Talking Allergies

My best friend has just recently figured out that she has lactose intolerance. The only issues she had are gastro. She's cut out *most* dairy and is feeling 75% better she said. Now she's going to cut out most the rest and see if that makes her feel better.

She's been reading up on Celiac and now thinks she may have Celiac Disease because she read that some people have no symptoms at all. She's going to make an appt. with her Dr. to get tested.

Can someone point me to the way of some reliable Celiac Websites (or on this site) so I can give her the links?

Thanks very much ladies!

It is true that celiac often causes lactose intolerance and that it is possible to have celiac with no symptoms.

The NIH (national institute of health) launched a celiac awareness campaign. Excellent info. there.

Also, check out the Center for Celiac Disease Research at Columbia U.

Ooh Moralia, it sounds like she's suffering from the Nocebo Effect...
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictio ... ebo+effect

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Interesting topic as it came up in discussion at coffee today. My friend (not a nurse) said I should probably be tested for Celiac as I was telling her I have been suffering with very low iron for about two years now with no cause. She said another friend was just diagnosed with celiac and a symptom is low iron due to the trouble with iron absorption? I have always had tummy issues as well. I even thought I could be getting low doses of something I was not quite allergic to "yet" and that was making my tummy hurt. I did not know that low iron could be a symptom of celiac. Any one know if this is true? Gosh the last thing I want is this on top of allergies.

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Me-Allergic to Peanut, Tree Nut, Coconut, Shellfish, ASA and Asthma
My Husband and Children No Allergies

Part of me wants to say-don't go looking for trouble!

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Last night I looked up symptoms and other bits of information about celiac. The more I read the more I feel I need to be tested. I have had tummy problems for more years than I can count. Started after a pregnancy (another symptom I guess) Just like any allergy you don't want to know you are allergic to a new item but it would solve the sickness... Some days I can take not feeling so great other days I have had it, I only went to get iron tested when the blood donor clinic refused me for a third time in a row. When Doc said do you feel tired my answer was well ya but ask any mother I am sure they would say yes. I thought I just needed to "suck it up and get on with my day". When my tests came back he was probably a little surprised I was not fainting. Now I'm not a nurse but I understand they chart two numbers one is of the iron level and one of the amount of oxygen that is being transported around the body. I guess they couldn't even detect a number on the oxygen transportation scale! and the iron number was 12. I guess that's pretty low. So any way since I take iron pills and iron is still low and I take pills for my stomach I should just get the celiac test and be done with it.

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Me-Allergic to Peanut, Tree Nut, Coconut, Shellfish, ASA and Asthma
My Husband and Children No Allergies

Well it makes me wonder 'cause she can eat bagels, pizza, pasta, etc.. all fine with no ill effects. If there was Celiacs involved, would there not be SOME side effects? She doesn't suffer from low iron, or anything else like that.. she gets an upset stomach/gas from different items at different times.. the only "constant" seems to be milk.

Thanks to everyone else for the links.. will pass them on!

yep, celiac causes absorption issues. can = low iron. It is easy enough to get the blood tests...it is expensive unless your doctor's office is in a hospital (in which case the hospital covers the cost at least in Ontario.)

If you read the info. on the pages I recommended, you will see that the majority of folks with celiac have NO symptoms. Even without obvious symptoms, It can still cause absorption issues, lead to nutritional deficiencies, cause cancer, and lead to the development of other autoimmune diseases. It is pretty serious. If you have celiac, the villi in the small intestine are damaged.

If she's in Canada, she can just get the Biocard home test to start.
While biopsy is the gold standard, this is pretty similar to the initial blood screening done in a GI's office.

The Can. Celiac Assoc. and specialists are all supportive of this test.
You can get it online here for $50 - http://celiachometest.com or at Rexall Drugs or London Drugs.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin