I am Celiac

I have Celiac Disease.
I am Celiac.
I am mad.
I am sad.
I am fucking mad.
I am soulfully sad.
I am irritated.
I am scared.

I am thankful.
I am supported.
I am loved.
I have an answer.

Monday I was in shock.
Tuesday I was sad.
Today I am hopeful.

So begins a new journey in my life.

The only treatment for Celiac disease is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet.  My life has been forever changed.
The thankfulness I feel comes in that there are many more Gluten-Free food options now than in the past.  As well I now have a reason behind the constant fatigue, joint pain and mind fogginess that has plagued me over the last couple of years. 

In my researching Celiac I have found that 1 in 100 people have the disease.  That's a lot of people!  Knowing I am not as alone as I feel is a blessing.

My GI doctor explained the difference between having Celiac (allergy) and being Gluten Intolerant....
Celiac - you cannot eat gluten AT ALL without an allergic reaction with ill affects
Intolerant - you can have a little bit and it won't cause ill affects

Many people have hopped on the Gluten Free bandwagon with amazing results, I just want to point out that for me this was NOT a choice.  So if I run into you and you casually say you're Gluten Free by choice and I seem irritated, bear with me - I'm new to this game and am still running on some bitterness.


Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (durum, emmer, spelt, farina, farro, KAMUT® khorasan wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. https://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/what-is-gluten/


Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.  https://celiac.org/celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/