Rule out celiac disease!

[zawoop18]

rule out celiac disease!

I was diagnosed with chron's in Januarry and didn't discover until recently that I actually have celiac disease after browsing the web and deciding to conduct an elimination diet for gluten. I would suggest to anyone diagnosed with chron's that they should rule out celiac desease by simply not eating gluten for a few days. Their is actually no one specific test to diagnose chron's so ruling out other digestive disorders in important. Celiac is actually the most common disease their is with an incidence rate of 1:133 and rising verses chron's with an incidence rate of 6:100,000. If you have a good doctor they should have already suggested this to you but mine did not and I suspect yours may not have as well.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I'm glad you don't have Crohn's and can manage your condition through diet! That must be a relief.

"Their is actually no one specific test to diagnose chron's"

That is not true. Visualization and biopsies via colonoscopy can be definitive for Crohn's. Some will have normal scopes and still have Crohn's, so a biopsy can't rule OUT Crohn's, but you can get a firm diagnosis if it's active where they do the biopsy.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Also, a lot of people with Crohn's have a sensitivity to gluten as well, so eliminating gluten can help those symptoms. Did you have the test for celiac's?

 

[xJillx]

Hi and welcome! I sure hope you have Celiac and not Crohn's, but Steph makes a very good point. Many people with Crohn's have a difficult time digesting gluten. Actually, some people are diagnosed with both Crohn's and Celiac.

How were you diagnosed with Crohn's? Did you have a colonoscopy? Were you tested for Celiac?

 

[zawoop18]

I still stand firm that their is no one specific test for crohn's. Look into it yourself. I was diagnosed after a colonoscopy which is crazy I think. I then had a small bowel follow through which showed inflammation. I've been having the daily D for months before and after diagnosis along with recital bleeding a few times and chest pain due to b-12 deficiency. I as also taking b-12 injections to mitigate the chest pain because my ilemu was not absorbing it properly. I was not tested for celiac but am relatively certain that is what I have and not crohn's since all my symptoms are now gone. It only took a day of eating gluten free to have my first formed bowel movement in months. I was so happy I started dancing around...lol. Whenever I slip whether it be on accident or on purpose my symptoms come back again. It doesn't really hurt to not eat gluten for a day and see what happens. Gluten is in many foods you wouldn't imagine so you have to be careful.
If not eating gluten helps crohn's patients I would suggest that they actually have celiac disease and not crohn's.

 

[DustyKat]

You are right, there is no one specific test for Crohn's but there is for Coeliac Disease.

I think you will find that for many people here, during their diagnostic journey, Coeliac has in fact been tested for and ruled out as a cause. Due to where Coeliac strikes in the bowel it is only natural that it will be tested for if a person has small bowel involvement. It is not unusual to be diagnosed with Crohns via a colonoscopy and it is often through this same test that Coeliac can be confirmed or ruled out, both have very specific pathological data.

Crohns is a very complex and individual disease in which diet affects people differently. As has been pointed out, Crohns and Coeliac can and do co exist in some people but by the same token an intolerance of gluten does not necessarily mean you have Coeliac, it is merely the nature of the beast that is Crohns.

It is simple for you to find out if you have Coeliac Disease, you just need to request a blood test.

Dusty. xxx

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Blood tests are useful for Celiac disease, but I believe only biopsy via upper endoscopy is the definitive test.

 

[Becca1991]

I was tested 2 times for celiac disease came back negative

 

[Crohn's Mom]

I am being tested currently for Celiac..
It is diagnosed by a combination of blood tests (SIgA, IgG), and a duodenal biopsy

Dusty is right. Most doctors will test (minimum blood) for Celiac before considering Crohn's in order to rule out the more simple diagnosis first.

A person can absolutely have a gluten sensitivity with out actually have true Celiac's disease.

 

[xJillx]

I still stand firm that their is no one specific test for crohn's. Look into it yourself. I was diagnosed after a colonoscopy which is crazy I think. I then had a small bowel follow through which showed inflammation. I've been having the daily D for months before and after diagnosis along with recital bleeding a few times and chest pain due to b-12 deficiency.

As per my GI, Celiac does not cause bleeding nor inflammation in the colon. Celiac damages the villi in the small intestine. Therefore, considering your symptoms (blood and issues with absorption) and how you were diagnosed (inflammation), there is a good chance you do have Crohn's. But perhaps you have Celiac+ Crohn's or a gluten intolerance.

I don't want to upset you or come off argumentative, but I don't want you to ignore that fact you may have Crohn's. Because if you do, you need treatment; ignoring your disease will only make things worse.