Treatment:

You must follow a lifelong gluten-free diet. This allows the intestinal villi to heal. Eliminate foods, beverages, and medications that contain wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.

You must read food and medication labels carefully to look for hidden sources of these grains and their derivatives. Since wheat and barley grains are found abundantly in the American diet, keeping to this diet is challenging. With education and planning, you will achieve the goal of healing.

You should NOT begin the gluten-free diet before a diagnosis is made. Doing so will affect future testing for the disease.

The health care provider may prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements to correct nutritional deficiencies. Occasionally, corticosteroids (such as prednisone) may also be prescribed for short-term use or if you have refractory sprue. Following a well-balanced, gluten-free diet is generally the only treatment needed to stay well.

Upon diagnosis, get help from a registered dietitian who specializes in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. A support group may also help you cope with the disease and diet.

Support Groups:

For additional information and support, see the organizations listed in celiac disease resources.

Expectations (prognosis):

Removing all damaging grains from the diet is the most important measure you can take to become healthy. If you follow the diet strictly, you can expect to lead a long, healthy life -- if permanent damage did not occur before diagnosis.

Complications:

You must carefully and continuously follow the gluten-free diet. When untreated, the disease can cause life-threatening complications.

Delaying diagnosis or not following the diet puts you at risk for related conditions such as:

• Autoimmune disorders
• Certain types of intestinal cancer
• Fractures
• Infertility
• Miscarriage
• Osteoporosis

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of celiac disease.