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This group contains additional names: - Coeliac Disease - Gluten intolerance
Celiac disease is a digestive disease characterized by an impaired immune reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in different foods, including wheat, rye, barley, and more. Some patients may have "gluten sensitivity", which is a milder condition expressed by the inability to digest gluten, causing moderate gastrointestinal problems. Celiac disease is a more severe illness characterized by an immune reaction to gluten. In reaction to gluten, the immune system "attacks" the small intestines, causing persistent inflammation and damage. As a result, the intestines are unable to absorb nutrients from food, resulting in malnutrition. The constant inflammation leads to complications such as skin and joint problems and gastrointestinal cancer. The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, but genetic and environmental factors are involved.
1,550 people with Celiac Disease are on Alike.
Symptoms of celiac disease may include: - Persistent diarrhea or constipation. - Abdominal Pain and bloating, - Fatty stools, with a particularly foul odor (called "steatorrhea"). - Iron-deficiency anemia. - Chronic Fatigue. - Irregular menstrual periods, recurrent miscarriages, and infertility. - Mouth sores (ulcers). - Joints stiffness and joints pain. - Skin disorders.
Diagnosis is made by questioning and investigating the medical history and physical examination to provide additional information and exclude other diseases. Further tests include: - Blood testing. - Stool sampling test. - Skin biopsy – a procedure in which a small portion of skin is removed and examined under a microscope. - Endoscopy – a procedure that allows looking at the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine and taking a biopsy, using a special camera inserted through the mouth. - CT or MRI scans. If gluten is removed from the diet before the diagnosis process, it may interfere with the tests, giving false-negative results.
Celiac disease can be resolved entirely by eliminating gluten from the diet. By doing so, the immune response ends, and the intestines heal. Symptoms usually improve within a week of gluten avoidance.
☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike
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Based on the posts, many people with dietary restrictions due to health conditions such as **celiac disease** or food allergies share similar feelings of sadness and frustration. They miss being able to eat at their favorite restaurants or enjoy certain foods without getting sick. Some even express feeling isolated or depressed because of their dietary limitations.
Craving Fast Food: Missing My Favorite Restaurants
Struggling with Food Intolerance: What to Eat When Everything Makes You Sick
Seeking Advice for Gluten Intolerance Symptoms
Based on the shared experiences in the posts, it appears that there may be a connection between EDS and eating disorders. One user mentioned having Gastroparesis, a condition that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, which is a comorbidity of EDS. Another user mentioned having Binge Eating Disorder before being diagnosed with **celiac disease**. However, these are individual experiences and may not represent the overall population of people with EDS.
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