Going Off Of Gluten Free Diet

[plantime]

Testing can be a :bbbb! I hope that they are able to learn something from your tests. It would really be nice for you to have something definitive to go by. Good luck with it, and don't forget to keep us posted! Thanks for the link, I will check it out when I have more time!

[uafnanook2001]

I have been reading this post with interest. Almost 4 years ago, I wasn't feeling right and I went lactose free. I was better but since having two relatives with confirmed celiac disease, I thought I would eliminate wheat, as well. For 3 yrs I was gluten-free/LF. Last summer (of 2011) I reintroduced lactose into my system. I have been fine. I am now wanting to slowly reintroduce gluten as I realize it was dumb of me to go 100% gluten-free for no real good reason. I had the saliva test for the celiac gene (I don't have it) and had some type of blood test (the Dr. said that it was negative, as well). I have the same symptoms now that I had 4 yrs ago and I'm thinking it was just the lactose bothering me mildly. I know that if I go 100% back onto gluten, of course I'll have problems. I'm just wondering if anybody knows how slowly I would need to reintroduce it. Take something like a dinner roll and eat 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon size of it every day for two weeks and then on the 3rd week, eat 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for two weeks etc? Or, is that unrealistically too slow? If I at all redevelop symptoms, I will quit the gluten. I just need to know, though, for sure in my own mind, if it's a wheat sensitivity or not.

[kareng]

The last post on this thread was over 7 years ago. I doubt any of the posters are still active on this forum.

[GFinDC]

I have been reading this post with interest. Almost 4 years ago, I wasn't feeling right and I went lactose free. I was better but since having two relatives with confirmed celiac disease, I thought I would eliminate wheat, as well. For 3 yrs I was gluten-free/LF. Last summer (of 2011) I reintroduced lactose into my system. I have been fine. I am now wanting to slowly reintroduce gluten as I realize it was dumb of me to go 100% gluten-free for no real good reason. I had the saliva test for the celiac gene (I don't have it) and had some type of blood test (the Dr. said that it was negative, as well). I have the same symptoms now that I had 4 yrs ago and I'm thinking it was just the lactose bothering me mildly. I know that if I go 100% back onto gluten, of course I'll have problems. I'm just wondering if anybody knows how slowly I would need to reintroduce it. Take something like a dinner roll and eat 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon size of it every day for two weeks and then on the 3rd week, eat 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for two weeks etc? Or, is that unrealistically too slow? If I at all redevelop symptoms, I will quit the gluten. I just need to know, though, for sure in my own mind, if it's a wheat sensitivity or not.

Hi Uafnanook,

What you are considering is called a gluten challenge. That's when you have been gluten-free for a while and then try gluten again. It is a pretty good diagnostic tool. I think it would be best to start slow the first couple of days. Keep a journal of your food you are eating and how you feel each day. To be sure you are reacting or not reacting to gluten, don't eat anything out of the ordinary during the challenge except the gluten. A good test would be to eat regular wheat bread for a few days. No pizza or anything else, just wheat bread. The fewer variables in your diet the easier it is to identify the culprit. After a week of no changes except for adding wheat bread to your diet, there should be some noticeable changes in your symptoms if you are having a reaction. Remember that symptoms are not confined to digestive issues. You could have nerve symptoms, bone or joint pain, headaches rashes or other symptoms instead. Or your you may grow horns. Ok, kidding on the last one about the horns. But if that does happen be sure to tell us about it

[TJSpin]

Susan,

Just curious....after your guten sensitivity test at Enterolab, was the malabsorption test the next in line for your celiac diagnosis? Did you consider the stool test for transglutaminase? My 6 year old just got her gluten sensitivity test back and I want to test for celiac but do not want the biopsy for her. Based on your experience with Enterolab, would you recommend the malabsorption over the transglutaminase test?

Susan:

I was tested through Enterolab and my test results were positive for "gluten sensitivity", I also tested positive for "malabsorption due to small intestinal damage".