'My symptoms were put down to anxiety'

With Coeliac Awareness Month taking place throughout May, a Cork woman has shared her difficult journey with the commonly misunderstood condition.

Before being diagnosed just before her 18th birthday, Heather Murphy, now 35, was one of approximately 78,000 people living with undiagnosed coeliac disease in Ireland.

After years of stomach issues that were previously attributed to anxiety, Heather’s condition was finally acknowledged after her sister was also diagnosed. This led to four of five of the siblings in her family being diagnosed with the condition, highlighting a strong family genetic link. Coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, with symptoms ranging from digestive issues to less obvious signs such as chronic fatigue, persistent mouth ulcers, brain fog, and unexplained nutrient deficiencies like anaemia. Because of this broad spectrum, the condition is frequently overlooked or mistaken for others.

For Heather, who is a barista, baker, and food blogger, her symptoms started when she was young and were not recognised for years.

She said: “I remember having stomach issues since I was a teenager and regularly going to the doctor, but my symptoms were often put down to anxiety.

“My daily life was really impacted. I often had stomach pains and felt constantly lethargic but couldn’t figure out why,” said Heather. With little progress or improvement regarding her symptoms, Heather was beginning to lose hope of ever understanding what was going on, but a hunch kept her going.

She said: “I always felt there was something else going on, but I knew very little about autoimmune conditions or coeliac disease at the time. Looking back, I definitely felt unheard.

“Being told it was anxiety made me feel hopeless at times, almost like it was all in my head, so it was actually a relief to finally have an answer.”

Since being diagnosed, Heather has made significant changes to her everyday life in order to manage her symptoms, to which she says preparation is key.

She said: “I always need to think ahead about food when travelling or attending social events. It can sometimes feel isolating or awkward asking about dietary requirements, but I’m grateful I was diagnosed young because untreated coeliac disease can cause serious long-term health issues.”

When it comes to misconceptions surrounding coeliac disease, Heather says a big one is people not fully understanding the seriousness of it.

She said: “One of the biggest misconceptions I come across is people asking, ‘How coeliac are you? I know someone and they are a very sensitive coeliac’. Some people assume that if you don’t have an immediate reaction after eating gluten, then it’s not serious, but coeliac disease can still cause long-term internal damage even if symptoms aren’t immediate or obvious.”

Marking Coeliac Awareness Month 2026, Coeliac Society of Ireland’s campaign Don’t Live with Uncertainty – Rule Out Coeliac Disease is highlighting the estimated 78,000 people in Ireland who remain undiagnosed, often while living with ongoing but unexplained symptoms. A key part of the campaign is the role of family history, with coeliac disease frequently appearing across multiple siblings once one diagnosis is made.

“Campaigns like this are so important because coeliac disease is not one-size-fits-all. Symptoms can vary hugely from person to person, and many people may be living with it without realising,” said Heather.

Heather now shares gluten-free and vegan recipes, café recommendations, and food finds through her social media platform, Vegan is the New Black, while also supplying vegan treats made without gluten ingredients to local cafés.

For more information on coeliac disease, visit coeliac.ie.