Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Why Get A Biopsy?

Mayflowers

Recommended Posts

elye Community Regular
elye
Posted

We also had a rare experience with a very with-it GP. My dad has had celiac symptoms for years, and he recently had inconclusive blood test results. When he questioned his family doc about having a biopsy, the doc said, "your intestinal tract is twenty-two feet long. Chances are excellent that tiny samples taken from it, even if there are many, will not show damage. There's just too much there to get a full picture". And he proceeded to recommend the gluten-free diet as a diagnostic. Why aren't there more of them like that? :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Guest nini
Guest nini
Posted

Vincent, I LOVE your explanation! That's brilliant!

My personal opinion is that the biopsy is too risky, when you can simply TRY the gluten-free diet and see if it helps. You don't have to commit to it permanently if it doesn't help you, but give it a good effort, at least six months. It does NOT have to be expensive, in fact the way I do the diet for me and my daughter, our grocery bill is actually cheaper. I buy very few of the specialty products, but the ones I do buy, I portion them out and freeze things so that they last a lot longer.

Ok, so the biopsy can only confirm IF positive. The diet doesn't have to be expensive, you don't have to commit to it permanently IF IT DOESN'T HELP. But if it does help, you've saved yourself from a costly and potentially risky surgical procedure. You don't need a Dr.s permission to go gluten-free. If you do not have a diagnosis of Celiac on your permanent record, you won't have to worry about being denied health insurance because of a pre existing condition (and before anyone says "oh that doesn't happen, IT HAPPENED TO ME.) Don't trust me. Trust yourself.

Helena Contributor
Helena
Posted

I'm dealing with this very question right now, and I've found the conversation in this thread to be very helpful. Thanks :D

jukie Rookie
jukie
Posted

The positive labs were enough for me, but I have a family history of colon, stomach, and intestinal cancer (coincidence...I think not). Anyway, because of the family history and years of chronic illness, I went ahead with the endoscopy/colonoscopy for my own peace of mind. In the meantime, I'm having my 4 year old tested with Enterolab and will NOT allow an endoscopy for him regardless of the results.

  • 2 weeks later...
KaitiUSA Enthusiast
KaitiUSA
Posted

I don't recommend biopsies because they can rule celiac in but not out. The only reason to get a biopsy would be possibly to see how much if any damage has occured so far into it.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,343
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    emoryprose
    Newest Member
    emoryprose
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      plant sources of calcium, such as spinach, have calcium bound to oxalates, which is not good. best source of calcium is unfortunately dairy, do you tolerate dairy? fermented dairy like kefir is good and or a little hard cheese. i do eat dairy, i can only take so much dietary restriction and gluten is hard enough! but i guess some people do have bad reactions to it, so different for everyone.  
    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      i take b12, folate, b2, b6, glycine, Nac, zinc, vk2 mk4, magnesium, coq10, pqq, tmg, creatine, omega 3, molybdnem (sp) and just started vit d. quite a list i know.  I have high homocysteine (last checked it was 19, but is always high and i finally decided to do something about it) and very low vitamin d, 10. have been opposed to this supp in the past, but going to try it at 5k units a day. having a pth test on friday, which is suspect will be high. my homocysteine has come down to around 9 with 3 weeks of these supplements and expect it to go down further. i also started on estrogen/progesterone. I have osteoporosis too, so that is why the hormones.  anyway, i think all celiacs should have homocysteine checked and treated if needed (easy enough with b vit, tmg). homocysteine very bad thing to be high for a whole host of reasons. all the bad ones, heart attack , stroke, alzi, cancer..... one of the most annoying things about celiacs (and there are so many!) is the weight gain. i guess i stayed thin all those years being undiagnosed because i was under absorbing everything including calories. going gluten-free and the weight gain has been terrible, 30#, but i'm sure a lot more went into that (hip replacement - and years of hip pain leading to inactivity when i was previously very active, probably all related to celiacs, menopause) yada yada. i seemed to lose appetite control, like there was low glp, or leptin or whatever all those hormones are that tell you that you are full and to stop eating. my appetite is immense and i'm never full. i guess decades or more ( i think i have had celiacs since at least my teens - was hospitalized for abdominal pain and diarrhea for which spastic colon was eventually diagnosed and had many episodes of diarrhea/abdominal pain through my 20's. but that symptom seemed to go away and i related it to dairy much more so than gluten. Also my growth was stunted, i'm the only shorty in my family. anyway, decades of malabsorption and maldigestion led to constant hunger, at least thats my theory. then when i started absorbing normally, wham!! FAT!!!    
    • nanny marley
      Insomnia help

      By nanny marley · Posted

      Great advise there I agree with the aniexty part, and the aura migraine has I suffer both, I've also read some great books that have helped I'm going too look the one you mentioned up too thankyou for that, I find a camomile tea just a small one and a gentle wind down before bed has helped me too, I suffer from restless leg syndrome and nerve pain hence I don't always sleep well at the best of times , racing mind catches up I have decorated my whole house in one night in my mind before 🤣 diet changes mindset really help , although I have to say it never just disappears, I find once I came to terms with who I am I managed a lot better  , a misconception is for many to change , that means to heal but that's not always the case , understanding and finding your coping mechanisms are vital tools , it's more productive to find that because there is no failure then no pressure to become something else , it's ok to be sad it's ok to not sleep , it's ok to worry , just try to see it has a journey not a task 🤗
    • nanny marley
      nothing has changed

      By nanny marley · Posted

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again 
    • trents
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By trents · Posted

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.