Re: Celiac disease with no symptoms except low ferritin

October 13, 2004

I understand the dilemma here Louise, and thanks for sharing your inner

thoughts, as I've had all these inner " what if " thoughts also. I'm sure

that many of us have had them too. I still even wonder if I might have had

Grave's and wasn't diagnosed for it, but I don't many smart doctors around

here, and all this testing is overwhelming. I still have my thyroid, but I

do wonder. It does get confusing, and I too am going through a dilemma on

acct of what my sister is going through now. She's having all kinds of

horrible symptoms, and I'm afraid it's going to lose her job for her, but

she won't aggressively persue having her thyroid hormones checked out. One

thing we've got to know is that we can't make anyone do anything they don't

want to do, and sometimes they just have to go downhill before they'll

listen to anything we have to say. She's got my " medical mainstream " mother

talking to her too, but I think that ultimately she'll get this done.

Whether she has a receptive doctor or not, remains to be seen. I'm praying

for this. She's lost a lot of weight, but not from not eating, as she eats

a lot, and she's also having extreme anxiety attacks that are coming out of

nowhere, with tingling in the extremities. As a matter of fact, she just

had a terrible one today at work, and my mom called to tell me this, but we

almost got into a shouting match, as mom doesn't agree with me about what's

going on with her. I'm hoping that my sister will remember everything I

said to her this weekend while I was there, but they live in San ,

and I feel helpless to do anything other than what I have already said to

her. The info was overwhelming for her, as she doesn't really understand

that much of it, but she is an intellectual also, so I'm banking on her

logic with this. I'm praying about it. I haven't seen her in a yr, and it

was a shock to me to see how thin she has gotten. She's also very

depressed, but has her " motor going " , with the anxiety and " anywhere I am is

where I don't want to be " situation. I'm sure that your having had Grave's

would make you understand this quite well. Anyone that's ever been in a

hyper state would understand this, including me. She also has stomach pain

and digestive problems, so I suspect Celiac too.

Celiac disease with no symptoms except low

ferritin

>

> I found this on the about.mb and thought it was important enough to

> post here (both Graves and Hashi's involve antibodies so I'm thinking

> it would apply to both):

>

> I just wanted to share the latest part of my 'story' with you in

> order that it may encourage anyone with similar symptoms to get

> further tests done.

>

> Even before my Graves disease was diagnosed four years ago my doctor

> said I was border line anaemic. It wasnt until last year that my

> ferritin levels were tested and were found to be very low (5). With

> iron supplements my levels would rise then as soon as they were

> stopped would come back down again.

>

> I am now hypo thyroid following RAI last year. Many symptoms have

> improved but have still be suffering with bad palpitations, and pain

> in throat, neck, upper back to name a few, and still my ferritin

> levels remain low. My doctor finally sent me to a GI man and after

> several months wait I finally saw him last month. He ran several

> blood tests and said I needed a gastroscopy to check for bleeding.

> (There was a nine month wait for this).

>

> However things have moved on rapidly since then. The blood tests

> showed that I almost definitely have Celiacs disease (gluten

> intolerance). A gastrocopy was hastily arranged and I had this done

> Friday. Luckily everything looks normal. A biopsy has been taken to

> confirm Celiacs.

>

> I have since been reading up on Celiacs and see that if it goes

> undiagnosed long term it can cause other big problems and diseases.

> The moral of the story is that I have no particular GI symptoms and

> only my low ferritin level guided them to check for Celiacs

> (eventually). So if in any doubt, ask for the test.

>

> An add on for anyone with Graves: please be checked for Celiacs

> before you undergo RAI. I understand there is a connection and that

> if Celiacs is treated thyroid levels can settle. Not sure if I have

> got this right, but check it out.

>

> -----------------------------

>

> Yes apparently it is the Celiacs that is causing the low ferritin

> levels and anaemia due to poor absorbtion of nutrients. I really

> havent had any GI symptoms. From what I have read it is called latent

> Celiacs disease. The only thing that could be related is upper back

> pain which could be to do with digestion, but no other GI symptoms to

> speak of. I am hoping that some of my other symptoms will ease like

> the palpitations once my absorbtion improves and ferritin and other

> mineral levels get up to where they should be.

>

> I am also in some inner turmoil about what came first. Can Celiacs

> cause Graves disease or have I misunderstood it. Could I have cured

> my Graves by going on a gluten free diet. Of course I cant do that

> now as my thyroid is damaged forever by RAI but I want other people

> to be fully informed before they take any drastic action.

>

> --------------------------------------

>

> Louise

October 13, 2004