icemink | Big life changes

So I have all sorts of possible big life changes on the horizon. Still waiting to hear back from graduate school to see if I got in. And if I didn't I'll probably still go back to take more undergraduate classes, so I'll have a better chance of getting in next year. I'm probably going to move to a different place this summer, so I can get cheaper rent.

However the thing that really might change my life forever starts today. See last week I went to the doctor because my wrists have been hurting me. He diagnosed me with carpel tunnel (not a surprise) gave me some advice, told me what I should do next etc. etc. The thing is he called me up the next morning. He was looking over the medical history form I had filled out and noticed I have a condition called alopesia areota. Long story short, I loose my hair. It's actually just started to grow back, but basically I'm bald. The interesting thing is that it's started to grow back absolutely white, which considering my hair was almost black before, will be an interesting change. Anyway, he told me there have been some recent studies showing that alopesia may in fact be a symptom of another condition called celiac. It's an allergy to gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley.

So this morning I'm going in for a blood test, which depending on the results may be followed up by a stomach biopsy. If I do have it, I'll need to go on a gluten free diet, because if I don't I'm at high risk for intestinal cancer. On the bright side my hair will grow back, which is a huge life change in and of itself. Having normal hair like any other girl, would be, well, new. I've been losing my hair in patches since the 4th grade. On the other hand, I'll never get to order pizza again, or eat lots of other foods that I love. In fact, I'll probably have to learn to cook, which would be a rather radical life change in and of itself. Yes I'm one of those people.

So there is much nervousness today, even though I doubt I'll know anything for a while. Which is why I'm also about to post an unbetad chapter to take my mind off stuff.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A friend of a friend of mine has the gluten allergy, but she didn't know until she was about 40... and it totally changed her life when she found out. She says she feels better now than she ever has in her entire life, and that the benefits far outweigh what she has had to give up. So in a way, it could be a good thing, if it means you feel so much better... I really hope everything works out ok, hun. *massive hugs*

Thanks. I am kind of hoping for that, if that's the way it turns out. Reading all the things that are possible symptoms, if I do have it, I may feel a lot better when I go on the diet. It's just a bit overwhelming at the moment.

Yikes! Major changes indeed! Glad there is a dietary answer at least even if it would be hell to do that. {{{{{hugs}}}}}.

Kathleen

Thanks. Yeah, it'll be a hard diet. On the other hand it kind of fits my personality, because I'm the sort of person who likes to be in control of situations. Probably why I'm a little freaked right now because all I can do is wait for tests. Once I know it'll be something I can take control of.

Wow! Life changes, indeed. A gluten allergy being linked to alopesia is wacky.

Yeah, I'm not really sure how that works, except that I think somehow the gluten allergy makes my immune system turn on my body. I know the reason I loose my hair is because my immune system goes after it. It's also supposedly linked to the stuff that colors your hair, which may be why mine has started to grow back but white.

My BFF has celiac disease. It was a long and miserable diagnostic process - she didn't lose hair, but she was underweight to the point of malnourishment by the time it got figured out.

She joined an online community - which helped tremendously with the food & beer issues. Yes, she had to learn to cook also - but the upside was a much healthier life, complete with more fun in general.

I hope you feel better soon. I have my fingers crossed for you to get into grad school!!

Thanks so much. I've already started looking at some of the web sites out there, and it does look like there are some good places to go for recipes and stuff like that. I am lucky in that my only real symptom may be the hair loss. Evidently it's a pretty common condition, but lots of people have mild cases and never know they have it. So we'll see what happens. Actually I have a friend who's a diabetic who's going on a pretty strict diet as well, so at least I won't be alone.

A friend of mine is allergic to gluten. She always has to ask what's in a meal when going out and ordering food, but she manages. She makes her own bread with special flour.

Oh and there is also a gluten-free pizza :) I saw it in a frozen version and as a recipe - but only in German. There are even gluten free blueberry muffins that are gluten free.

Good luck - at last if you're allergic to gluten you'll know what the reason is. And you can live with it.

Thanks, good to know you can make gluten free pizza. I had someone else tell me there were cake and pie mixes that are gluten free, so I should have guess that you could have gluten free pizza. The truth is I don't really eat pizza all that much (anymore, I swear I had it every weekend when I was in my early twenties). I guess it's more knowing that I can't just order a pizza if I do have a craving.

So much at once, but some of it very positive! Possible grad school! Possible hair, of the very sexy white kind. Like Spike! I actually have a smallish white-hair fetish, pre-Spike. I think it looks ab/fab on younger people. And the rest of us, too, I suppose. But stunning on the young.

The cooking thing could be really great, depending. And, let me tell you, the pizza thing was not going to last forever, gluten or no gluten. It's a youngsters staple for a reason.

Do they think the carpal tunnel might be treatable through dietary changes, if their investigation verifies celiac? Because, in my book, anything that keeps you out from under the knife is a good thing.

I'm all over anticipation of the new chapter!

Yeah, some of it is definitely positive. And there is actually a part of me hoping I do have the allergy so my hair will grow back. I actually like white hair too, I'm just not sure it will look with my complexion. I actually went online and ordered a cheep wig that's the same white color my hair is growing in, to see how it looks. Which I'm actually excited about simply because it's been a while since I did a drastic hair change (one of the advantages of wearing wigs) and it'll be fun to see how people at work react.

Big life changes

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