500,000 Brits are living with undiagnosed bowel disease – that’s often mistaken for IBS, experts warn
Coeliac disease, which affects reality star Megan McKenna and actress Zoey Deschanel, is a serious autoimmune condition
HALF a million Brits are living with an undiagnosed bowel disease - that is often mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome, experts have warned.
Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition that can cause bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhoea or constipation and feeling exhausted.
But these symptoms are so similar to IBS that researchers found as many as one in four sufferers had been misdiagnosed, a recent survey found.
In fact, ninety-seven per cent of people don't realise their symptoms could be coeliac disease.
Just some of the possible symptoms include:
- severe or occasional diarrhoea, excessive wind and/or constipation
- persistent or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting
- recurrent stomach pain, cramping or bloating
- tiredness
- sudden or unexpected weight loss (but not in all cases)
- mouth ulcers
Coeliac diesase is where the small intestine becomes inflamed and unable to absorb nutrients.
It's caused by the immune system mistaking substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacking them.
Thousands of people are not getting the necessary testing and are being left undiagnosed including those with IBS symptoms
Norma McGough
There is no cure or medication and the only treatment is a strict gluten free diet for life.
Reality star Megan McKenna and US actress Zoey Deschanel are among the celebrities who have coeliac disease.
Megan previously opened up about battling the condition after being cruelly trolled about her sudden weight loss.
"This not only causes years of unnecessary suffering but also wasted costs to the NHS with repeated appointments and investigations.
"We urge anyone who has symptoms such as ongoing bloating, diarrhoea or constipation and has been given a diagnosis of IBS but not been tested for coeliac disease to ask their GP to test them.
"However, it is essential to keep eating gluten until all tests are completed as otherwise these tests may give a false negative result."
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