I am 22 years old and have always had a "sensitive stomach."  I have suffered from constipation my entire life.  My mom was assured I would grow out of it. In junior high, I would get stomach cramps so severe I couldn't move.  It got better a bit in high school, but I suffered from severe fatigue and headaches.  Everything I ate would make me nauseous, but I always thought it was the greasy school food; I do have a "sensitive stomach," after all.

It was not until my freshman year of college that things got really bad.  Everything I ate made me throw up.  I would wake up in the middle of the night with terrible cramps and nausea; it would feel so bad in the morning that I couldn't move or get out of bed. I did drop a few pounds, but nothing that would cause concern at the doctor’s.  These spells happened at least every other day for about 3 months, then faded, but I would still get sick every time I ate.

I didn't have severe problems for 1 1/2 years, until it returned with a vengeance during my junior year.  I began getting severely bloated and throwing up after every meal.  I was so sick all the time that I resorted to only eating bread and crackers, but it didn't help. My doctor assured me that it was only a case of GERDs and told me to take Prilosec every day.  It helped for a while, but it has been almost a year since that diagnosis and nothing has changed. I pop Tums like they’re M&Ms.

One month ago, my uncle was hospitalized after passing out at home.  He has dropped 30 lbs in 2 months, and the doctor immediately tested for celiac disease.  It was positive. Something clicked and I called my own doctor; he scheduled me instantly for testing.  I have discovered in the interim that I have many other symptoms, such as chronic sinus problems, fatigue, insomnia, back pain and headaches.  Though I am not yet diagnosed, I am hopeful that my uncle's diagnosis will put an end to my decade-long war with my own digestive system.