How Much Gluten?

[jadesmum]

Hi

I have been gluten free (not too strict though) for a few months as I was b/feeding a baby who I thought had a gluten sensitivity. Anyway I now thing I may have celiac disease (it is in the family as my eldest daughter has it) the doctor gave me a blood screening test to have at the pathology but said to eat gluten for a week or two before getting it done. I am wonding if this will be long enough? DOes anyone know how long you need to eat it before having the blood test done?

Belinda

[Ursa Major]

Not another ignorant doctor (sigh)! After being gluten-free for a few months, you would need to eat the equivalent of four slices of bread a day for at least three to six months to even have hope of getting an accurate test. After a week you are almost guaranteed a false negative.

Eating that much gluten again for that long will likely make you severely ill if you are indeed intolerant to gluten. It is up to you, but I wouldn't advise it.

If you think you react to gluten, why not just stick with the gluten-free diet and forget about an official diagnosis? Is it really worth it to actually destroy your villi again, and maybe triggering other autoimmune diseases in the process?

Anyway, in the end it is your choice. But you may as well cancel the scheduled test for now, it will be useless.