New Here

[Samantha TH]

Hi all, 

I’m Samantha and I’m new here. I see GI on the 8th of Jan for more testing since I was already on gluten-free diet when my PCP ran blood work and everything came back relatively normal. 
well, after cutting out gluten my symptoms (which I totally thought were normal…for so long…) basically disappeared despite complaining to my pcp for years about abdominal discomfort and gastro issues. 
anyway, my symptoms went from heavy bloating (could literally lift my belly and relieve pressure/weight) gas, constant bouts between constipation and diarrhea, to swollen joints and blisters on my knuckles to nothing. 
I say all of this to say, i think I was recwntly glutened because so many symptoms have returned and I’ve been going back and forth to the bathroom, gas, bloating, etc and I just feel awful. Can’t wait for this to pass so I can feel better again. 
also, I’m curious if you guys think the GI will hav new reintroduce gluten before he runs more blood tests? 
mom hoping to learn here and find support because I’m not sure people around me really understand what I’m experiencing with this. 
thanks so much! 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Samantha TH!

There is no test for celiac disease that the GI doc can run if you have been on a gluten free diet. For any celiac disease test to be valid you would have to go back on regular amounts of gluten for a period of weeks. But I think you have the answer that you need by the improvement of your symptoms since removing gluten from your diet. Yes, it is difficult for the non celiac to understand what celiac disease is and how serious the celiac must be in avoiding gluten if they are to preserve their health. One of the hardest things for them to understand is that celiac disease is not an allergy but an autoimmune disorder that damages the lining of the small bowel. Perhaps putting together a concise, bulleted handout (or email) to educate friends and family members would help with some. You are not alone in this challenge:

 

[Scott Adams]

Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.

Here is more info about how to do a gluten challenge for a celiac disease blood panel, or for an endoscopy:

Quote

"...in order to properly diagnose celiac disease based on serology and duodenal histology, doctors need patients to be on gluten-containing diets, even if they are causing symptoms, and this is called a "gluten challenge."

• Eat gluten prior to celiac disease blood tests: The amount and length of time can vary, but is somewhere between 2 slices of wheat bread daily for 6-8 weeks and 1/2 slice of wheat bread or 1 wheat cracker for 12 weeks 12 weeks;
• Eat gluten prior to the endoscopic biopsy procedure: 2 slices of wheat bread daily for at least 2 weeks;

and this recent study recommends 4-6 slices of wheat bread per day: