<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
I have the same problem with my nails (GF for six years), however my RBC is
normal & I've never had anemia.
_______________________________
here in Milwaukee, the celiac support line recommended a registered
dietician or two. i wrote down what i was eating for a week. showed it
at my visit. a computer ate it up and spit it out and whalla...cut back
on this, more of that. try these supplements. it really helped me at
that time to get to feeling good. then i decided to take sugar out of
the diet and that helped. now i can tolerate sugars again, tho am
feeling better going pretty much low-carb. (see celiac.com -- spring
newsletter -- text of Dr. K. Fine - Before the Villi Are Gone - speech.
i also was scanning across the tv dial one afternoon and stopped at CBN,
700 Club just as they were praying and something worked, cause after
that i could eat veggies and salads, which helps on the vitamins side:)
__________________________________
The soft fingernails is one of the first things my naturopathic doctor
checked. That was four years ago. I had hopes that the health of my fingernails
would return, but it was hope. They did improve some and got some harder, but
the spoon shape and ridges have remained. I thought the nails and healthy
hair were the result of protein in the diet.
_______________________________________
My nails have been a problem forever - splitting and breaking and ridges. Now
I am on Shaklee B Complex vitamins and gelatin tablets from KMart and my
nails are the longest they have ever been. Once I switched to cheaper B Complex
vitamins and they went to pieces again - once I skipped gelatin tablets for a
couple months and also back to square one. So now I am staying on the routine.
________________________________________
It takes time for the intestines to heal - how much time depends on how much
damage. It takes more time to restore vitamin and mineral reserves, and a
very long time to grow out healthy nails.
I have a toe-nail that I took a fungal medicine for about 4 years ago, and
there is improvement, but it is still not quite totally grown out (toe nails
are the slowest growing of all).
________________________________________
Since going gluten free last fall, my fingernails have developed lots of
ridges.
________________________________________
Yes, I have had the problems you are describing. I have been gf for 5 years
and still have misshapen and ridged nails (though the nails themselves are
stronger). I am not sure that our nails will ever change, Steve. I do have one
other idea, though I would think your hemotologist would be on top of this
already, regarding your RBC. I have a ferritin count which is still on the
lowish side of normal and my hemoglobin count, as yours, is on the low side of
normal as well. I have been taking iron supplements and I think it helps. I also
take them with vit C and juice BETWEEN meals so it doesn't have anything to
interfere with it. My celiac doctor didn't think I needed the extra iron, but
I do--I have more energy as well now.
You do not mention a ferritin count. This is a count of stored iron in your
body. If your ferritin, like mine, was extremely low when diagnosed (my
ferritin count was only 2 and my hemoglobin was 7, well below normal), then you may
still be making that up, somewhat. My idea is to check if your ferritin count
is still low. Without the supplements, my ferritin would be even lower than
it is now (at 75--and remember this is after 5 years gf and taking
supplements--and I initially had to have 2 blood transfusions and a hysterectomy to get
it above 20). If one's ferritin is low, I believe it can keep the hemoglobin
low.
My guess is that for some of us, it just takes alot longer for our intestines
to completely heal. And, if I understand completely, the healing can be
"patchy"--better in some areas and not as well in other areas, such is where the
iron is removed to the bloodstream. I was undiagnosed for 49 years and very
ill as a result for over 30 years! I tend to think I may never uptake iron as
well as normal people or even other celiacs do. (Though I still hold out
hope.) I really think you will find there are many other celiacs out there who
have similar problems. I will look forward to your summary as I have wondered
how many others are having these problems as well and if there is more I could
be doing. Good luck; I hope you find some help soon.
___________________________________________
I have been GF for five years and I feel wonderful and healthy now, however,
I still have spoon shaped nails with ridges and they are paper thin. I have
them silk warped and just don't worry about it since everything else is back to
normal. __________________________________
I thought it was just me! It sounds like your nails
are worse than mine, but ever since going GF (with
plenty of "accidents"), I've had ridges develop going
the length of my nails on most of them, and they split
much more easily than they used to, always along one
of the ridges. I've never been diagnosed with anemia
of any kind, but next time I go to the doc I'll see if
I'm at the low end of normal too.
