Rachael
I started with chronic hives when I was 18.
I was getting recurrent thrush infections from age 21. By 23 I was having trouble losing weight despite exercising 5-6 days per week.
At 24 I started getting inflammatory/hormonal symptoms like constantly swollen and painful breasts and acne – this was written off as “just hormonal” as it was cyclical, despite the painful times lasting 6 weeks in every 8.
I then started feeling fatigued. I was very fit before but started struggling to do exercises that were previously easy despite eating more and starting to eat meat again (I was previously vegetarian). I was also starting to get some neurological symptoms like tingling in my hands, dropping items and bumping into things.
I was having headaches constantly despite getting glasses and having frequent neck massages. I was having trouble focusing at work and started needing naps throughout the day.
The fatigue is what led my GP to test my iron levels, and they were dangerously low. The GP suggested it could be an absorption issue like Graves or coeliac. When I said I had a mum and auntie with coeliac, the GP tested my antibodies, and the rest is history. I was 25 when I received my diagnosis.
I’m now 29 and gluten-free for 4 years. The breast pain and headaches subsided within weeks of going gluten-free. I stopped getting thrush. The fatigue is improving over time. The brain fog and headaches are rare. The tingles in my hands stopped somewhere along the line. I still get hives so maybe it’s not related but we still don’t know the cause, it’s just being controlled with medication. I still gain weight but I’m less active now. I feel I can’t return to being vegetarian due to risk of dropping my iron and b12 again.