My Doctor Finally Called...

[Melissa312]

My doctor called with my test results. He said I have no celiac antibodies but my biopsy did show the beginnings of villi damage. He said I was probably lactose intolerant and to try removing dairy from my diet. I am already gluten free for 4 days and I have felt better and worse depending upon which day it was, but I was still eating dairy. I am planning on seeing another doctor to run a complete allergy bloodwork exam. My question to you is what do you think? Could lactose intolerance create a very high degree of pain? I was in the ER several times with severe abdominal pain enough to have me admitted for 2 and a half days. Should I doubt the gluten-allergy if the bloodwork shows no signs of celiac antibodies?

[aikiducky]

If you only have the beginnings of villi damage it's not so odd that your blood work is negative, blood work really is only reliable in people who have no villi left at all. Nowadays the up-to-date doctors do recognize beginning villi damage as an early sign of celiac. So you might just have caught it early.

It's not a bad idea to cut out milk too from your diet in the first couple months, it's hard to digest if your intestines aren't completely healthy. You could try adding it back in later.

Pauliina

[nikky]

I would say you have early stage coeliac, so keep going with the gluten free diet. It would be a good idea to cut out dairy for a few months and phase it back in later.

[Ursa Major]

I agree with Pauliina and Nikki. It is very likely that you have celiac disease. No, I don't believe that lactose intolerance could have landed you in the hospital, that is highly unlikely!

But you are probably dairy intolerant at least for a while, until your villi heal.

So, stick with the gluten-free diet, and eliminate dairy as well. And while you're at it, get rid of soy, too, it can hinder healing.

[jerseyangel]

Sounds like it's the other way around from what your doctor said--you most likely have Celiac, which in turn damages the tips of the villi, making it impossible to digest dairy properly.

My suggestion to you is to continue with the gluten-free diet, and cut dairy out completely, as well. Once you are feeling better--say in 4-6 months--try (if you want) dairy and see how it goes. At that point, you may be able to tolerate it, but you need to get the villi healed first