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

gluten-free For Only Three Weeks. Will Biopsy Still Show Accurate Results?

Jhoward521

Recommended Posts

Jhoward521 Newbie
Jhoward521
Posted

I have had severe abdominal pain for a couple months. So I tried gluten-free one day and two days later felt a change. I had blood work done about 10 days in and it showed positive for gluten intolerance. So the GI is now doing colonoscopy and endoscopy. I will be one day shy of 3 weeks gluten-free, with day 3 I have non gluten-free crackers. Other than that, gluten-free to the best of my knowledge. Can I still test positive for Celiacs if indeed I do have it? I have never eaten gluten-free in my life prior to these 3 weeks. I am imagining I still have plenty of gluten or damage to be seen in my system if that's the case.

I would love to hear back from people on this!!

P.S. I also rotate between constipation and loose bowels, I have the chicken skin arms they call it, borderline anemic, infertility issues.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If it were me, I would want to be sure I get an accurate biopsy result and start eating a little gluten everyday. The superficial damage can heal quickly. Sure, you might have enough damage to get an accurate result. Make sure he plans to take at least 6 biopsies to increase the chances that he finds some damage. The intestines are around 20 feet long and a biopsy is tiny.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Jhoward521 Newbie
Jhoward521
Posted
  • Author

If it were me, I would want to be sure I get an accurate biopsy result and start eating a little gluten everyday. The superficial damage can heal quickly. Sure, you might have enough damage to get an accurate result. Make sure he plans to take at least 6 biopsies to increase the chances that he finds some damage. The intestines are around 20 feet long and a biopsy is tiny.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

I can't eat today. I have test tomorrow. :(

NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted

While it is recommended to continue to be consuming gluten when you get tested, the inflammation is spotty and can come-and-go so even while you're eating gluten you can potentially get a false negative result.  However, I think a false negative is less likely if you're eating gluten.  In my case, my blood test came back positive and I stopped eating gluten right away.  My biopsy was 3 weeks later and it showed visible inflammation and the biopsy came back with moderate to severe villi damage.  But everyone is different and I think it really depends on the timing and getting lucky enough to catch it during a flare up.  But in general, the antibodies do not go away immediately and it is the antibodies that are causing the damage.  It can take months or even a year or two for all of the antibodies to die off.  On the other hand, many people see a very noticeable improvement in symptoms just a week or two into a gluten free diet, which would suggest that the inflammation in the intestine is likely already starting to improve - which would effect the outcome of the tests.

 

I hope I didn't confuse you even further... the short answer is that it depends.  Hopefully now you have an idea of what it can depend on...

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,684
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Betty Siebert
    Newest Member
    Betty Siebert
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

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



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

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

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • 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.    
×
×
  • 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.