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HI everyone,
Since my diagnosis in February of last year, I've been looking for other
Asian celiacs, such as my self who is a Chinese American.  I discovered
celiac as a cause of my malabsorption symptoms (weight loss, etc.)  which
grew to be so many after four years of misdiagnoses that it was easy to
discover I was suffering from malabsorption through research into medical
journals.  I found CD through an elimination diet of first dairy and then
soy, which finally included wheat.  My current Gastroenterologist thinks
that it took so long to get a diagnosis because I was Asian;  I was also
told I had lactose intolerance because I was Asian.  Fortunately, I
discovered CD myself because I believe that it might have been too late (as
I was continuing to lose weight)  if I had waited for the doctors to think
of it as a cause of my symptoms since I was still being told I had Irritable
Bowel Syndrome and lactose intolerance as the symptoms became so indicative
of malabsorption syndrome.  It was actually the CD that exacerbated or
caused my lactose intolerance which has gotten better, the longer on the GF
diet.
My health was finally devastated from severe symptoms and complications
after three short gluten challenges by the Chief of Gastroenterology.  I
can't imagine what would have happened if I had continued on a
gluten-containing diet without knowing I had CD or the doctors not having
even thought of it as a possibility in my case.
Now, I wonder just how many other Asians have been fortunate enough (as I've
spoken to others who aren't Asian about their journeys) to the discover they
had CD, when it is difficult for anyone to get doctors to consider they have
CD.  Fortunately, awareness is growing but it is even hard to get people
themselves to consider they might have CD when faced with a gluten-free
diet.  That's why doctors need to have a higher awareness and suspicion in
advocating their patient's health and well-being.        It's hard for me to
convince anyone, as well as other Asians with celiac-like symptoms and tell
them they should be screened when their doctors are telling them they can't
have CD such as in the case of my cousin's baby who is ALSO allergic to
barley and wheat and gets rashes just touching wheat.  In response, my
cousin likes to say that her baby isn't losing weight (like myself) so it's
just has an allergy.  I wonder who is fostering this ignorance and I worry
who is suffering right now from CD without knowing it.  Yet, I also
understand that my cousin's baby might just only have an allergy but it
doesn't hurt to be screened for CD as well.  Recently, I read a fellow list
mate's post that she is doing a study of the incidence of people with IgE
type reactions to gluten who also have CD.  I say Hurrah!
Laura Yick

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