Is A Scope Neccesary?

[Guest shai]

I have had food allergies for years now with reactions such as hives, asthma, and eczema, as well as swelling after meals. I noticed that whenever I would eat starchy foods I would lose weight. When I was pregnant I started getting the diarreah every day, all day. It continued for months after having the baby last June. I went to the doctor in August and told her my symptoms and she did the gluten intolerance blood test and it came back positive for the antibodies. I started the diet and in about a month I saw a big improvement in my symptoms. ALong with the diarreah I had an itchy bum blistery, eczema-like skin problems, and the asthma problems and a sore throat after eating wheat. It almost sounds like I am also allergic to wheat. is that pretty common? Or is an anaphelectic reaction typical with gluten intolerance?

Also, my sons GI specialist told me the only way to know for sure is to get a scope up my butt. I don't want to have to do that. Is it the only way to know for sure, or is the blood test pretty conclusive? My doctor said that only people with celiacs produce the antibodies against gluten, and that along with the symptoms a scope shouldn't be necessary. WHat do you all think.

I'd also like to mention that my sister has all the same symptoms as me, but her blood test came back negative. Should she have the scope too? Thanks!

Shai

[tom]

I think most of the scoping is down the esophagus.

It's an Upper Endoscopy.

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Re: your sister's negative blood test. Earlier this year, a Columbia U study found an astounding percentage of false negatives in the classic celiac blood (serological) test.

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1023

They started w/ 115 biopsy-proven adult celiacs, and put them in 2 groups - total villous atrophy and partial.

Only 77% of the group w/ TOTAL atrophy tested positive !

And only a third of the partials.

That means a LOT of celiacs have had a doctor say "the blood test says u don't have celiac disease" when the truth may be they've gotten as far as TOTAL villous atrophy.

If i weren't already diagnosed, i think i'd want the genetic HLA-typing to be sure whether DQ2 and/or DQ8 are there.

[edited typo 12-7]

[bigapplekathleen]

The scope is done by "upper endoscopy." Check out the WEbMD info about that procedure.

I had one done yesterday. IT was quick and painless, but I was groggy the rest of the day due to the sedative.

good luck!

[judy05]

I urge you to have the scope. I'm so glad my GI doc insisted upon it.

I tested neg for celiac, my villi were not damaged but they found

Barrett's Ring around the esophagus. It is caused by a weak

sphincter and the acid "backs up" (reflux) and splashes up into

the esophagus. In time this could turn to cancer so I

have to be scoped yearly. I urge anyone with acid reflux or

gerd to have this done.