Describe your life prior to diagnosis.
Relatively normal as far as gluten goes. I experienced minor issues but assumed it was due to poor eating choices as a whole, and not a specific issue within my diet.
How did you find out that you had celiac disease? Did you suspect it beforehand?
It never occurred to me. I had never heard of it before my mum was diagnosed in an autopsy, in early 2008.
Three months after my mum died, I started experiencing all the same symptoms. Crippling joint pain and stiffness, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, brain fog, memory issues, tooth enamel loss, bruising over nothing, nausea, vomiting and other issues. My wife forced me to go to the doctor. Two months later, I was diagnosed with a positive biopsy.
This was in 2009, before eating GF was a fad, and the options were extremely limited.
How long did it take for you to get diagnosed since your first symptoms and what (if any) challenges did you face along the way?
About a year in total.
Do you believe anything could have sped up your diagnosis? If so, please explain:
The Canadian healthcare system is slow.
Describe your experience living with celiac disease:
It’s an absolute pain in the butt, to be honest.
What would a cure mean for you?
I could not be so much of a burden to my family.
Is there anything else you’d like to add to your story?
I wish it was the only thing wrong with me. Too bad.
