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The two messages about weight loss from

MS BRENDA K LANEY <[log in to unmask]> who said
> There is a lady in SC who has had celiac disease for 10
> years. She had gained weight on the gluten free diet. When
> one of the meds she takes changed it's formula she ended up
> in the hospital having lost from 103 lbs to 63 lbs. She is
> at 59 lbs now and still losing.

and Linda Jones <[log in to unmask]> who said
> This situation is almost identical to what I have been experiencing since
> April.  I, too, had gained weight after beginning the sprue diet and have
> been on it for 14 years.  All of a sudden I began losing weight, ...

reminded me of the following discussion of refractory sprue in the
Sprue-nik Press, May 1995 (caps below are mine for emphasis).  It couldn't
hurt to ask the doctor if it applies to you:

>            "Etiology and Pathogenesis of Celiac Disease"
>            ---------------------------------------------
>                 a talk by William O. Dobbins, M.D.
>                       summarized by Jim Lyles
>
> Dr. William O. Dobbins is Professor Emeritus of the Gastroenterology
> Section, Internal Medicine Department, at the University of Michigan.
> He gave the keynote address at the CSA/USA Conference, held on
> October 7-9, 1994, in Detroit Michigan.  What follows are some
> highlights of Dr. Dobbins' talk.
> ...
> In most cases, a gluten-free diet reverses the effects of celiac
> disease, and the patient returns to normal both clinically and
> biochemically in the intestine.  Sometimes a patient does not respond
> to a gluten-free diet, or AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF RESPONDING WELL TO
> THE DIET BEGINS TO HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN.  Biopsies of these people
> show that the epithelial cells are sick.  This is called collagenous
> or refractory sprue.  At one time this was considered an
> irreversible, and therefore untreatable, condition.  However, there
> are some newer treatment techniques that now offer some hope for this
> condition.
>
> The thick layer of collagen, especially for those that have been
> responding well for years on the diet and then sudden begin having
> trouble, may be caused by an over-enthusiastic immune system that is
> producing collagen as a by-product or innocent bystander type of
> effect.
> ...

Martha
Los Angeles
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