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

"gluten Challenge"

dmbaird1230

Recommended Posts

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted

Has anyone heard of a "gluten challenge"? Where you have to be eating gluten for a certain amout of time before the biopsy for the biopsy to be correct. I had a blood test about 6 years ago and one of the antibodies was positive so I went on a gluten free diet and I also had a biopsy done 4 years ago and it came back inconclusive, but now I'm finding out that you have to have the gluten in your sytem to determine if you're really celiac or not. Is this correct?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

To have any chance at an accurate test you have to eat gluten every day for up to three months. Why are you considering this? Do you doubt that you have celiac?

richard

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted
  • Author

I'm considering getting another endoscopy b/c it's not 100% sure that I have celiac. 6 years ago I went to an allergist and found out that I'm allergic to wheat, then I got a blood test and one of the antibodies was positive, but they said that only way to be 100% sure is to get an endoscopy. I didn't want to do that at the time, so I went on the gluten free diet and then I wound up getting the endoscopy 2 years later and the results came back inconclusive, and I'm wondering if that's b/c I wasn't eating gluten before the test (well, I may have been eating trace amounts in modified food starch, etc) So, I guess I would just like some concrete answers as to if I have celiac disease or not. I just made an appt. w/ a GI, but the earliest appt. isn't until Oct. 4th, so I'm not sure if I should try to get gluten in my system before the dr. appt. or just wait to see what he has to say.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Did you have some sort of health problems that went away after you went gluten-free? If so, in some circles your postive blood test plus improvement on the diet would be considered proof.

Anyway, eating gluten from now until Oct. 4 might or might not be long enough. Everybody is different, but I think the top experts say you need to eat it for three months.

richard

flagbabyds Collaborator
flagbabyds
Posted

If you feel better on the gluten-free diet then you don't need to have the biopsy but if you have had no imporovement then you may want to have the biopsy to make sure this is actually what you have.

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted
  • Author

What does anyone else know about how long you have to be eating gluten before a correct biopsy can be done?

Thanks

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Most experts seem to agree you need to eat gluten for at least two months, preferably three. And even then damage depends on the individual.

richard

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted
  • Author

I just got the results from my bloodwork that was taken in 1998 while I was still eating gluten and the IGG antibody was 17.1 and the normal range was <7

I sent this to my dr. to see what he has to say. I'm hoping that I might not have to have another endoscopy done.

Guest ~wAvE WeT sAnD~
Guest ~wAvE WeT sAnD~
Posted

Just my two cents: If you've got the antibodies for sure, skip the endoscopy. Let that be proof-I don't believe anyone should suffer the "Gluten Challenge"--that just prolongs your symptoms.

Thanks for listening,

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

After 6 years of being 100% gluten free (or as close to it as possible!) it might take longer than 3 months back on gluten to cause enough damage to be seen with the endoscopy. Chances of your biopsy showing positive damage by October are pretty slim.

I did a gluten challenge this last winter and was back on gluten for two months. (I had only been gluten free off and on for a total of about two months over a two year period) My biopsy still came back negative, since most doctor will only look for complete damage. I am considering having my biopsy slides reevaluated for signs of early stages of damage, but not sure I can afford the expense.

You could try a few days back on gluten and see if it makes you feel sick. I personally wouldn't risk it, but I can understand your need for a concrete answer. That is why I had the Enterolab tests done, since the conventional tests kept coming back inconclusive and I could not commit myself to a lifelong diet if I didn't really have a problem with gluten. Well, I got so sick during that two month gluten challenge that I would never purposefully go back on gluten EVER!

Let us know what you decide to do. We'll all be here to support you no matter what you decide! :)

God bless,

Mariann

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted
  • Author

Another thing on top of the fact that I was positive for the IGg antibodies back in 1998, I also went to an allergist then and they told me that I'm allergic to wheat. I'm just confused as what I should do.

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted
  • Author

Well, this past weekend I did my own "gluten challenge", I ate some stuff like pizza and wheat bread and I got my answer b/c both Sat. and Sunday I had gas and integestion/acid reflux, basically I felt the way I did before I went on the gluten free diet. So my husband and I just decided that I'll stay on the gluten free diet and forget about doing the endoscopy again. If I felt this bad eating gluten for 2 days I don't want to have to eat it for 3 months before the endoscopy!

