How Long For Dietary Test?

[cathzozo]

Hello-

I discovered via a hunch and then the diet that I am definitely gluten-intolerant, but I never went through official testing. Then my grandmother and several aunts tried it too, with obvious improvement. My mother finally tried it because even though she had no obvious symptoms, all of the rest of us had improved our thyroid function by going gluten-free, so she went gluten-free, and six weeks later her TSH was normal. (By the way, my mom did the blood test before going gluten-free and was negative, and I think one of my aunts tested negative too.)

So, I've been bugging my brother now, to try going gluten-free, and he finally agreed and has been doing it. I think he always had gastro issues, but he swears not. He's been going for about 3 weeks on the gluten-free diet, and he doesn't think he feels any better, but I think he just isn't noticing "better" because it is happening so gradually. So eventually, he wants to do a big gluten test, and see if he notices any problem then. So here's the question (finally): How long should he stay gluten-free before doing his gluten challenge?

Thanks for any advice.

[ravenwoodglass]

Hello-

I discovered via a hunch and then the diet that I am definitely gluten-intolerant, but I never went through official testing. Then my grandmother and several aunts tried it too, with obvious improvement. My mother finally tried it because even though she had no obvious symptoms, all of the rest of us had improved our thyroid function by going gluten-free, so she went gluten-free, and six weeks later her TSH was normal. (By the way, my mom did the blood test before going gluten-free and was negative, and I think one of my aunts tested negative too.)

So, I've been bugging my brother now, to try going gluten-free, and he finally agreed and has been doing it. I think he always had gastro issues, but he swears not. He's been going for about 3 weeks on the gluten-free diet, and he doesn't think he feels any better, but I think he just isn't noticing "better" because it is happening so gradually. So eventually, he wants to do a big gluten test, and see if he notices any problem then. So here's the question (finally): How long should he stay gluten-free before doing his gluten challenge?

Thanks for any advice.

How gluten free is he? Is he still consuming gluten containing alcohol, does he still eat out? Does he eat a lot of mainstream "gluten-free" foods? In general if he was doing this with a doctor the doctor would have him add gluten back in after he was symptom free or low. This usually would be after a month or maybe two. He also needs to bear in mind that when he starts consuming it again it could take up to a week for a reaction to take place. And he shouldn't look at just a GI reaction, some of us have a much more profound neuro reaction like depression or irritability and anxiety first and formost. Celiac is not just a GI disease it is a full system disease.