Gluten Challenge?

[Whocareswins]

Hi there everyone,

I recently got a positive gluten intolerance diagnosis from enterolab, went off of gluten for 3 weeks and almost all of my symptoms were completely gone. I got a new gastroenterologist who suggested I do biopsy to confirm enterolab's diagnosis and to know how strict I should be about the diet, as well as the possibility of passing it on to my children. However, since I've been gluten free for 3 weeks, she said eat as much gluten as I can before the test (which is in 3 days). Is this enough time to get a positive diagnosis? Since I was only gluten free for 3 weeks, will the small intestine still be showing damage?

I'm really nervous about eating it at all, 3 months of gluten sounds atrocious, I ate it for one day and could barely get out of bed. Any suggestions?

thank you!

[ravenwoodglass]

This is a hard question to answer because so many times folks will have a false negative even on a full gluten diet if the right places are not biopsied, if the slides are not read properly, or if the person has celiac changes like scalloping that the doctor may not recognize as related to celiac if the villi are not totally destroyed.

Your reaction to the gluten challenge is also a valid form of diagnosis. Do keep your doctor in the loop during the challenge and if things get really bad let him know. I didn't and on the day of my endo I was laying on my bathroom floor bleeding instead of at the facility for the procedure. I got my diagnosis but it was at a large cost in pain and increased recovery time.

There is also the issue of insurance, some of us have had a hard time with insurance after the diagnosis and since the only treatment is dietary exclusion we don't need a doctors permission to treat us.

My family, after I recovered, were more than willing to get the blood tests. My recovery was so obvious that there was no doubt at all and they showed up positive on the blood tests, every single one. I was the most ill but I don't show up in blood work, at least in the old tests. I haven't had the Ttg and would never go back on gluten to see if this one would pick me up.

The choice whether to continue the challenge is up to you. It sounds like you will be gluten free no matter what the tests say, which is the way to go with a positive reaction to the challenge. I hope you get some relief soon and do let the doctor know how severe your reaction is.

[Whocareswins]

Thank you so much! I called my doctor and updated her and she said to go ahead and do the test since I can't stand gluten much longer. Whatever the result is, I know I need to stay off gluten. It's a win-win.

Thanks!

[ravenwoodglass]

Thank you so much! I called my doctor and updated her and she said to go ahead and do the test since I can't stand gluten much longer. Whatever the result is, I know I need to stay off gluten. It's a win-win.

Thanks!

I am glad you called and that you are going to try the diet full force after they test. So many times the doctors just tell us to challenge but they rarely tell us to let them know when things get bad. Then folks continue even when symptoms get severe. Most doctors are concerned about our well being and just don't realize how severe the reactions are. Unless we let them know in graphic detail. Soon you will be concentrating on healing and I hope that takes place quickly for you.