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My father & Celiac Disease

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wesley19226
wesley19226

I am writing this in sheer desperation in the hope that someone can help me. My father has been very ill since February this year suffering from contant diarheoa. His weight has plummetted to just over 6 st (39kg's). He has also been having epeleptic seizures and is now heavily medicated to control these. He has also been diagnosed as a chronic celiac. Since knowing this my dad has followed a gluten free diet, however he is still rapidly declining. Nothing seems to be working. He cannot keep any food down at all, he will either projectile vomit or have diarheoa. He is very very weak and can barely stand. When he does he quite often falls and cannot get back up without help. My dad lives in Spain and I really feel that the health care system doesn't understand this condition. He was rushed into hospital again on Saturday where they put him on a drip to give him some much needed fluids and after a couple of hours they discharged him as they said they couldn't do anything. My dad is now home and is just getting worse. He is soiling the bed or his underwear as he can't make it to the toilet in time and anything he eats he vomits. I really feel my dad is dying and no-one will help. What can we feed him in the vain hope that he can keep the food down. Is there something more serious going on that we don't know about? Please help

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • jenny19687
    jenny19687 wesley19226

    Posted

    I'm sorry this is happening and not sure I can help. Has the doctor reviewed the meds he is on as they may be too strong?

    • wesley19226
      wesley19226 jenny19687

      Posted

      Medication is a cocktail of vitamins, including iron as he's very anemic plus epilepsy medication but it's not making any difference. His doctor saw him last week as my dad is very worried and scared about what's happening to him and he just increased his iron intake. Problem is nothing is staying in him so not sure if anything is able to take hold.

  • paula90338
    paula90338 wesley19226

    Posted

    Hi Wesley

    My son has Coeliac disease but he didn't have diarrhoea.  When my son had to eat gluten before a blood test and endoscopy, few days into eating gluten, he had a seizure It was what is called gluten ataxia. Gluten affects the nervous system in some people.  But then you said your dad is on a gluten free diet already. Does he eat any dairy? Coeliacs are often lactose intolerant because of the damaged villi. Once the villi have healed some people are able to eat dairy again. 

    Also iron supplements often cause stomach upsets. They do for me. Maybe worth considering? Best of luck finding what is wrong with your dad

    • wesley19226
      wesley19226 paula90338

      Posted

      Hi Paula, thank you for your message. We have managed to get him into a private hospital now as we were o desperate. The poor man is so weak he cant even make it to the toilet at the moment and is having lots of accidents. The doctor was very concerned he was discharged from the normal hospital and is running so more tests on him and also reviewing his meds, as he doesn't think celiac is the only issue. I am really hoping we get somewhere now. The cost is insignificant if they can build his strength up and stop his sickness and diarheoa

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