<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
and feet to the point of falling, severe cramping with
menstrual periods - often to point of requiring emergency
medical care; frequent "flu" symptoms of swollen glands,
sore throat, aches, etc. Above symptoms were present in one
form or another for several years, perhaps longer. I have
been on extremely strict GF diet for exactly 6 months and
ALL of above symptoms have improved, MOST have disappeared.
I have some persistent fatigue, which is lessening. I did
not experience weight loss, but I am average to thin. I
began to experience relief from symptoms within 48 hours of
putting myself on GF diet. I have actually lost weight since
the diet, but I do not eat typical American diet and never
have, so I don't eat many of the things that cause Celiacs
and non-Celiacs to struggle with weight (high fat foods,
fried foods, processed foods, etc.) I am vegetarian and eat
mostly whole foods prepared at home. I was extremely sick
for several years. Now, I am feeling healthy for the first
time in years. I had been to see 3 doctors about the
bloating, all of whom said nothing was wrong. This is why
once I figured out the problem, I was not tempted to seek
medical help before trying the diet. I also have a relative
with the disease, so I knew it was a possibility in my
family.
I am overweight due to Cushing's Disease, and have never been able to lose
much of the weight I gained with
that (not to mention the 2 years struggling to get a diagnosis at 45 when
they usually diagnose women in
their 20's). The surgery left me with nocturnal myoclonus
and a pattern of disturbed sleep, and growth hormone deficiency that was not
treated until 8 years after surgery.
The Celiac diagnosis was 3 years ago. I've been left
overweight, chronically fatigued, and exercise of my legs
just about guarantees myoclonus that night. No wonder
I haven't been able to lose weight. I'm 5' 6" tall, and my
weight fluctuates between 206 and 214; that's down from
a peak weight of 230 but I can't get under 200 lb even with
2 years of Celiac GI reactivity.
So, yes, you can be Celiac and overweight.
I experienced weight gain before diagnosis. Lots of bloating, gas, and many
other symptoms that came and went. Many other celiacs I know were
overweight. Doctors in this country are ignorant of CD. I met a recent med
student who was shadowing my doctor and asked him how much time was devoted
to CD and what he learned. He said about 5 minutes. He was told it was rare.
1 in many thousands
have it and the symptom is diarrhea.
She might get a copy of the book "Dangerous Grains" that just came out.
It has a really good section on testing and what to and not to expect,
and references. Their take is that if you have high antibodies, but
no gut problems, you may have the same problems as full-blown
CD. They really don't think low weight should be taken into account,
and in fact say weight gain is common (the opioids in wheat cause
more insulin to be produced, causing fat storage).
Hi, I didn't have weight loss, but I'm self-dx by accident when I went gf
after my daughter was dx. I felt so much better, and small symptoms that I
thought were age related went away.
My daughter, who was diagnosed at 5 yrs. old, did not lose weight while
undiagnosed for almost 2 years. She did stop growing, though, and did not
gain any weight, and had diarhea. I don't know if a child's symptoms are
relavant to an adult, though.
I don't know if this will help but I was sick for 3 years gained almost
40lbs
was told I after tests I didn't have CD (I had also been on a GF diet for 3
months & take cortef) Even when I was told I didn't have CD- I knew I did
b/c
I was feeling 100% better and in 5 months have lost almost every pound I
gained. Today I don't have any problems!
Indeed there are some of us CD'rs that did gain weight and can't seem to get
it off. I was bloated and I felt as though I couldn't wait to finish making
a meal to eat. Once I ate, I was so full after only a few bites I could
hardly breathe. Then I would be bloated for an hour or two and again I would
be starving It truly was a cycle. I had fatigue, depression and anemia. But,
once I found the doctor that diagnosed me correctly the bloating wasn't as
bad, however, I still am 50 #'s overweight and I have never had a weight
problem before. I am about to join a health club and they tell me that the
water exercises can help. I sure hope so.
From a recent paper to the American College of Gastroenterologists in Las
Vegas in October 2002 on a survey of 1032 biopsied celiacs About 5 % of
surveyed celiacs were obese at time of diagnosis About 30% were overweight
About 30% were normal About 35% were underweight
MANY PEOPLE with CD will be overweight or of normal weight. My son lost no
weight prior to effects of CD. It is not all-inclusive.
I never had weight loss with or without celiac. I didn't lose weight because
of it, if anything, I have gained weight because of it. Pensacola,
Florida
I have had CD all my life, and have been overweight since puberty
The usual thing is:
>Anemia early childhood
>major attack around age 18
>little or no symptoms after that until age 43 or so
> extreme difficulty losing weight after that
>if extreme emotional crisis earlier on then the weight problems
>and bowel problems start sooner
>early menopause or female problems requiring surgery
> (age 32 or so)
>Diabetes
>bad knees
>arthritis
>
>Oh yes, our family is from Alsace-Lorraine and I have pictures going back
>to
>the 1800's. My genealogy is a medical one as well. Most of my maternal
>ancestors came originally from Switzerland.
>
>My great-great grandmother died of chronic diarrhea at age 43. My mother
>has
>to take meds to stop the bowel problems and is 280 lbs. I was a size 8
>until
>a severe car accident and the steroids and pain meds caused chronic bowel
>problems. Before that I only had occasional bouts when excited or upset.
>
>Arthritis runs rampant in the family as well as diabetes. I have gone on
>900
>calorie diets and lost weight very slowly. My hunger reflex is different
>from others (as most in my family) as I can become so hungry that I am
>nauseated within 1 hour after a normal meal.
>
>I control the constipation/diarrhea with Psyllium and the cramps and
>diarrhea with robinal forte ( an Rx from my doctor) I avoid wheat and
>tomato
>sauce as well as fried foods.
>
>I weigh 200 lbs (walk 3-4 times a week and weight train. I can walk 2 miles
>briskly without being out of breath or breaking out in a sweat. My activity
>only keeps me from being heavier, no weight loss yet from it. My husband
>and
>I have been walking for over 10 years now.
>
>Out of proportion hunger is like a protective mechanism that changed in the
>DNA to help us survive.
>I wish nature had found a better way.
>
Tell your friend NOT TO TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!
I went through 20 years of hell and misdiagnosis before an intelligent Dr.
recognized the symptoms and had me tested. And the killer was when the
gastroenterologist he sent me to actually stood there and laughed at me
telling me that there was no way because I was too [fat]. The blood tests
came back negative, but the biopsies told the whole story. Since then I have
met MANY others who were overweight and had Celiac. BTW, the most often told
complaint of overweight celiacs: “Its in our heads, we’re just too stressed,
and we need therapy and drugs to control our problems.”
I can feel my blood boil just thinking about it!!!
Thanks again for the incredible testimonials for someone I'm trying to help
regardless of whether she turns out to have CD or not. She will be asking
her doctor for the Celiac blood tests this coming week.
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