OAMM Staffer Lisa, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in September of 2013. As part of Celiac Awareness Month, she openly shares her journey. I am a wife, a mother, have a full time job, volunteer at
school and church. I could be your neighbor, your sister, your co-worker, your daughter, and I have Celiac Disease. I am just the normal mom on the block, with now what seems like “abnormal” eating restrictions. As a part of Celiac Awareness Month, I will be sharing with you my journey from diagnosis to present day with tools, tips and tricks to help you get through the recent or not so recent diagnosis of Celiac Disease. My deepest hope is it touches your heart and lends support. For those with Celiac disease I hope you understand you are not alone. And for those with a family member or friend with Celiac Disease, I hope it sheds a small light of understanding into what they might be going through.
A roller coaster ride to diagnosis
What seemed like a constant state of sickness, from ear infections, to colds, to first time seasonal allergies (at age 36), to overall fatigue, you name it, I suffered through it and didn’t know why. I had self diagnosed myself as having a lowered immune system in my late teens, but with each passing year it seemed that my immune system struggled to fight off even the smallest of colds. In June of 2013, feeling at an all time low health wise, my husband and I decided to do the Whole30 Challenge. (Hugely due to the support from fellow OAMM staffers who had previously done Whole 30). Our goal was to hopefully reset our systems and jumpstart a healthier lifestyle. In doing so, we were optimistic that the chronic infections, fatigue would subside and I would emerge healthier and stronger. Much to my disappointment, I struggled through those weeks with symptoms beyond the normal Whole30 detox. From days of debilitating nausea, to immediate trips to the bathroom after meals to extreme fatigue. During this time, the number of bad days greatly outnumbered the good. The stress on my family was becoming evident, from the worries of the kids wondering what was wrong with mom, to the lack of quality time I was able to spend with my husband.
My doctor most likely thought I was crazy. After multiple appointments, and tests with no conclusive results, I still had the gut feeling something just wasn’t right. We adjusted my thyroid meds to see if that was the culprit. Feeling like I was out of the woods, I pressed on for another 20 plus days of W30. Then it was vacation for the holidays filled with indulgence and no gradual reintroduction. In the back of my head I felt it was a gluten issue. After another gluten antibody test, my levels showed that of gluten sensitivity. (Note – I had gluten test during Whole30 but since I wasn’t eating gluten at that time it most likely was lowered.)
Pushing for more results
With this information in hand, I quickly scheduled a colonoscopy and endoscopy for the following week. In order for these tests to be accurate, you must continue to eat gluten, and I knew that I couldn’t do that for too long. Many people do not go the route of a colonoscopy/endoscopy, they simply rely on the blood test. However, I have a family history of autoimmune diseases, in my case, I wanted to know for a fact if I had Celiac Disease. And I also wanted to rule out any other possibilities there were such as Cancer. The biopsies confirmed, Celiac Disease. Although it’s a hard diagnosis for anyone to hear, my husband and I both breathed huge sighs of relief. We knew this was a challenge we could handle, and at that moment I felt at peace with my body, my brain and the diagnosis.
Making the right adjustments
With my thyroid issues (diagnosed previously), and my new Celiac eating guidelines, it could have been overwhelming to start planning my meals. But for me it was a no brainer. Being with OAMM for two years and a loyal fan before, I knew I could approach my new diet with ease because of the tools which are right here. With the swappable menus I can now take recipes which I know do not contain cruciferous vegetables and other foods that impact my thyroid function and fit within my Celiac guidelines and make my perfect menu. Not to mention a few snacks added for treats for the whole house! Freezer cooking has been our saving grace through these last few months. There were times where I think I have been cautious or very adamant about my allergies to restaurants, friends and family, only to go home that evening and start having flare up issues to discover I had been “glutened”. When that happens I’m down for a day at minimum. Knowing my family can have meals to pull from for the freezer and especially ones I can snack on if I feel up for food has just been such a burden off of my shoulders. OAMM has come to our rescue by taking out the thinking work for me to help my family stay afloat even on my hard days! We’ll continue to talk more about how OAMM has helped me but I want to hear from you! 
Stayed tuned as Lisa continues to share her Celiac Disease journey throughout the month of May. In the meantime, we want to hear from you!
- What did you struggle with most after your diagnosis?
- What were your biggest fears?
- What were your biggest resources for help?
Please feel free to share in the comments, or by email.