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The Waiting Game


Birdie19

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Birdie19 Rookie

In theory if it is gluten that is causing the elevated labs if we go gluten-free then the labs will go back to normal range. Right?


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mushroom Proficient

It can take a while for labs to normalize - it is not an immediate thing, quicker for some than others. The symptoms are a better guide than the labs.

mamaupupup Contributor

Your plan sounds really solid!

Do your very best to find all the hidden sources of gluten too...playdoh...dogfood...fishfood...soy sauce, etc. I just glutened my kids today...shocked...trusted another "gluten free" Mom's bread...ugh!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are two Celiac centers from the Celiac Disease Foundation website. I'll see if I can find out specifically which doctor is "best".

MINNESOTA

Celiac Disease Clinic

Mayo Clinic

Joseph A. Murray, MD, Medical Director

200 1st St SW/Hepatology W19a

Rochester, MN 55905

507-284-2467

www.mayoclinic.org/celiacdisease

ILLINOIS

University of Chicago

Celiac Disease Center

Stefano Guandalini, MD, Medical Director

5841 S Maryland Ave Mailcode 4069

Chicago, IL 60637

celiac disease Info line: 773-702-7593

Open Original Shared Link

I personally feel strongly about going to physicians who are Celiac researchers. I had no idea how "young" this disease is and how much more the EXPERTS feel they have to learn!

mamaupupup Contributor

...And when you call the Celiac centers make sure you say:

1. We have a family history of Celiac Disease

2. My daughter has had a positive TTG test

3. She is symptomatic: She is 3 years old and wears 6X clothes because her tummy is so distended

4. We've taken her off gluten

I personally would not mention the negative biopsy when you are trying to get an appointment. Let that come out once you are face to face. If it comes up, say something like, "We are really looking to you as the experts to help us sort this out."

BTW our twin girls are 5.5 and weigh 32 and 34 lbs each. They are rail thin. They never had any constipation or diarrhea. Our ped GI could see and hear that their bellies were distended. I couldn't see it because they were so tiny. Your little sweet thing's body is definitely giving you clear cues--good for you for picking up on them!

MitziG Enthusiast

Go on the diet. An allergist cannot help you. When her constipation, distension and bloating start to disappear the first week, you will realize that yes, your daughter has celiac. Perhaps your dr will agree with you, perhaps not.what matters is you address it now, before she gets very sick.

Lowish positive numbers usually mean that intestinal damage is mminor. Damage is patchy, one spot can have healthy villi, the neext may be flattened. If your GI took only 1 or 2 samples, which is likely, he just missed it. 8-16 samples it what is recommended, but few drs do it.

The blood tests clearly show she is making antibodies against gluten. If you ignore this, not onnly will intestinal damage worsen, but she is likely to develop additional autoimmune diseases like hypothyroid, lupus, multiple sclerosis, sjorens, type 1 diabetes.

Please, please, please don't let that happen. A lifetime of undx celiac SUCKS, I can tell you firsthand!

Birdie19 Rookie

I am in complete shock!

Yesterday just to see, I limited as in cut out gluten in my kid for the day. I wasn't optimistic that anything would change I just thought ah hell let's try it.

The results were actually, SHOCKING!

She did have waffles for breakfast (trying to eat through our pantry before we do the switch). But then the rest of the day she had nothing with gluten in it. The results were astonishing. She took a 2 hour nap, something that is INCREDIBLY rare in our house. We didn't argue about anything because her behavior was REALLY GOOD! Today at daycare she had a relatively gluten free diet and daycare said the same thing. She took a nap, no arguing no tossing and turning nothing.

I am converted that is it. I am ready right now to start a completely gluten free diet. She was a TOTALLY different child! I can't believe it!

Even my husband is 100% convinced. We are doing it! YIPEE! A calm healthy happy child, I can't wait!

Cara in Boston Enthusiast

Good for you (and GREAT for her)

Be prepared for some ups and downs in the first few weeks. There can be withdrawal symptoms that look worse then gluten symptoms. Don't assume that the diet is not working and give up on it. Also, after a period of time being gluten free, your daughter is likely to become more sensitive to even smaller amounts. When you see symptoms again, don't assume the diet is not working, first look for possible cross contamination - even tiny amounts can cause problems.

