My Celiac Diagnosis

I first learned about Celiac Disease during PA school but had no idea that I had been suffering with it for years.....

I don't think I could even tell you a day that I felt good. Being fatigued with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cramps was my "normal." I was told numerous times my symptoms were probably due to "stress and IBS." My entire life I have experienced bloating after every meal. Only thing is, I had no idea that this wasn’t normal. I thought everyone felt bloated after they ate.

Then I went off to college and graduate school living my healthy 100% whole wheat diet! The more 100% whole wheat bread, cereals & pastas the better. That is when my symptoms started to intensify (not to mention all the beer I was drinking!). I had abdominal pain every day. This led to numerous tests, an abdominal ultrasound, and a HIDA scan to assess the function of my gallbladder. (A HIDA scan is a nuclear medicine tests that watched my gallbladder fill up and contract) My HIDA scan came back as abnormal with a decreased ejection fraction of 7%. (A normal ejection fraction is >35%) So finally a diagnosis! A dysfunctional gallbladder. So no more fried, fatty, foods! Easy enough! My symptoms didn't improve but I had a diagnosis and a reason for the pain.

I graduated PA school and moved to Baltimore, MD where I eventually met my husband, Brandon. I remember our first date we went to a local brewery and had delicious pumpkin beer then went to see a movie together that I slept the whole way through! I could never lay on the couch with him and not fall asleep. I was always so tired.

We were married in June, 2012 and after our honeymoon my GI symptoms got worse along with my fatigue. I had bruises all over my body, my hair was falling out, and I started waking up numerous times in the middle of the night with heartburn. I went to see my primary care provider who said I was depressed!

I was getting significantly worse and Brandon was really worried. We decided it was time for me to see a GI specialist. I called around to numerous GI doctors  and was fortunate to find a brand new (and amazing!!) GI doctor in the Baltimore area who could see me the next day! When I was telling him my symptoms he said that I needed to have an Upper Endoscopy as soon as possible.

I had the procedure on the following Monday morning. I remember leaving the gym three days later and having several missed calls from my GI doctor. I was nervous to listen to my voicemail because I knew something was wrong. That's when I got the news that I have Celiac Disease and I have to go on a lifelong gluten free diet....