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*****SUMMARY**********

Thank you all for the many responses I received regarding what symptoms
each of you had for celiac disease.  The results are listed at the end.
As I stated, my only symptom was anemia.  I have been borderline anemic
for the majority of my life and was always told to eat more leafy
greens, beans, meats, etc.  I have always been extremely healthy.
Exercise regularly with no problem.  I had two episodes of diarrhea
which lasted for 1-2 weeks each, but were within 3 years of each other.
Each one occurred while moving to a new state.  The last episode was
12/96 when I moved to SC.  I went to a Doctor's Care (an emergency
clinic with various doctors on call) where they gave me meds to stop the
diarrhea.  A nurse noticed that my palms were blue and alerted the
doctor.  They ran a CBC and found that my Hemoglobin was 8.0!  Normal is
12-16 for women.  They instructed me to follow up with a private
physician.  I attend dental school at MUSC and went to the student
health physician.  Luckily he was a very persistent man.  I was sent to
a GI specialist who didn't do any tests but a fecal/occult test!  So,
after a year of 4 iron tabs/day, my physician at school decided to look
for out-of-the-ordinary diseases.  CD popped up positive.  I went for
the biopsy at MUSC and it showed that my villi were flattened.  The GF
diet started and the rest is history!  My hemoglobin is at 13 now.  I
have more energy than I ever thought possible.  I found a great GI doc
who monitors me by the CBCs and may do another biopsy down the road.

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Here were the results of the survey from all of you:

36 people responded
15 anemia was the only symptom
2 had absolutely no symptoms
1 diabetes (found CD through a study by endocrinologist)
1 gas & cramping
1 osteoporosis, mild anemia, hypothyroid
1 difficulty swallowing & heart burn
1 gas, anemia, fatigue
1 reflux
2 slow growth (kids)

14 admitted to weight gain after starting the GF diet, many recommended low
carb diet and one recommended the Paleolithic diet (don't think I could ever
eat insects, but the rest sounds interesting).  15 lb. seemed to be the
average amount gained.

As to whether or not you can tell if you've eaten hidden gluten:
16 can not
3 can definitely
2 didn't in the past, but now do

Just because some of us can't tell that we have eaten gluten since we don't
have any reaction (that we are conscious of) doesn't mean we can cheat.  I
know how hard it is to resist since I don't experience symptoms either.  A
couple of stories really caught my attention:

1 man's only symptom was anemia.  He cheated often.  Now dead of
lymphoma.  Is that piece of cake really worth it?  REALLY MADE ME THINK.
1 woman with only symptom of anemia later found out she had
adenocarcinoma of the small intestine.

Thanks to all of you for your advice, stories, and best wishes.  It is nice
to know that I am not alone.

Cindy Hylton
Charleston, SC