SURVIVING COELIAC

UNDERSTANDING THE TOLL OF THIS CHRONIC CONDITION

When Dr Sue Hookey was diagnosed with coeliac in the early 2000s, she couldn't believe it. After initially putting her vague intermittent symptoms down to being a run-down mother of three, the general practice liaison at Royal Melbourne Hospital sought help from a wide range of practitioners.

"I [had] aches in my wrists, gut aches, strange changes in my stools ... [while regular migraine headaches were the most debilitating," she explains. "I had lots of physio, acupuncture, and pain relief didn't prevent them." Eventually, Dr Hookey went to an integrative GP where she learnt she was one of one in 70 Australians with coeliac disease.

RETHINKING FOOD

After her diagnosis, Dr Hookey decided to join Coeliac Australia. "Their resources, education sessions and welcome sample pack were fabulous," she explains. "I had to rethink shopping, cooking, menu planning and planning snacks for when I was out."