Testing

[Pileckim]

I was eating gluten-free for about 2 weeks because my husband and children have tested positive for Celiacs. My daughters MD stated that I should be tested too for for my knowledge. So I started eating gluten full food for 3 days before I got tested, was that enough time to eat glutens in order for my blood work to test correctly? Or should have I waited longer and eaten gluten foods longer before having my bloodwork?

[1desperateladysaved]

Usually, you need to eat gluten longer before taking the test.  If your test comes out positive it could really help define things for you, but if it were negative you could not be sure you don't have celiac.

 

Dee

[cyclinglady]

Tough to say, normally you would need to be eating gluten for 8 weeks in order to get an accurate blood test. Do you have celiac symptoms? Odds are that you do not have celiac disease, but then I had no clue that both my husband and I have celiac disease (I was diagnosed last year and he has been gluten free for 13 years). Our daughter tested negative. Too bad lottery odds have never been in our favor!

Check out our newbie site under "Coping". There are valuable tips regarding cross contamination (like kissing your hubby), hidden sources of gluten (lipstick, medications):

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

I encourage you to go gluten free in your home and get your gluten fix when are out of the house. With so many family members with celiac disease in the house, it will be easier.

Good luck and ask questions!

[nvsmom]

The autoantibodies can linger in the blood for a varying length of time.  I would guess that two weeks gluten-free is not enough time to get your autoantibodies down to normal but it could be.  There are a few people around here who had their tests go down to normal within a few weeks of eating gluten-free.  There are also a few people who were high after a year gluten-free.  The norm seems to be getting back to normal in between 3 and 6 months, but that is just my hypothesis based on what people around here seem to say - it is not based on any science to back it up.

 

If you could have, I would have waited a few more weeks before getting tested, but your test will probably be as close to reliable as a celiac test can get; the tests usually catch more than 75% of celiacs.

 

Welcome to the board.