I have had terrible stomach pains for nearly 2 weeks, I thought it was ibs and stress. But I ate some noodles today and it gave me such a bad stomach pain and I do eat a lot of foods that have gluten in them. I don't know why I didn't think of it before today, as I realised as well it was with all foods I ate (most with gluten) and not just certain foods that follow stomach pains associated with ibs.
What I want to know is,
Will this affect my diabetes (type 1)?
And, does gluten intolerance go away or are you stuck with it?
I'm going to do this for a week and see what happens if the stomach pains go I'll see a doctor, and if they stay I'll still go to the doctor.
Alex - You should see your GP, if you think you have issues with gluten. As a T1 you are more likely to have other auto-immune issues, once you have one already (your T1). Coeliac disease is an auto-immune condition caused by a reaction to gluten.
The tests for Coeliac are firstly a simple blood test (for antibodies). Depending on that result other tests could be done. If, however, you are to have a test, it is usual not to start on a gluten-free diet beforehand, because the aims of a GF diet is to reduce the inflammation experienced because of the gluten. Going GF, then doing the blood test would be a bit like testing for a headache after we've taken an aspirin.
Secondly, to give a GF a fair trial, many need to stick with it for several weeks, before noticing much improvement, because it can take that long for chronic inflammation to subside. For me, it certainly took several weeks.
Alex, it's not easy going gluten free. Soooooo many foods, and drinks, contain gluten - even things you would be astonished about. Most cola drinks just as an example? Worcestershire and soy sauce, and so on.
In your shoes, I'd get an appointment made with my GP to ask to be tested, and crack on with that, and then decide if you go GF. To be perfectly candid, I wouldn't go GF on a whim. That said, one comment my Endo made was that he believes anyone with an AI condition should consider going GF, and it is such a common cause on inflammation, which we're better off without.
I wish you luck Alex.
If you end up having to go GF, it's not the end of the world, but it's a lot to get your head around, and if you need to get you Mum (or whoever cooks at home) on board, it'd be good for them to understand it's not a fashion statement. I know, initially, my OH just couldn't get his head around it.
