Gluten sensitivity/Celiac disease...

[gopher7895]

Just wondering if many people with IC suffer with gluten problems too. My new gastro did a blood test that shows I have the gene for Celiac but from the blood results doesn't think I actually have it. The only way to get a real diagnosis is a biopsy and I'm not sure if I want to do that. Today I saw an herbalist who did this Nutrition Response Testing thing and she's convinced that I have a gluten intolerance but not necessary Celiac disease. I'm so confused. I've been reading this gluten free book for the last 2 hours and am more confused than ever. I follow the IC diet faithfully and don't want to give up wheat if I don't need to. Any advice is appreciated...Sue

[mlzippy7]

I have celiac disease. I had the blood work as well as the biopsies done. I follow the gluten free diet combined with the IC diet. It wasn't real hard for me to give up the wheat and all because I was sick no matter what I ate.
I have thought of going to a herbalist but haven't found any in my area. How did you find one?

[jen74]

I cannot eat gluten at all, though I do not have celiacs. I do get severe digestive upset( upper stomach bloating,nausea, pain) if I eat anything with gluten. I did some research and found out that people who are type O usually have gluten senstivities.
Jen

[gopher7895]

My neighbor referred me to the herbalist because she's helped her a lot with menopause and cholesterol problems. I'm having serious second thoughts about my visit yesterday though. She gave me some supplements that I thought were just digestive aids and herbs to help my immune system but when reading the bottles noticed some have vitamins A, B and C. I know I react badly to them and am wondering if she really has extensive knowledge about IC as she claimed. Also, the rice bread she told me to buy was sweetened with pineapple juice so I didn't buy it. From the muscle testing she did she determined I need to avoid all dairy, corn, eggs and gluten of course. I'm OK with no gluten but the rest doesn't seem necessary.

I talked to my gastro today because from my blood work done by her a couple months ago didn't show the inflammation usually present with Celiac so I thought that meant gluten isn't a problem for me. She told me though that I can still have gluten sensitivity or intolerance without having full blown Celiac disease. I didn't realize there were degrees of it. So here I go gluten free too and see how it goes.

[CyberCrone]

Just wondering if many people with IC suffer with gluten problems too. My new gastro did a blood test that shows I have the gene for Celiac but from the blood results doesn't think I actually have it. The only way to get a real diagnosis is a biopsy and I'm not sure if I want to do that. Today I saw an herbalist who did this Nutrition Response Testing thing and she's convinced that I have a gluten intolerance but not necessary Celiac disease. I'm so confused. I've been reading this gluten free book for the last 2 hours and am more confused than ever. I follow the IC diet faithfully and don't want to give up wheat if I don't need to. Any advice is appreciated...Sue

Gluten intolerance may be the underlying CAUSE of IC. Do a search with keywords gluten and IC and you will discover that people with gluten intolerance often have IC as well. This is not well known or acknowledged by conventional medicine but it comes up in forums on celiac and gluten intolerance. For how gluten causes intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and other problems, read an excellent article in Wikipedia titled "Gluten Sensitivity". The IC diet is tough and it gets hard hard hard to give up yet another food but it is CRUCIAL that you give up all gluten bearing foods, not just wheat, but ALL grains if you want to get well. I haven't read the rest of this thread--rushed this morning--so perhaps someone else has brought this up already, but wanted to be sure you have this information in case no one has already told you.

Toni McConnel
ISSA Specialist in Health and Fitness for Older Adults

[jen74]

I have been on a gluten free diet for almost a year and half for my digestive issues. I do not have celiacs disease, but believe I am very gluten sensitive. The gluten free diet has really helped my digestive issues, but I have to admit that with the gluten free diet and the IC diet, I have very little I can eat. But my advice to anyone who has unexplained digestive issues ( nausea, bloating, gas, etc..), give the gluten free diet a chance. And like Toni said above, you have to be strict on it, no cheating or it will not work, and you have to give it a good chance, a couple months at least to see if it will help. It took me a few months before my digestive issues got better.
Jen

[mary124]

I had blood work done a long time ago, and it suggested that I have Celiac disease but I also had the biopsies done as well and it confirmed that I didn't have it. I don't eat a gluten free diet but there are a lot of things on the market that might surprise you as to what is gluten free and what is not..