I believe I've been misdiagnosed for years. I began having problems with my toes 16 years ago. I had extreme itching, lost toe nails, etc. Doctors said runners feet, fungus, yeast, then said Dermatitis. Feeling defeated, I gave up but continued changing my environment trying to make it better. I've changed soaps, shampoo's, detergents, flooring, footwear, etc.

In the mean time, I had 2 miscarriages and my youngest child has Down syndrome. I have anemia, migraines and chronic fatigue. I had partial hysterectomy due to a large fibroid, I have lived with constipation and flatulence all my life and I get terrible stomach cramps during and after some meals causing me to have to leave important or celebratory functions because of the pain. I have a fabulous, supportive husband but I have no sex drive and I am on meds for depression, anxiety and adult ADD.
All that and my toes are worse than ever, they now turn corpse purple if I'm standing or sitting and the skin is so thin that it I stub one, it explodes like a water balloon or peels like a banana.

At the beginning of the year my husband urged me to seek medical advice again, fearing that I might lose my toes (they look as if I have diabetes but I don't and they do heal very quickly). Under his persistance I begrudgingly set out on my search for answers. First, to the Dermatologist who said “poor circulation, nothing you can do”. Then to Podiatrist, she said Reynaud’s and sent me to Cardiologist, said no to Reynaud’s, ran cath., said very little blood getting to toes, connective tissue disease, sent me to Rheumatologist. She told me that she was going to draw several labs and for some reason I insisted she test for Celiac. She thought I was crazy but ran it anyway. Got the results 10/30/09 and the celiac panel was the only thing that came back positive. She was suprised but says there is no connection between CD and my toes. I believe there has to be.

GliadinIGA 137.2(ref 0-30)
GliadinIGG 56.7 (ref 0-30)
Tissue Transglutaminase IGA 70.9 (ref 0-10)

I'm shocked but I'm not. It explains SO much. My Mom has IBS, Crohn's, severe migraines, depression, kidney issues, etc.

The funny thing is that I get my son with Down syndrome check every year but never thought to check myself. His last results don't make much sense to me now that I see mine. They said his was 3 with a range of less than 5. Can anyone help me understand that?

My 13 year old has always been my healthy kid but has had a lot of stomach issues and headaches over the last 2 years. We've thought it could be stress but now I'm thinking he could have CD. He's getting tested Thursday.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for me? I'm thinking that we'll probably all go gluten free. My youngest isn't positive yet but since he has DS and some Autism characteristics, it can't hurt.

I replied to your PM and then I saw this. I too had problems with anemia, fatigue, migraines and intestinal issues. Going GF made those things vanish, for me.

I left fun events, or watched my family walk out the door to attend them without me, before my CD diagnosis. Heartbreaking, I know. Thankfully I too have an understanding husband and kids.

I can't help you with the tests. The skin problem sounds like a circulation issue but not raynaud's.

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

You've been through a lot and I'm glad you finally found out about the celiac disease. What a shock but thank goodness it can be cured by a change in diet! I hope the gluten free diet will help your whole family. Take care.

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The admin thinks my links could be contagious until I have ten posts, so I can't provide you with supporting links. But here's the scoop.

In most celiac sufferers celiac disease is caused by the digestive immune system losing the ability to distinguish between candida albicans fungus and gluten. And that's consistent with your foot problems.

There is a protein called HWP1 which is the attachment protein on the surface of both candida and gluten. An intact immune system would be capable of testing for multiple proteins. A faulty one is not. A faulty immune system releases the protein zonulin into the upper small intestine in the presence of either candida or gluten. Zonulin makes the intestinal wall porous, and passes partially digested gluten into the bloodstream.

Yes, you have to stop eating cereal grains. But candida thrives on sugar. You must also stop ingesting sugar.
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