If you often feel bloated it could be a sign of celiac disease

At least one in every 100 of us lives with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues every time you consume gluten – a protein in foods that contain wheat, barley or rye. When this happens, the small intestine is damaged and reduces its ability to absorb nutrients and causes painful symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and weight loss.

The earlier the diagnosis the better, as the condition can cause serious health complications if left untreated. Though one in every 100 of us has the condition, some experts believe the number could be way higher due to less severe cases being mistakenly diagnosed as other digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This week (May 9 to May 15) is celiac awareness week, which aims to spread awareness about the condition and how to spot the signs early in both adults and children. According to the NHS, diarrhoea is the most common symptom of celiac disease due to the body being unable to fully absorb nutrients, which is medically known as malabsorption.

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Malabsorption can lead to your poo containing unusually high levels of fat called steatorrhoea which can make it foul smelling, greasy, frothy and difficult to flush down the toilet. The NHS also recognises abdominal pain, bloating, passing wind, indigestion and constipation as well as vomiting which is more common in children. Children with celiac disease may not grow at the expected rate and could experience a delay in puberty.

Additional symptoms that are more general include fatigue, unexpected weight loss, an itchy rash, difficulty getting pregnant, a tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, disorders that affect balance and speech, and a swelling of the hands, feet, arms and legs caused by a build up of fluid.

When an individual experiences these symptoms, it is important they go to a doctor right away for a proper diagnosis and do not just self-diagnosis themselves by starting a gluten-free diet – as this could result in a misdiagnosis of celiac disease.

What will happen after diagnosis

If a doctor diagnoses an individual with the condition, they will explain what a gluten-free diet is and how to adapt to it. They may also refer you to a dietician who specialises in treating people with celiac disease and will teach you how to avoid gluten and will recommend appropriate substitutes.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms post-diagnosis, a doctor may test you for low levels of certain vitamins and minerals and may recommend or prescribe supplements if you need them. Those who follow and adapt to a new gluten-free diet tend to see an improvement in their symptoms however, if your body remains resistant or unresponsive to a gluten-free diet then you could have refractory celiac disease.

Refractory celiac disease is a very rare type of complication of celiac disease and affects no more than one in 50 people – but can cause some types of cancer. Because it is more rare than celiac disease, there haven’t been many medical studies on it, however it is essential that the individual continues to follow a strict gluten-free diet.

A doctor will regularly assess the condition and whether additional drug treatments such as steroids, immunosuppressive drugs, chemotherapy or a combination of these are needed. Getting tested for celiac disease can help determine what is causing your symptoms and whether gluten is what is making you sick. Head to the NHS website to discover more about celiac disease.

Are you a Londoner with an important story to tell? Get in touch with Ruby by writing to her at [email protected]

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