Coeliac UK reposted this
Paralegal | Private Client, Estates, Tax Planning & Trusts at VWV | First Class Law Graduate with Honours (LLB)
May is Coeliac Awareness Month! 🧡 Something you may know not about me is that I was diagnosed with coeliac disease when I was 17. It took around five years of going back and forth with the doctors to understand what was going on and as a result I was diagnosed with coeliac. Coeliac is fairly common in people in the UK. 1 in 100 people in the UK have coeliac disease, but only 36% are diagnosed. That leaves over half a million people suffering with symptoms and are unaware of the disease. The main symptoms include: • Fatigue • Bowel changes • Stomach aches and/or bloating • Unintentional weight loss • Anaemia • Skin Rashes Amongst a host of other symptoms. Since my diagnosis, I’ve noticed there is a misconception that being coeliac is ‘just a healthier choice’, or an intolerance. In reality it is actually an autoimmune disease and if left untreated can cause other heath issues. I am often faced with restaurants that will label items as gluten free options but aren’t actually coeliac friendly due to cross contamination and lack of awareness of the disease. If you are struggling with symptoms that may be coeliac disease, please make sure to speak with your GP. Also follow Coeliac UK who are a fantastic charity that is dedicated to helping spread awareness of the disease as well as a wonderful community. #coeliacawarenessmonth
There are a wide range of symptoms associated with coeliac disease, so it's not always easy to diagnose. The average time to diagnosis for adults from onset of symptoms is an alarming 13 years. Our coeliac awareness campaign aims to change that by raising awareness of the wide range of symptoms and encouraging people to take our free online self-assessment if they spot something that sounds like them. You may have been previously diagnosed with IBS, or may put your symptoms down to some other issue like the day to day stresses of life. Finding out the cause of the symptoms not only provides answers, but we often hear that it's a huge relief as people now know there's something they can do to feel better. To find out more and take the self-assessment to see if you should be tested go to our campaign web page: https://lnkd.in/ejSdX5Ry #CoeliacAwarenessMonth #IBS #IrritableBowelSyndrome #Anaemia #CoeliacDisease