What Is Coeliac Disease?
On 2nd December 2017 by HelenIf you’ve read this blog for a while you’ll remember reading pretty much about a year ago my ‘Let’s Talk Gluten’ post where I went into some detail about coeliac disease and where I was in the process of my diagnosis. Since that post a few things have changed, but as always with most coeliacs I still get the ‘surely a little bit won’t kill you’ line fairly regularly. So in this post I’ll explain more about what I’ve been through in the last year and where I am now, and since seeing the dietician a few days ago I am laden with information I can share. I hope this answers some people’s questions and misconceptions about coeliac disease, and maybe if you think you have the condition, or have just been diagnosed, it may help you too.
A very brief recap of me and my situation. About a month before I left the UK to go to Australia in 2016 a routine blood test showed I had low Vitamin B12 and iron levels which suggested an autoimmune condition. After being shipped from pillar to post for two weeks I finally had someone tell me I was likely to be coeliac. Before leaving the UK I was put on iron tables and had injections every other day of B12 and then was expected to continue with these once every three months. I was advised by my GP in the UK to seek out a GP in Australia and a consultant. On finding an amazing GP in Australia he declined to send me to a consultant due to the cost, told me to keep with the B12 and iron supplements and then when I could get free NHS care to see a consultant.
Fast forward one year and I was given an appointment with a UK Consultant, a Gastroenterologist. I was pretty nervous as I was so convinced I would need an endoscopy and a stomach biopsy to confirm the diagnosis but he was great, he told me my blood results indicated I was coeliac and there would be no point doing an endoscopy as I would need to go back onto gluten for six weeks which would make me pretty unwell and he was happy not to do this. He referred me to a dietician who I saw last week and for a DEXA (bone density) scan which I have later this month. I now only have to have a check up and bloods once a year for this condition and need to stay on a gluten free diet for life.
So what is coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which means that when you eat gluten the body starts to attack itself. The tissue damage mainly affects the small bowel and this causes a constant level of inflammation. In our small intestine there are billions of hairs called Villi. These hairs absorb the nutrients from the food we eat. With coeliac disease when you eat gluten these hairs collapse meaning nothing is absorbed.
The only thing which keeps this at bay (not cure) is a gluten free diet. Research suggests it can take from between six months to two years for the gut to fully heal itself.
Coeliac has many different symptoms. For me it was sudden weight loss (2 stone in about eight weeks) and chronic fatigue due to loss of B12 and iron. However symptoms can vary from person to person and can include diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating, vomiting and faltering growth in young children.
As a coeliac you can also have associated conditions such as type 1 diabetes and thyroid conditions, you can also be lactose intolerant. Further issues which can occur are early onset osteoporosis (hence the DEXA scan), bowel cancer and infertility.
Trust me, every coeliac sufferer would love nothing more than to sink their teeth into proper cakes, doughnuts and all the good stuff, but as you can see from the above it’s just not worth it in the long run.
What do I do in my everyday life now to try and keep gluten free?:
Preach – if you meet me you’ll know within 30 seconds I’m coeliac, and I’ll keep reminding you every single day I’m with you just in case you forgot. My friend Dexter www.nextdextination.com can vouch for me with this.
Educate – my friends and family have been incredible with this. I was so nervous eating at their houses but when I explained about cross contamination and my reactions they literally do everything they can to help such as cook my dinner in separate pans, use GF sauces, they don’t toast bread for me, etc.
Look for gluten free restaurants – many restaurants now are trained by the UK Coeliac Society, which means they have had special training and have separate cooking areas and ovens for GF food. Such places in the UK include Prezzo, Carluccio’s and Cote. Also never be afraid to chat with staff in independent restaurants, they can be really helpful too (you may have noticed I favour one in particular).
Buy a new toaster – yes people, if you are gluten free get a new toaster just for you. It saves cross contamination and in the long run, I assume, money as you don’t have to keep re-buying toaster bags?
I hope this sheds some light on the condition and why some (me) coeliacs get a bit nervous/fussy when we’re out and about. And you’re right, although ‘a little bit of gluten won’t kill me’ now it might very well kill me in the future if I keep having it. If you think you might have Coeliac Disease go and chat with your GP. Honestly the thought of giving up gluten is far worse than the reality of it.
Christmas Baking
Just to finish this post in the same vein as the last Coeliac post, a bit of Christmas baking is in order but this time sadly not with Liv www.livlivinglife.com
I found gluten free Jus-Rol puff pastry and Marks and Spencer mince meat so Christmas mince pies are in order (plus I’m at a dinner party tonight and said I’d bring some).
It’s as easy as it looks. Roll out the pastry, cut it and fill it. Top with a lid and egg wash and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown – delicious!!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or dietician. I used my Nutrition and Diet resources book given to me by my dietician to help with this post. Every Coeliac case is individual and what works for me may not work for you so please ask your own GP for further advice. All other disclaimers in the About section.
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