<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Good morning!

I've read a number of the archives of the C-D mailing list, and am not 100%
sure if I belong in the list or not. But here's my story in brief.

I've had digestive problems of unknown cause for about 20 years. I've been
through upper GI, lower GI, gall bladder ultrasound, gall bladder hormone
x-ray scans... all inconclusive.

I've had gestational diabetes in the past. I am currently expecting my third
child, and have diabetes with the pregnancy. From the early onset of the
diabetes in this pregnancy, and the numbers I'm running for glucose, it
seems perhaps I'm really a T2 diabetic. It's impossible to know that now
because I'll have to wait until after delivery to determine if I'm a T2 or
not.

Seven weeks ago I had to take antibiotics for bronchitis. I got severe
diarrhea from the antibiotics, and expected it to clear up shortly after the
10 day run of antibiotics was done. It didn't. I consulted the doctors. They
said, "avoid all dairy until it clears up." After a few weeks of that, to no
avail, they said, "start taking only yogurt with live cultures and lactaid
products for dairy. See if you can get the friendly flora to regrow." Didn't
help. After another 2 weeks they did a culture to see if an opportunistic
follow-on infection had resulted from the antibiotics. That came up
negative. It's been nearly two months and I'm getting desperate.

I remembered that 10 years ago my primary care doctor had mentioned the word
"celiac" as a possible explanation for my mysterious digestive ailments. He
had thought it wasn't the case because I wasn't exhibiting very many
symptoms. Well, 10 years have gone by and my digestive ailments have never
improved. Now, post antibiotics, they're much worse. I'm wondering if
perhaps the combination of all the strains I've been going through
(pregnant, diabetes, antibiotics...) have pushed me over the edge into
celiac condition.

I've been reading, and am trying to avoid gluten for a while to see if it
helps. I'm scheduled with the OB this week, the primary care and the
high-risk doctors next week. I'm intending to avoid as much gluten as I can
until I see the high-risk and primary care doctors next week; I'm hoping
that I'll get some relief from the relentless pain and diarrhea before I see
the doctors.

If any one has any ideas for me, I'd welcome them. Fran Gillespie's story,
from an archive from Jan 99 I believe, reminds me of this one I'm telling
now.

I don't have the rash, nor signs of blatant anemia. Of course, the
breathlessness of 2nd trimester pregnancy can look like the breathlessness
of anemia, so it would be hard to know the difference without a blood test.

If someone may be able to offer opinions or advice I might find useful, I'd
be very grateful. In the meantime, I'll read what comes in and glean as much
helpful info as I can.

By the way, I'm controlling the gestational diabetes with diet alone. I
don't get much exercise due to my engineering job and mothering two young
children (first grade and pre-K). I'd love to get time for exercise, but God
hasn't extended the length of days lately.

I guess my main 2 questions are these. (a) If someone has a mildish case of
celiac, how long would it take on a gluten-reduced (I can't say gluten-free
because I'm sure I don't know all the sources of gluten) diet to get some
relief from the pain?  (b) Do T2 diabetes and adult-onset CD go together, or
is CD strictly related to T1 diabetes as both being auto-immune?

I'm from Rhode Island, USA. I work in Massachusetts, USA.

Thanks for your precious time!  Esther