Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Blood Work Done: Going Gluten Free?

MissyShelle

Recommended Posts

MissyShelle Rookie
MissyShelle
Posted

As I stated in a previous post, I had my blood work done Wednesday this past week. I discussed with the doctor about going ahead and going gluten free. She was supportive of it, regardless of my results due to my symptoms. But I also told her I am worried about doing it in case they do an endoscopy at the same time as my colonscopy and that being gluten-free can skew the results. 

 

But then I realized that some say on the forums that the endoscopy is to see if damage has been done due to gluten. So if I have been heavy gluten and go off it and only off for like 2-3 weeks, would that skew my endoscopy, if they do one? 

 

I'm miserable and just want relief. My rash is back (never fully went away) and even this morning, I had some whole wheat bread, touched my face and now my face and neck are itching. And, as is typical from what I have read, the rashes tend to show up in the same spots. For me, that is true. And let's not discuss the bloating, gas, D and overall feeling of Blah! 

 

I don't know if my logic is off or not. I guess I just figure, if the Celiac panel comes back positive, I go gluten free, have the endoscopy, would being gluten free for a week or two make that much of a difference in biopsies? 

 

Thank you all. 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

It is really hard to say for sure, but I doubt two weeks will make a big difference. The antibodies remain in the bloodstream for a while and continue to do damage. But once you go gluten-free you stop making new antibodies. As the level declines, the healing process begins.

 

How long the healing process takes depends on many things, one of which is the amount of damage that exists. And there is really no way to know that without the endoscopy.

 

I hope that is of some help to you.

MissyShelle Rookie
MissyShelle
Posted
  • Author

It was, thank you. I know, in the past, once I see my G.I. doc, I'm usually scheduled for the colonscopy within a week due to my history, so I don't think 2 weeks gluten free will mess up anything if they do the endoscopy. I'm going to start Monday and see how I feel from that point on. 

 

thank you. 

Smylinacha Apprentice
Smylinacha
Posted

Good luck w/ your endo and colonoscopy - I have my endo next Friday.  Years ago I had an endo and was dx'd with IBS.  Got some meds and felt better and then last year BAM - all the symptoms are back.  About your rash - same thing with me.  It doesn't cover my whole body but when I'm "glutened" and feeling crummy I get the same rashes - one on my chest, a patch on my neck and two small ones on my face.  I put a little benedryl gel on and it clears up w/in a half hour but will pop out again later and they are itchy!

 

Bloating and gas is what I'll be in for as I glutened up again :(

MissyShelle Rookie
MissyShelle
Posted
  • Author

Smylinacha, For me, the rash is my scalp (so uncomfortable, so started a new shampoo, not helping!), little on face, neck, chest, back and arms. Exact same places every single time. That was one thing that also made my doctor take notice. 

 

                                                                                               

 

I have a man I've been dating but since we've started, I've had these symptoms so bad. I joke with him that when I am off gluten and dont' have my budda belly and itchy rash, he may not recognize me. HA! Luckily, he's cool and still thinks I'm pretty but seriously, between the bloating, rash and dark, dark circles under my eyes, I don't feel at my prime. I mean, I'm not wanting to do the gluten-free for vanity, but feeling bad and then looking bad doesn't help at all. 

Smylinacha Apprentice
Smylinacha
Posted

Awww - lucky you have such a nice guy!  My husband is very understanding also.  Yes, I forgot to mention the dark circles under my eyes that I would cake w/ makeup but they are pretty much gone now.  I feel for you - hope your itching calms down!  Well tonight I start off my glutening with an extremely strong microbrew beer!  Cheers!  If I'm gonna get sick, might as well do it up!

SeekingSarah Apprentice
SeekingSarah
Posted

My guy teased me about my "herp" bump on my lip...I know sounds not nice...but he knew it wasn't as he never "caught" anything...I had even brought that up to my doctor, what's going on with this??? constant one spot on my lip one area on my forehead same spots at back of neck when they do flare, and I am in midst of major flare no clue as to why or what just knew it was a major pain so when I hear Jennifer Esposito mention her scalp felt like it was on fire when she had celiac I was like WHAT? And started researching more...first I checked shampoo although it's been the same so recent flare wouldn't account for that....but then the IBS dx, weight gain or inability to lose, etc etc etc. Besides the lip issue though...the gas....lol...oh poor guy he calls it nuclear warfare.  :rolleyes:

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MissyShelle Rookie
MissyShelle
Posted
  • Author

I so know what you mean. The mouth sores bothered me, too, but luckily, aren't contagious. If I get the blister on my lips, they go away fast and I'm sure no one notices. At, least no one has said anything.

EmiPark210 Contributor
EmiPark210
Posted

I just went in to see the GI today and have been almost 3 weeks totally gluten free. He wanted to do the endoscopy and said if my reaction to gluten every day that just a little every other day or so would help ensure that we get the positive that I know is there. Talk to your doc about your reaction and maybe if it's bad enough, you could just stop asking about cross contamination when eating and just let things be without ingesting a full gluten food. That's the route I'm taking to ease back onto it. Like tonight, I'm not planning on eating full gluten but I made my boyfriend a gluten pizza and myself a gluten free pizza and didn't worry about cross contamination as I was topping them (it made me super aware of every time it happened) but then I'm going to ease up to a slice of bread or dining hall cookie as I get closer to my endoscopy. 

MissyShelle Rookie
MissyShelle
Posted
  • Author

That's a good idea, thank you. I'll do it that way as well. I will ask my dr. about it Monday when she calls to see if I should be doing anything else. But I think I'll just stick to the smallest amount I can until the endoscopy, if they do it after I get my blood results. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,669
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    CDR40
    Newest Member
    CDR40
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
    • Scott Adams
      Medication

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Welcome to the community! Generally, for a gluten challenge before celiac disease blood tests, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is considered safe and should not interfere with your antibody results. The medications you typically need to avoid are those like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) that can cause intestinal irritation, which could potentially complicate the interpretation of an endoscopy if you were to have one. However, it is absolutely crucial that you confirm this with either your gastroenterologist or your surgeon before your procedure. They know the specifics of your case and can give you the definitive green light, ensuring your surgery is comfortable and your celiac testing remains accurate. Best of luck with your surgery tomorrow
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.