<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Sharon Marcus <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>I ask this question because of the recent post of Bill Elkus entitled >>"Horvath on CD and Neurological Manifestations". It seems to me that a >>celiac following the diet for a time long enough for him to recover >>intestinal damage, etc. "should" not be suffering from neurological >>problems, unless there were other factors involved. Then Bill Elkus wrote: >I have not looked at that particular set of articles, but I would venture to >guess that they all refer to patients with untreated Celiac Disease, i.e. >people still eating gluten containing foods. I believe it is a dangerous misconception to think that the gluten-free diet offers a complete recovery from neuropathic symptoms of celiac disease. This is the basis on which many clinicians rationalize delayed testing for cd. In fact, a great deal of evidence suggests that those ~10% of celiacs who suffer from neuropathies have only limited hopes for full recovery. W.T. Cooke and G.K.T. Holmes in their book, _Coeliac Disease_ 1984, have devoted an entire chapter to the neurological and psychiatric complications of celiac disease. On page 209, they state: "The majority of reported patients have shown a steady and progressive downhill course, leading to a fatal outcome on account of the neurological disturbance itself. Later, on the same page, they say: "There is no evidence that gluten withdrawal can stay the course of the disorder and in many patients the complication has made its appearance when the patient was already on a gluten free diet." I do not recall reading about this in celiac children, beyond abnormal EEGs or in cases of cerebral calcifications leading to a treatable epilepsy, which responds to a gluten-free diet, and little else. The evidence points to the need for early diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease, especially in childhood. While the gluten-free diet, along with other dietary adjustments, seems to have alleviated my neuropathic symptoms, ie: vision; hearing; positional vertigo; peripheral numbness; dizziness; etc. I appear to be one of the lucky ones. The evidence also suggests that one or all of these symptoms may be back. My intention is to encourage early diagnosis, and to discourage "experimentation." I hope this is helpful. Best Wishes, Ron http://www.panix.com/~donwiss/hoggan/