New With Quesions..

[Momtwoboys]

Hi,

I have been having GI problems ( mostly cramps and diaherria) since the birth of my eldest child (5yrs). I have been to a GI specialist and he did a colonoscopy. He found nothing and diagnosed me with IBS. I still continue to have problems and have developed others since that time that include hypothyroidism, rash on inside of forearms, and scalp sores. I'd like to add that I had been on a low carb diet and had felt some releif. Could I possibly have celiac disease? Should I find a different GI specialist? And, what test should I have done?

TIA

Chris

[CarlaB]

It is definately a possibility. You should ask for a celiac panel. There should be about 5 different tests done, I'm sure someone will post what they are ... After you get those results, which will tell you if you are reacting to gluten, most docs will want to do a biopsy of the small intestine. Do not stop eating gluten until all the testing is completed if you want a diagnosis. If you don't need a diagnosis, then you can stop eating gluten and see what you're dietary response is. An alternative to traditional testing is www.enterolab.com. Their tests are a bit more sensitive, but can only diagnose gluten sensitivity not necessarily celiac.

So, it's up to you what path of testing you decide to do. Feel free to ask questions, and welcome!

[Canadian Karen]

Hi Chris! Welcome to the board!

It certainly is a definite possibility that celiac is behind your problems. It is well documented that celiac can lie "dormant" in you for years until it gets "triggered" by either an infection (mono, meningitis, rotivirus, etc.) or a very stressful event in your life (pregnancy, loss of someone close, stress of work, etc.)

The fact that the low carb diet seemed to bring you "some relief" would also be an indicator. What I would suggest is to pursue it further, ask for an endoscopy with numerous biopsies and get the bloodwork done (make sure it is the full panel). Keep in mind that there are many false negatives, particularly if the antibodies are just at their beginning stages and don't register on the bloodwork yet and if you have minor villi damage, it could very easily be missed with the biopsies.

The general consensus around here is that the ONLY true test is trying the gluten free diet and seeing if you have a positive response to that. There are many, many people who are on this board who don't have the official diagnosis of celiac but are obviously gluten intolerant because they have had incredible success upon going gluten free.

Any questions you have, just ask away!

Again, welcome!

Karen

[tarnalberry]

It's possible. Did the GI do any biopsies with that test? You can either insist upon a blood test, from even your GP (though it may not be accurate if you're low carb), or just go totally gluten free, and see if that helps.

[Momtwoboys]

I have made an appointment with the same GI specialist instead of starting all over with a new. I am going to request a celiac panel since the more I read the more I think celiac is a possibility. I have not been on a low carb diet for months now so it shouldn't affect the results. I'll come back when I have results.

Thanks again,

Chris