(I'm New!) Coeliac and just awaiting the results of my thyroid test - has anyone else been diagnosed with both conditions?

[annakay28]

Hi, I am new to this forum, I was diagnosed coeliac around 15 years ago after suffering with the condition undiagnosed throughout my childhood and teens. I follow a strict gluten free diet successfully but recently went to my GP as I have very bad dry skin and constantly feel cold, often losing circulation in my toes and fingers. My GP has arranged a thyroid test and I am awaiting the results and have started looking on the internet (not always a good idea!!) about the condition and it seems there can be a link between the two conditions. Just wondered if anyone else has been diagnosed with both conditions or if anyone has information that may be of help/interest.

[Hidden]

Hi annakay, this has come up before so here's a link to past posts on GFG which should help until you get responses from members, so please see:

healthunlocked.com/search/t...

Jerry

[annakay28]

That's great, thanks so much.

[beau_alicia]

it's really interesting to hear you say that u feel cold all the time too! that makes me feel a bit better

ive just had my thyroid tested but it came back normal

im awaiting an appointment to have an endoscopy to test for ceoliac disease so we will see, but my mum has it and im having a lot of the same symptoms and progression and she did/does. however, i havent heard of any one else being sensitive to the cold with it, which is why i considered thyroid function, but apparently not.

let us know what ur results say!

[Marz in reply to beau_alicia]

...what did your Thyroid results say ? There is no such thing as normal - just in the ranges laid down. It would be helpful to see the results with their ranges. TSH is often the only thing tested. You really need the FT4 FT3 and the anti-bodies Anti-TPO and Anti-Tg. If you have anti-bodies then you could possibly have Hashimotos - or auto-immune thyroiditis. This goes hand in hand with coeliac conditions - or gluten sensitivity. Hashimotos is the most important thyroid condition in the world.

I think it would be good if you had a peep at the Thyroid UK forum here on health Unlocked. It is also important to have the following tests - B12 Ferritin Folate Iron VitD - all these need to be HIGH in their respective ranges for you to feel well. thyroiduk.org has a page that helps you to understand blood test results.

Sadly the medical world is governed by bloodtests and ranges - clinical symptoms are also VERY importan....

[beau_alicia in reply to Marz]

I dont know what the actual values were, ill find out next time i visit the gp. ive had a lot on the thyroid uk website and im going to start taking a basal temperature each morning for a while and if that is low, i will push for further tests because it would make so much sense.

thank you!

do you know if hypothyroidism cause digestive problems?

[Marz in reply to beau_alicia]

Oh yes....and please do not allow any Doc tell you it is to do with high acid. With thyroid issues it is usually the opposite - the cells in the stomach lining also work slowly due to low hormones. So not enough acid is released to break down the proteins before it moves into the bowel. It can hang around in the stomach too long due to the slow break down and cause discomfort....and other issues....

Have you had a look at the Signs and Symptoms on thyroiduk.org

It is of course your right to have your blood results so you can monitor your own health....good luck....

[Malago]

Hi ........ I have three autoimmune diseases Two diagnosed in 2006; pernicious anaemia ( is that autoimmune not sure now as I type) and hypothyroidism. So medication prescribed and taken and begin to feel betterish!

However other symptoms began to kick in; joint aches, fatigue, horrendous tummy pains and increasing 'toilet-time'. When this was almost constant I discussed is with my doctor ( Feb 2012). And then in May 2012 my third autoimmune disease was diagnosed.... yes you guessed.... COELIAC.

So since then feeling so much better and joint aches gone after Vit D & calcium as was also diagnosed pre-osteoporosis. And only tingling of toes and fingers rarely and definitely feel a lot warmer.

Dis put on loads of weight when G/F and have spent last 13 months on the 5:2 diet and have lost 2 stone with the benefit of now being more supple/ less stiff. This helps greatly when playing with the grandchildren.

Best wishes for your diagnosis and improved health

[Marz in reply to Malago]

PA is auto-immune.... Low B12 can cause tingling in fingers... b12deficiencyinfo.org Take a look at the Thyroid UK forum for thyroid fine tuning - if you haven't already I have learnt masses there and improved my health a great deal. b12d.org

Apologies if I am preaching to the converted

[Marz]

...please read my posts below - sorry should have addressed you first ! Hopefully they will prove helpful....and that you soon feel better....

[Malago]

As they say 'no worries' we all have to keep up the preaching! Was just typing the previous reply possibly half-asleep. The tingling occurs in the 2-3 weeks before my Vit B 12 jab and have persuaded my health practitioner to reduce the interval from 12 to 8 weeks. Hoping to have less tingling.