So...on with the gluten-free diet!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. captaincrab55
      - captaincrab55 replied to lmemsm's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      11

      Finding gluten free ingredients

      Imemsm, Most of us have experienced discontinued, not currently available or products that suddenly become seasonal. My biggest fear about relocating from Maryland to Florida 5 years ago, was being able to find gluten-free foods that fit my restricted diet. I soon found out that the Win Dixie and Publix supper markets actually has 99% of their gluten-free...
    2. rei.b
      - rei.b replied to rei.b's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      Okay well the info about TTG-A actually makes a lot of sense and I wish the PA had explained that to me. But yes, I would assume I would have intestinal damage from eating a lot of gluten for 32 years while having all these symptoms. As far as avoiding gluten foods - I was definitely not doing that. Bread, pasta, quesadillas (with flour tortillas) and...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to rei.b's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      So you're saying that you think you should have severe intestinal damage since you've had the symptoms so long? DGP IgG antibodies are produced in response to a partial gluten molecule. This is different than what tissue transglutaminase antibodies are produced in response to. TTg IgA antibodies are produced in the intestines in response to...
    4. rei.b
      - rei.b replied to rei.b's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      I was tested for celiac at the same time, so I wasn't taking naltrexone yet. I say that, because I don't. The endoscopy showed some mild inflammation but was inconclusive as to celiac disease. They took several biopsies and that's all that was shown. I was not given a Marsh score.
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to rei.b's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      13

      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      Food and environmental allergies involve IgE antibodies. IgE antibodies provoke histamine release from mast cells. Celiac disease is not always visible to the naked eye during endoscopy. Much of the damage is microscopic and patchy or out of reach of the scope. Did they take any biopsies of your small intestine for a pathologist to examine? Were...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,130
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Tony White
    Newest Member
    Tony White
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • captaincrab55
      Finding gluten free ingredients

      By captaincrab55 · Posted

      Imemsm, Most of us have experienced discontinued, not currently available or products that suddenly become seasonal.   My biggest fear about relocating from Maryland to Florida 5 years ago, was being able to find gluten-free foods that fit my restricted diet.  I soon found out that the Win Dixie and Publix supper markets actually has 99% of their gluten-free foods tagged, next to the price.  The gluten-free tags opened up a  lot of foods that aren't actually marked gluten-free by the manufacture.  Now I only need to check for my other dietary restrictions.  Where my son lives in New Hartford, New York there's a Hannaford Supermarket that also has a gluten-free tag next to the price tag.  Hopefully you can locate a Supermarket within a reasonable travel distance that you can learn what foods to check out at a Supermarket close to you.  I have dermatitis herpetiformis too and I'm very sensitive to gluten and the three stores I named were very gluten-free friendly.  Good Luck 
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      Okay well the info about TTG-A actually makes a lot of sense and I wish the PA had explained that to me. But yes, I would assume I would have intestinal damage from eating a lot of gluten for 32 years while having all these symptoms. As far as avoiding gluten foods - I was definitely not doing that. Bread, pasta, quesadillas (with flour tortillas) and crackers are my 4 favorite foods and I ate at least one of those things multiple times a day e.g. breakfast with eggs and toast, a cheese quesadilla for lunch, and pasta for dinner, and crackers and cheese as a before bed snack. I'm not even kidding.  I'm not really big on sugar, so I don't really do sweets. I don't have any of those conditions.  I am not sure if I have the genes or not. When the geneticist did my genetic testing for EDS this year, I didn't think to ask for him to request the celiac genes so they didn't test for them, unfortunately.  I guess another expectation I had is  that if gluten was the issue, the gluten-free diet would make me feel better, and I'm 3 months in and that hasn't been the case. I am being very careful and reading every label because I didn't want to screw this up and have to do gluten-free for longer than necessary if I end up not having celiac. I'm literally checking everything, even tea and anything else prepacked like caramel dip. Honestly its making me anxious 😅
    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      So you're saying that you think you should have severe intestinal damage since you've had the symptoms so long?   DGP IgG antibodies are produced in response to a partial gluten molecule.  This is different than what tissue transglutaminase antibodies are  produced in response to.   TTg IgA antibodies are produced in the intestines in response to gluten.  The tTg IgA antibodies attack our own cells because a structural component in our cell membranes resembles a part of gluten.  There's a correlation between the level of intestinal damage with the level of tTg antibodies produced.  You are not producing a high number of tTg IgA antibodies, so your level of tissue damage in your intestines is not very bad.  Be thankful.   There may be reasons why you are not producing a high quantity of tTg IgA antibodies.  Consuming ten grams or more of gluten a day for two weeks to two months before blood tests are done is required to get sufficient antibody production and damage to the intestines.  Some undiagnosed people tend to subconsciously avoid lots of gluten.  Cookies and cakes do not contain as much gluten as artisan breads and thick chewy pizza crust.  Anemia, diabetes and thiamine deficiency can affect IgA antibody production as well.   Do you carry genes for Celiac?  They frequently go along with EDS.
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      I was tested for celiac at the same time, so I wasn't taking naltrexone yet. I say that, because I don't. The endoscopy showed some mild inflammation but was inconclusive as to celiac disease. They took several biopsies and that's all that was shown. I was not given a Marsh score.
    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Food and environmental allergies involve IgE antibodies.  IgE antibodies provoke histamine release from mast cells.   Celiac disease is not always visible to the naked eye during endoscopy.  Much of the damage is microscopic and patchy or out of reach of the scope.  Did they take any biopsies of your small intestine for a pathologist to examine?  Were you given a Marsh score? Why do you say you "don't have intestinal damage to correlate with lifelong undiagnosed celiac disease"?   Just curious.  
×
×
  • 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.