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Hello Everyone,

I have been reading the messages on this list for the last few months, but
this is my first message.

I have been GF for the last 12months after being constantly ill all of my
life. Seeing my father has CD, it dawned on me that, that may be the reason
for being ill. So after visiting more doctors than I thought resided in my
area, they did a blood test, it didn't come back positive, but it also
wasn't totally negative either!! The exact words were "your blood isn't
normal"!! So I decided to go GF and feel 100% better for it, although I am
not totally healthy yet.

My point, if I have one, is the medical proffesion needs to get there act
together. I know there are some very good doctors out there, but why should
we celiacs have to "go through" so many of them to find a good doctor? If
they did this to say diabeties they would probably be sued. My father was
very ill for most of his life with this disease, spending most of his time
in hospital wasting away and almost dying from this thing.He was diagnosed
by a twist of fate when a doctor walked past his hospital bed and recognised
the very obvious symptoms, then sent for tests and confirmed this. He now
has many health problems from years of malnutrition and such. (Which is one
of the reasons I decided to go GF, before I got this bad).

I live in Newcastle, in New South Wales in Australia, and it seems to me
that the doctors here are pretty much the same  as the ones I have been
reading about in the U.S.A. When will the medical proffession acknowledge
this as some thing real and quite life threatening. Even the pharmacys seem
ignorant about this disease.

Is there some way of educating the medical proffession as to the symptoms
and reactions of CD to help with earlier diagnosis as to cause less pain to
their patients and paying customers!!

I believe people with CD need to have more of a voice, with the medical
proffession, with food manufactures and with the general public. Since
becoming GF I feel I have to be more proactive in everything so I don't get
sick from consuming gluten.

Is there a Celiac society in Australia, and if so where are they and why
aren't they making noise ( I always here from diabetics associations, which
is great) celiacs need as much recognition.
Is there a worldwide celiac association? I think we need one, I am sure
celiacs feel somewhat tense when going on holidays, how easy would it be to
contact an association and put the mind at ease?

Well thank you for reading my soap box storey, does anyone else feel like
this? Let me know together we may make a difference!!

Peace

Remember fools grow without watering!

Connie O'Brien
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