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

I am including a copy of a medical column that appeared today in the Philadelphia Inquirer that made my hair stand on end. 

Summarizing, a 74 year old woman wrote to the newspaper doctor regarding heartburn. Through the newspaper, he diagnosed that she has "functional dyspepsia" and/or IBD, "Both are disorders where the root of the problem is in the mind."
He told her to take antidepressants. Her tests came back "normal". Did he test her for celiac? Did they do an upper endoscopy that probed low enough to check the villi? Did they do a celiac bloodtest? 

Her symptoms got worse when her husband died. I don't know about him, but the widows I know are prone to stop cooking like they used to, when they had someone to cook for. Perhaps...did he even consider, she is living on toast and pasta? Perhaps her diet changed when her husband died.

Over the many years that I've been diagnosed, I've heard too many times that it's all in our head. Myself included...that's what my family doc and GI said until both the bloodwork and upper endoscopy came back positive for celiac, years ago.

1. Could be the newspaper left out details for the sake of space.
2. She may need antidepressants.
But....well, there are too many buts, so I'm writing him a letter tonight! Don't beat me up on this if read the article and agree with him. I just wonder how many celiacs there are out there who spent years on antacids and other medication, whose problem went away or was reduced, with a a gluten-free diet? I've known too many....and most of them are women patients and male doctors. This patronizing stands in the way of accurate diagnosis. Lin

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/10291717.htm?1c

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *