Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Long Can I Be Gluten-Free Before It Affects Biopsy Results?

rachel-gf

Recommended Posts

rachel-gf Newbie
rachel-gf
Posted

My question for all of you is: How long can I be on a gluten-free diet before it would affect my biopsy enough that celiac disease could no longer be detected?

I am trying to get a biopsy but it is taken longer than I expected.

History: Several years ago, I suspected I had a wheat or gluten sensitivity of some sort, and reduced (but did not eliminate) gluten completely from my diet. In fall 2009, I decided to go through with testing given a family history of celiac disease and autoimmune problems. So I went on a high-gluten diet for several months.

I did the Enterolab tests (result: active gluten sensitivity, 1 celiac allele, 1 gluten sensitivity allele) and Prometheus Celiac Plus panel (still waiting for results). After seeing the Enterolab results, my specialist doctor said that I should get a biopsy.

At that point, I was absolutely miserable (both GI symptoms, bloated, body weight had increased within 6 weeks by 6-8 pounds), anxious. And I went on a gluten-free diet. And I started feeling better quickly. I thought I could get a biopsy quickly, and that a few weeks of gluten-free wouldn't affect the biopsy results. To my surprise, the doctor in the city where I live now is offering me appointments in February!

The idea of going back on gluten is, well, sickening. How long can I stay on my gluten-free diet before my gut will heal enough that I might not diagnosed with celiac disease (if I do have celiac disease)? If I do need to start eating gluten again for the biopsy, how much and for how long? I know I have a gluten sensitivity and plan to keep gluten-free after the biopsy, so I want to do the biopsy now so that I can have that information should it ever become necessary without having to re-gluten myself again at some point in the future.

Many thanks, and a happy, gluten-free new year to all.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

6-8 weeks, plus more time til your biopsy, is too long for an accurate biopsy.

There is no point of having a biopsy to look for Celiac, when you have been gluten free for over 2 months. If your Prometheus bloodwork is positive, esp for the most specific tests, then the combo of the gene+positive bloodwork+symptoms (and, improvement in symptoms) is enough to have you stay on the diet.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

How quickly the gut heals varies from person to person. Some see distinct improvement in a few weeks, others take months or more. But I certainly wouldn't expect accurate results if you're gluten free for two months prior to a biopsy!

And, honestly, you don't need one. It's fairly old-school to rely on the biopsy as the only way to conclusively diagnose. You've got multiple positive tests - stool test, blood test, dietary test. I think three for three is a good enough indication that you should stay gluten free!

putman Newbie
putman
Posted

Hey there, sorry about your diagnosis, but you know what? its really not bad at all. Once you eliminate whats making you sick you will feel like you have your life back. I want everyone to know that if you stop eating gluten and your symptoms DO NOT disappear rapidly... as was the case for me, please, please pickup the book "Life Without Bread" your answers lie in that book.

I had the genetic test done and sure enough had all the genetic markers for Celiacs and had all the wretched symptoms associated with it. Going Gluten-free DID NOT help me! What did help me was applying the theory from "Life Without Bread" by Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allen. Its truly a life saver, and is clinically proven to work. Google it!

rachel-gf Newbie
rachel-gf
Posted
  • Author

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. I really appreciate the support and advice! I've been gluten-free for 2.5 weeks now and am feeling SO much better.

I'm going to keep trying to get an appointment with this specialist doctor in my new city and see what he thinks. I'm also going to wait and see what my blood test says. In the meantime, I'm going to stay gluten-free because I just feel SO much better and was so sick before. If the doctor thinks I need to do another gluten challenge for the biopsy, maybe I will. The idea of starting to eat gluten again for some unbounded period of time is just so gross. And my biopsy may come back negative anyway and I will still know that gluten makes me sick.

I knew I had some gluten issue for a few years, and had eliminated let's say 90% of the gluten from my diet. Doing the gluten challenge really made it clear what a huge problem it is for me and is motivating me to get rid of the rest of the gluten.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,546
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    KimberlyAnne76
    Newest Member
    KimberlyAnne76
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
    • Jsingh
      Protein or fat?

      By Jsingh · Posted

      Hi,  I care for my seven year old daughter with Celiac. After watching her for months, I have figured out that she has problem with two kinds of fats- animal fat and cooking oils. It basically makes her intestine sore enough that she feels spasms when she is upset. It only happens on days when she has eaten more fat than her usual every day diet. (Her usual diet has chia seeds, flaxseeds, and avocado/ pumpkin seeds for fat and an occasional chicken breast.) I stopped using cooking oils last year, and when I reintroduced eggs and dairy, both of which I had held off for a few months thinking it was an issue of the protein like some Celiac patients habe mentioned to be the case, she has reacted in the same fashion as she does with excess fats. So now I wonder if her reaction to dairy and eggs is not really because of protein but fat.   I don't really have a question, just wondering if anyone finds this familiar and if it gets better with time.  Thank you. 
    • Chanda Richard
      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods

      By Chanda Richard · Posted

      Hello, My name is Chanda and you are not the only one that gose through the same things. I have found that what's easiest for me is finding a few meals each week that last. I have such severe reactions to gluten that it shuts my entire body down. I struggle everyday with i can't eat enough it feels like, when I eat more I lose more weight. Make sure that you look at medication, vitamins and shampoo and conditioner also. They have different things that are less expensive at Walmart. 
    • petitojou
      Frequent nausea after gluten-free diet

      By petitojou · Posted

      Thank you so much! I saw some tips around the forum to make a food diary and now that I know that the community also struggles with corn, egg and soy, the puzzle pieces came together! Just yesterday I tried eating eggs and yes, he’s guilty and charged. Those there are my 3 combo nausea troublemakers. I’m going to adjust my diet ☺️ Also thank you for the information about MCAS! I’m from South America and little it’s talked about it in here. It’s honestly such a game changer now for treatment and recovery. I know I’m free from SIBO and Candida since I’ve been tested for it, but I’m still going to make a endoscopy to test for H. Pylori and Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Thank you again!! Have a blessed weekend 🤍
    • knitty kitty
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I, too, have osteoporosis from years of malabsorption, too.  Thiamine and magnesium are what keep the calcium in place in the bones.  If one is low in magnesium, boron, selenium, zinc, copper, and other trace minerals, ones bone heath can suffer.  We need more than just calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones.  Riboflavin B 2, Folate B 9 and Pyridoxine B 6 also contribute to bone formation and strength.   Have you had your thyroid checked?  The thyroid is important to bone health as well.  The thyroid uses lots of thiamine, so a poorly functioning thyroid will affect bone heath.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.