Biocard Test In The Mail, I Should Eat Gluten?

[GFuser]

Hello, i came here to see what you guys thought about how long i should be off gluten/diary to see an improvement.  i have been off 11 days w/o result but i read to be off 3 weeks initially.  does it take some time?

 

I am now suspecting i am gluten intolerant and have had symptoms for many years, like 2 decades.  i was going to just eliminate it and see, but then i found the biocard home test, so i have ordered it to confirm.  but now i read here that i need to be eating gluten to detect the condition.  so should i go back on gluten until i take the test?

 

nothing is simple!  thanks for any advice

[nvsmom]

Yes! You must be eating gluten prior to the test. If you have been off gluten for 11 or more days, I would sugest dealying doing the Biocard test for at least a week, two would be better. The biocard test is a tTG IgA test  (and total serum IgA test all rolled into one) and for a tTG IgA to be positive, you must be eating gluten.

 

Keep in mind that tTG IgA tests can miss up to 25% of celiacs during testing. If it does end up negative, and you strongly feel it could be celiac, see your doctor about retesting and further testing (DGP, EMA or AGA tests).

 

Good luck.

[Mum in Norway]

I would strongly recomend that you do coplete celiac blood work instesd of, or in addision to the home test. That way you test for all the posible anti bodies to gluten, not just one, and your answer will be much more reliable.

 

I took the home test 6-7 years ago, and then again a year later, but as it was negative both times i concluded it was just gluten intolerance, and kept away from most gluten, without at all being properly glutenfree. This spring a had a test done at the doctors that was positive for celiac, but not for the spesific antibody, ttg iga, that the biocard tests for (mine was only positive for DGP-IgG)