“I was diagnosed as coeliac in my 30s, despite having none of the typical gastrointestinal symptoms – no bloating, cramps, nausea or diarrhoea,” says Marina Corrigan. “I was actually anaemic (not having enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues), likely as a result of malabsorption due to undiagnosed coeliac disease, and had angular cheilitis (cracked lips at the corners), which I think is an unusual symptom of anaemia.
“My twin sister had been diagnosed with it previously and suggested that I should have bloods done to check if I was anaemic, and if it could be due to coeliac disease, as she had been diagnosed with the condition as a result of anaemia.
“This came to light because she was a blood donor and was advised to take iron for anaemia, which was noted on her bloods, but the anaemia persisted in spite of the iron supplement, so a coeliac test was then advised.”
The 47-year-old, who is married to Brian and has two children – Eoghan (11) and Shonagh (9) – underwent a variety of different tests, which resulted in her being diagnosed with the same condition as her sister.
“I had no idea that anaemia could happen as a result of coeliac disease, so I was very surprised, as there was no particular family history of this until my twin sister was diagnosed. She is a GP and I have a few friends who are doctors, so I discussed this with her and them, and then realised that it (having coeliac disease) was a possibility, so I went to see my own doctor who referred me to a gastroenterologist.
“I had blood tests done and also underwent a scope and biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Once this was verified, I started on a gluten-free diet, which vastly reduced the choice of food I could eat, so I did miss a lot of foods I had been able to eat before. But I quickly adapted to it without too much difficulty, apart from when I’m away from home, as eating out or at events can be difficult as there are often limited food options, with sometimes no gluten-free choices available.
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“I remember once on holiday in France nearly having to have a meringue for breakfast as there was nothing else I could eat in the bakery we went to, I do have a sweet tooth, but this did not appeal for breakfast. And another time I was at an airport with a long flight delay and the only thing I could find to eat were some jellies and a packet of crisps – now I usually travel with my own snacks and food to avoid going hungry.
“It doesn’t happen too often, but I have sometimes left a cafe or restaurant as there were no good gluten-free food options available. Mind you, the range and quality of gluten-free products available have improved a lot since I was first diagnosed.”
Coeliac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that causes a reaction in your body to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. It’s more serious than a normal food intolerance and causes your immune system to attack gluten in your small intestine, which damages it.
Since the Meath woman discovered that she had coeliac disease, her aunt underwent tests and found she had it as well, and her daughter has also been diagnosed. She also didn’t have the typical symptoms, but there were signs that things weren’t right, so she took her to her GP and requested a blood test, which confirmed her suspicions.
“Shonagh was small for her age due to slow growth, but I wasn’t initially aware that this might be due to coeliac disease,” she says. “So I delayed having her tested initially as I didn’t want her to be restricted, but I also wanted to make sure she didn’t have reduced growth, so I eventually requested a referral to a paediatrician. This revealed that she was doing okay, but due to family history, she was tested for coeliac disease, which came back positive. My son was also tested, but his test results were negative.
“Since being diagnosed, Shonagh has done really well with regard to adapting to a gluten-free diet, and she is very careful about checking food labels to see what she can eat. I asked her the other day how she felt about being coeliac, and she said she doesn’t really mind. Now, if she is going to a birthday party or something, she will bring her own food, snacks and cake. She even goes away on camps with the local scout group, and they have been brilliant with making sure there are food options available for her.”
The mother of two, who works for the Department of Agriculture as a vet, says that although it costs more to abide by a gluten-free diet, and involves a lot more effort, it is doable. “I have found that it is more expensive to eat gluten-free, and we probably eat out less and have fewer takeaways as a result.
[ Should we all adopt a gluten-free diet?Opens in new window ]
“Also, some items, like sausage rolls, for example, are hard to find, so it is easier to make your own, which, of course, is more time-consuming. There are free lunches at Shonagh’s school and when she was diagnosed she was offered the gluten-free menu – but these were much more limited, and while she tried them all, she did not like any of them so now, instead of availing of the school lunch, she brings in her own food instead. This we found the hardest to adapt to as she didn’t like a lot of the gluten-free bread unless it was toasted, which can’t be done at school, and cold toast wasn’t working either.
“But, there are some great gluten-free cookbooks available, and I have several of these, and both Shonagh and I love trying out new recipes. She was really missing biscuits recently, so I found a lovely cookie recipe that she was able to use and make them herself. Also, we are very lucky to have a lovely Cafe in Duleek (Sage and Stone) that offers a great range of gluten-free options and keeps the fryers gluten-free so there is no risk of cross-contamination on fried foods. This isn’t the case everywhere, so it can rule out a lot of menu choices, especially for children’s meals, which very often include chips.
“However, in the last few years I have noticed that some shops have replaced some gluten-free food with vegan options – for example, Lidl used to have gluten-free pizzas available but now instead there is a vegan pizza which is not gluten-free so I might have to shop in a couple of different shops to get everything I want.”
Now, well used to navigating life with coeliac disease, she would advise others who have been diagnosed to check out all the options available and for those who are undiagnosed but have a suspicion that something might be wrong, to ask their GP to do a blood test to either confirm or rule out coeliac disease.
“I think it is good to be aware of the less typical presentation of coeliac disease, and it is better for your long-term health,” she says. “In our case, with regard to Shonagh, it [cutting out gluten] will help her to grow at a normal rate rather than having her growth slowed down, due to her body not fully absorbing all the nutrients. Also, all coeliacs should be aware that they can claim tax relief on their gluten-free food purchases.”
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Sarah Keogh, a consultant dietitian with the Coeliac Society of Ireland, says it is vital for people who have undiagnosed digestive issues to get them checked out by their doctor as it could be coeliac disease. “Left untreated, coeliac disease can increase the risk of miscarriage, as well as causing osteoporosis and bowel cancer,” she says.
May is Coeliac Awareness Month, and the Coeliac Society of Ireland is urging people who believe they may have the condition to “Think, Test, Treat”. Coeliac disease is linked with other autoimmune conditions, and studies show that early diagnosis may reduce the chances of developing them.
Symptoms can include diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, stomach pain and vomiting. Other signs can be migraine, itchy, blistering skin rash, loss of concentration, hair loss, repeated low iron on blood tests, fatigue, low vitamin B12, folate or vitamin D and lactose intolerance.
