Celiac Disease Support Group

Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder of the digestive system that occurs in genetically-predisposed individuals. It is characterised by damage or flattening to all or part of the villi lining the small intestine, which interferes with the absorption of nutrients. This damage is caused by eating anything with gluten (gliadin), a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley...

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Gastrointestinal System
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Severe itching

kmac22
kmac22

Hello


I am a very fit and active healthy 49 yr old. I have been having off and on for about 6-7 years now severe instense itching in legs or arms, stomach-that burns sometimes. Not normal itching... I literally go out of my mind. I was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. In researching the disease I decided to remove gluten from my diet.. However I have had a it a few times and noticed I get the itching (not right away sometimes hours later). Also get numbness and tingling.. I am starting to wonder if I may have a gluten sensitivity or celiac. I see a dermatologist in a couple weeks. Wondering if anyone has these symptoms?? Some digestive issues but not bad.  


Thanks!

nanny1611
nanny1611
Gluten can trigger many different problems, including skin issues. It used to be that 85% of those with celiac had severe abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, etc. However, the other 15% displayed non-typical symptoms. Recent studies suggest that these stats are shifting, with a higher portion demonstrating non-typical symptoms. People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance can have a wide variety of symptoms and issues. For me, gluten raises my inflammation and attacks my muscles within 30-60 minutes. Gluten can cause "chicken skin" also. My PCP told me to get off gluten, because I have lupus and myositis (autoimmune diseases). She said that, "Gluten is like a poison to anyone with an autoimmune disease. And gluten likes to attack the thyroid." Hopefully you will get an accurate diagnosis. BTW, if you request a test for celiac disease, you must be eating gluten for 4-6 weeks before testing. And there is no test of gluten sensitivity. Best wishes to you.
InnaTrainz
InnaTrainz
Hello,

I would just like to stress the importance of some of the comments made by nanny1611, all of which is entirely correct. My uncle suffered with dermatitis herpetiformis -a very itchy skin condition for years before finally being diagnosed as a coeliac - and he does not suffer the usual abdominal pains experienced by most other coeliacs. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease almost 5 years ago and I suffer with the usual symptoms. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE! The first test done by GPs in the UK is a blood test for the antibodies the body produces associated to the gluten protein. Mine were off the chart, crazy high. Then, you have to have an endoscopy and biopsies taken of your gut to test for damage. Unfortunately I had given up the levels of gluten I had taken prior to the biopsies and the results were inconclusive, yet blood test after blood test showed otherwise. I was then ordered to go hard on the gluten which was the worst 2 months of my life. The second biopsy proved I was a coeliac.
Good luck! Hope you find out what the problem is.