the difference between gluten intolerance and coeliac disease

[Mikeila]

Sorry ..but can someone tell me what is the difference between gluten intolerance and coeliac disease because i had the impression that is the some thing..If I had an endoscopy with biopsy many years ago and they've said that i'm with gluten intolerance that actually means that I'm coeliac as well Thanks

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

One way of looking at it is that all people with CD cannot tolerate gluten, whereas not everyone who is gluten intolerant has CD.

Did your diagnosis after endoscopy actually state coeliac? If it didn't, then I guess you're not. It would be all the other symptoms, but negative biopsy, that point to a diagnosis of non-coeliac gluten intolerance.

We all need to follow the same dietary restrictions, so sometimes it's easier just to tell people coeliac whether you are or not. It stops them thinking you're copying Gwyneth Paltrow

[Mikeila]

Thanks.I thought that are some other restrictions.After the biopsy they said gluten intolerance.

[Mikeila in reply to Mikeila]

So, when you have CD, you have other simptomps in top of gluten intolerance?

[Joondalup31]

I have recently been diagnosed with the same. I think the only difference is the terminology, the symptoms are exactly the same but because your biopsy etc result is neg the docs don't prescribe food on prescription. You still feel shocking if you eat wheat/gluten, the title really doesn't matter. Stay well.

[Mikeila]

K.Now i got it.I have CD coz my food it on prescription.Thanks

[lizzygale]

Hi, CD is autoimmune, where your immune system attacks the lining of the intestine, where as intolerance is an inflammation caused by gluten. They have some similar symptoms, but CD means you are more liable to get other auto immune diseases, like diabetes, thyroidism and even cancer if you don't go gluten free. Both are pretty horrible, and sometimes confused with each other by doctors. So if you feel better being gluten free it doesn't matter what they say.

But if you are determined to get it labelled, you will first need to test positive via blood test, then eat gluten for about 6 weeks and have an endoscopy, if you don't eat the gluten before the endoscopy you might test negative.

I hope that helps, if not just do some goggling

celiacdisease.about.com/od/...

[Mikeila]

Thank you so much guys for clarify me this.

[lizzycoop]

I have CD and my undiagnosed symptoms included damage to lots of areas in my body. I had an inflamed brain causing a speech impediment and a limp, mastoid inflamation causing unsteadiness and head buzzes, I had liver and pancreas inflamation,arthritic inflamation making my body ache all over, uterus inflamation to the point of a lab being unable to read my cervical cells in a pap smear. My bowel damage caused malabsorbtion of many nutrients, and I had fatigue that was unbearable.There is internal damage with CD which makes the difference,

[poing]

I think there may well be internal damage and inflammation with gluten sensitivity too... I reckon that it can be an immune-mediated reaction. Immune reactions do not have to involve antibodies.

However, I think that when antibodies do become involved, then the whole thing takes a more serious turn... It is my understanding that it is the antibodies that really exacerbate the gut damage in CD (possibly from stopping it healing properly?)

Some people with CD don't have antibodies, I think it's rare, but I think it can happen.

I "only" have gluten sensitivity, but it slows down my digestion, creates nutrient deficiencies, my gall bladder struggles, I get mouth sores/infections, it makes me very tired, etc. etc.

[Whin]

Coeliac is a lifelong incurable autoimmune system issue, when you have CD if you eat even a crumb of gluten your body begins to destroy your gut lining, leading to many horrible related conditions due to inflammation and malabsorption etc. If you think you may have it you must get your doctor to start the testing, which involves endoscopy biopsies under controlled conditions. If you had biopsies, your doctor is prescribing gluten free food and says you must stay strictly on a GF diet it sounds like you have Coeliac. Please get them to clarify!! As stated above by others, anyone with Coeliac is by definition extremely intolerant to gluten. To have a gluten intolerance but not have Coeliac may bring on very unpleasant effects too, but your gut lining is not destroyed by gluten. They're really not the same thing.