More on Gluten

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Last week, I wrote a bit about celiac disease and thought this would be a good opportunity to share my own positive experience after going on a gluten free diet.  I was having lots of stomach problems – ones that were making things very difficult to leave the house, to put it politely.  Taking imodium became an almost daily necessity and I was spending why too much time in the bathroom (I promise no more details).  Around the same time, my joint pain had grown much more severe.  I needed help just crossing the street because my knees were so stiff, painful, and resistant to bending.  I was puzzled because my joint symptoms varied, and not with the time of day, the weather, or other external factors.

Working with my physician, I began to track if my symptoms were correlated to what foods I was eating.  I noticed that stomach symptoms were much worse after I ate pasta, pancakes, or bread.  My doctor ordered the antibody blood tests for celiac disease and the results were negative. While the next step usually would be to have an intestinal biopsy, my autoimmune condition and other health issues made it such that I was not a good candidate for additional invasive testing at that time. Instead my doctor suggested that we try to eliminate gluten for my diet and see if there would be any improvements.

Bingo!  Over the last five months there have been major changes!  While it did not happen literally overnight, within a few weeks my stomach had calmed and I was no longer often moving as fast as I could to the bathroom every time I ate.  My joints are now much more flexible again and I can move and bend without much pain and discomfort. I have even ridden a bicycle for the first time in years--albeit only once and briefly.  It's been a remarkable change for me that has made an enormous difference in my daily life. It has been well worth giving up some of my favorite foods. 

I am fortunate to live in a large city where gluten-free has become common if not quite pervasive.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of gluten free products available, though it did take some taste testing to find options I really enjoyed.  While my physician can't be sure whether I have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, the treatment is the same--elimination of gluten from my diet.

Does anyone else with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease have favorite foods which have been helpful replacements?  I found the gluten free breads and bagels better than I expected.

I have provided a brief description of the types of possible reactions to gluten below. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a very comprehensive website with detailed information about celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

Possible Reactions to Gluten  

• Celiac Disease – A digestive disorder where an individual’s immune system responds to gluten (a protein found in rye, barley, and wheat) by damaging and destroying part of the small intestine, called the villi. Diagnosis is often made based upon positive antibody tests or a biopsy of the intestine. Symptoms of celiac disease can be wide ranging and varied from stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, anemia, osteoporosis, and neuropathy.

• Gluten Sensitivity— Although symptoms of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are often similar, individuals with gluten sensitivity do not produce the antibodies that cause damage and inflammation to the intestine. Specific tests for gluten sensitivity do not currently exist and the determination is often made by using a gluten elimination diet in conjunction with your physician to see if symptoms improve. Recent studies have indicated that gluten sensitivity is caused by activation of an innate immune response.

• Gluten Allergy – This is what many of us think of when allergies come to mind, a histamine reaction that can cause symptom such as hives, asthma, and anaphylaxis.