Date:   1/14/2004 5:56:00 AM ( 20 y ago)
Hits:   10,096
URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=515661

The past 3 or 4 years, still so fresh in my memory, have been dealt with "mystery ailments", severe symptoms, frantic family, incompetant doctors who like to call me crazy, antidepressants, many tears... but mostly.. faith in God, and hope, has brought me to my story:

First, I will list my symptoms:
Trouble gaining weight/being underweight
Abdomnial discomfort
Severe bouts of nausea, dry heaving
Irregular bowel movements
Gas
Mucus in colon
Insomnia
Muscle Fasciculations. (A year or so after these symptoms began, I started having chronic muscle fasciculations... they're better known as twitches & tingly feelings)
Fatigure
Social anxiety
Depression.

The story - On Feb. 26th, 2001, I was prescribed a birth control pill and took my first dose. No less than hours later, I was awoken during my sleep from severe stomach and abdominal discomfort. I thought it was from the pill, and never took another dose. Yet, the symptoms still persisted, each morning being far worse than the last. It went on for months upon months as I wasted away from not being able to handle food. At one point, a MD diagnosed me as anorexic. This was not true, and naturally I switched MDs.

During the first 6 months I saw many different physicians AND specialists, and underwent numerous uncomfortable procedures; endoscopy, barium swallow, countless blood tests, lactose intolerance tests... all "normal". That summer one of the Endocrinologists I saw looked at a blood test result and said that I have Celiac Disease, or Sprue as some call it.
I asked why he felt that way. He explained that the test was for antigliadin antibodies (IgG). The readings were extremely high, 92 units to be exact. (10 - 20 units are normal ranges) It meant that my immune system was fighting off gluten feircely. He then put me on a strict gluten free diet. I was on it for about 3 weeks, and really didn't notice a whole lot of change with symptoms... I was still severely nauseous, dry heaving, and insomnia.. but my bowel function was generally improved. Shortly after I began the diet, my Gastroenterologist performed an endoscopy on me, along with biopsy. He said thatfrom the endoscopy's results, I didn't have Celiac afterall. By this time it was July and my old endocrinologist moved out of state.

With that, I was diagnosed with IBS, depression, insomnia, and anxiety. and put on Remeron, an antidepressant, also used to help me sleep. A few years went by, but I still suffered the same symptoms, and taught myself to learn to cope.
Things got tough again after I began having chronic muscle fasciculations, or muscle twitches, in March of 2003. They are consitent all day long, and very annoying - though they go unseen. This prompted me to do some more research on my health. A neurologist put me through painful EMGs and EEGs and concluded that neurologically, I was fine... and the fascics were benign; but unfortunately there was no treatment nor cure for them. MDs are not even sure what they are caused from.

Devastated, I searched for more answers. A fascuculations forum led me to beleive I had Lyme Disease. I went to my MD and asked about it, and my MD did a series of lab tests to check and re-check my immunogobulins. This is where it gets good....
The lab worker who read my results was furious with my MD about the test results for the IgG (antigliadin or gluten response). The reading was now 103 units, even higher than before. The IgE (wheat allergy response) was even higher! This led my MD to belive that I do, after all, have Celiac Disease, and alarmingly enough, Celiac has been known to cause fasciculations, depression, insomnia, and of course, the classic gastrointestinal ailments. It made sense now!

That is where I stand now, *however*. My Gastroenterologist says that the IgG is inspecific, meaning there's a chance that it may not be Celiac, but Celiac related none the less. He is going to perform more tests to confirm it.

I am also a lacto-ovo-vegan, meaning I don't eat any meat, fish, and I avoid eggs. This leaves me with grains, veggies, fruits, and dairy. Now I may have to exclude the grains as well. This might be tough! Eiether way, I thank God for helping me find my way.
 

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