have you ever thought of getting tested for celiac disease?
I'm going to ask my rheumatologist to add that to my blood tests next time I see him.
what is interesting about celiac is that it can lead to other autoimmune diseases. it would explain some things, certainly for me.
And by some things i mean my life for the last 18 years.
i mean if i have celiac, then i know my problems are caused almost entirely by diet, and not by some other crazy ideas like bad karma, sin, luck or even genetics, which no one has ever been able to prove.
Celiac Disease is diagnosed via blood tests, a physical exam, and an endoscopy/ biopsy. I'm not crazy about that last part, as it means being sedated, running a thingy down my throat and getting 8-12 samples snipped out of my small intestine. The ONLY reason I would consider doing it is to finally once and for all know what started this whole mess.
Celiac disease is treated by avoiding gluten (mainly wheat, which hides in many products) and for some people, also diary. That means giving up a lot of tasty food, but you know, I'm willing to do that if it means I never have anemia, pleurisy, faitgue, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, stroke, hair loss, depression, neuropathy, migraines, swollen legs/ ankles/ feet, and oh yeah,
prednisone, cellcept, cytoxan, attivan, paxil, clonodine, nifedical, norvasc... yeah, I'll swap eating pizza for getting my life back. There is more to my life than eating junk food! Or at least there will be once i'm fully healed.