Keep a log so you can revisit getting a "real" diagnosis later - when you show your doctor you were RIGHT.

Cara


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Birdie19 Rookie

Thanks, Cara! We are starting a diary. I told daycare, if it happens that she gets gluten it isn't a HUGE deal but I do want to know because we are keeping a journal of her symptoms and things that we see happening.

Who knows if it was the diet or a myriad of other things but today she is a different kid still. This morning she went into daycare, sat down at the breakfast table ate her breakfast and wasn't wiggling around and moving all over the place like usual and like the kid next to her. She sat calmly at the table for 15 minutes and ate her breakfast. That's another thing she wasn't shoveling food in like normal. She does that, she shovels it in so fast she can't possibly chew.

Who knows what is going on but the results I am seeing already are amazing!

Can it be that immediate? In theory if her body was so activated by the allergen, the immediate removal of an allergen would deactivate her system right? But it will take weeks to get the residual out of her system I am sure.

Thank you to everyone for the feedback while we made the decision to go gluten-free, it was extremely valuable!

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    • Ginger38
      I refused to do the gluten challenge for a long time because I knew how sick I would be: I have always had and still have positive antibodies and have so many symptoms my  GI was 💯 sure I would have a positive biopsy. I didn’t want to make myself sick to get a negative biopsy and be more confused by all this.  He couldn’t guarantee me a negative biopsy meant no celiac bc there may not be damage yet or it’s possible to miss biopsies where there’s damage but he was so sure and convinced me I needed that biopsy I went back on gluten. It was a terrible experience! I took pictures of the bloating and swelling and weight gain during the challenge. I gained 9 pounds, looked pregnant, was in pain , couldn’t work or function without long naps and the brain fog was debilitating. And in the end he didn’t get a positive biopsy… so I wish I had never wasted my time or health going through it. I haven’t been truly straightened  out since and I am currently battling a shingles infection at 43 and I can’t help but wonder if the stress I put my body under to try and get an official diagnosis has caused all this. Best of luck to you - whatever you decide. It’s not a fun thing to go through and I still don’t have the answers I was looking for 
    • Scott Adams
      It's completely understandable to struggle with the gluten challenge, especially when it impacts your health and studies so significantly. Your experience of feeling dramatically better without gluten is a powerful clue, whether it points to celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It's very wise of you and your doctor to pause the challenge until your holidays, prioritizing your immediate well-being and exams. To answer your questions, yes, it is possible for blood tests to be negative initially and become positive later as the disease progresses, which is why the biopsy remains the gold standard. Many, many people find the gluten challenge incredibly difficult due to the return of debilitating symptoms, so you are certainly not alone in that struggle. Wishing you the best for your exams and for obtaining clearer answers when you're able to proceed.
    • Scott Adams
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    • knitty kitty
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    • Xravith
      Hello, I'm back with a second post. The first time I wrote, I mentioned the possibility that my symptoms were related to gluten. I did a genetic test in which I resulted to have the predisposition, but the results of my blood test were all negative without IgA deficiency. My doctor suggested that it was necessary to do a biopsy to rule out Celiac Disease. However, he said, because of my family history and my symptoms were strongly related to gluten, it was very possible that my Celiac Disease is developing and my antibodies may become positive in the future.  I tried to continue the gluten challenge for the biopsy, around 2-3 g of gluten per day, but it was enough to make me feel worse each passing day. I started developing anemia and other mild nutritional deficiencies, and it was really affecting my daily life. I'm a student and exams are coming up, so my doctor suggests me to strictly remove gluten until I feel better so I could study without problems until I could do the gluten challenge when I come back home for holidays. Since going gluten free, I feel like a completely different person. My mind is clearer, I have no stomach pain during the day, and even my nails improved within just two weeks. It could also be Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, but of course I’ll need the biopsy to know for sure. I was wondering, has anyone else had negative blood tests at first and later tested positive? And has anyone struggled with the gluten challenge because of symptoms?
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