How Long On Gluten To Get Accurate Test?

[Mia H]

I am wondering how long one must eat gluten to get an accurate blood test. I wrote to the celiac disease foundation at celiac.org and they said 3-4weeks. Also the book "Celiac disease" by Green and Jones says about a month.

I was on very low gluten for about 3 months and then slowly started eating it again until I was really sick and started figuring out what was going on. Then I went on gluten again for 3 weeks and just got my blood drawn last Fri. Waiting for result.

What I am wondering is, is there anyone out there who did a 3 week challenge and DID get a positive result? Is it possible that if I have celiac it will show up?

I know that I will give gluten up either way, it would just make life easier if the test were positive, it would be easier to be strict about it like at friends houses and going out to eat.

I guess I will cross one bridge at a time and wait for the result. If it is negative, should I try enterolab?

Thanks!

Mia

[Matilda]

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[Mia H]

Well, for blood tests no one really knows. Some people who were highly positve at diagnosis are still highly positive 6 months later. If you have really been "gluten -light" your results might not be at all accurate. The blood tests are very useful when they're positive, but not so useful when negative because they can't tell you that you definitely don't have a problem with gluten. If you really want to pursue an official diagnosis you should propably have not just blood tests but also an EGD and biopsy whilst eating gluten. If you just want to know for yourself, and don't want to eat gluten, Enterolab might be a good option.

Best wishes,

Matilda

What is an EGD? And are GI's likely to do a biopsy if my blood tests are negative?

Thank you for your reply, it helps!

Mia

[CarlaB]

I was avoiding wheat for three years, mostly. It seemed if I only ate it once per week I was okay, and that was true for while but made me gradually get sicker. This was when I thought I only had a wheat allergy. My blood test came back negative. I did a six week gluten challenge, then had a "negative" biopsy. I went to Enterolab and the results were positive. I also found the genetic testing they do to be extremely helpful. I was like you in that I knew gluten made me sick, but without a diagnosis I would be taken as being a hypochondriac by friends and family. Actually, I look so much better that no one can deny I had a serious problem. I would not encourage anyone to subject themselves to a gluten challenge with a resource like Enterolab.

[Mia H]

I was avoiding wheat for three years, mostly. It seemed if I only ate it once per week I was okay, and that was true for while but made me gradually get sicker. This was when I thought I only had a wheat allergy. My blood test came back negative. I did a six week gluten challenge, then had a "negative" biopsy. I went to Enterolab and the results were positive. I also found the genetic testing they do to be extremely helpful. I was like you in that I knew gluten made me sick, but without a diagnosis I would be taken as being a hypochondriac by friends and family. Actually, I look so much better that no one can deny I had a serious problem. I would not encourage anyone to subject themselves to a gluten challenge with a resource like Enterolab.

Thanks Carla,

I actually got my result back today of the blood test and they are negative;

So, should I keep eating gluten for another month and take a biopsy?

Can enterolab tell you if you have celiac or just if you have a gluten intolerance and do you need to eat gluten for it to be accurate? and how much does the test run? Is it a stool sample?

Thanks again for all the info!

Mia

[KaitiUSA]

I have heard from various sources that you should be on gluten for at least 3 months eating quite a bit of gluten every day in order to get accurate results for a blood test or biopsy.

[CarlaB]

Enterolab can tell you if you have the genes for celiac and if you are having a problem with malabsorption. You do not need to be eating gluten for Enterolab, but as others have said, I don't think 4 weeks is enough of a gluten challenge for the biopsy.

I did a gluten challenge for six weeks, but could not eat it every day because it made me so sick. I was at times so "foggy" that I didn't even feel safe to drive! Clearly it was a problem for me, so thinking back, I can't believe I insisted on having the biopsy!! Then, in the end, I didn't end up eating enough of it for long enough to show anything on the biopsy!