Blood Test Is Positive...

[HQ Victor]

I have lupus and have been flaring bad lately. My doctor, unbeknownst to me, thought I may have celiac so they did a blood test. Well the nurse called me back and said "your sprue testing came back positive but he doesn't want to send you to a gastroenterologist just yet". I asked her what sprue was and she said it's called celiac sprue. If you have access to the internet look it up. I see him again at the end of this month and I will talk more about it. My question is... I don't know that I have symptoms. Of course, I think lupus shares a lot of symptoms with it so I may. But as far as the intestinal type symptoms ... I alternate between constipation and diarrhea sometimes. But not extremes. They also said my blood sugar was pretty high. Does that go with celiac?

I've been looking at what a "gluten free" diet means and I just don't know if I could do it. I mean, totally 100% gluten free. I'm disabled with this lupus and live with my parents who prepare my meals and such and I know they wouldn't bother with it. If I don't have symptoms is it really necessary to even follow it?

I sure would appreciate help from those of you who know a lot more about this then I do.

Thanks,

Brenda

[ENF]

Hi Brenda,

A positive blood tests for Celiac is considered very accurate, but if you plan on getting an endoscopy you must continue to consume gluten.

As far as you parents' and the need for gluten free foods, they should understand that to not do it is putting your health in further jeopardy. As you may already know Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease, as is Lupus. Since Celiac is inherited, your parents, and any siblings, should also be tested.

It takes some time to learn how to live gluten free, depending on what you're used to eating, but it is not impossible. There are a number of good books about Celiac, including cookbooks. Going Gluten Free will most likely bring about a recovery from Celiac and, in the best case scenario, you may find that your immune system responses improve in other ways such as as a reduction in Lupus symptoms, flare-ups, etc., as well. Good luck.

[elye]

Hi, Brenda, and welcome!

I had no noticeable symptoms when I was diagnosed four years ago. I thought I felt normal......then, after I was gluten-free for a couple of months, I realized how I had been living with a fair amount of fatigue, subclinical C, strange skin flare-ups, that completely disappeared once I was on the diet. Now I know what feeling GREAT really means!

I was sitting at a celiac association meeting last month, and the lady beside me was telling me her story. She had been diagnosed with lupus a few years ago, and was learning to live with the often debilitating symptoms. Last summer she suddenly got a positive result on the celiac blood panel, went gluten-free, and within six months ALL of her lupus symptoms were gone. She had celiac disease all along.

You may have a similar response to the diet. I would suggest to anyone who has been diagnosed with lupus (and a number of other conditions, actually), to give up gluten for a few weeks and see what happens.

Good luck!