Gp confirmed blood tests shows I am likely celiac. Please help

[TheSootyShow]

I had a text from my GP saying that my blood tests showed concerns over celiac after having multiple symptoms and being tested. She said she'd call me tomorrow, I am feeling so overwhelmed. Not sure the point of this, but just looking for some support. I don't know anyone that's celiac and I know very little about it. 

[Wheatispoison]

2 hours ago, TheSootyShow said:

I had a text from my GP saying that my blood tests showed concerns over celiac after having multiple symptoms and being tested. She said she'd call me tomorrow, I am feeling so overwhelmed. Not sure the point of this, but just looking for some support. I don't know anyone that's celiac and I know very little about it. 

Hi there, one go through all your cupboards and go through EVERYTHING, anything that say 'contains gluten or wheat or barley or rye' give it away, anything that says 'may contain.... ' can be a bit hit and miss, it means the equipment used to make it also is used on gluten containing products, some cadbury chocolate is a good example safe to eat, but says 'may contain', eliminate all the obvious things, bread, pasta, jelly lollies, beer, most take away, and adopt a more meat veg salads and fruit type diet, also avoid 'hickory smoke flavour'. Also soy sauce, replace that with a gluten free one. Also check your ice cream, cheap ones tend to have wheat in them, You'll need to re-learn how to shop because gluten free items are scattered throughout different places in most supermarkets, but you'll find cookies wraps bread pasta etc, also very expensive, but worth it you'll soon realise how terrible you've felt for many years..... 

[trents]

Celiac disease is not an allergy to wheat or gluten. It is an autoimmune disorder. Your immune system mistakenly identifies the gluten in wheat, barley and rye as an invader as soon as it comes in contact with the mucosa that lines the small bowel, or the "villi" as we call them. The immune system attacks the gluten but in the process the inflammatory reaction causes damage to the villi that over time greatly reduces the surface area needed to absorb nutrients from our diet. Over time, this results in nutritional deficiencies that can cause other health issues such as osteopenia/osteoporosis, anemia, and even neurological damage. The inflammation in the villous lining of the small bowel may or may not produce abdominal discomfort or diarrhea. Many celiacs do not "feel anything." We call them "silent" celiacs. Anyway, the inflammation produces antibodies that can be detected in the blood and this is the test you have just had done. This is stage 1 of diagnosing celiac disease. If your antibody levels are very high (10x normal), your physician may declare a diagnosis of celiac disease and dispense with the second stage of diagnosis described in my next paragraph.

Your physician may refer you to a GI doc for the purpose of performing an endoscopy with biopsy of the small bowel to physically examine the damage to the villi by a lab under a microscope in order to confirm the results of the blood antibody testing. So, until all tests are performed you should continue to eat regular amounts of gluten.

Edited October 11, 2023 by trents

[Scott Adams]

This article has some detailed information on how to be 100% gluten-free, so it may be helpful (be sure to also read the comments section.):