Fellow Celiacs, Can You Relate?

In honor of Celiac Awareness Month, I want to share something that I struggle with and I want to see if my fellow celiacs can relate. I feel like my hands are super puffy and it makes it look like I don’t have knuckles 🤣

If you have celiac or really any other disease that could make this happen, don’t worry I understand and completely relate. You are not alone ❤️

#celiacdiseaseawareness #celiacsymptoms #celiacdisease #glutenfreeliving #chronicallyill

5/11 Edited to

... Read moreLiving with celiac disease means constantly navigating a range of symptoms that can sometimes be confusing and challenging. One symptom that often surprises people is swelling or puffiness in the hands, which may make knuckles less visible. This can be frustrating, especially since people often associate celiac disease primarily with digestive issues, but it’s important to recognize that celiac can manifest with a variety of symptoms beyond the gut. From personal experience, managing inflammation through a strict gluten-free diet has helped reduce some of the swelling in my joints, but occasional flare-ups do occur. It’s helpful to keep a symptom diary to identify possible triggers or additional factors such as stress, infections, or other autoimmune responses that can contribute to swelling. Beyond dietary management, staying hydrated and practicing gentle hand exercises can sometimes alleviate stiffness and puffiness. Some celiacs find that supplementing with vitamins like D and B12, after consulting their healthcare provider, also supports reducing inflammation and improving overall health. It’s crucial to communicate openly with your healthcare team if you experience persistent swelling or other atypical symptoms, as celiac disease can sometimes overlap with other autoimmune conditions or nutritional deficiencies that require additional treatment. Connecting with communities through hashtags like #celiacdiseaseawareness and #glutenfreeliving can not only provide emotional support but also practical tips from others who have similar experiences. Remember, while puffy hands and other symptoms can be difficult, you are not alone, and sharing your story helps build understanding and stronger support networks for everyone living with celiac.

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Bibsey's images
Bibsey

I thought ur hand was a baby hand

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Evie

So, I don't have celiac myself, but I do have other health stuff going on and a celiac diet has helped me a ton because of my thyroid. So I've picked up a fair bit along the way. (My sister was actually misdiagnosed with it in high school — turned out to be anxiety, OCD, and undiagnosed autism. So I've seen the confusion firsthand.) Anyway, celiac is absolutely linked to edema — the puffiness in your face, hands, or feet. Celiac damages your intestines, and damaged intestines can't absorb protein properly, which drops your albumin levels. Albumin normally keeps fluid inside your blood vessels, but without enough of it, fluid begins to leak into surrounding tissues. Also known as hypoproteinemia, which can also happen from malnutrition — Vitamin B, D, or even C deficiencies are way more common than people realize. And your extremities usually show it first since they're at the end of your blood supply. Also, flare-ups make everything worse too. Eating gluten triggers an immune response that inflames your whole body and messes with its fluid balance. For me, flare-ups trigger my other sensitivities (dust, lactose, gluten itself), and those sensitivities make the flare-up worse. It’s a very vicious cycle fs.

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