Gastroscopy??

[awright24]

Hi, I had a referral back in December and just had a phone call today saying I've got an appointment with gastroscopy. They also said that I need to be gluten free for 4 weeks before my appointment? 

Does this sound right to you? I'm so confused because I was under the belief that I needed to eat gluten continuously until I've had the biopsy to see if I have celiac? 

 

I'll be getting a letter in the next few days bit just really confused. 

[Kaylee G]

I would double-check with your office, because that doesn’t sound correct. There’s a small chance they’re attempting to measure improvements after you begin a gluten free diet, but I’d say this is most likely a miscommunication error.

[Scott Adams]

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: