Well, it started out with a rumble. I was on the National Mall in Washington, DC watching Bruce Springsteen belt out "The Rising" on the Lincoln Memorial the day before President Obama's Innauguration. As I felt my stomach vehemently implode, I searched the million-plus crowd for an escape route to the nearest port-o-potty. I thought then, as I thought for many days thereafter, that I had gotten food posioning... and maybe I did. For a few weeks, I had major stomach pains.
The doctors diagnosed me with dientamoebiasis fragilis (seriously). So I took several courses of antibiotics but did not improve. I saw more and more doctors. They did more tests, cultures. I had to repeat the same story each time: "No, I did not go to a foreign nation. I only travel between NYC and DC. I don't really eat meat; I eat bread."
It was not until I saw the 7th doctor that the possibility of a form of gluten intolerance was suggested. "Did anyone in my family have Celiac? Lupus?" No, no, no... was my answer. I had the tests done. The tests were negative. I still felt awful.
Finally, after documenting my food consumption over a two week period, I then self-imposed a gluten-free diet. Within 48 hours, my stomach stopped hurting and grumbling, the bloating desisted, and I felt like a new person. The GI specialist said I was highly gluten intolerant.
I did not have the genetic test done to confirm whether it is "just" gluten intolerance or Celiac, but either way I feel better knowing that I can control the symptoms. (Since the "symptoms" came on so suddenly, I am guessing it was an environmentally-induced intolerance rather than Celiac... this is just a guess).
The diagnosis process was neither easy (several blood tests, sonograms, CAT scans and two 'oscopies) nor short (8 months). But it's better to know than to still be in pain.
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