Describe your life prior to diagnosis.
Prior to my celiac disease diagnosis, I was always in the kitchen cooking with my grandma, making meals for my family. I enjoyed having the freedom of eating whatever I wanted. For 16 years I was able to consume anything I wanted to.
How did you find out that you had celiac disease? Did you suspect it beforehand?
I didn’t know what celiac disease even was until I started having a lot of dietary issues. [I was] getting really sick when eating pretty much anything. I remember sitting at the dinner table and taking one bite of pizza and feeling nauseous. After that incident, I knew something wasn’t right.
How long did it take for you to get diagnosed since your first symptoms and what (if any) challenges did you face along the way?
I started seeing doctor after doctor and no one knew what was wrong. I was finally referred to a local gastroenterologist who made the diagnosis. I remember the process of getting diagnosed took a long time. I had multiple blood tests, urine samples, x-rays, etc, and was still left without any answers.
Describe your experience living with celiac disease.
Living with celiac disease is a very big challenge for me, as no one around me has this same disease. I always see people eating things that I wish I could. I get scared to go out and eat for fear that I might be exposing myself to cross-contamination.
Is there anything else you’d like to add to your story?
A cure for celiac disease would mean getting my life back and getting to enjoy food again like I once used to!
