Why get diagnosed?

So, there are a number of people who don't think about Celiac disease as a cause of their symptoms. On top of that, many who know a family member who has it don't want to get diagnosed for fear of losing their current lifestyle. However, there are some major long-term effects of untreated Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, including infertility, thyroid problems, cancer, etc. I found a good summary article that is outline below from www.everydayhealth.com - http://www.everydayhealth.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-complications.aspx

Complications of Celiac Disease

If the symptoms of celiac disease go unrecognized and untreated, complications can develop.

By Chris Iliades, MD

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Celiac disease is a common digestive disorder. At one time, it was thought that celiac disease was a disease of childhood and that the most common symptoms were bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and failure to thrive. Now that blood tests can identify celiac disease in adults, we are realizing that it is much more common than once thought.

Celiac Disease: Why It Happens

Celiac disease, also called the "great mimic" disease, can cause many different symptoms and vary from person to person. It is therefore easy for celiac disease to be overlooked or misdiagnosed as another condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

"If you have celiac disease, it means that your immune system can't tolerate the protein in wheat, rye, or barley," says John Birk, MD, chief of gastroenterology at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. "This causes inflammation of your small intestine that decreases your ability to absorb essential nutrients in food. Over time, these nutrient deficits can lead to complications."

Celiac Disease Complications

In adults, the digestive symptoms may be less common and the signs or symptoms of celiac disease may be related to the long-term effects of poor absorption. Some of the more common complications include:

• Malnutrition. Many people with celiac disease will have trouble maintaining a healthy weight and may complain of fatigue and weakness. Blood tests often show iron deficiency despite iron therapy. Vitamins may not be absorbed properly. This failure of the intestine to absorb nutrients is called "malabsorption."
• Bone loss. "Failure to absorb nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D can contribute to poor bone density," notes Dr. Birk. This can lead to osteoporosis, bone pain, and bone weakness that may cause bones to break easily.
• Lactose intolerance. "Lactose intolerance is more common if you have celiac disease but can also be a byproduct of inflammation caused by celiac disease," notes Birk. The inflammation in the lining of your intestine can keep you from producing the enzyme needed to break down lactose, which is the sugar in dairy products. Undigested lactose can cause gas and diarrhea.
• Irritability and depression. Children with celiac disease are extremely irritable. In adults, celiac disease can cause symptoms of depression, lack of energy, and problems with memory and concentration. Research shows that these symptoms may be due to malabsorption of vitamin B6 and tryptophan. These are important nutrients you need to produce chemicals called "neurotransmitters" that stimulate nerve cells in your brain.
• Lymphoma and bowel cancer. If celiac disease is left untreated, it can increase your risk for developing certain types of digestive system cancers. Lymphoma of the small intestine is a rare type of cancer but may be 30 times more common in people with celiac disease. Adenocarcinoma of the intestine and cancer of the esophagus are also more common. This increased risk of cancer is probably due to the irritation and inflammation in untreated celiac disease over a long period of time.
• Low birth-weight babies. This is a common occurrence in women with uncontrolled celiac disease.
• Dental defects. Permanent damage to the enamel of the teeth occurs due to malabsorption of calcium and other minerals.

"The good news is that in most cases the symptoms can be reversed and the complications prevented by a gluten-free diet," says Birk. In about 70 percent of cases, symptoms of celiac disease start to improve within a few weeks. It may take longer for some people, and it may take as long as two years for all the damage in the small intestine to be healed. The sooner you get a proper diagnosis and start a gluten-free diet, the better chance you have of avoiding complications.

My Top 10 Most Challenging G-Free Situations

Along with a poll I'm running on my Twitter account, I wanted to discuss some of the most challenging situations that pop-up for one who has to eat gluten-free. These are mine...feel free to comment with any others that are especially hard for you! Each time I am faced with one of these scenarios it gets better, but it is still never easy.

1. Visiting family and friends out of town - they feel like they have to cater to you, which they kind of do because if not then you are either starving or spending the whole trip making phone calls and no one wants to feel like even more of a burden - and it's usually a WHOLE weekend of eating out

2.  Long airport travel days - especially with delays (airports SUCK at having g-free, usually it's McDonalds fries and a Wendy's Frosty for each meal)

3. Networking events/get-togethers with new people - that involve food - having to explain over and over why you aren't eating gets old...I have learned to just say I'm not hungry

4. Traveling for work to random small towns - I did this a lot with my last job...it takes a bunch of research and a prayer that they at least have a Chili's

5. Wedding weekends - especially if you are in them...rehearsal dinners, brunches, dinner...and no time to sneak off and find your own food or bring some with you to heat up - bring me the champagne!

6. Any situation where you simply have to go with the flow - being out and about for happy hour and everyone wants to go eat dinner together, or the whole office is going to lunch...do I want to come? It's never that simple anymore.

7. When a hostess offers you gluten-free food that they prepared special for you...how do I politely ask them to rattle off all of the ingredients to make sure, withOUT being rude

8. Dining out at restaurants that say they can make x, y, z gluten-free and I don't like any of the choices...they don't seem to understand that I have taste buds too and don't have to like everything that is gluten-free...sorry!

9. Being the one who always has to "pick", no matter what. It sounds good in theory but in reality it's a pain in the butt to have to think that hard about any meal.

10. Any situation involving cake. Birthdays, parties, going-away...god, I really miss cake with butter cream frosting!