"A brief story regarding my diagnosis- my sister was diagnosed almost 2 years ago with celiac and she tried to get all of her immediate family to be tested.  we all dismissed her as we did not have any of the symptoms she mentioned.  our mother has had a very slow growing colon cancer for nearly 20 years and as a result we all get colonoscopies regularly.  so finally, for my sister’s sake (and to get her off my back! ) i mentioned to my GI doc that she had celiac and he strongly urged me to at the very least have the blood work and we’d discuss the biopsy after that.

"Well the next week he called to tell me that my numbers were "off the charts" and i most definitely should have the biopsy. I had it and found changes in the mucosal lining of my duodenum! to think that i had never had cramping, diarrhea, heartburn, or any other GI symptoms but yet damage was already showing up internally was so surprising to me.  then i learned about the problem with malabsorption of nutrients.  that was the one thing my sister never mentioned to me- that was the biggest motivator for me to start the treatment.

"The treatment has not been difficult for me (so far!) because i have always tended toward a "clean" diet. i seldom eat or purchase processed foods so i don’t have many labels or ingredients to deal with- but between your site, your links and my sister’s input i am learning more and more about how best to purchase those foods that do have ingredient lists."

Every person living gluten free has an adventure worth sharing. E-mail me at gfceliac@gmail.com and it will my privilege to publish your story. I will not use names. Click here if you would like to read the ideas that others have shared.

Published 06/25/09