recently diagnosed with MS, struggling with optical neuritis, any tips for coping?

[FlaGranny]

12. Hi Warpy

What do you think about the connection between celiac and MS? I found a research report (from Spain?) that said that celiac may cause plaques in the brain. The probability that if you have one disease you may have the other is much greater than by chance.

I wouldn't have guessed in a million years I had celiac, because everything I had read about it said it caused loss of weight and failure to thrive. I never had a problem that way - just the opposite. Now, most of the symptoms lists are including weight GAIN. It seems that some people increase their appetite in order to obtain the vitamins and minerals lost from malabsorption. Since I have been avoiding gluten for about 2 months, I have noticed a definite decrease in appetite.

Interestingly, the symptoms of both diseases can be nearly identical. The symptoms are so varied and unusual for both that many times people are told it is all in their head or that they have IBS.

The parallels are significant and I would suggest to anyone with MS, if they have any GI symptoms at all, ask to get tested for celiac. That includes gas, belching, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, etc., even if it is sporadic and comes and goes. The symptoms are so insidious that over time you forget about them and accept them as normal when they are not.