introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I was diagnosed 4 years ago. thank goodness I had a wonderful dermatologist who took a biopsy of a rash. I thought that was unnecessary. well the biopsy came back and the lab wanted another biopsy of the clear skin. it did come back positive for Dermatitis Herpetiformis (celiac of the skin). the dermatologist told me all I had to do was stop eating wheat. He also suggested I see a gastro dr.

The gastro dr. took a blood test which came back positive (very high) for celiac and then I took the endoscopy. It showed I had no (nada) villi!!! which is why I was anemic and on high doses of my thryoid replacement drugs. as soon as I went on the celiac diet no more anemia and my thyroid drug was dropped to the lowest amount. everything was being absorbed now!! even my cholesteral went up..

Within months of the test I took another endoscopy and sure enough could see the villi growing back!!!

After I was diagnosed the rest of my family went for tests...my daughter is celiac along with my mom (who passed away recently from stomach cancer) she always had stomach problems, she was told she had ulcers and colitis. In the hospital after her diagnosis with celiac they fed her cream of wheat for breakfast!! The last one to take a test was my brother. He made fun of me for 3 years before he asked his doctor to test him. Yup, he has celiac too!

I'm glad to be part of this group as we all have a lot to learn about this "easy" disease. As one doctor said at the NIH "if I had to pick a disease this is the one I would want, all you have to do is change your diet and you're cured."

fran

tucson,az