My diagnosis story | Navigating Coeliac Disease in business

It’s Coeliac Awareness Week, and to be honest — I wasn’t planning to talk about this on my business pages.

But the reality is: this is something I manage every single day. At work. In meetings. While travelling. 

Maybe it’s something you’re dealing with too — or someone in your team is.

So I’m doing a short series this week: navigating Coeliac disease in business.

Come along, keep an eye out for the first video on my Social Profiles @RudhallHyett — you might learn something helpful for your team.

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Coeliac Awareness Week takes place from Monday 9th to Sunday 15th June 2025.

Coeliac Disease-Take a self-assessment

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I didn’t feel sick. I wasn’t tired. No gut issues.

I was in a five-minute break between meetings when the doctor called.

“The tests are back…” - I had no idea she’d even tested me for it!

I’d gone to the doctor for something totally unrelated. I couldn’t get in to see my usual GP, so this new doctor was asking a few general health questions.

I mentioned that I’d needed iron infusions every 6 months for over a decade — my body just wouldn’t store iron.

She sent me off for blood tests for the issue I came in for.

That phone call I took between strategy sessions? She said, “The thing you came in for is all clear… but you’ve tested positive for Coeliac disease.”

I was completely shocked. I didn’t even know she’d tested for it.

And I had none of the ‘classic’ symptoms.

No exhaustion. No gut issues. No bloating.

At least — not that I’d ever noticed.

It was confirmed by endoscopy a few weeks later.

Just like that — life changed overnight.

“The thing you came in for is all clear… but you’ve tested positive for Coeliac disease.”

Here’s the thing: iron deficiency is one of the most common symptoms of Coeliac disease in adults.

That was the red flag for her. She’d been seeing more medical research pointing to this — that if someone’s iron is consistently low and doesn’t respond to supplements or diet, they should be tested for Coeliac.

Coeliac disease is different for every body. And a lot of people never get tested.

So if you — or someone on your team — is always tired, has persistent low iron, or just isn’t bouncing back… it’s worth asking for a Coeliac blood test.

And one super important note:

Don’t stop eating gluten before the test.

It will affect the results.

Eat your usual diet until testing is done.