Ta-da! I'm New!

[justjane]

Hi! I am 19 and I've been struggling with stomache aches for the past 8 years. I've had a lot of the tests done, except they were done when I was 15. I am not sure if the doctors ruled out Celiac, but I have my test results just need some help deciphering them. If any of you experts have any ideas, I'd love to hear it.

Also, I started a *real* gluten-free diet in May and have only been glutened two times. Other than the times being glutened, my asthma which is very severe, has stopped!! The top of my belly is starting to feel a lot better, but now my ovary area hurts like there are razors in there. This happened to me in April of 2004 and it was horrible. I have other symptoms too when on gluten. I don't know what to make of all this stuff:

9-26-03 TTG Tissue Trans Glutanomace = 9 (apparently anything under 20 is normal)

9-27-03 Pelvic ultra sound - negative

Abdominal sonogram - negative

8-1-03 Colon/upper endoscopy

Multiple biopsies

Transvers colon - mild active colitis

Left colon - mild chronic active colitis

Villi - normal

Villi blunting - capsule

So, as you can see this was a few years ago. Could my villi have changed sinse then?

I am planning to get a blood test soon. Have I been off of gluten long enough to screw up the blood test?

If anyone would care to share, I'd appreciate.

justjane

[utdan]

I'm no expert on celiac yet but I just wanted to say Welcome! I wish I had known I was celiac at 19!

[Ursa Major]

Hi Jane, and welcome to our board. Yes, you have been off gluten too long for testing to mean anything. But I say your improvements speak volumes. Your asthma went away off gluten, that's fabulous! That in itself is a good enough reason to stay away from gluten forever, and is all the evidence you really need. Keep up the good work!

[schuyler]

Welcome. I am not an expert, but I do know that being off gluten can effect your test results. However, since you said that you had asthma while eating gluten, I'm not sure that it would be a good idea to eat gluten again. Obviously, you are improving since going gluten-free, so to me, that's showing that you do have a problem with gluten. If a diagnosis is important to you, then you should go back on gluten until your testing. However, regardless of the resluts, you should go gluten-free for afterwards since you have improved so much being gluten-free. Good luck

Danielle

[mommida]

I don't reccomend a gluten challenge for any one. If you have further concerns about diagnoses, you could consider a genetic testing. Doctors still will not take that as an official diagnoses, but combining those results with the dietary response most will consider a gluten free diet the best course for you.

L.