Uncertainty

[stennis07]

I am getting tested in the upcoming weeks for Celiac (I'm not too excited about the whole...tube-down-the-throat thing.) I was given an upper-GI thing and it came back negative...but the blood work came back VERY positive, so odds are, I prolly have it.

But, I'm very hesitant (and stubborn) about actually having it--denial maybe?-- because I feel perfectly FINE. Last June, August, and October I had SEVERE abdominal pain+diarrhea+bloating+intestinal gas+ I was hyperventilating because I was in so much pain (which made matters worse cuz I couldn't feel my hands/ dizziness). It put me in the ER the 2nd time (TGF morphine). And the 3rd time I was reluctant to have Vicadin. ALL 3 TIMES lasted from 9-15 hours of non-stop pain----BUT THEN I WAS MIRACULOUSLY FINE!! I had popcorn directly coming home from the hospital! *Sigh*

Those are the only times it's happened...so I'm very unsure. Of course, what do I know.

I am an avid runner, and I am scared that cutting gluten out of my diet will also cut my energy for this coming track season---I'm gunna need some alternative carbs...

HELP?

[CarlaB]

Did they biopsy during your last endoscopy?

Positive blood test does most likely mean you have it. Even if the biopsy comes back negative, you should try the diet. You may find symptoms you didn't even know you have go away. Damage is spotty, and sometimes they find it with the biopsy, other times they don't. Biopsies can only confirm celiac, it can't rule it out.

There are PLENTY of other carbs you can eat!! There are a lot of gluten-free foods -- hot cereals, cookies, bread, etc. Plus the stuff that's naturally gluten-free -- rice, potatoes, corn meal. Trust me, carbs are not a problem to worry about!!

Be sure you are eating gluten right up until the time of your biopsy.

[kbtoyssni]

My chiropractor asked me about my diet last night and I said gluten-free to which he replied "oh, so you don't eat many carbs, do you?" I told him I eat a ton of carbs - just in the form of rice, corn, potatoes, quinoa, veggies, etc. I'd say I eat just as many carbs as I did before.

[RiceGuy]

Though I don't put much faith in tests, with such a positive result it's hard to ignore. Especially when many report negative and borderline results, even when the gluten-free diet does wonders for them.

If Celiac was not so seemingly likely, I'd say it might be a candida infection, or a reaction to MSG. There are numerous posts on these which you might find helpful in deciding if they are a possibility for your case, and a Google search will turn up loads of info on these too.

As stated by others, there are plenty of carbs in gluten-free foods. For instance, tapioca pudding is essentially all carbs until you add the fruit or whatever. In addition to the ones mentioned, there's also millet, buckwheat, teff, amaranth, and more. Buckwheat isn't related to wheat, nor is it even a grain. Roasted (typically called Kasha), it makes a mighty tasty hot cereal IMHO, and I often use it in place of or in combination with other grains which gives me even more variety.

[happygirl]

There are many Celiacs that are referred to as "asymptomatic" or "silent" Celiacs. You do not need symptoms to be a Celiac.

[stennis07]

THANK YOU MUCH!

Thanks for the feedback...helps a lot!

BTW---yea... I didn't know that about the symptoms thing...so maybe I DO have it

My one test said something like " under 20 is negative to this test....and anything above 30 is positive."

MINE WAS 200.

So, ya. I should really learn to pay attention to numbers....and not be so stubborn about givin' up my wheat.

ALSO--the doctors post-poned my "tube-down-the-throat" test because I have a cold, so I'll prolly be tested in a month or so and they told my mom over the phone to immediatly stop eating the wheat>>BUT everything I've read over the internet says different>>that it will alter my results

Hmm...maybe if I lay off...a happy medium?

[CarlaB]

If you want the biopsy to be accurate for diagnosing celiac, then you need to eat gluten right up till the biopsy. The gut heals. If it's healed there will be no damage for them to find.

If you want the biopsy just to be sure everything else is okay but believing you have celiac and need no further proof, then you can give up gluten now. But I thought the whole point was to further test for celiac ...