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Hello all,
(An introductory/explanatory part above, questions below.)
I for some time have not felt very well; however, in some ways I did not
know much difference (i.e., some ways I didn't know it wasn't normal to
feel that way). I've been a grad student about 4 years; and during
the first two years things really got worse. I went clinic twice during
the first two years for abdoninal trouble (I was particularly worried
about a relapse of abdomincal abscesses which they never found the cause
for a few years before, which may have biased the visits). Once the
doctor said stress, and gave me something to inhibit acid production,
which did no good; and the other time the doctor said to avoid complex
foods like milk, which I did, switching to eating lots of hot cereals,
especially Malt-O-Meal.
That began an approximately two-year period where my life where my life
was at a standstill; because some ingredient predominant in M-O-M is one
of the things I am most highly reactive to. Finally, last fall I realized
this might not be all in my head, went to a doctor again, trying to
explain all the symptoms, mental and physical. The doctor (different
doc, different clinic) mentioned, among other things, gluten allergy and
Crohn's disease. Since then I have slowly been able to weed out the foods
that cause reactions. At first I was confused because I seemed to have
symptoms of celiac disease/gluten allergy, nearly all of them, but I lost
most of my symptoms after quitting M-O-M but could eat many wheat products
with noticing nothing. Turns out, after lucky (or unlucky, considering
the reaction) I am highly reactive to barley - and from what I've read, it
seems to cause worse symtoms than for the average who consumes grain (and
barley is widespread - not only are cereals like Malt-O-Meal and
Grape-Nuts have barley as a primary ingredient, but most cereals contain
malted barley). I since have recognized small versions of that reaction
when I consume rice and corn, but not yet wheat. Also, reactions to
other foods (which I won't go into here, but the list is long, and
reactions varied and somewhat unusual - I have read comprable reactions
elsewhere)
I was supposed to have endoscopy early this year, cancelled because the
stuff I was supposed to take the night before did not work right, and
since have had to delay because of complications in changing medical
coverage.
My questions are a couple-fold. Does anyone know if there is a link
between Crohn's disease and celiac disease/gluten allergy, i.e. perhaps a
genetic factor that may predispose for both? It seems, based on symptoms
coming/going according to diet changes, that I have both, and Crohn's will
explain abscess I had years ago. Also, is it common for the celiac to
have more severe direct reactions to some grains than others?
sincerely,
Bill Boelema
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