Head Trauma Causing Celiac Disease?

[BaileyBrien]

When I was 8 years old, I attended a summer camp. My friend and I were in charge of running the spongy-floaty thing that is labeled LIFEGUARD that they always sit with. Anyways, I had the strap around my and my best friend was holding onto the spongy-floaty part. We were running and she ran faster than me. We got to concrete steps and I slowed down, but she kept on barreling down the stairs. I lost my footing and was dragged down the stairs. The top of the back of my head landed on the corner of each concrete step.

We never went to the doctor because I have a high pain tolerance and wasn't telling them just how badly it hurt. We iced it, etc etc etc. About a month, not even, after that, the symptoms of my Celiac's disease started up.

I have a friend who had an appendicitis and after her surgery, she was diagnosed with Celiac's because of the change in her system from the surgery.

I was wondering if something similar happened with me. Did the eleven blows to my head initiate my Celiac's disease?

[nutrinut_bob]

Good work uncovering the genetic link.  On the other hand, your friend with appendicitis may have had a bacterial infection that caused both.  First it gets the appendix, then moves on up the colon.  The old idea that the appendix is an organ not needed has been found quite false, it's an important part of lymphatic defenses.

[BaileyBrien]

Haha, it's quite alright.

And thanks again!

[TheLightSeeker]

Sorry for the double post and misspelling your name.
BaileyBrien and not BaileyBrian (I typed it ..phonetically. lol!)

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi again BaileyBrian.

I'm so happy for you. You have managed to overcome some serious health challenges in your young life, very successfully.
It is a very refreshing & positive story.
Thanks for sharing!

God Bless.
Niko

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi again BaileyBrian.

I'm so happy for you. You have managed to overcome some serious health challenges in your young life, very successfully.
It is a very refreshing & positive story.
Thanks for sharing!

God Bless.
Niko

[BaileyBrien]

Thank you for answering my question.

When I started getting the symptoms, my mum took me to a pediatric GI. After almost two years of a multitude of invasive tests, my GI told me that I'd just have to live with it.

I had already been diagnosed with severe lactose intolerance, so that was a overlooked during my testing.

Then when I was 16 years old, I was watching Dr.Oz and he was talking about Celiac's disease. I had nearly all the symptoms that he described. So, I went on a gluten-free diet. Within two days I felt better. Because of gluten and dairy, I was puffed up like an oompa-loompa all the time. My bloat went down quickly.

Then, I went to my doctor about three weeks after starting this diet. I refused to start eating gluten for some test that I already knew the answer to. She said that she's just calling it. That it was Celiac's disease.

My papa died of intestinal cancer and so they went back when I asked if he died from Celiac's. Turns out, he did. That's when I was tested for the genes. Yes, I have them.

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi BaileyBrien and welcome to the forum.

Great question!

Thank your lucky stars, that Celiac's Disease, may be the only consequence of this childhood accident.
Was it a trigger? I don't think it could be answered with any degree of certainty.
What you are referring to is anecdotal evidence, since there are no
scientific studies, no research that shows the connection of accidents, surgeries,  serious infections, or other "traumatic" events with the onset of Celiacs disease.

It is quite probable that the unknown causative co-factor or triggering factor in such cases, is the intense level of stress or even the emotional shock
experienced by the sufferer, during these events (and possibly afterwards
as well)

Have you been tested for the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8  genes?
They are both specific to Celiac's Disease, so I'm assuming that
you have been properly diagnosed, but please verify this for us.

The nice thing is that if you're knowledgeable enough, to recognize the presence of gluten in certain food products and avoid them, that seems to be a small price to pay in order to stay healthy.

Best wishes!
Niko