Should I Get Tested?

[Mellon7373]

Hey all, i'm new to this. I currently believe I have a gluten intolerance and have already started a gluten free diet, I want to know whether you think it is worth going through all the tests if they might not give me a definitive answer. I'm really scared of doctors and hospitals and needles, so I want to know if it will be worth the stress it will put me through. I have read a lot about gluten intolerance being varied from person to person and I think that I have to work out how much gluten I can have without reacting. I think looking back I may have had this for maybe a year without realising, but recently have been really ill and I think this might be why. I'm not completely opposed to a gluten free diet as i'm trying to lose weight anyway. I know that it may already be in my genes as one of my cousins has had it severe since birth. Any help would be useful so I can make the decision about whether to get the doctors involved.

[kareng]

If you have Celiac disease, then no amount of gluten is acceptable. So no taking the burger off the bun, eating non gluten-free oats, etc. Knowing that you have Celiac would let you know how careful you need to be and any other medical issues you need to keep track of.

It is best to get tested for celiac before going gluten free because you need to be eating gluten for a prolonged period of time before testing.

The Gluten Free .diet is not meant to be a weight loss diet. In fact, if you eat any of the replacement gluten-free foods, like bread or pasta, it often has more calories than the gluten version.

[Mellon7373]

I understand it's not specifically for weight loss but at the moment I'm focusing more on what I eat and replacing things like pasta with rice and filling up on vegetables, which is better than what I was eating. I will go to the doctors tomorrow and see if I can get a blood test as I've only been gluten free for one day.