Undiagnosed illness

[Formykid]

My daughter has been suffering from an as yet undiagnosed illness, which closely resembles Celiac sprue.  She has had a colonoscopy, and an upper endoscopy but no definitive proof of Celiac was found.  When she can successfully avoid gluten in her diet, she feels much better, but either she's getting gluten somehow whithout realising it, or it's not gluten that's making her sick.  She has periodic episodes of debilitating gastric trouble, with lots of vomiting, and with each new episode she seems to get a little worse.  She recently lost ten pounds with about two weeks because she was too sick to eat.  Can anyone suggest anything?  Thanks!

Formykid  

[Renee Radenberg]

I recommend she go back to her MD for further testing of the disease - blood work and small intestine scope so you get the correct diagnosis. Celiac disease affects the "villi" on the small intestine walls. The villi are small finger shaped projections on the intestine walls to increase absorption of nutrients into our body. The villi become shortened from intake of gluten. Gluten is in numerous products that are not "starches" because wheat is used as a thickener. Food labels have to be read for ALL products regardless if you think it does not have wheat in it or not. I recommend she continue a Gluten free diet until the MD has confirmed a diagnosis. I suggest your daughter goes to a dietitian, if she has the disease, to learn more about the Celiac diet. As in the other comment www.celiac.org is an excellent resource for information of the disease and food products with gluten. Best of luck.

[79fatbob]

I had both of those and did not find the celiac either.  It was when the doctor ordered a celiac panel, which consisted of getting blood drawn, did I have the results that was needed for a diagnosis. I too went through debilitating pain and the like.  I don't know how much you know about gluten but it can even be in your shampoo, toothpaste, and a ton of foods.  Some of the best help to stay gluten free is know what you can and can't have.  http://www.celiac.org/  This is a website that has a lot of good information in it.  http://www.clanthompson.com/index.php3  This is another that can help identify foods with gluten in it.  If she does truely have this disease she will strictly need to change her eating habits.  Hope this helps
Generally, it can take a week or two after getting some bad food to start feeling better, depending on the exposure, and even longer to repair the damage.  If she has celiac disease