New With Some Questions

[Kelly J.]

Hello! I was told this week that my blood tests were positive for celiac disease. My gastrointerologist scheduled me for an endoscopy on the 26th of this month. I asked if I should switch to a gluten free diet, but the secretary at the gastrointerologist's office said to continue eating wheat as I normally would until after this endoscopy has been done and biopsies have been taken. I'm feeling miserable (tired, irritable, bloated, crampy, and depressed), and I'd really like to start the gluten free diet NOW. Is it really necessary for me to continue to eat the way I was before I got the blood test results back until I have this endoscopy? I'm assuming any damage that has been done would still be there by then anyway even if I did eat gluten free, because I read it can take about two years for the celia to repair itself.

As far as the gluten free diet, I'm a bit overwhelmed about it, but I've started reading some info on this website and that's been somewhat helpful.

Any advice, suggestions and info anyone has to share would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Kelly J.

PS. I'm also getting married this September, and I'm making the wedding cake myself. Any suggestions on a gluten free wedding cake recipe? We were hoping to have a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Can rice flour or potato flour be substituted for regular flour to make it gluten free?

[jerseyangel]

Hi Kelly and welcome to the board!

I have to agree with the nurse--you need to stay on gluten right up to the biopsy. Not doing so, even for a relitively short time could very well skew the result. Hang in there! I know how tempting it is to want to get rid of the gluten now and start feeling better.

Have you read through any of the old posts yet? There is a ton of good, practical information here. The people here are more than happy to share their experiences and knowledge.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! If you deceide to make your cake from scratch, most would agree that a mixture of 3-4 gluten-free flours work best. Here is a link to some ideas--

https://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid...-56106280986.74

The Gluten Free Pantry has a very good Spice Cake mix and also an equally good white cake mix. The link never seems to work for me, but their website is --www.gluten free.com.

Feel free to ask any questions you have along the way--we talk about everything here!

[Guest Viola]

Hi Kelly;

It sounds like Patti has covered your questions very well, I just wanted to welcome you to the board and congratulations on the up-coming wedding!

[KaitiUSA]

I agree your questions were pretty much already answered but I will say again. Stay on gluten all the way up to the biopsy. Do not go gluten free at all until after all testing is done. Also, remember that even with a negative biopsy you can still have celiac. There could be sporadic damage that they miss or no damage yet if its in beginning stages. Just an fyi for you:)