Celiac and pregnant...maybe?

There ARE accurate tests for Celiac. You will need a celiac blood panel and possible endoscopy to do a small intestine biopsy. I don't know if they can do the endoscopy when your pregnant because you are put under for it. For ACCURATE information on testing and diagnosis please visit www.celiacdisease.net. DO not take gluten out of your diet before you are confirmed as a celiac as that could cause testing errors.

Check to make sure your vitamins are gluten free and if your testing comes back as needing a gluten free diet stick to it! I have celiac and have carried two successful pregnancies while remaining gluten free.

If you just had a baby that could trigger Celiac disease (researchers think stressful events trigger celiac disease to become active and one of those events would be pregnancy) so I doubt it's your vitamins causing problems. If you want more information please feel free to send me a private message!

Unfortunately, there is no accurate test for Celiac. The best way to tell if gluten is an issue, is to cut it out of your diet 100% for at least a month (best if 3 months) and see if you improve.

Celiac is not the end of the world- that is the good news! There are lots of imported flours now that substitute for the glutinous flours, which will allow you to bake, etc.

Eating out will be a challenge, however. You will also need to change your cutting board and toaster/toaster oven since those things can still harbor gluten. Some people change out their pots and pans as well.

Most Whole Foods have a gluten-free support group that meets once/week.

Also, want to add that even if you have never experienced any problems associated with Celiac before, some people believe that if you are genetically predisposed, stress can be a trigger to turn that gene on or whatever and make it active. Pregnancy could definitely have been that trigger for you.

There are tons of great books out there (check the library!) as well as websites with information, recipes, etc. Do your own research though, because even if this test comes back negative, that doesn't mean you DON'T have Celiac.

My blog has a lot of gluten-free recipes, if you are interested:
www.chickiepea.wordpress.com

M.

I wonder if Elisabeth Hasslebeck from the View blogged about her disease and pregnancy. She has Celiac and has little ones --- consider googling it.

Do you eat nutrition bars? There is an ingredient in these and some other things that I can't figure out but it gives me the same symptoms. Chocolate can sometimes too. Also dried fruit.