Gluten’s sticky nature and insolubility in water causes it to adhere to the lining of everyone’s intestines.  This inhibits the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients from the foods that pass through it.  This occurs in all human beings who eat gluttonous products.  From what I understand, if you have Celiac Disease, this glutinous lining is extremely irritating to your body causing an autoimmune response.  Your body’s reaction is to send antibodies to attack the glutinous coating.  Unfortunately the antibodies do not recognize when they have “eaten” through the glutinous coating so that they continue attacking the lining of the intestine underneath.  This results in inflammation.  Continued consumption of gluten keeps the auto immune response in high gear, something that eventually leads to the destruction of intestinal villi.  Your intestinal villi are hair like “fingers” which sift thru what passes them, grabbing and absorbing nutrients.   Allowing this destructive process to continue leaves you less able to absorb nutrients through your small intestine.  The decreased nutrient availability in your body, leads to many things, not the least of which would be a weakened immune system.
If the part of your small intestine known as the duodenum becomes damaged from this cycle, your ability to absorb vitamin B12 is impaired, or prevented completely.   The Prescription for Nutritional Healing  says “a lack of B 12 can lead to the development of neurological symptoms ranging  from tingling sensations, inability to co-ordinate muscular movements, weakened limbs, and lack of balance, to memory loss, mood changes, disorientation, and psychiatric disorders.”   There are tests that can determine if this has happened to your duodenum and if it has, you will need to have injections of B 12 , as nutritional supplements will not be able to be absorbed.
The possible damage caused by the body’s strong autoimmune response to gluten does not end there.  It can even lead to actual holes or perforations in the small intestine which allows both nutrients and toxins to leak out into your surrounding tissues.  This leaking, referred to as leaky gut syndrome, causes many different symptoms.   Over time the problems are compounded, as well as the underlying condition.   Malabsorption leads to malnutrition, even when an adequate diet is maintained (due to the loss of vitamins, minerals and calories). Unfortunately the symptoms of long term Celiac Disease are vast and are often misdiagnosed.
The GOOD NEWS is that you can HEAL, if you remove gluten from your diet!!!   It might not be the easiest thing in the world, but think about it.  Your cure does not require an operation, nor toxic drug therapies.  It will not make you sicker in the hopes of getting better.  All it takes is your commitment to you, and feeling better.