This will be a fairly long post about being diagnosed and living with Coeliac disease. For any of you not interested you don't have to read it, but for those of you who are and want to understand more about the illness or those of you who are fellow sufferers and want to hear someone else's story please keep reading!
So what is Coeliac Disease?..
"Coeliac disease is a life long condition. It is not an allergy or simple food intolerance but an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. In Coeliac disease this reaction is cause by gluten, a type of protein found in wheat barley and rye." - (NHS Dietary Advice For Coeliac Disease Patient Information Leaflet)
Before my diagnosis...
I have various other health problems and have been suffering with them for 4 years now. About 2 years ago I started having excruciating pain in my stomach every time I ate a meal, I'd be curled up in a ball on the bed for an hour or so after eating, then as the time went on I started feeling sick as well as the pain, it was so horrible, I couldn't look forwards to meals anymore and I was afraid of throwing up. When it came to the point where I was throwing up a couple of times a week the doctors finally referred me to a gastroenterologist. He sent me for a blood test which came back that I had coeliac disease, however he said to get a proper diagnosis he would need to do an endoscopy and biopsy.
