Help Please

[kwiehl]

OK, here's what is going on. My 15 year old tested weak positive a few years ago. She is very, very rebellious and suffers from ADD, ODD, and Depression. Needless to say, getting her to give up any of her favorite foods was impossible. In fact, it made her want them more. We gave up, thinking that a weak pos with a simple message from the nurse saying "it might be a good idea to follow a gluten free diet" was not enough to make us force the issue.

Fast forward to last week. DD is finally ready to take some things into her own hands in terms of improving her mood and behavior....and she is now homeschooling. She has agreed to try a gluten free diet in the hopes of improving her mood and behavior.

I called the doctor whom we saw 3 years ago and asked for test results. The only number they would give me over the phone was a 20 units for antibodies. In reading online, I see that a 20 is the highest number under the negative range.

So, any advice for tomorrow? What to ask the doctor? Additional testing that should be done?

[momxyz]

I am glad your daughter is willing to give the diet a try. As you know, with teens, unless they buy into something like this, it's pretty hard to get them to comply...

Ask your doctor for the name of the antibody test as well as the numerical result. Better yet, ask for a copy of the lab report. Each laboratory may have a slightly different defined normal range, so if you can get a copy of the actual lab report, that's best.

(BTW, my daughter has suffered from depression too - her story is here)

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=60518

[ravenwoodglass]

I am glad to hear she is willing to try the diet. Hopefully you will have a very differnt DD in a short while if she follows it strictly. We have a teen section here also where she might be able to get some support from her peers. When we first start the diet some of us will go through a withdrawl so if she gets moodier for a week or two ride it out as that is IMHO a strong indication that the diet is needed and it will lift as long as she is strict with no cheating.