About Gluten Challenge

[ceceliac]

Hi, I didnt know where to put this topic, so i put it here.

 

I want to tell you about the gluten challenge. This is just my friend's experience, and i'm not a doctor.

 

My friend was diagnosed with celiac disease when he was 3 years old, now he is 21. Last year he went to the doctor to have follow up testing. The doctor told him to do a gluten challenge (i dont know why!!!) and so he did. After 3 months of eating gluten (a normal gluten diet, not 2 or 3 slices of bread) He was tested for celiac (biopsy and antibodies) and his results were ALL negative. He was diagnosed as "normal (?)". 

 

15 months later, he came back to the doctor to get tested again, because he was told to get tested once a year, and guess what? He got positive results and he was diagnosed with celiac disease today.

 

So the gluten challenge may not be accurate for some people.. if you got negative test results after a gluten challenge you may still have celiac disease!!

 

I personally dont reommend it, i tried to do it but i was able to eat 1 little piece of bread every 4 days because of the symptoms. I only did it for 1 month so it was useless.

 

Some doctors recommend 6 months of gluten for tests to be "accurate".

 

 

[nvsmom]

Yep, longer is always better when it comes to a gluten challenge.  Better yet is to get tested BEFORE going gluten-free - a life of eating gluten is always going to be the most accurate.

 

I hope your friend found a new doctor!  What a moron!   He caused your friend a health set back.  Once you have celiac disease, you have it for life.  Those with diabetes (type 1), lupus, or MS don't suddenly get cured just because they are treating the disease properly. Why the doctor thought your friend could be cured after a couple of decades of eating gluten-free is beyond my understanding...