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Dear Ladies and Gentelmen:

I subscribed to the list about a month ago, and it is time for me to
introduce myself.  My wife is German, and I have recided in Germany
since 1992.  I was diagnosed with Celiac diseas February of this year.
The diagnoses came after one horrible year filled with stomach problems
and many attempts and finding the source of my problems.  I started a
strict gluten free diat three months ago, and I am still having many
problems.  Things have been so bad that I started taking cortisone
(predisone) yesterday.  I guess I have what the doctors refer to
refractory sprue, wich is suppose to be rare.  However, after talking to
other individuals here in Germany that are also Celiac afflicted, the
large majority have said that it took them one year from the time they
started the diat to recoperate completely.  This is not the impression I
have received after reading the postings to this forum.

If any of you ever travel to Germany and need help or advice, feel free
to write me and I will more than happy to help you out.  I belong to the
German and American Celiac association.
Joseph C. Zamora
[log in to unmask]
Germany
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