Prep For Dr. Appt Next Week

[horsegirl]

I'm going to see my primary doctor next Thursday (6/28) to talk about options to rule out/in celiac.

I've been gluten free since January to treat symptoms of fibromyagia (very successful!!) and now

I want to see if I am Celiac or not (I've realized I have had many symptoms of Celiac in the past).

Should I take a "gluten challenge" prior to seeing the doc since he'll be ordering blood tests for Celiac?

If so, how do I do a gluten challenge? And, does anyone know whether a primary care doc can order

the tests through Enterolab (hopefully so my insurance will pay for it).

Thanks!

[Darn210]

This has been my experience . . . I'm getting frustrated with the doctors but this is what they told me about a gluten challenge for my daughter:

After having been off gluten for 6 months, she would need her blood tested to make sure everything was normal. Then she could do a gluten challenge where gluten would be added back into her diet for two months. This would be followed by another blood test to see if her numbers were high again. If she started having symptoms during the two month trial period, we could discontinue the challenge and call her a celiac (which I think means we wouldn't have to do the blood test).

The GI said that my pediatrician could write the request for the bloodwork but I don't know if they can request a specific lab.

[Guest j_mommy]

To get a true result...you should be eating gluten for a month prior to any tests....otherwise you end up with a false negative(if you do have celiac)!!!! Blood tests go lower and lower when you stop eating gluten...villi damage may still be present through a biopsy.