Will I Test Positive On A Gf Diet?

[snapturtle]

Hi, this is my first posting here. I had surgery last year (apendectomy) and started feeling sicker and sicker afterwards; sudden fatigue, mental fogginess, cramping and frequent restroom trips after eating. I've also had skin, joint and allergy problems all my life as well as migraines. My mother read an article a month or so ago in Womans Day about Celiac Disease and we went to the doctor. Luckily he seems to be a lot more understanding then some of your doctors!! I was surprised that I didn't even tell him what I thought I had, got out the symptoms and he told me he thought I should try a gluten-free diet. Anyway, on the diet for 2 weeks and today had bloodwork done. Reading the site I think he did the right tests although I don't understand, won't the bloodwork not show the right thing if I have been avoiding gluten? Also what is a gluten challengs? Do I have to eat gluten again to get a biopsy done? I'm just really nervous about getting the testing done and done right. My sister is having deppression problems (fairly severe) and has had a lot of Celiac sounding symptoms. Want to know if I am so that I can help her. Thanks for any help you all can provide!!! (Also does anyone know if Ibprofin is gluten-free? I got the idea that naproxin is not from a message I read. It's for the migraines!!) Thanks for the help anyone can provide!!!

Stephanie

[tarnalberry]

Being gluten-free may well mess up a blood test. The blood test is looking for antibodies to gluten - your body's reaction to the protein. If you haven't been having any gluten, there's nothing for your body to react to, hence no proteins. (Ok, that's an oversimplification, the levels of antibodies will decline over time, not instantly drop to zero, but two weeks - depending entirely on your body - may be enough to bring you down below "normal" range.) I had the same thing happen - I was gluten-free for 2-3 weeks before my blood tests and the results came back inconclusive, though the diet was obviously helpful.