In September – on my 25th birthday, to be exact – I got a call from my endocrinologist that my anti-gliadin AB antibodies were high and that I needed to schedule an appointment to see her. Like anyone who is not an expert in medical jargon, I immediately panicked – but thank goodness for Google, I found that this is only an indicator of what appeared to be a fairly harmless illness called Celiac Disease. What a relief! I thought that I would go on a very strict gluten-free diet, and all would be fine.

I was wrong.

While it is often true, Celiac Disease – a chronic malabsorptive autoimmune disease – can be very serious, especially if left untreated. Also, it can affect more than just the digestive system, as initially thought. I’m here to spread the word and encourage more people to be tested for Celiac Disease if experiencing "mystery symptoms" – it could be the answer you’ve been looking for!

Celiac Disease is very common, though many people have never even heard of it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Celiac Disease, it is a genetic autoimmune condition in which a person’s intolerance to the protein gluten triggers an immune-system response that damages the villi of the small intestine. (The villi are the small fingerlike projections that are responsible for absorbing the vitamins, minerals and nutrients out of food.) When a person with Celiac Disease ingests gluten, these villi become more and more damaged – over time, becoming scalloped or even flattened.

There is no cure. The only treatment for Celiac Disease is a strict and lifelong gluten-free diet. Gluten can be found in wheat, barley and rye, as well as certain additives and preservatives. People with Celiac have to be careful of cross contamination, and must use their own butter, toasters, etc. to avoid crumbs and particles from bread and other "to-be-avoided" foods. Many restaurants, including chains like Outback Steakhouse and UNO Chicago Grille offer gluten-free or "Celiac-friendly" menus, and the hopes are that more are on the horizon. Specialty health-food stores and even your local grocery store are beginning to carry foods specially labeled as "gluten-free." However, for some  it is difficult to part with pasta, pizza, beer and those luscious desserts – but well worth it in the long run.

One may be inclined to cheat on this diet – but I implore you to reconsider! If left untreated, or if one continually eats products containing gluten, Celiac can cause infertility, intestinal lymphoma, colorectal cancers, gall-bladder malfunction, life-threatening changes to the small bowel, pancreatic insufficiency, vitamin deficiency and both neurological and cognitive complications. Due to the combination of it being both an autoimmune disease and a condition of malnourishment, Celiac can affect patients on the digestive, hormonal, metabolic and neurological levels.

Common symptoms of Celiac are of a gastrointestinal nature – bloating, nausea, vomiting, irregular bowel movements, reflux and diarrhea. Sometimes, it can be misdiagnosed as or come along with IBS and other gastrointestinal disorders. However, there are other symptoms as well that are becoming more readily recognized as Celiac symptoms. These include (but are not limited to) fatigue, migraines, neuropathy, joint and muscle pains and weight loss. Recently, a doctor even informed me that I had "the look" of a Celiac patient – large eyes, high forehead and a slight build with a short stature.

I personally went 25 years undiagnosed with this disease, and did not even have many of the "typical" digestive symptoms. While there is no way to tell how long I have had Celiac Disease, I have been plagued by chronic health problems my whole life. This, coupled with the fact that my anti-gliadin levels were high and my villi were completely flattened would indicate an advanced case of Celiac Disease. It has affected me in many ways both physically and emotionally, and has also affected my ability to live my everyday life as normal. I have not yet responded to the gluten-free diet, and have experienced neurological complications from the Celiac Disease, but I am living each day in hopes that I will improve with time.