At the very beginning of May, two of my best friends were in town. It was an awesome thing to hang out Luther-style in South Florida. It's a wonderful thing to have friends around whom you can completely be yourself. I got to walk around in my tank tops and flip flops and feel like I fit in. No high heels, clubs, or fancy drinks here! A sinkful of beer and years worth of memories - it was a fantastic weekend that I was sad to see end! Jane - wish you were there instead of fending off the swine flu in Mexico!! I'd like to think that within the next ten years, we'll all live just a short drive away from each other. During that fantastic weekend, I enjoyed lots of beer, a hamburger on a bun, onion rings, and a giant chimichanga that I continued to stuff down even after I reached full. Little did I know, that was the last chimichanga I'd ever eat at Tiajuana Taxi Co., and likely anywhere else for that matter. It was beyond delicious. I think I will remember it forever.
Our last morning together at Tiffany's hotel on Ft. Lauderdale beach, Jo and I watched Good Morning America, a habit that I picked up from Jo in college. Elisabeth Hasselbeck was featured this particular morning. She was discussing her battle with celiac disease and her new book about it.
Jo said, "Hey - maybe that's what you have!" Jo has known me for a long time, and lived with me for a year in college. I'm pretty sure that I remember a particular incident when her and Josh actually heard me farting from the other room. The more Elisabeth described the problem, the more it sounded like myself. Bloating, burping, extreme fatigue. I bought the book and 2 related ones at Barnes and Noble the next day.
I guess I had come to accept swelling up to the size of a 7 month pregnant lady after meals was normal. Since my freshman year of college, I'd been blaming it solely on dairy. I've been purchasing Lactaid or lactase enzymes since college, although I didn't always remember to take them when I had dairy. The milk in our fridge is lactose free. Yet my problems persist. Could it really be GLUTEN that causes my gastrointestinal system to act so much differently than everyone else's? Gluten - the same thing found in beer, bread, tortillas, cookies, cakes - my favorite foods and drinks??? Also found in BARLEY, the name of my dog?!?!? In my four years of medical education, I don't remember even a single mention of Celiac Disease or Sprue. However, a certain future M.D./Ph.D. that I live with had suggested a few years ago that I may suffer from such a condition. I wish I had taken him more seriously back then. Since that Monday, I've maintained a gluten free diet with only a few rebellions.
I'll try to explain a little bit about the condition.
Definition of Celiac Disease from Mayo
Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease and eat foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in your small intestine, causing damage to the surface of your small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
Eventually, the decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment. This can lead to other illnesses and stunted growth in children.
No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease through changing your diet.
SYMPTOMS
There are no typical signs and symptoms of celiac disease. Most people with the disease have general complaints, such as:
- Intermittent diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
Sometimes people with celiac disease may have no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. Celiac disease symptoms can also mimic those of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, Crohn's disease, parasite infections, anemia, skin disorders or a nervous condition.
Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including:
- Irritability or depression
- Anemia
- Stomach upset
- Joint pain
- Muscle cramps
- Skin rash
- Mouth sores
- Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis)
- Tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy)
Some indications of malabsorption that may result from celiac disease include:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating
- General weakness and fatigue
- Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily
- Stunted growth (in children)
- Osteoporosis
- Anemia
What I personally experience: FATIGUE, pot-belly bloating, anxiety, irritability, belching, farting, anemia (borderling), lactose intolerance, problems with enamel on my teeth, decreased padding on the bottom of my feet, family history of auto-immune disease... all findings associated with CD
The only treatment: gluten free-diet. Perhaps I wouldn't have been as likely to go G-free if I hadn't seen that a possible side-effect of untreated CD is infertility (we all know I have baby fever), GI cancer, and increased liklihood of auto-immune disease. I should make it clear that we're not 100% certain that I have this actual disease. And actually, I really hate even calling it a disease because of how some people interpret that word. What I can tell you is that after going gluten free, I've had much more energy. I'm in a better mood in general. I can fall asleep without burping and farting. When I have broken down and snuck a little gluten back in my diet, I have been awaken in the middle of the night multiple times due to pain from my abdomen swelling up. I can only imagine what is going on with my intestines in those situations. At the very least, I have a sensitivity to gluten. Eventually, I will go see a doctor to get the proper diagnosis (celiac disease vs. gluten intolerance), but I am unwilling to give up the time or the money at this point. Especially when all the doc will say is "eat G-free and you'll be just fine" for both situations. I'm already doing that, although it's hard to accomplish.
No more homebrew for me. Brian brewed 4 special kegs for my graduation, and I didn't get to have any of them. I have to make special gluten free pizza at home rather than ordering delivery. No more Honey Bunches of Oats in the morning. Eating at restaurants is very difficult. If I order a hamburger and it comes with a bun, I can't just take the bun off and eat it. Gluten contamination happens very easily. I scoffed at this at first. I couldn't be that sensitive to gluten, right? Well, certain experiments at home have showed that I am. Although this G free thing is somewhat of a pain in my ass, I'm really, really happy to have discovered this diet. I'm feeling great. As my family and friends who will be eating with me at any point in the future - please don't feel burdened by my new diet. I'm able to find something I can eat at almost any restaurant, even though I may have to have a conversation with the waiter or cook about keeping my food safe. I'm getting used to bringing my own food along with me, just in case where I end up doesn't offer anything gluten-free. At my graduation dinner last Saturday, I chose the chicken meal months before starting this diet. I came hungry. When they sat chicken wrapped in phyllo dough with stuffing in front of me, I caved and ate it. My stomach immediately started churning and I was awake in bed burping with a swollen stomach much of the night before my actual graduation. I won't make that mistake again. Well, at least I think I won't. I'll concoct ways to make Grandma Deegan's macaroni and Hunerdosse lemon cookies in a G-free way, but that doesn't mean I want anyone else to give up the G-full versions!! I really don't want to burden anyone. Now it's just a little more complicated. Brian is extremely supportive, eating all the G-free stuff I'm cooking at home. And he seems to really like it! And we've both lost weight. I finally feel full after meals. I suspect that's because I'm starting to absorb nutrients.
For the record (because I know you all were worried, haha) - I have found some gluten free beers. I'll teach you about them sometime. (=
Well family and friends, now you know about my gluten free adventures. I feel happier and healthier than ever.
