Coeliac Australia
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Brenda

I was a regular blood donor for years.  In November 2012, I hurt my shoulder at work (which eventually developed into a frozen shoulder).  I donated blood in December without any issue.  When I went to give blood in March my ferritin levels were very low, and I couldn’t donate.  I went to my doctor who ordered a gastroscopy and colonoscopy thinking I was bleeding somewhere – nothing appeared out of the normal.  My energy levels were normal, and I didn’t have any other symptoms.  I started taking iron tablets.  Then about 4 months later my Dad was diagnosed “consistent with Coeliac Disease” after a colonoscopy for precancerous polyps revealed flat villae (his antibody levels were in the 200s.  I went back to my doctor, had some bloodwork (antibody level 18) and a biopsy which came back as “consistent with Coeliac Disease” which I found a bit strange – why wasn’t it a clear-cut diagnosis? Diagnosis – September 2013.  I live in Australia, my Dad in Canada.  My sister didn’t get tested for another 18 months and her diagnosis was definitely CD.  All our diagnoses came back after some kind of trauma (me – shoulder, Dad – shingles, sister – back).  Following a gluten-free diet has allowed me to return to giving blood.  I didn’t tell my doctor, but my levels are fine.  I don’t have any issues with dairy.  I have been fully glutenised only a couple of times in 10 years and my reaction has been to throw up about 2 hours later.  The next day I will feel just a bit tired, but I tend to err on the side of caution and follow my strict gluten-free diet.  It’s not that hard and the options are getting better all the time.  It’s the best disease starting with a C that I could ask for and I believe my diagnosis was caught very early.