Any info on celiac diease?

My child is going to the doctor tomorrow and he will be tested for celiac disease.  Now that I see all the symptoms it seems my oldest might also have the disease, and it looks like I have suffered from this for more than 20 years.  Does anyone have a personal story about celiac?

[CalGal]

I believe there are a lot of people who could give you varying renditions of 'having celiac' problems. There can be typical and atypical presentations. My husband's might be considered atypical. Never had diarrhea, more on the 'constipated' side. But he wasn't constiped. He considered having a BM every 3 days or so to be normal. Food would sit in his stomach like a lump - again, normal for him. Fatigue would hit him like a ton of bricks. His comment would be 'If I don't lie down and sleep, I'm going to fall down.' He would get blotches, but not the more typical 'rash.' He didn't have any tingling in his fingers or neuropathy problems, thank god. He would get very irritable, very easily though. And at times he would get 'spacey,' which we now know was the 'brain fog' that seems to affect quite a few people woth gluten issues.

If you think your son has celiac, please make sure they run the genetic test on him, also. IMO the blood test isn't always accurate. If it turns up negative but he's carrying the gene or the propensity toward gluten problems, take gluten out of his diet anyway.

And if you think you've got the symptoms, but yourself on the diet and track what happens. Gluten problems are very 'sneaky,' and they're no fun to live with.

Also understand that some with gluten problems cross-react with casein, the major protein in dairy. So if there is improvement with going gluten-free, but not a complete change, consider checking to see whether casein is also a problem. It is for some, but not others.

[Soonerman]

Agree with calgal, and most won't do the genetic test without it being requested; it is definitely worthwhile to get tested.