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. JoJo0611
      - JoJo0611 posted a topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      0

      Yeast extract

      Please can anyone help. I was diagnosed on 23rd December and I am trying my best to get my head around all the things to look out for. I have read that yeast extract is not to be eaten by coeliacs. Why? And is this all yeast extract. Or is this information wrong. Thanks.
    2. trents
      - trents replied to Seabeemee's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Labs ? Awaiting in person follow up with my GI

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Seabeemee! The fact that the genetic testing shows you do not have either of the two genes associated with the potential to develop celiac disease (HlA DQ2 and HLA DQ8) pretty much ensures that you do not have celiac disease and the biopsy of the small bowel showing "normal villous architecture" confirms this. But...
    3. Seabeemee
      - Seabeemee posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Labs ? Awaiting in person follow up with my GI

      My Doctor messaged me that I have no sign of Celiac disease so until I meet with her next week I don’t know what the labs mean. I am being evaluated by my new GI for Celiac disease because of digestive issues (bloating, distention, fullness in mid section, diarrhea). I also have been diagnosed with GERD and some associated issues hence the endoscopy. ...
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams commented on Scott Adams's article in Diagnosis, Testing & Treatment
      7

      A Future Beyond the Gluten-Free Diet? Scientists Test a New Cell Therapy for Celiac Disease (+Video)

      The link at the bottom of the article is the source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adr8941
    5. trents
      - trents replied to mike101020's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      EMA Result

      Let me hasten to add that if you will be undergoing an endoscopy/biopsy, it is critical that you do not begin efforts to reduce gluten beforehand. Doing so will render the results invalid as it will allow the small bowel lining to heal and, therefore, obscure the damage done by celiac disease which is what the biopsy is looking for.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,164
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kellyc79
    Newest Member
    Kellyc79
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • JoJo0611
      Yeast extract

      By JoJo0611 · Posted

      Please can anyone help. I was diagnosed on 23rd December and I am trying my best to get my head around all the things to look out for. I have read that yeast extract is not to be eaten by coeliacs. Why? And is this all yeast extract. Or is this information wrong. Thanks. 
    • trents
      Labs ? Awaiting in person follow up with my GI

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Seabeemee! The fact that the genetic testing shows you do not have either of the two genes associated with the potential to develop celiac disease (HlA DQ2 and HLA DQ8) pretty much ensures that you do not have celiac disease and the biopsy of the small bowel showing "normal villous architecture" confirms this. But you could have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which would not damage the villous architecture. You could also have SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) or H. Pylori infection. And with your resection of the small bowel, that could be causing it's own problems like you describe. When was that surgery done?
    • Seabeemee
      Labs ? Awaiting in person follow up with my GI

      By Seabeemee · Posted

      My Doctor messaged me that I have no sign of Celiac disease so until I meet with her next week I don’t know what the labs mean. I am being evaluated by my new GI for Celiac disease because of digestive issues (bloating, distention, fullness in mid section, diarrhea).  I also have been diagnosed with GERD and some associated issues hence the endoscopy. I also was diagnosed with NAFLD after an abdominal CT scan in December - which surprises me because I gave up alcohol 5 years ago, workout 5 days a week, cardio / weights and cook from scratch every night. Anecdotally,  I do feel better when I do not eat a lot of carbs and have been staying away from gluten 95% of the time until my follow up.  History: I had an emergency bowel obstruction operation in August 2021 for a double closed loop obstruction, open surgery removed 40 cm of my small intestine, my appendix, cecal valve and illeocectomy. Beside the fact that this put me in the situation of no longer being able to absorb Vitamin B12  from my diet and having to  inject Vit B 12 2x a month, I also became Iron deficient and am on EOD iron to keep my levels high enough to support my Vitamin B12 injections, as well as daily folic acid. I tested positive for pernicious anemia in 2022 but most recently that same test came back negative. Negative Intrinsic Factor. My results from the biopsies showed 2nd part of Duodenum, small bowel Mildly patch increased intraepithelial lymphocytes with intact villious architecture. Comment: Duodenal biopsies with normal villous architecture and increased intrepithelial lymphocytes (Marsh I lesion) are found in 1-3% of patients undergoing duodenal biopsy, and an association with celiac disease is well established however the specificity remains low. Similar histologic findings may be seen in H pylori gastritis, NSAID and other medication use including olmesartan, bacterial overgrowth, tropical sprue and certain autoimmune disorders. So my GI ordered Labs for Celiac confirmation: Sorry I couldn’t upload a photo or pdf so typed below: TEST NAME                               IN RANGE and/or RESULTS RESULTS:  IMMUNOGLOBULIN A :           110 GLIADIN (DEAMIDATED) AB (IGG, IGA)                            <1.0 GLIADIN (DEAMIDATED) AB (IGA)                                     <1.0 GLIADIN (DEAMIDATED) AB (IGG)                                    <1.0 TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE ANTIBODY, IGG, IGA TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE AB, IGG                                     <1.0 TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE AB, IGA                                     <1.0 INTERPRETATION: <15.0 ANTIBODY NOT DETECTED  > OR = 15.0 ANTIBODY DETECTED RESULTS: HLA TYPING FOR CELIAC DISEASE INTERPRETATION (note The patient does not have the HLA-DQ associated with celiac disease variants) More than 97% of celiac patients carry either HLA-DQ2 (DQA1*05/DQB1*02) or HLA-DQ8 (DQA1*03/DQB1*0302) or both. Genetic counseling as needed. HLA DQ2 : NEGATIVE HLA D08: NEGATIVE HLA VARIANTS DETECTED: HLA DA1* : 01 HLA DA1* : 05 HLA DQB1*: 0301 HLA DQB1*: 0501 RESULTS REVIEWED BY: Benjamin A Hilton, Ph.D., FACMG I appreciate any input, thank you.         
    • trents
      EMA Result

      By trents · Posted

      Let me hasten to add that if you will be undergoing an endoscopy/biopsy, it is critical that you do not begin efforts to reduce gluten beforehand. Doing so will render the results invalid as it will allow the small bowel lining to heal and, therefore, obscure the damage done by celiac disease which is what the biopsy is looking for.
    • Scott Adams
      Violent reaction to gluten after going gluten-free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This article, and the comments below it, may be helpful:    
×
×
  • 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.