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Feeling confused. Gluten sensitive or celiacs?

SuperWhoLock88

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SuperWhoLock88 Newbie
SuperWhoLock88
Posted

About four months ago my mom brought my attention to the signs of gluten sensitivity and celiac. I read as much as I could find about it and figured there was a good chance it fit but I also read to not just go off of gluten because it would screw up the testing. So I waited and spoke with my doctor who told me to go ahead and go off of gluten for a month and see if the symptoms go away then of they do eat gluten see if they came back. I did so and the difference it has made for my health has been crazy. I ate a flour tortilla and started having the gastrointestinal issues again so I've stayed away from gluten. Well today I ate some normal noodles because it was all I had at the house and I didn't think just that little bit would cause issues because I thought I just had a sensitivity to gluten but literally within an hour I felt bloated and started having stomach problems. And even now my stomach is hurting and we'll pardon me for the crudeness but I have a constant feeling of needing to poop but am constipated. I also have a little rash type thing on my legs. So I'm wondering if it's possible I actually have celiac's and not just a sensitivity and if so do I need to get more medical testing? 

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GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Your doctor flubbed up big time if he told you to go gluten-free before doing testing.  Diagnosis involves both blood tests for gliaden antibodies and an endoscopy to take biopsy samples for gut damage analysis.  If you want to get tested now after a month off gluten, you'll need to start eating gluten again for 12 weeks.  It's often easier and less painful to do the celiac testing before starting the gluten-free diet.

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  • Prior to blood testing we recommend 12 weeks of eating gluten.
  • Prior to an endoscopic biopsy we recommend 2 weeks of eating gluten.

In the case of a severe reaction to gluten, a medical professional may opt to shorten the 12-week challenge and move immediately to an endoscopic biopsy. May, 2013

SuperWhoLock88 Newbie
SuperWhoLock88
Posted
  • Author

That's what I figured. I guess my next question is how important is it for me to be tested? Like am I ok to just stop eating gluten or is a test super important?

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

This article says it well:

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Here is the author's bio (MD, celiac herself, training at U of Chicago (leading research hospital, celiac disease and a dietician!):  

Open Original Shared Link

 

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    • par18
      Is it gluten?

      By par18 · Posted

      Thanks for the reply. 
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      nothing has changed

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you’re describing is actually very common, and unfortunately the timing of the biopsy likely explains the confusion. Yes, it is absolutely possible for the small intestine to heal enough in three months on a strict gluten-free diet to produce a normal or near-normal biopsy, especially when damage was mild to begin with. In contrast, celiac antibodies can stay elevated for many months or even years after gluten removal, so persistently high antibody levels alongside the celiac genes and clear nutrient deficiencies strongly point to celiac disease, even if you don’t feel symptoms. Many people with celiac are asymptomatic but still develop iron and vitamin deficiencies and silent intestinal damage. The lack of immediate symptoms makes it harder emotionally, but it doesn’t mean gluten isn’t harming you. Most specialists would consider this a case of celiac disease with a false-negative biopsy due to early healing rather than “something else,” and staying consistently gluten-free is what protects you long-term—even when your body doesn’t protest right away.
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