I am 22 years old, and was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in October 2020. My journey with this disease has not been easy. My journey took multiple years full of medical debt, hospital visits, and countless doctor visits until I finally found out what had been making me sick. I want to inform others about celiac disease as it is one of the most misdiagnosed illnesses in the United States. I hope that this information can help other college women understand celiac disease and advocate for themselves to get a proper diagnosis.
- What is Celiac Disease?
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Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that can occur in genetically predisposed people when they consume gluten which is found in wheat, barley, and rye. When people with Celiac disease ingest gluten, their body creates an immune response that attacks the small intestine, which can cause massive damage. These attacks on the small intestine will lead to damage on the villi,tiny hair-like extensions that aid digestion, and limit the absorption of nutrients. Celiac Disease is known to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. A large problem surrounding this disease is that most people are undiagnosed and put themselves at risk for long-term health complications. The only ways to find out if you have Celiac disease is through a blood test or a biopsy of your small intestine through an endoscopy.
- Symptoms of Celiac Disease
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The Foundation for Celiac Disease, an organization focused on accelerating celiac disease diagnosis and treatment, lists the variation of symptoms that one can experience. Patients may have signs and symptoms of:
– Malabsorption including diarrhea and steatorrhea (pale, foul-smelling, and fatty stools)
– Weight loss or stunted growth in children
– Mild gastrointestinal problems or some seemingly unrelated symptoms
– Extreme abdominal pain
– Anemia
– Chronic fatigue
– Chronic migraine
– Peripheral neuropathy (tingling, numbness or pain in hands or feet)
– Unexplained chronic hypertransaminasemia (elevated liver enzymes)
– Reduced bone mass and bone fractures
– Vitamin deficiency (folic acid and B12)
– Difficulty losing weight
– Late menarche/early menopause
– Unexplained infertility
– Dental enamel defects
– Depression and anxiety
– Dermatitis herpetiformis (itchy skin rash)
- Complications with Celiac Disease
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There are many complications that could occur with this chronic illness.. People living with celiac disease have a 2x greater risk of developing coronary artery disease, and a 4x greater risk of developing any small bowel cancers. Untreated celiac disease can lead to the development of other autoimmune disorders such as Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS). It is also possible to develop other conditions such as dermatitis herpetiformis, anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, neurological conditions like epilepsy and migraines, short stature, heart disease, and intestinal cancers.
- How to “Cure” Celiac Disease?
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Sadly, there is no true cure for Celiac Disease besides following a strict gluten-free diet. Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease, which means that you will not “grow out” of it.. Only food and beverage with a gluten content less than 20 parts per million (ppm) is allowed within this diet. The gluten-free diet can also heal the damage in the small intestine and resolve other symptoms. However, this “easy fix” is not always as easy as it seems.
- What is a Gluten-Free Diet?
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Eating gluten-free can be costly and hard at times yet it is important for people diagnosed with celiac disease to maintain a strict diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barely, and rye. Examples of food and drinks that contain gluten arebread, pasta, baked goods, soups, a significant amount of processed foods, beer, dessert wines, and etc. I used to think eating gluten free wouldn’t be hard, but I obviously had no experience with cutting gluten out of my diet. Unfortunately, gluten is in a lot more products than we assume it to be.
This article hit home with me because of how unaware I was of this disease before being diagnosed. It really put things into perspective for me, and it made me realize that some people who choose to not eat gluten might be doing it for their health rather than just for a trend. Whether this disease affects you or not, it is always important to be informed. The more people that become informed about this disease and its symptoms then the more opportunity for celiac disease awareness.