Symptoms of coeliac disease can affect any area of the body and can differ in type and severity between individuals.  Symptoms can be gut-related such as diarrhoea, constipation, stomach pain and bloating, as well as non gut-related symptoms including anaemia, tiredness and mouth ulcers. Classic symptoms to look out for in babies and young children include a bloated tummy, irritability and faltering growth or a change in their growth pattern.

Undiagnosed and untreated coeliac disease can lead to health complications in children such as growth problems, delayed puberty, iron-deficiency anaemia and fatigue so it is important to get your child tested* if they are experiencing any symptoms associated with the condition.

*It is necessary to continue to consume gluten regularly throughout the diagnosis process.

If you are experiencing symptoms which you think are related to gluten, or think you have a gluten intolerance, it is important that you rule out coeliac disease first of all. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley and results in the immune system mistaking gluten as a foreign body’ and causing damage to the lining of the gut. Untreated coeliac disease can lead to associated health complications such as anaemia, osteoporosis and a slightly higher risk of certain rare forms of gut cancer.

The first step in testing for coeliac disease is a simple blood test checking for coeliac antibodies carried out by your GP. If the blood test is positive, a referral to a gastroenterologist (gut specialist) at the hospital will be made for further tests. It is necessary to consume gluten regularly throughout the diagnosis process in order for the results to be accurate.

If the tests for coeliac disease are negative, it may be that you have a gluten intolerance meaning you experience symptoms related to gluten but are not at increased risk of the long-term health complications as a result of the intolerance.

The only treatment for coeliac disease or gluten intolerance is a gluten-free diet. However, those with coeliac disease must strictly follow a gluten-free diet for life in order to reduce the risk of associated long-term health complications, such as anaemia and osteoporosis, which can develop if the condition is poorly managed.

For people with coeliac disease even the smallest amount of gluten may cause symptoms to return and in the longer-term will result in damage to the lining of your gut.

For those with gluten intolerance, reducing the amount of gluten in the diet to a level that can be tolerated and reduces symptoms is sufficient. This is because there are no known long-term health complications associated with gluten intolerance.

Coeliac disease is caused by an abnormal immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. People with coeliac disease have specific genes which means that they can develop coeliac disease when they eat gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley and a wide range of foods that contain these ingredients including bread, pasta, cereal, pizza, crackers and biscuits as well as less obvious sources such as ready-made sauces, canned soup, oven chips, sausages, ready meals and more.

It is also important to make sure any food you eat is not contaminated with gluten accidentally as even small quantities can lead to the gut lining becoming inflamed. There are a range of handy tips to help you avoid cross contamination whether you’re at home or eating out.

Once gluten has been removed from the diet, most people with coeliac disease begin to feel better fairly quickly. However, it can take a while for the gut to fully recover and some people may continue to experience symptoms for upto a year. If you are concerned about any symptoms you are experiencing on a gluten-free diet, make an appointment with your GP who will be able to refer you on to a dietitian.

There is a wide range of symptoms associated with coeliac disease including diarrhoea, constipation, stomach cramps, fatigue and anaemia. Therefore, it is important if you are experiencing any of these that you make an appointment with your GP to arrange a test to check if you have the condition.

As many as 1 in 4 people with coeliac disease were previously misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as many of the symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation, stomach pain and tiredness are the same as for coeliac disease.

If you are experiencing symptoms and suspect you may have coeliac disease, the first step could be to take an online assessment- a short questionnaire asking about your symptoms and other risk factors. If the assessment indicates that you might have coeliac disease, the first step would be to make an appointment with your GP who can then undertake a blood test to check for coeliac antibodies.

If the result of your blood test is positive, your GP should refer you to the hospital for further tests in order to confirm a diagnosis of coeliac disease. It is important not to remove gluten from your diet during the diagnosis process.

Despite the fact that women and men both suffer from the typical symptoms of coeliac disease, including diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, and regular abdominal pain, the disease is now becoming more common among women. Here are the coeliac disease symptoms in females:

Stillbirth
Miscarriage
Chronic fatigue
Menopause at an early age
Birth by Cesarean section
Fertility issues without explanation
Irregular menstruation
The absence of menstruation

Please contact your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms of coeliac disease.

In the past, being underweight was often recognised as a sign of coeliac disease. However, increasingly, it is common for people to be a normal weight or even overweight when first diagnosed with coeliac disease. Many patients find that following a diagnosis of coeliac disease, they will gain some weight as their gut begins to heal and absorb nutrients from food again properly. This is perfectly normal.