Hi! New here, not sure if I have Celiac or not

[Minty86]

Hi!
I'm a 23 year old female who is in desperate need of a diagnosis. Here is some background info for those patient enough to read it (long):

I have been a vegetarian since I was fifteen, and everything was fine and dandy untill I went on the pill last year (I'm not on it anymore, only took it for six months). After a few months on it I was feeling dizzy, cold, sick, and just awful. The doctor thought I just had labrynthitis, but I insisted on getting my blood checked for iron deficiency, and it turns out I was right. I wasn't anemic however, just iron reficient. I was put on iron suppliments for three months, and they definitely helped in the beginning, but when I stopped taking them my symptoms came back so I continued taking them (have now been taking them since february).

A strange and extrememly itchy rash appeared right above my buttocks a few months back. I thought it was a lots of bug bites, but it lasted for weeks and itched off and on with scabbing (gross, I know). It is gone now but has left scars

I also suffered with awful diarrea for over a week after eating banana chips (not somthing I normally eat, greasy things do tend to make me feel sick. This was almost two months ago, and I haven't been able to gain back any of the weight I lost, although I seem to be eating a lot and I'm constantly hungry (everything just seems to "go right through me"- many BMs a day). I have always been thin, but now I am definitely underweight

Recently I've been experiencing a racing heart beat when I stand up, and I can't excercise normally because it feels like my heart is beating so fast it will "explode". I also feel boated after almost every meal, which is something that never used to happen to me before...joint pains and dry eyes is something I've been having problems with for years. I was referred to a rheumatologist who didn't find anything wrong with my blood tests, so arthritis and lupus have been ruled out.

I am just getting to my whit's end! The last time I went to the Dr. was to have my iron level checked again (this was a different doctor in a different country than the one who diagnosed my iron deficiency) but all he did was do a blood count, and he said, "you aren't anemic so you iron level must be fine, you can stop taking the iron suppliments". He wouldn't listen when I said that I hadn't been anemic last time either.

I'm sorry for being so long winded, just needed to vent and get this off my chest Anyway, my questions are:
Do you think my symptoms could be celiac and should I brave another doctor's visit and find out? (although I can't say I have much faith in dr's at the moment)
Can taking the pill cause someone to start having symptoms of Celiac/glutne intolerance?

Thanks so much for "listening"

[Jenn]

Have you had your thyroid checked? It sounds like you could have a hyperactve thyroid which can cause the rapic heartbeat & the weight loss. You may want to have a full thyroid panel performed by your doctor. I've never heard of the birth control triggering a gluten intolerance. You didn't really say what you've been eating that keeps makin you sick other than the banana chips. Are you keeping a food diary so you can narrow down what could be making you sick?

[aklap]

Hi Minty,

Welcome to the board. Sorry to hear you are having problems.

I can't say that I've heard of the pill triggering CD/GI. However, experts do feel that: illness, infection, surgery, pregnancy, some say extreme stress - can set your body off on this "wonderful" adventure.

While it sounds like you have some conditions that are connected to CD - and certainly some of your symptoms can be connected to CD - it's really hard to tell for sure with out proper testing.

If you haven't been tested, you might ask your docs to check you for celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis [the skin manifestation of CD - that requires a biopsy of your skin adjacent to a lesion].

Our Thread on Celiac Blood Tests & More Diagnostic Info

I hope this info of some help! Good luck in getting to the source of your problems. Please keep us updated.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[ostrich]

I just wanted to pop in and say welcome! I also second what Al said. Yes, please try talking to your doctor about this again. Explain you really need help, and you didn't feel like you got much help last time.

By the way, could you also shrink your avatar (picture)? It should be no bigger than 100x100 pixels.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

Time falls away, but these small hours
These little wonders still remain

[Minty86]

Thanks so much for the helpful replies everyone!
I am definitely going back for another doctors visit, I will mention hyperthyroid and will start keeping a food diary (never even thought of that even though it should have been obvious! )
I didn't mean to rant so much in my post, I was having one of my very aggrivating and frequent mood swings at the time I think...
Thanks again for the support, I'm off to try to shrink my avatar