This Has Probably Been Covered A Million Times Before But...

[faraway so close]

Hi everyone,

I have been gluten free (with a few slips here and there) for over a year now---I initially cut out the glutens as a weight loss measure ( I find that rapid weight gain seems to accompany any time I do have something with gluten) - and ended up feeling better than I've ever felt (migraines, lactose intolerance, anemia, etc disappeared).

Anyway, obviously glutens and me don't mix, but I never had the blood test or even approached a doctor about the problem. Now, I am finally seeing a doctor and intend to ask for the blood test---and am not sure what to ask for---I have 2 sisters that seem to also have the same symptoms (one has allergies to a lot of other things as well due to mercury poisoning-but was diagnosed as negative for celiac disease), and want to know what exactly my future children may inherit from me---Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[SunnyDyRain]

From what I get, if you got the blood test now, it would be negitive. The antibodies they test for are the by product of the gluten and your body being upset. If you stop gluten, you stop producing antibodies and then test negitive.

Get your sisters tested though, it is genetic.

[happygirl]

You would have to be consuming gluten for an extended period of time (a few months) for the tests to be reliable. The whole point of Celiac is that when you take gluten out, your body stops reacting. The tests are measuring the reaction to gluten. Generally, you aren't having a reaction, so your tests would be negative. It doesn't mean you don't have Celiac. (think of it like diabetes and sugar testing....once your sugar is controlled, it doesn't mean you don't have diabetes...)