Where should I go to get diagnosed?

[ClaraCk]

Hi all,

Can you please let me know where should I go to get diagnosed with celiac? And how is this done? I am in Amherst, MA, US.

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, ClaraCk!

Normally, there are two stages to a celiac diagnosis.

The first stage involves a blood draw which is sent off to a lab to check for antibodies produced by celiac disease. Your primary care doctor should be able to order this.

The second stage involves an endoscopy with biopsy of the lining of the small bowel which is done by a GI doc if the antibody testing produces positive results. Celiac disease damages the villous lining of the small bowel, something that is checked for microscopically by a lab when the biopsy is sent off. This second stage seeks to provide confirmation of the positive antibody tests from the first stage since there are other some other things that can produce positive antibody results or in the case where the antibody testing doesn't give clear results.

You must have been eating regular amounts of gluten (the equivalent of two slices of wheat bread daily) for at least a couple of months before the blood draw and at least two weeks before the endoscopy/biopsy for the testing to be valid. So, don't experiment with a gluten free diet yet.

Edited September 2, 2023 by trents

[ClaraCk]

2 minutes ago, trents said:

Welcome to the forum, ClaraCk!

Normally, there are two stages to a celiac diagnosis.

The first stage involves a blood draw which is sent off to a lab to check for antibodies produced by celiac disease. Your primary care doctor should be able to order this.

The second stage involves an endoscopy with biopsy of the lining of the small bowel which is done by a GI doc if the antibody testing produces positive results. Celiac disease damages the villous lining of the small bowel, something that is checked for microscopically by a lab when the biopsy is sent off. This second stage seeks to provide confirmation of the positive antibody tests from the first stage since there are other medical conditions that can produce positive antibody results or in the case where the antibody testing doesn't give clear results.

You must have been eating regular amounts of gluten (the equivalent of two slices of wheat bread daily) for at least a couple of months before the blood draw and at least two weeks before the endoscopy/biopsy for the testing to be valid. So, don't experiment with a gluten free diet yet.

Thank you so much for answering. I only feel pain in my stomach and have gas when I eat pasta, and also, only sometimes; 'not always' when I eat pasta, that is it.

Moreover, whenever I eat 'any' sort of peas, that happens too.

Is my digestive system just sensitive?

Does these alone can be a sign of this disease? Or being gluten intolerant? Or is it just because pasta and peas contain something that is hard to digest?

(Also, I am lactose intolerant but only when I drink milk, 'not' other diary-driven foods.)

[trents]

Lactose intolerance is often the result of celiac disease because of the damage done to the villous lining of the small bowel. This area of the bowel is where essentially all of the nutrition from the food we eat is absorbed. Many celiacs report that they can return to consuming dairy after they have been on a strict gluten free diet long enough for the villous lining to heal. This often takes around two years.

Do you get a tummy ache when eating other wheat products besides pasta, such as loaf bread? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

Edited September 2, 2023 by trents

[ClaraCk]

4 minutes ago, trents said:

Lactose intolerance is often the result of celiac disease because of the damage done to the villous lining of the small bowel. This area of the bowel is where essentially all of the nutrition from the food we eat is absorbed. Many celiacs report that they can return to consuming dairy after they have been on a strict gluten free diet long enough for the villous lining to heal. This often takes around two years.

Do you get a tummy ache when eating other wheat products besides pasta, such as loaf bread? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

No not at all, only pasta and only sometimes; not always.