What are the symptoms of Celiac disease?

They may have been backwards and forwards to many different doctors trying to discover what is wrong. Sadly, because these symptoms can be so varied it can often take a long time before a correct diagnosis is made.

In fact, many people end up working it out for themselves!

So why can't the medical profession work out what is wrong more quickly?

The classic symptoms of celiac disease often include either diarrhoea or constipation, nausea and vomiting, severe stomach pains or cramps, and unusual bowel motions.

The problem is that these symptoms can also suggest other, more common, ailments!

Celiac disease is not always the first thing your doctor will think of, as he may not come across the condition very often and is more likely to diagnose Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or IBS).

Although celiac is now known to affect 1 in about 133 people, most of those have not been diagnosed.

If you think you might have celiac disease, check the lists of symptoms below...

Gastrointestinal symptoms of celiac disease

• terrible abdominal pains and distention
• awful smelling, severe diarrhoea
• constipation
• greasy stools that are pale in colour, float and are difficult to flush away
• nausea and vomiting
• mouth ulcers
• wind and flatulence (a big problem when in company!)

Other symptoms of Celiac Disease

• Weight loss (or failure to thrive in babies)
• Short stature (in children)
• Anaemia
• Alopecia or hair loss
• Unreadable fingerprints - white lines across them
• Excessive fatigue
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Infertility and problems with pregnancy including excessive morning sickness
• Abnormal menstrual cycle
• Brain fog (inability to concentrate)
• Behavioural difficulties (similar to ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• Depression and mood swings
• Headaches
• Nose bleeds
• Muscle cramps
• Restless leg syndrome
• Respiratory problems such as asthma
• Itchy rash (DH - dermatitis herpetiformis)

It gets even more difficult to decide whether someone has celiac disease when you take into account that some sufferers are asymptomatic (have no noticeable symptoms at all).

It is important to find out what is wrong, as celiac disease, if undiagnosed, can cause serious repercussions in later life, including osteoporosis, refractory sprue (very rare) and small bowel cancer.

If you suspect this may be the cause of your symptoms then a trip to your doctor for a celiac disease test is your first step.

If you have Celiac disease and it took a while to be diagnosed please share your story as it may help others who are still unsure.