How Much Time Before Negative Turns Positive?

[Wendyp]

Thanks to all who answered my previous post about the biopsy.

It sound like I may be beginning to show positivie results on tests, since the only blood test that came back positive was in the mild positive range.

If I do have celiac, about how long would it take before I would have a more positive blood test result? If I have a biopsy and it is negative, how long before it would come back positive?

I know there are no absolutes, but I thought some of you may have been though a similar situation.

I'm just thinking that the biopsy has a very good change of showing nothing at this time, which is why I am debating about doing it in the next few weeks, verses waiting a year and retesting.

[Rachel--24]

There is no definate answer. I think it could take weeks but probably not likely. It could take months or even years for damage to be severe enough to show up in the biopsy assuming you have celiac disease with no damage at this time. Its not something that happens overnight.

[lovegrov]

If there's a possibility you have celiac disease (do you have symptoms), continuing to eat gluten for another year would be a bad idea.

richard

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks to all who answered my previous post about the biopsy.

It sound like I may be beginning to show positivie results on tests,  since the only blood test that came back positive was in the mild positive range.

If I do have celiac, about how long would it take before I would have a more positive blood test result?  If I have a biopsy and it is negative, how long before it would come back positive?

I know there are no absolutes, but I thought some of you may have been though a similar situation.

I'm just thinking that the biopsy has a very good change of showing nothing at this time, which is why I am debating about doing it in the next few weeks, verses waiting a year and retesting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which blood test did you show positive for? If you had a mildly positve test for pregnancy would you question it? A positive is a positve. Many celiacs never show up on blood tests (raises both hands and waves) if I had waited for a positive blood test I would probably have killed myself by now. You could just keep consuming the stuff till you get so sick you have no doubt but from someone who has been there why would you want to do that. My DD is going through this because of an idiot doctor who told her that her biopsy was 'just a little bit positive' so you may get the same response from yours if you do do the biopsy. There is a fecal antibody test that is supposed to be quite accurate, not as many false negatives you may want to ask for that and then get yourself gluten free.

[VydorScope]

If the blood test is postive, then why bother with a bisopy? I know some docs feel they need it, but think about it for a min, its a bit silly. If you know your celiac disease already, the biosopy is just extra money and extra risk. I suggest you say NO to the biospy and go gluten-free. Remeber a "negative" (read non-postive) bisopy does nothing for you, disproves nothing, and I would guess is more likly then a postive one in most cases. A postive biosopy just confirms the blood test. So what do you gain for your trouble?

Sometimes we ALL just blindy accept we need to do somthing because a doc or other expecrt says we should, and we all should question it a bit more.

Thats just my take on it...