Coeliac disease

[pinewood]

I've read this is much more common in people with diabetes. Anything you can do to prevent it and should I be asking for a test - or is it something I would know I had if I did?

Thanks

 

[anna29]

I have coeliac - believe me - you will know if you could suffer from it .
Pain spasm's will rip through you within 1-2 hours of eating any wheat/gluten .
( Am wheat and gluten intolerant )
Pain is accompanied with high temperatures also .

Plus your stomach will really swell up very painfully too .
You will find you will require the toilet a 'lot' during the intolerance reaction of specific foods .

I started off with diverticulitis then was diagnosed as coeliac .
This is an autoimmune condition too .

I have to use specific foods (prescriptive via my GP) to prevent the coeliac flare ups .
Food preparation on my own food prep board to prevent cross contamination when
making our meals . (mine and husbands)


There is a strong link to diabetes with it also .
Especially with type1's plus some type2's too .

 

[robert72]

I wouldn't worry about it unless you get symptoms as @anna29 describes. I had Type 1 for nearly 40 years before I was diagnosed coeliac, although with hindsight I probably had it for 5 years before that. My Dr sent me for tests because i was anaemic and didn't respond to iron tablets. I was also about 10 kilos underweight.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Hi, actually you can have no symptoms for Coeliac disease. It does sound weird to me. but some people have no symptoms at all ( but not necessarily diabetic, and probably few and far between) I have had Coeliac for just over 2 years now, so diabetic for 23 yrs then. My symptoms were, servere upper abdominal pain, vomiting, feeling just very ill, weight loss,lethargic, toilet problems, sometimes I was half way through a meal and I could just not eat any more, because of feeling so so unwell.
As far as I know you can't do anything to stop it ( unless you stop all wheat and gluten in your diet now, but these products are in so many foods, beer included, sauces and soups to name just a few). Because you are diabetic doesn't mean you will be diagnosed with Coeliac, my dad's GP has Coeliac and is not diabetic.

Best not to worry too much.

Take care RRB



.

 

[JANROU]

I had no idea I was coeliac before my son was diagnosed with it, no symptoms at all. Been type 1 since 1990 and coeliac since September this year.

 

[tim2000s]

I have what I'd describe as "slight" gluten intolerance. Some grain based things cause me bloating and discomfort and others don't. Low carb diet obviously helps!

 

[Daibell]

I think it may be only slightly more common in diabetics, but haven't seen any facts. Coeliac disease is very serious and sufferers have my sympathy but sadly it has become a bit 'trendy' which messes up the statistics. Some like my wife doesn't take too well to wheat hence her low-carb diet helps (she isn't diabetic) but she isn't a Coeliac. I guess as other posters have said you will know if you are a Coeliac and there probably isn't much you can do to reduce the risk.

 

[LucySW]

But if you just avoid all grain-based food, won't that do it?

 

[noblehead]

But if you just avoid all grain-based food, won't that do it?

I suppose it would be a start Lucy, but I expect many foods contain gluten that you may not be aware of, sausages and luncheon meats being two.

Just recently I was tested for coeliac disease as part of my pre-pump blood tests/assessment, it came back clear thankfully but was unsure why they tested for this, but it was reassuring just the same.

 

[robert72]

I suppose it would be a start Lucy, but I expect many foods contain gluten that you may not be aware of, sausages and luncheon meats being two.

Just recently I was tested for coeliac disease as part of my pre-pump blood tests/assessment, it came back clear thankfully but was unsure why they tested for this, but it was reassuring just the same.

So true, foods shouldn't contain more gluten than 20 parts per million. It's not necessarily about symptoms but avoiding setting off the immune response.

 

[noblehead]

So true, foods shouldn't contain more gluten than 20 parts per million. It's not necessarily about symptoms but avoiding setting off the immune response.

The Black Farmer and Debbie & Andrews do gluten free sausages Rob as do other big name brands I'd imagine, I do howver eat eat foods with gluten in such as porridge oats and rye bread.

 

[robert72]

The Black Farmer and Debbie & Andrews do gluten free sausages Rob as do other big name brands I'd imagine, I do howver eat eat foods with gluten in such as porridge oats and rye bread.

The Black Farmer sausages are part of my staple

Glad you tested negative for coeliac.

 

[noblehead]

The Black Farmer sausages are part of my staple

Glad you tested negative for coeliac.

