Western Health Trust supports Coeliac Awareness Month - estimated 10,000 people in NI remain undiagnosed

During this year’s Coeliac Awareness Month, Coeliac UK said they are urging the public to ask “Is it coeliac disease?” and take the charity’s free online self-assessment to find out. People can check if they are experiencing symptoms associated with coeliac disease and if they are recommended or should be considered for testing for the condition based on published clinical guidelines.

The Western Health Trust, who supported the awareness campaign, said that symptoms of coeliac disease can be recurrent, persistent or unexplained. They may include but are not limited to, fatigue, stomach pain, nausea, anaemia, and neurological issues.

Joy Whelan, Advanced Practice Gastroenterology Dietitian at the Western Trust explained: “Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten. The treatment involves a strict lifelong gluten free diet. Myself and my colleagues aim to treat patients with a diagnosis of coeliac disease holistically ensuring that individual patient centred care is at the heart of the treatment and support for our patients”.

Laura, 41 from Strabane, Northern Ireland said she began experiencing alarming neurological symptoms including severe brain fog, confusion and exhaustion which caused major disruption to her life. “I didn’t know the days of the week. I’d send my kids to school in the wrong clothes. I was really struggling and felt like a different person sometimes.”

A referral to a gastroenterologist after numerous visits to the GP confirmed the diagnosis and Laura was advised to start a strict gluten free diet. “I was grumpy at first because I couldn’t eat what I wanted – it was both physically and emotionally challenging. But I was soon discovering gluten free foods I liked and felt like myself again. My energy returned, and with it, my confidence and joy were back.”

The Coeliac Awareness Month campaign looked at raising awareness of coeliac disease by sharing real stories and empowering those affected by it to recognise symptoms, complete its online self-assessment here: https://isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk/