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Are you wondering if you might have Celiac Disease? If so, below is a list of the top 10 symptoms of Celiac Disease.
The symptoms listed below is not a comprehensive list as the number of possible symptoms is immense; however, there seem to be about 10 symptoms that are more prevalent than others. Additionally, I am not a doctor and this list is not meant to be used as a self-diagnosis.
Top Celiac Symptoms
- Constipation – this was a HUGE issue for our d.aughter. It took years to find a good balance without taking medication so don’t fret if this is your situation.
- Diarrhea – many Celiacs have diarrhea whenever they eat gluten (normally from cross-contamination).
- Vomiting – my sister-in-law has had this happen to her. She forgot to check to see if the french fries had their own fryer and she ate 2 fries and then ejected them. Not fun.
- Fatigue – when you are constantly feeling tired even though you have received enough rest and staying properly hydrated.
- Bloat – Some believe this only happens to kids; however, I have seen adults who look pregnant after accidentally getting glutened so it obviously isn’t just a kid issue.
- Failure to Thrive – this obviously is a more of a kid symptom. We never dealt with this as our daughter has always been in the 90% on her growth chart, but some it is how many kids get diagnosed. Their inability to digest gluten destroys their intestinal lining making causing them to not absorb nutrients as they should.
- Dermatitis herpetiformis – a really big word for an itchy, blistering skin disease.
- Abdominal pain – this can be from excessive gas, cramping (from constipation or diarrhea), or just the bodies way of letting you know that it isn’t happy about having to process gluten.
- Behavior issues – some kids will exhibit ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder) symptoms, be irritable, moody, etc. when they have been glutened (fun times as a parent). These behavioral changes also occur in adults.
- Anemia – this is more of an adult symptom but could affect kids as well. With damaged villi in the intestine, this is not surprising as the body is not capable of absorbing all of the nutrients that you ingest.
What should you do if you have one or more of these symptoms?
Make an appointment with your primary doctor. If you have a family history (one of your parents/grandparents/etc) has Celiac Disease then the possibility of you having it is greater. Celiac Disease is genetic but that doesn’t mean that if your parent(s) have it you will. Our daughter is the only one in our family with it. My husband carries the genetic marker and so far she is the only one to have it.
Your primary doctor may order some blood work (initial indication) or refer you to see a gastrointestinal (GI) specialist. Either way, it takes a while to diagnose so please be patient.
How to avoid these symptoms…
This part is fairly easy. Don’t Eat Gluten! I know, I said it was easy and you feel like it isn’t. “Easy” because there is no surgery or pill that will make you healthy. I prefer to do my best to control my health by eating the foods that fuel me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the junk too, especially fried pickles – YUMMY!!
I view it as easy because if you avoid gluten, then your gut will heal and you shouldn’t have any of the symptoms listed above. It does mean you can’t eat out as easily and that you will need to adjust your cooking, but you have that control. Initially, it can be difficult, but as you learn more about what works for you and your sensitivity level, you will find a good groove.
If you(or your kiddo) have Celiacs, what symptoms do you have when get glutened? If you haven’t been diagnosed, but have some of the symptoms above (on a regular basis), what is your next step?
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