About Allie’s Diagnosis

Growing up, Allie suffered from growth hormone deficiency and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She also had a hard time gaining weight, no matter how much food she ate. Allie was active in sports, had a high GPA and partook in a healthy social life. However, her stomach started having issues and her health started to slowly decline. Allie was in so much pain and was constantly nauseous. She was miserable. This led her to become mentally drained, and she ended up sitting on a couch at a psychologist’s office. She was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.

In 2009, her family and she decided to see a gastroenterologist [a stomach doctor] to figure out if they could at least fix her chronic stomach pains and constant nausea. They did some blood work and an upper endoscopy only to find out that she has CELIAC DISEASE.

The Next Steps

After immediately starting the gluten free diet, Allie noticed that her mind fog sort of disappeared. However, she still had, and still suffers from, issues with her stomach. Allie noticed herself in denial over the past several years. She was hiding the fact that she have a chronic disease that she would be living with and have to tend to for the rest of her life. She was shameful and tried acting like it wasn’t there. Out of sight, out of mind, right?!

WRONG. Not only was she suffering from the symptoms, she started feeling alone. She thought “is this all in my head?”, “Am I seriously the only one going through this embarrassing, high maintenance lifestyle?”, “There is no way!”. She decided to reach out a bit through social media and found out that she wasn’t alone! Other people were dealing with almost the same issues that she was dealing with, if not with more! They, too, felt alone in their daily struggles and that was not okay with Allie.

What now?

Denial did not work and Allie still has Celiac disease. It took her about 8 years to realize, but she has now accepted this disease and is ready to take it on like the Ram that she is. She never wishes those feelings of desperation and solitude about Celiac disease, or any disease, on anyone.

Allie’s goal now is to reach out and to help others who are dealing with any allergies and immune deficiencies or any mental disorders that may be caused from them. She will share her tips and tricks, PROUD AND LOUD, on staying healthy with the hopes that you, too, can overcome any health adversities. Let’s create a community united to overcome diet and lifestyle restricted diseases. In other words, LET’S KICK SOME AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE (&ALLERGY) ASS!

Connect with Allie so that we all can make it through this journey together. We would love to hear your story!