______________________________
I've developed ridges in my fingernails over the last 3-4 years.
I read about many different conditions which could cause it. I finally read
it can be age-related and that is what I've settled on. I'm 51.
__________________________________
My husband has the spoon shaped fingernails, low iron count and ridges. My
husband has low bone density as well. He is working on trying to get some
endocrine issues dealt with. Do you have any other symptoms such as rapid heart
rate, etc? There are many possibilities but you have to look at the top five to
seven symptoms and start researching if no doctor wants to look at this. We are
having problems getting a diagnosis for him. Where do you live? You may need
a good hormone specialist or an MD who is more on the natural pathic side who
looks at the issues you outlined. I am looking forward to hearing what others
may say.
_______________________________________________
I have the nail ridges, too and have not seen any improvement in 2 years of
gf eating. I was also told it was an iron deficiency. My daughter also has
them, both of us on the thumbs the worst. I have not tried eating a tablespoon
of unsulphured blackstrap molasses every day, which I have been told will help
greatly.
_________________________________________________
I find my fingernails are better when I take cod liver oil tabs.
Push the doctor to get treat you anemia seriously. NOTHING happens in the
body that doesn't require oxygen. Anemia keeps you from getting enough.
Osteoporsosis, restless leg syndrome can result when iron levesl are not
where they should be. I had a good friend whose anemia was not treated seriously &
he suffered greatly for years as a result.
______________________________________
I've had chronic nail problems for years continuing well after going GF
affecting primarily the outer edges of the large toenails, which decayed,
and, later, several nails on the right hand including the thumb and
forefinger consisting of depressed (spooning) and slow growth on nail edges
and some ridging. Additionally, my toes would periodically swell and
inflame.
My first breakthough came when I determined I had hypochlorhydria (low
stomach acid), common among celiacs and generally people over age 40. I've
been treating that condition with betaine HCl and digestive enzymes
for some time now. The treatment pretty much halted the nail condition,
but the nails were not growing back... growth was extremely slow.
A test for low stomach acid:
http://www.drdebe.com/BAKESODA.htm
A search of the internet turned up MSM (methylsufonylmethane) as a
treatment to increase nail growth. MSM is a sulfur supplement. Sulfur is
a component of keratin, necessary for nail, hair and tissue growth. Taking
a half teaspoon of powdered MSM in water daily, I noticed increased nail
growth. I increased the MSM dose to a teaspoon twice daily and began
taking 500 mg L-methionine (a sulfur amino acid) capsules twice daily.
Nail growth increased even more, AND the chronic swelling and inflammation
of the toes ceased entirely (never coming back again).
I also apply Vaseline Intensive Care Health Body Complexion lotion along
with a store brand of "advanced healing" skin care lotion and a 10% mixture
of boric acid power in petroleum jelly (prepared by liquifying the
petroleum jelly in a food steamer... mix 1 teaspoon boric acid to 1 ounce
petroleum jelly) to toes and toe nails twice a day, and both lotions to my
fingernails and hands before going to bed.
It's been about 2 years since I began my treatments with MSM and lotions.
My toenails are almost perfectly restored, with still a little more growth
needed for the large toenails. I've had a few relapses with fingernail
problems that seems to be related to a flu or cold infection and a 6 month
bout with diarrhea that followed the flu or cold. But now the fingernails
are also growing back and clearing up again.
I attribute my problems to a likely sulfur deficiency. I should also point
out that a few months ago I began consuming Nancy's Yogurt as a probiotic
in place of the probiotic capsules I had been taking. The yogurt seemed to
help clear up the diarrhea, in turn, helping to clear up my fingernails.
_______________________________________________________
*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*
|
