Coeliac Journey Through Covid-19 – Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone
In June 2020, I wrote Dexamethasone Declared First Drug To Save Lives Of Coronavirus Patients, after reading an article with the same title in The Times.
Out of curiosity, I typed “Dexamethasone and coeliac disease” into Google.
I found this page on SpringerLink, which is entitled The Role of Corticosteroids In Celiac Disease.
This is the first sentence.
Since Dickie first described the benefits of a gluten-free diet in the 1940s and 1950s, this diet is the standard of care for all patients with celiac disease. For patients with a new diagnosis, dietary compliance can be difficult to achieve, possibly resulting in a clinical course marked by delayed recovery and persistent symptoms. This is of particular concern for patients in the developing world, where gluten-free food items may be difficult to obtain or to identify. While dietary modifications are likely to remain the treatment of choice in celiac disease, the use of adjuvant corticosteroids in newly diagnosed patients is a topic that has been addressed previously.
According to a retired Senior Hospital Pharmacist friend, Dexamethasone has been around a long time and is used in shock. She added “So don’t know why not tried before.”
It does seem though that the drug has similar affects as a gluten-free diet on coeliacs.
Budesonide
Budesonide was also recommended for Covid-19 patients at one time, and is also linked to the treatment of coeliac disease.
As I keep saying more research needs to be done.
Covid-19, Coeliac Disease And Budesonide
I am coeliac and whenever a drug is shown to have positive effects against the Covids, I type its name into Dr. Google with coeliac disease.
With dexamethasone, I found it is used in some countries. as an alternative to a gluten-free diet.
Typically, these countries appear to be one with a Pop-A-Pill-For-Everything habit.
Budesonide appears to be used for Crohn’s disease, which is associated medically with coeliac disease.
As we keep hearing that the best way to fight the covids is with your immune system and coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease, is enough research being done as to the role of undiagnosed coeliac disease in this pandemic?
Coeliac UK are just advising Keep Calm and Carry On with the gluten-free diet!
The Anonymous Widower 