Enough Gluten?

[Pokey Oaks]

Hi. This is my first post on the forum. I'm currently waiting on blood screening results, the only ones I have back are vitamin D and Iron, both were quite low, which is not unusual for me.

I'm awaiting a "celiac screening", though I'm unsure what that measures exactly. My question stems on how long I should've eaten a gluten diet before I had the screening. I went "paleo" (basically grain free)for about 6 weeks late last year, early this year, which is by default gluten-free. I felt amazing, but couldn't afford to continue. I've been eating a regular western diet since the start of Feb, and my body is paying for it more so than ever before. My symptoms are more intense than ever, I'm at the point where I'm scared to eat anything. Anyway, my question is, do you think those 6 weeks gluten-free a month ago will affect the results? Possibly give a false negative?

Thanks in advance.

[GottaSki]

Hi. This is my first post on the forum. I'm currently waiting on blood screening results, the only ones I have back are vitamin D and Iron, both were quite low, which is not unusual for me.

I'm awaiting a "celiac screening", though I'm unsure what that measures exactly. My question stems on how long I should've eaten a gluten diet before I had the screening. I went "paleo" (basically grain free)for about 6 weeks late last year, early this year, which is by default gluten-free. I felt amazing, but couldn't afford to continue. I've been eating a regular western diet since the start of Feb, and my body is paying for it more so than ever before. My symptoms are more intense than ever, I'm at the point where I'm scared to eat anything. Anyway, my question is, do you think those 6 weeks gluten-free a month ago will affect the results? Possibly give a false negative?

Thanks in advance.

 

Welcome!

 

Unfortunately, it is hard to know.  If your antibody levels were high before you removed gluten (grains) for six weeks it is possible that you will still have positive celiac antibody levels.  The problem is...if you have negative levels the data is not reliable because of the period you spent gluten-free.

 

That said....the improvement gluten-free, followed by adverse reaction when you resumed ingesting gluten should be sufficient information for a knowledgeable doctor to order an endoscopy.   

 

If your blood is positive, it will be up to you and your docs to decide if an endoscopy is warranted.  If negative, I would push for an endoscopy based on your reaction to the removal/re-introduction of gluten.

 

Good luck to you

 

PS...keep eating gluten until the decision is made regarding endoscopy or further blood tests.

[Pokey Oaks]

Thanks for the reply If the test comes up negative, I'll push for an endoscopy, just to be sure. I gotta say, the hell gluten foods are giving me since I started eating them again...even if everything comes back negative, I'll remove gluten anyway. I feel pretty awful.

[Pokey Oaks]

I just had a thought, my doctor told me a couple if weeks ago that my phosphate levels were up, which meant I was developing fatty liver.. After doing some reading, I'm not so sure.

Between low iron, low vitamin d, high phosphate and the stack of symptoms (Bloating, excessive wind, weight gain. diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, easy bruising, joint pain, lethargy) I'm tempted to just ask for the endoscopy now. I'll put money on it that my doctor will be reluctant though.

[GottaSki]

I just had a thought, my doctor told me a couple if weeks ago that my phosphate levels were up, which meant I was developing fatty liver.. After doing some reading, I'm not so sure.

Between low iron, low vitamin d, high phosphate and the stack of symptoms (Bloating, excessive wind, weight gain. diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, easy bruising, joint pain, lethargy) I'm tempted to just ask for the endoscopy now. I'll put money on it that my doctor will be reluctant though.

 

You will have a tough sell there...start with complete celiac antibody blood tests:

 

Total Serum IgA

tTG - IgA and IgG

EMA - IgA

DGP - IgA and IgG

 

Good Luck!