coeliacs is it an allergy or an intolerance ?

[dinger]

I have always considered it an autoimmune disease. After 8 years people still confuse me. Or am I just stupid.

[Hidden]

Hi Dinger, you are spot on as CD is an autoimmune disease. Many people confuse an intolerance with an allergy, so you are not stupid.

[Hidden]

It's not an allergy. It's not an intolerance. It is an autoimmune disease. I feel that it should be called by it's proper name more because there are too many people out there ready to trivialise a serious disease.

[NorthernSoul]

Yep, neither. It's an autoimmune disease. Medically speaking, an allergy is a different type of immune pathology and an intolerance is a wishy-washy word with no well-defined meaning.

[FionaGFG Administrator in reply to NorthernSoul]

Love your definition. We've often thought that as well - pah to intolerance. Here's to more accurate descriptions of CD as auto-immune.

[dinger]

Thank you all for your replies. I was reading an article in the daily mirror about osteoporosis. The girl who had it also had CD and she called it a severe allergy to wheat. This is all very confusing for people newly diagnosed.

[FionaGFG Administrator in reply to dinger]

Yes it is very annoying and we've often emailed coeliac UK's press office to request that they follow up with all journos that describe CD inaccurately as it does nothing for raising awareness or understanding of the disease.

[weee]

as everyone has said before.. Coeliacs is an auto immune disorder.. not a food fad.. not an allergy not an intolerance.. It has potentially serious consequences and the only treatment is a lifelong avoidance of Gluten

[audie]

i too was very confused at the beginning! it is an auto immune disorder!! all too often people treat CD as a food fad, try typing in your search bar, is celiac disease a wheat allergy and there are some good sites that will explain what an auto immune disorder is, about.com is one!! hope this helps

[pretender]

I have Coeliac Disease, diagnosed twice with a 45 year gap and with one confirmation, by todays standards medically not possible. I also have an allergy that when questioned on this site I was told not medically possible but after 7years & 4 months a positive result with the allergy. Medical conditions are considered textbook however not everyone fits the textbook description of the condition therefore delayed diagnosis and because a healthcare professional does not have an issue they do not see why others should.. I can only respond to posts/questions on how my complicated medical condition is seen by healthcare professionals and not what is expected from a textbook so others may not always share my views.

[beau_alicia]

I know that it is defined as an autoimmune disease, but how can it be an AUTOimmune disease when gluten is not part of the body? surly it is an allergy - an over reaction of the immune system to a harmless particle.