What are the symptoms of celiac disease (coeliac disease)

As I mentioned when we talked about celiac disease (or Coeliac Disease here in the UK) the damage caused by someone who is gluten intolerant eating gluten, happens mainly in the gastrointestinal tract. However, many other symptoms can present in other parts of the body.

Celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose due to the diverse range of symptoms that a patient might present with. In fact, many people are mistakenly diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Gastrointestinal symptoms of celiac disease

If someone suffering from Coeliac disease/celiac disease is undiagnosed or inadvertently eats gluten they may suffer from:

terrible abdominal pains and distension
awful smelling, severe diarrhea
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

Malabsorption can also cause anaemia, and excessive fatigue. Low vitamin B12 levels are also common in celiac disease, even if the sufferer does not have pernicious anaemia.

Once pregnant, excessive morning sickness can be a problem. I was sick throughout the full length of both of my pregnancies requiring hospitalisation and drip feeding each time.

A sensitivity to gluten can also cause neurological problems. Many sufferers find they have periods of "brain fog" where they have an inability to concentrate. Behavioural difficulties - similar to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)can also occur.

Other physical symptoms of celiac disease can include headaches, nosebleeds, muscle cramps, eczema/psoriasis (not to be confused with DH an itchy skin condition relieved by following a gluten free diet), respiratory problems and asthma

If undiagnosed there can be serious repercussions for celiacs in later life, including osteoporosis and bowel cancer. You may like to visit a site that one of my friends has written all about Osteopenia, osteopenia treatments and more.

The symptoms of celiac disease can be life threatening. Tracy Friggstad shares her story:

Actually, the finality of undiagnosed Celiac is what kills. You all have heard this before, but I am one of those who came within a breath of death due to this. Last fall I was 100 pounds, 5'6", 38 years old.

I was starving to death but eating all the time, with unresponsive asthma. I could hardly think or walk, and was so shaky I could no longer drive. After a couple of ambulance trips and having to be resuscitated, my doctor finally told me he didn't know why I was dying, but I was.

My family came over and we planned my funeral. I will never forget having to sit my kids down and explain to them I would not be living to an old age.

In December, through an interesting set of circumstances, I figured out that gluten was a huge culprit in my life. Fast forward to now, I have gained weight, I am off all my asthma medications, I can think, walk and drive, and funeral plans are off."


	What are the symptoms of Celiac disease? I apologise in advance if the information on this page about the symptoms of celiac disease paints a rather too graphic picture! As I am so often asked questions like "How do I know if I am allergic to gluten?" or "Is being allergic to gluten the same as celiac?" this page will give you a clue as to what symptoms to watch out for. I have written a separate page on the question of gluten allergy or intolerance. As I mentioned when we talked about celiac disease (or Coeliac Disease here in the UK) the damage caused by someone who is gluten intolerant eating gluten, happens mainly in the gastrointestinal tract. However, many other symptoms can present in other parts of the body. Celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose due to the diverse range of symptoms that a patient might present with. In fact, many people are mistakenly diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Gastrointestinal symptoms of celiac disease If someone suffering from Coeliac disease/celiac disease is undiagnosed or inadvertently eats gluten they may suffer from: terrible abdominal pains and distension awful smelling, severe diarrhea 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 Due to the fact that the body is not absorbing the nutrients it needs, weight loss, short stature or failure to thrive (in children) are common symptoms of celiac disease. Malabsorption can also cause anaemia, and excessive fatigue. Low vitamin B12 levels are also common in celiac disease, even if the sufferer does not have pernicious anaemia. Many sufferers, myself included, have issues with abnormal menstural cycles, pregnancy, miscarriage or infertility. Once pregnant, excessive morning sickness can be a problem. I was sick throughout the full length of both of my pregnancies requiring hospitalisation and drip feeding each time. A sensitivity to gluten can also cause neurological problems. Many sufferers find they have periods of "brain fog" where they have an inability to concentrate. Behavioural difficulties - similar to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)can also occur. Depression and mood disorders are also prevalent amongst coeliac sufferers. Other physical symptoms of celiac disease can include headaches, nosebleeds, muscle cramps, eczema/psoriasis (not to be confused with DH an itchy skin condition relieved by following a gluten free diet), respiratory problems and asthma If undiagnosed there can be serious repercussions for celiacs in later life, including osteoporosis and bowel cancer. You may like to visit a site that one of my friends has written all about Osteopenia, osteopenia treatments and more. The symptoms of celiac disease can be life threatening. Tracy Friggstad shares her story: Actually, the finality of undiagnosed Celiac is what kills. You all have heard this before, but I am one of those who came within a breath of death due to this. Last fall I was 100 pounds, 5'6", 38 years old. I was starving to death but eating all the time, with unresponsive asthma. I could hardly think or walk, and was so shaky I could no longer drive. After a couple of ambulance trips and having to be resuscitated, my doctor finally told me he didn't know why I was dying, but I was. My family came over and we planned my funeral. I will never forget having to sit my kids down and explain to them I would not be living to an old age. In December, through an interesting set of circumstances, I figured out that gluten was a huge culprit in my life. Fast forward to now, I have gained weight, I am off all my asthma medications, I can think, walk and drive, and funeral plans are off." Do you have a story to share? Summary Due to the vast number of different symptoms of celiac disease it can be difficult to diagnose. Some patients may suffer multiple items off the lists above, which are in no way complete, while others may be asymptomatic (have no noticeable symptoms at all). ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: Blink Del.icio.us Digg Furl Google Simpy Spurl Technorati Y! MyWeb	Share your story . . . . . . of diagnosis, and life on a gluten free diet share your story Allergy or Intolerance? Is Coeliac disease an allergy or a food intolerance? The facts. what is the difference?
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Copyright© 2007. Please note I am not a doctor, just a fellow sufferer of coeliac disease. Therefore no information on this site should be taken as medical advice. Return to top of symptoms of celiac disease Return to Home Page

What are the symptoms of Celiac disease?

Gastrointestinal symptoms of celiac disease

Other symptoms of Celiac Disease

Summary

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Allergy or Intolerance?