Celiac

By spitfire

1 min read

I'm new to the website, so I don't know if anyone has heard this before. About six months ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I have suffered from migraines for just about my entire life. I didn't get a diagnosis until I was in my late thirties, I am fifty seven now, that was a long time not knowing what was wrong, but that's a story for another day.

Little more than a year ago I developed a terrible rash, extremely itchy and at times painful. Many nights I could not sleep the itch would kept me awake often. In short it took a third dermatologist I visited before a biopsy was done and it was determined I have what is called dermatitis herpitiformis. It a condition that only 10 15% of celiac patients will get. An endoscopy was performed as well as blood tests that confirmed it is indeed celiac. I was prescribed dapsone and placed on gluten free diet. The first month was rough, its quite an adjustment. I had terrible migraines more often than usual, but after six weeks or so I noticed the attacks occurred less frequently than ever before. It is truly amazing!

So I want to share with everyone that if you have frequent gas, upset stomach, heartburn a terrible rash that no one can figure out or any other symptoms of gluten intolerance, celiacs it is worth investigating with a doctor. My gastroenterologist told me there is a connection and was happy when I reported the dramatic reduction in migraine attacks.

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Joanna Bodner Community Admin
Dear spitfire, Thank you greatly for taking the time to share your story to diagnosis of Celiac Disease. While I am terribly sorry to hear that you now have to contend with more hurdles of medication(s) and a gluten-free diet, I am relieved to read that a proper diagnosis has been made which has caused a decrease in your migraine attacks! I am sure that your doctor(s) have likely already provided you with detailed information regarding this connection between gluten, Celiac Disease and migraine, I still thought I'd pass along some articles we have related to this topic should they provide you with some things that may not have been covered: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-among-patients-with-celiac-disease-inflammatory-bowel-disease' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-among-patients-with-celiac-disease-inflammatory-bowel-disease/</a> <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/gluten-and-migraine-is-there-a-link' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/gluten-and-migraine-is-there-a-link/</a> <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/gluten-sensitivity-and-migraines' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/gluten-sensitivity-and-migraines/</a> I truly hope that you continue to experience a decrease in the frequency in your migraine attacks. If you can, we would love to hear back from you and let us know how things are progressing! Thank you for being part of our community and we hope to hear back from you in the time to come. Warmly, Joanna (Migraine.com Team)
1. spitfire Member
 Well thank you joanna, happy to have found the website.After reading the articles you recommended,I realized that about 1993 my doctor at the time told me I had IBS. A few years later I had my first attack of diverticulitis. In 2014 after at least eight more confirmed attacks I had about eight inches of sigmoid colon removed. I have no medical training at all, but I think there some connection here. Maybe some day scientists will connect all the dots maybe even find a true and lasting cure. Also as some else wrote, I too have had bouts of rosecea, again I think they are all connected somehow. At present I am taking probiotics and I think they are helping with everything.
nasenyk Member
It's great that a diagnosis of celiac disease and stopping to eat gluten reduced your migraines. Unfortunately, for me, a diagnoses not of celiac disease but of a severe gluten sensitivity and elimination of gluten from my diet, which helped to stop many other horrible symptoms, did nothing for my migraines which continued as always.