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Blood Test And Gastroenterologist

CGally81

By CGally81
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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CGally81 Enthusiast
CGally81
Posted

I went to a gastroenterologist, but I admit: I freaked out at the idea of having to eat gluten in order for any of the tests to be accurate. I asked what I could do instead of eating that poison for weeks before taking an endoscopt, and he suggested a I take a blood test instead.

I did, and he called me to say that the results came back normal, except for one thing that was slightly off, and my DNA test results are not back yet. I asked if the reason I didn't have any anti-gluten antibodies (because I tested for that), was because I'd been gluten-free so long. He said that was a possibility, and said that after my DNA results get back, he'll want to talk to me again and maybe recommend me to an immunologist, to get more conclusive results.

I really don't like the fact that you basically have to be eating gluten and letting it damage you in order for test results to be really accurate. My "hungry all the time" feeling is slowly starting to wane, and is getting better week by week, and could be gone within a month. No way do I want it to spike up again because I had to eat gluten to make my test results accurate!

I don't know... I'm going good at staying off gluten and repairing the damage done to my body, taking digestive enzymes before any remotely questionable meal or any big meal, and taking Pioneer's gluten-free vitamin/nutrient/mineral mix every day, which people have claimed helps with the hunger (it may or may not be making a difference, but my hunger is definitely going away faster). I definitely know I have celiac, or if not, then something celiac-esque. Gluten is the enemy, as I know from the times I've eaten it by accident. I'd just hate for every test to show up inconclusive, or worse, negative. Once a cure/treatment is available, not being properly diagnosed would make it difficult to convince my insurance to pay for it, even if I could convince my doctor (who believes me) to write me a prescription for it.

Well, waiting on the DNA test results and I guess I'll learn how immunologists work.

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