'I was violently ill for weeks - then I found out the real cause'

A woman who suffers from “silent coeliac” has spoken out about the difficulties of the disease.

Philippa Lee says she loved grabbing a bite to eat with loved ones, cooking up a storm and jetting off on holiday for fine dining experiences.

But after years of feeling that she never had “full health”, Phili, from Stockport, was eventually diagnosed with coeliac disease at 25 years old.

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It is a widely known gluten-related condition and causes the immune system to attack its own tissue and damage the gut when gluten is digested.

This then prevents sufferers from taking in vital nutrients from food and can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms such as stomach pain, severe bloating, diarrhoea, indigestion, vomiting, constipation, and unexpected weight loss.

“I was diagnosed with coeliac disease back in 2019 and had to navigate learning to live gluten free.

“I also learned that my Dad’s stomach cancer, which he sadly passed away from, was likely a result of long-term damage caused by undiagnosed Coeliac disease,” Phili, now aged 30, said.

Though many people are aware of coeliac disease, Phili says it is less known that you could suffer from the condition given many people don’t manifest symptoms.

“I was surprised when I was first diagnosed. Like many others, I suffered from silent coeliac which is a reaction to gluten but where you may not manifest many symptoms.

“I didn’t experience some of the severe symptoms but I never truly felt like I was at full health,” she said.

According to Coeliac UK, 1 in 100 people suffer from the disease, however, only 36% of people have received a diagnosis, meaning that over half a