Thanks Rob, yeah the sausages are very nice for a supermarket brand, there's another brand called Heck you should try (they do gluten free too), the guy that started the company off was the one who started Debbie & Andrews, Heck sausages were featured on a tv show last year.

 

[Robinredbreast]

I think it may be only slightly more common in diabetics, but haven't seen any facts. Coeliac disease is very serious and sufferers have my sympathy but sadly it has become a bit 'trendy' which messes up the statistics. Some like my wife doesn't take too well to wheat hence her low-carb diet helps (she isn't diabetic) but she isn't a Coeliac. I guess as other posters have said you will know if you are a Coeliac and there probably isn't much you can do to reduce the risk.

As a member said they were tested for Coeliac because of her child and the member had no symptoms at all. Once diagnosed your children and siblings need to be tested too, thankfully no one was diagnosed. My elderly dad has been eating wheat and gluten based products all his lfe, he's 91, and has no problems whatsoever.
Coeliac is another auto immune condition, and is associated with type 1, but also type 2 and non diabetics can get it as well. The diet has to be strict gluten free.


Best wishes RRB

 

[Robinredbreast]

NHS


Coeliac disease - Complications


Complications of coeliac disease
If you have coeliac disease, it is crucial you do not eat any gluten. If you have untreated or undiagnosed coeliac disease and are still eating gluten, several complications can occur.

It is a common misconception that eating a little gluten will not harm you. Eating even tiny amounts can trigger symptoms of coeliac disease and increase your risk of developing the complications outlined below.

Malabsorption
Malabsorption (where your body does not fully absorb nutrients) can lead to a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals. This can lead to certain conditions, including:

• iron deficiency anaemia
• vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia
• osteoporosis – this causes your bones to become brittle and weak

Click on the links above for more information on the symptoms and treatment of these conditions.

Malnutrition
As coeliac disease causes your digestive system to work less effectively, severe cases can sometimes lead to a critical lack of nutrients in your body. This is known as malnutrition, and can mean your body is unable to function normally or recover from wounds and infections.

If you have severe malnutrition, you may become fatigued, dizzy and confused. Your muscles may begin to waste away and you may find it difficult to keep warm. In children, malnutrition can cause stunted growth and delayed development.

Treatment for malnutrition usually involves increasing the number of calories in your diet and taking supplements.

Read more about the treatment of malnutrition.

Lactose intolerance
If you have coeliac disease, you are more likely to also develop lactose intolerance, where your body lacks the enzyme to digest the milk sugar (lactose) found in dairy products. Lactose intolerance causes symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort.

Unlike gluten in coeliac disease, lactose intolerance does not damage your body. Rather, you may get some gastrointestinal symptoms when you take foods containing lactose as you can't digest it properly.

Lactose intolerance can be effectively treated by not eating and drinking dairy products that contain lactose. You may also need to take calcium supplements – as dairy products are an important source of calcium, you will need to compensate for not eating them.

Read more about the treatment of lactose intolerance.

Cancer
Some research has suggested having coeliac disease can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, including bowel cancer and lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system).

The same research found people with coeliac disease have a lower risk of developing lung and breast cancer, although the reasons for this are unclear.

It is estimated people with coeliac disease are twice as likely to develop bowel cancer than the general population.

However, this is still a very small increase in risk – only 1 in every 200 people with coeliac disease will develop bowel cancer in the first 10 years after diagnosis.

As age is an independent risk factor for bowel cancer, your risk of developing bowel cancer increases as you get older, in line with the general population.

The risk of developing cancer is thought to be highest during the first year after diagnosis, before dropping to normal as your gluten-free diet starts to take effect.

Whether or not you have coeliac disease, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer, which include:

• blood in stools (faeces)
• unexplained weight loss
• changes in your normal bowel habit that last more than four weeks

See your GP if you develop these symptoms.

Coeliac disease in pregnancy
Poorly controlled coeliac disease in pregnancy can increase the risk of developing pregnancy-related complications, such as giving birth to a low birth weight baby.

Page last reviewed: 31/07/2014

Next review due: 31/07/2016

 

[robert72]

Thanks Rob, yeah the sausages are very nice for a supermarket brand, there's another brand called Heck you should try (they do gluten free too), the guy that started the company off was the one who started Debbie & Andrews, Heck sausages were featured on a tv show last year.

Thanks Nigel, will check out the Heck sausages too.