Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease is caused by sensitivity to gluten. It affects 1 in 100 people in the UK.

In this article:

What is coeliac disease?

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Effect on your life

Treatment

How Chemist Online can help

Advice & Support

What is coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is a painful condition that affects the small intestine (a section of the gut) and is usually triggered by eating food which contains gluten. The gluten causes the lining of the small intestine to become inflamed.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Symptoms
Symptoms of coeliac disease include:

Wind and diarrhoea

Feeling bloated

Constipation

Digestion problems

Abdominal pain (and cramps)

Weight loss or weight gain

Tiredness and fatigue

Nausea and vomiting

Anaemia

Irregular heartbeat

Growth problems (in children)

Poor appetite

Irritability

Anxiety

Note: As well as the aforementioned mood disorders, people with coeliac disease can often develop depressive illness as a result of struggling to cope with their condition. Please see contact details for the Depression Alliance in the Advice & Support section at the foot of this article.

Causes
Although it is not strictly accurate to classify coeliac disease as a food intolerance or a food allergy, the condition is caused by a negative gut reaction to gluten – a protein commonly found in foods such as biscuits, bread and pasta (i.e. foods that contain wheat, barley, rye and oats). Other foods which are best to avoid include:

Pastries

Cakes

Pizza

Most breakfast cereals

Processed foods, such as soups, sauces and some sausages

Gluten can also be found in some medications, making them difficult or impossible for people with coeliac disease to tolerate.

Note: Some people may have a genetic predisposition to having coeliac disease. This means that there is a family history of it.

Diagnosis
If you are experiencing the aforementioned symptoms and associated symptoms of coeliac disease, or you think you may have a genetic predisposition to having the condition, arrange to see your GP. After taking your medical history and asking you some questions about your symptoms (such as when and how often they occur and would seem to be triggered by certain foods or drink), your GP will take a blood test. If the result of the test indicates a possible confirmed diagnosis of coeliac disease, you will then be referred to a gastroenterologist who will carry out an intestinal biopsy and then send this to a laboratory for analysis.

Effect on your life
If you have coeliac disease you will find that, to avoid the onset of symptoms and associated symptoms of your condition, preparing meals will require more thought and take longer than if you were simply able to eat anything you liked regardless of whether those foods were gluten-free or not. This can obviously prove inconvenient if you are in a rush or if you come home feeling exhausted after a long day and just want to cook something quick. Also, eating out is another area in which you will have to take care to avoid gluten in foods and drink (which can sometimes be a difficult thing to establish from a restaurant menu or if you are invited for dinner with friends, for example).

To help make things easier, consider asking a dietician to formulate a gluten-free diet tailored specifically for you. This is something you can keep with you whenever you are out and about. You could also pin it to the notice board in your kitchen at home.

Gluten-free food and drink options that are safe to eat by people with coeliac disease, include:

Fresh meat

Fish

Poultry & Game

Vegetables

Fruit

Cheese

Eggs

Milk

Sugar

Wine and gluten-free beer

Treatment
Although coeliac disease is a chronic condition for which as yet there is no known cure, the good news is that by maintaining a gluten-free diet you can have control over your condition and avoid the onset of symptoms. Try to become as ‘gluten-aware’ as possible by knowing which foods are best, and by maintaining a balanced gluten-free diet.

How Chemist Online can help
As we have seen, an associated symptom of coeliac disease is pain in the lower abdomen. Through this website we have available to buy a range of products which can provide fast, effective relief from abdominal pain and can help you to carry out your normal everyday activities.

We can also offer you a range of treatments which provide fast and effective relief from diarrhoea, and laxatives where bowel movements are to be encouraged.



www.chemistonline.co.uk


Advice & Support
Coeliac UK
Tel: 0845 305 2060
Website: www.coelic.org.uk

Depression Alliance
Tel: 0845 123 23 20
Website: www.depressionalliance.org
E-mail: information@depressionalliance.org


This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.





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