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Spring 2007
Searching for the Cause of Stomach DistressThe clues may reveal celiac disease Food sleuthsJim Shearer and his daughter, Julie, have learned to read labels for clues to hidden gluten. Food shopping takes longer now, but they've found many tasty gluten-free products on supermarket shelves (like here at Bethlehem Wegmans), in local specialty food stores and online.Shearer’s doctors thought he had irritable bowel syndrome. He experimented to uncover the source of his misery, giving up coffee and dairy products and eventually subsisting on toast. Nothing helped. Then a year ago, Shearer was tested for celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the body reacts to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Finally, the mystery was solved. Once considered rare, celiac disease is now thought to affect one in every 150 people (about 1 percent of the general population), says gastroenterologist Carl D’Angelo, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “It’s one of the most common genetic disorders, and anyone can get it,” he says. Symptoms—including abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation and weight loss—can be mild or severe. Sometimes the only symptom is anemia or fatigue. “You can live with this your whole life and not realize it,” says D’Angelo’s colleague, family physician Joseph Habig, M.D. “People refer to their ‘sensitive stomach’ or their child’s ‘toddler tummy.’ They think it’s normal because their mom had it, too.” "That family connection is very real," Habig says. If a parent has celiac disease, children possibly will too. You also can be at higher risk if you or your relatives have other autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease or psoriasis." If your symptoms are mild, should you be concerned? "Yes," D’Angelo says. “You may not be getting vital nutrients, which can lead to anemia, fatigue and malnutrition,” he says. “Celiac disease can cause liver problems, neurological disorders, infertility, osteoporosis and other autoimmune disorders, as well as intestinal cancer.” If you have symptoms or a close relative with celiac disease, ask your doctor about a blood test. If the test is positive, an endoscopy with a biopsy can confirm the diagnosis. “The good news is, celiac is completely treatable by eliminating gluten from your diet,” Habig says. “It’s not easy, because gluten exists in many forms, but there are resources out there. Dietary change can make a huge difference in how you feel and your risk for future problems.” Living gluten-free has been challenging for the Shearers, but well worth it for Jim, who has his energy back and has gained 30 pounds. “I feel so much better I’m not even tempted to go off the diet,” he says. His daughter, Julie, isn’t so sure. Newly diagnosed at age 13, she hasn’t experienced the agony her dad went through. She’s having a hard time imagining life without muffins and pizza. “I’ve tried some gluten-free things that are pretty good, and I’m lucky I like salads,” she says. Fortunately, she can eat all the salad she wants—just hold the croutons. Want to Know More about living with celiac disease? For tips for adults and children and a list of resources, support groups and places to find gluten-free products, for how one family lives with celiac disease, for the The Gluten-Free Diet Guide for Families or for a list of gluten-free drugs, click above. This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
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