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Help! I just came home from a doctor appointment that left me looking for a
nice big tree to drive into. Let me try to explain.
 
I am coming off what may be a Celiac "induced" crisis. I spent the month of
January with diarrhea, pain, gas, nausea, a weight loss of 12 pounds....My
doctor said maybe an ulcer and the flu? After 2 weeks of a liquid diet (the
only way I found any relief) and Prilosec I began to gradually introduce
solids but found little success until one day after quite feeling well I
craved a snack in the evening and downed a bunch of graham crackers. I was
sick all night with the same symptoms I'd been having for weeks. I read the
ingredients, the first of course is wheat and soon afterwards I hopped on the
internet and I believe I found the answer.
 
I saw my life of 36 years of unexplained health problems pass before my eyes
in everything I read about Celiac disease, beginning with my introduction to
solids at seven months old which lead to severe diarrhea and near
hospitalization. Any physical of emotional assualt on my body throughout my
life has caused digestive problems with rapid weight loss. The past 3 years
have been especially difficult because of a mystery illness that followed a D
& C followed then by two Clostrium Difficle infections (infections of the
intestines caused from anitbiotics). I have had constant intestinal problems
since that summer. I was told it was IBS.  Needless to say after educating
myself on Celiac disease I immediately cut out gluten. Within a couple of
days I was able to eat as much as I wanted as long as it was gluten free! I
told my doctor today about my discovery. Her first comment was "your not
anemic which people with sprue usually present with." She asked no questions
about my history but did say she would do a biospy. I asked about the blood
antibody tests and she then agreed to do them. We talked for less than five
minutes.
 
Here's the problem...Because she only scopes people on Fridays and she's
booked this month she wants me to eat gluten and have the biopsy March 1st
(she also wants to scope out the other end at the same time, been there done
that, don't want to go there again!). I know tests for Celiac shouldn't be
done when your on a gluten free diet (I have only been gluten free for two
weeks now) but I can't bear to be sick for four more weeks. Even a very small
amount of gluten leaves me too sick to function. If this past five weeks was
Celiac disease triggered by the flu or an ulcer (or whatever) and so little
gluten makes me so sick, couldn't I be biopsyed after less time on a gluten
filled diet?
 
I'm sorry if I've rambled on but I'm really feeling down and overwhelmed by
this whole thing. After my appointment I thought maybe I should skip a
doctor's involvement and just deal with it on my own. Or maybe try and find a
doctor that has a special interest and knowledge in this area? I know no one
can tell me what I should do but you all have been dealing with this longer
than I have and I'm just feeling totally lost at this point.
 
Lilli
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