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New - Concerned About Upcoming Biopsy

Peridot

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Peridot Newbie
Peridot
Posted

Hi all, I am quite new to the world of celiac having only yesterday received a result from blood tests that came back as a low positive.

After 40 years of eating basically whatever I liked, I had minor (but noticeable) symptoms for about 3-4 months this year before crashing big time about 11 weeks ago. Nausea, flushes, excessive gas, diarrohea, anxiety, excessive weight loss etc. It meant I could hardly eat and consequently I stopped eating gluten (although this was not intentional) as foods containing this made me feel so much worse. The symptoms are slowly fading which I was grateful for.

I live in a rural area of Australia and medical facilities are few and far between. I went to the doctor immediately but it tooks weeks of other tests before he gave me a referral to a gastroenterologist and that is for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I won't actually have a consult with the gastro though. Last week my doc decided to do the bloods for celiacs and lo and behold it came back with a low positive result.

My concern is that my biopsy isn't scheduled for another 2 1/2 weeks away. There is no way I can get it done sooner. I have already been following a gluten free diet for approximately 7 weeks and doing a bit of reading it seems I may have done the wrong thing. Although I feel better, will the gastro be able to ID celiacs after I have followed a gluten free diet for about 10 weeks? To be truthful I am scared to eat gluten foods again because they make me feel so incredibly awful - what do I do? Do I force myself to eat gluten for the next few weeks and feel shocking so I get an easy ID or do I continue and hope for the best?

It is possible I have other malabsorptions going on and there may be other things there that the endoscopy/colonoscopy will pick up. However, having read about celiacs and its symptoms etc. having the positive blood result felt 'right'.

Any advice welcome!

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flagbabyds Collaborator
flagbabyds
Posted

I would eat gluten because that is the only way of getting a positive test, unless you don't care about having a comfirmative biopsy, then you might as well just cancel the appt, and say that the blood test is enough of a positive for you, because there are chances that the biopsy will be neg, even if you go back on gluten, but don't use that. If gluten-free makes you feel better, then stay on the diet, and use the blood test as a good enough diagnostic test.

Hoosiergirl Newbie
Hoosiergirl
Posted

I'm in the same boat you are as far as being gluten free for about 8 weeks before a GI specialist told me to go back on gluten for two weeks before they did a biopsy. In order to make it easier on me, the doctor gave me a prescription for an anti-nausea drug called Zofran. It's definately helping me get through the day. I still have to deal with all the other symptoms but the nausea hasn't really been a factor this week. Would this be an option for you?

Sheri

Hi all, I am quite new to the world of celiac having only yesterday received a result from blood tests that came back as a low positive.

After 40 years of eating basically whatever I liked, I had minor (but noticeable) symptoms for about 3-4 months this year before crashing big time about 11 weeks ago. Nausea, flushes, excessive gas, diarrohea, anxiety, excessive weight loss etc. It meant I could hardly eat and consequently I stopped eating gluten (although this was not intentional) as foods containing this made me feel so much worse. The symptoms are slowly fading which I was grateful for.

I live in a rural area of Australia and medical facilities are few and far between. I went to the doctor immediately but it tooks weeks of other tests before he gave me a referral to a gastroenterologist and that is for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I won't actually have a consult with the gastro though. Last week my doc decided to do the bloods for celiacs and lo and behold it came back with a low positive result.

My concern is that my biopsy isn't scheduled for another 2 1/2 weeks away. There is no way I can get it done sooner. I have already been following a gluten free diet for approximately 7 weeks and doing a bit of reading it seems I may have done the wrong thing. Although I feel better, will the gastro be able to ID celiacs after I have followed a gluten free diet for about 10 weeks? To be truthful I am scared to eat gluten foods again because they make me feel so incredibly awful - what do I do? Do I force myself to eat gluten for the next few weeks and feel shocking so I get an easy ID or do I continue and hope for the best?

It is possible I have other malabsorptions going on and there may be other things there that the endoscopy/colonoscopy will pick up. However, having read about celiacs and its symptoms etc. having the positive blood result felt 'right'.

Any advice welcome!

flagbabyds Collaborator
flagbabyds
Posted

Fenergen is another anti-nausea which works real well, very good! but it might knock you out, you can take it very often.

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