,
another way to handle celiac disease that is an alternative to a
life-long gluten-free diet.  I am amazed and delighted to find that I
am now like the second celiac twin, the one who carries the celiac
gene, but does not have active celiac disease.

With best wishes for all of you and your continued good health,

Gayle Kennedy