[Marz in reply to Malago]

Maybe try the High Strength B12 patches from Amazon - they have Folic Acid in them with other nutrients. B12 needs Folic Acid and folic Acid needs B12 to work well in the body ....

[Malago in reply to Marz]

Thanks for this info. I believe I have a really good diet; lots of variety and I cook everything from scratch. I shall look into this and, if not already, incorporate foods with significant levels of Folic Acid. Also I'll investigate if patches offer a better solution than eating foods which naturally have it.

[Marz in reply to Malago]

Sorry - but if you have Hypothyroidism and coeliac you will have absorption issues - which may prevent you benefitting from an EXCELLENT diet....it was a suggestion as a top up in between injections....

[Malago in reply to Marz]

Yes I wondered about this but if I'm a healed coeliac, ie not having any gluten reactions because my villi have healed then surely I'm ok to absorb nutrients in my small intestine as anyone else.

Or does Folic Acid need intrinsic factor as does Vit B12 in which case other measures will have to be taken

[Marz in reply to Malago]

...on the Thyroid UK forum hampster1 is an expert on B12 and PA. You can find her by clicking onto members on the purple bar.

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Maybe this website will give you some answers concerning the Folic Acid....

How did you heal your villi ? Just interested as I have coeliacs in the family....

[Marz in reply to Marz]

b12deficiency.info/b12-trea... The treatment protocol explains about the B's and Folate with B12.....

[Malago in reply to Marz]

Hiya just to answer the question..... How did you heal your villi?

....... My understanding of Coeliac Disease is (very simplified) ...... my body has made antibodies which have "attacked/eaten away" the villi in my small intestine ...... this has resulted in far less surface area for nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream from the food as it travels through, and far less nutrients have been absorbed which over a long time usually results in malnutrition and deficiencies in various vitamins and minerals. Additionally the antibodies cause 'gaps' in the wall of the intestine which allow larger molecules to pass through into the blood stream. I think these larger molecules to be the grain proteins which then cause the other Coeliac issues, usually referred to as being 'glutened'.

According to my logic (which might be faulty) if someone with CD follows a strict CD diet there is no gluten to damage the small intestine and the nutrient levels return to normal and the ghastly CD symptoms go away.

From this I believe that I do not have absorption issues except for PA/Vit B 12 for which I need jabs.

I'm still on the case for checking my diet against high level Folic acid foods. Hope to keep you posted

All the best ...have a nice weekend

[Marz in reply to Malago]

...ok you seem sorted....will look out for your posts. Have a good weekend....

[Hidden in reply to Malago]

Hi Malago, when someone eats a poison their immune system kicks in and their villi collapse so that whatever it is that we've eaten is passed thro' us when it's out of our system the villi returns to normal. Our villi increase the surface area of our intestines to a similar size as a football pitch. So once CD is diagnosed most coeliac villi recover completely.

Then there's leaky gut syndrome due to inflammation in the gut.

It is complicated and I think that the most important thing is to be aware of how harmful gluten is to us and to be positive about our dietary needs.

You seem to have a very positive attitude so good for you.

Jerry

[Malago in reply to Hidden]

Yes I do. Thanks. And my 4 year old granddaughter also is developing an excellent understanding of CD! It all began when once she wanted to give me spoon of her Wheetabix; quick as a flash I said no because the doctors have told me to have Rice Krispies instead. She's always remembered that and she now always checks and knows about my special food which is often the same as hers. So very proud of her

[edev]

Hello,

I got tested for thyroid but it luckily came back with no problems, I also suffer from the cold and bad circulation in my fingers. Has your GP mentioned Raynaud's syndrome in relation to the cold and circulation?

Good Luck with your results.

Emily

[Marz in reply to edev]

Excuse me asking but what thyroid tests did you have and what were the results. Docs have a habit of saying normal when they mean in range. Ranges were based on healthy people. You are entitled to have copies of all blood tests and if you post them someone will help - especially if you post on the Thyroid UK forum. A TSH over 2.5 warrants further investigation. Was your FT4 and FT3 tested.... ? If thyroid hormones are low then blood pressure can be low and so oxygenated blood does not reach the peripheral circulation efficiently....hence the Reynauds syndrome....

[annakay28]

Thank you so much to everyone for your really helpful & supportive replies, really appreciate the information and advice. Hope to get my results back this week and will keep you updated.