Potential celiac need advice

[Ben98]

TTG blood test and total IGA tested on many occasions which have always remained normal, upper GI pain under my ribs since 2022. I had an endoscopy in 2023 which showed moderate gastritis. no biopsy’s were taken unfortunately. genetic test was positive for HLADQ2. extreme bloating after eating gluten, it’ll feel like I’ve got bricks in my stomach so uncomfortably full. the pain is like a dull ache under the upper left almost like a stitch feeling after a long walk. I am just wanting some advice has anyone here experienced gastritis with a gluten issue before? thank you  

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Ben98!

If you have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding gluten because of the discomfort it produces then it is likely that your blood antibody testing for celiac disease has been rendered invalid. Valid testing requires regular consumption of generous amounts of gluten. The other strong possibility is that you have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease but does not have the autoimmune component and thus does not damage the small bowel lining. It is 10x mor common than celiac disease. There is currently no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. Some experts in the field believe it can be a precursor to the development of celiac disease. Having one or both of the primary genes for developing celiac disease does not imply that you will develop active celiac disease. It simply establishes the potential for it. About 40% of the population has the genetic potential but only about 1% develop active celiac disease. 

[Wheatwacked]

On 10/4/2025 at 8:12 AM, Ben98 said:

extreme bloating after eating gluten, it’ll feel like I’ve got bricks in my stomach

On 10/4/2025 at 8:12 AM, Ben98 said:

has anyone here experienced gastritis with a gluten issue before?

Yes.  Now, if you hit your finger with a hammer once, wouldn't you do your best not to do it again?  You have identified a direct connection between gluten and pain.  Gluten is your hammer.  Now you have to decide if you need a medical diagnosis.  Some countries have aid benefits tgat you can get if you have the diagnosis, but you must continue eating a gluten-normal diet while pursuing the diagnosis.

Otherwise the only reason to continue eating gluten is social.

There are over 200 symptoms that could be a result of celiac disease..

Celiac Disease and Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity  both cause multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  Dealing with that should help your recovery, even while eating gluten.  Phosphatidyl Choline supplements can help your gut if digesting fats is a problem,  Consider that any medications you take could be causing some of the symptoms, aside from gluten.

 

 

 

 

[Scott Adams]

It seems like you have two choices--do a proper gluten challenge and get re-tested, or just go gluten-free because you already know that it is gluten that is causing your symptoms.

In order to screen someone for celiac disease they need to be eating gluten daily, a lot of it--they usually recommend at least 2 slices of wheat bread daily for 6-8 weeks before a blood screening, and at least 2 weeks before an endoscopy (a colonoscopy is no used to diagnose celiac disease).

Normally the blood panel is your first step, and if you have ANY positive results there for celiac disease the next step would be to take biopsies of your villi via an endoscopy given by a gastroenterologist. 

More info on the blood tests and the gluten challenge beforehand is below:

The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.

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:

 

Not to discourage you from a formal diagnosis, but once you are diagnosed it may lead to higher life and medical insurance rates (things will be changing quickly in the USA with the ACA starting in 2026), as well as the need to disclose it on job applications. While I do think it's best to know for sure--especially because all of your first degree relatives should also get screened for it--I also want to disclose some negative possibilities around a formal diagnosis that you may want to also consider.

 

[itsdunerie]

15 years ago my best friend 'diagnosed' me as Celiac. Her little nephew had been formally diagnosed and her observations of me dealing with brain fog, stomach problems and other stuff had her convincing me to try going gluten free. Oh my heavens, within 3 days, no lie, I felt human again. Took me about a y

[itsdunerie]

Just now, itsdunerie said:

Poop head, sorry, but I accidentally posted and can't figure out how to continue my post. My long winded post was going to tell you that after I figu

Dang......did it again and yeah I should admit I am 63 with clumsy phone thumbs. I started feeling better quickly and a doctor a year later said I had to eat  poison (gluten) every day for a month so he could formally diagnose me and NO FREAKING WAY. I couldn't then and can't imagine putting my body through that crap (no pun intended) on purpose ever again.  Why ingest poison for a month to have some doctor say Hey, All you Have To Do Is Never Eat poison Again.. 

[knitty kitty]

Have you tried a genetic test to look for Celiac genes?  No gluten challenge required.  

[Ben98]

Yes gene HLADQ2 was positive