Celiac can cause mouth ulcers

November 9, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have celiac disease and with it came mouth ulcers. Do I see my doctor about it or a dentist?

DEAR READER: The damage from celiac disease is caused by a reaction to consuming gluten, a product found in rye, barley, and wheat. Many oat manufacturers also process gluten-containing grains so products they market should be avoided unless they are certified as being gluten-free. The condition damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents absorption of nutrients properly. The lining of the intestines contain villi, protuberances that grow out from some mucous membranes (such as the lining of the small intestine). When a celiac patient consumes foods that contain gluten, the immune system reacts by damaging these villi. Left untreated, a person will eventually become malnourished.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: ,

On oats and celiac disease

July 20, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have just been told I have celiac disease. I know I can’t have wheat/rye/barley. What about oats? Are there any other dos and don’ts?

DEAR READER: This digestive condition, also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is triggered by gluten, a substance found mainly in breads, cookies, pastas and other foods that contain wheat, rye and barley. When foods containing gluten are consumed, the common result is abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. Over time, malabsorption of nutrients can occur, resulting in deficiencies that deprive the entire body of necessary nourishment. Less common side effects include anemia, skin rash, osteoporosis, depression and cramping.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With:

Celiac disease may cause abdominal pain

December 14, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: This is in regard to your article about the 15-year-old with chronic abdominal pain. Why didn’t you think of celiac disease? My granddaughter was diagnosed at age 6 after developing severe abdominal pain. She managed her celiac and is doing very well on a gluten-free diet.

DEAR READER: Your letter is just one of many I have received about this young girl’s problem.

Celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is a digestive disorder. These people cannot tolerate the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. These grains are present in many foods, even some nonfood items, such as vitamins and medications.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Gluten-free diet often reverses celiac damage

May 2, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: First, let me thank you for saving my life. I am a 66-year-old female. After reading your column about celiac disease a year ago, I went to my current doctor with the article in hand. She advised me that I had nothing to lose, as I had been sick for a long time.

I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance in 1990, but still had severe stomach pain. After reading your column, I went on a gluten-free diet and have been on it for a year. I am a new person.

I think I have probably had this all my life, and many times I have been very sick. I have had tests on every internal digestive organ and was always told there was nothing wrong with me. I have spent 10 years paying off all those tests that past doctors ordered with negative results.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: ,

Daily Column

November 17, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have been reading your column for a long time. I am very thankful for all the information you provide, including natural and home remedies. Every time I get the paper your column is the one I look forward to and then clip out, saving it for future reference or to help someone else. Thank you Doctor Gott for caring. Please keep up all the good work you do.

I want to share my own sickness with you in the hopes that my experience can help someone else. I have Celiac Sprue and went through years of not feeling well and seeing many doctors before I got any answers. I learned that it is an allergy to the gluten in grains such as wheat, rye, oats and barley. I love baked goods and bread and baking was a family activity. I had to stop and learn how to use new ingredients.

In my town there is a “Sprue Club”. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: , ,

Daily Column

September 24, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My granddaughter has been diagnosed with celiac disease. When I spoke with my doctor about it, he gave me information on gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Can you educate me regarding celiac and gluten intolerance?

DEAR READER:
Celiac disease is a condition of the digestive tract that is triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in breads, pasta, pastries, and numerous other foods that contain wheat, rye or barley. When an individual with celiac disease eats foods that contain gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine that results in an inability to absorb specific nutrients contained in foods. While a problem for individuals of any age, it is particularly difficult for nutritional development in children.

Most people with celiac disease complain of diarrhea, [Read more…]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: