Celiac Blood Work On Friday - Question.

[phdezra]

Hi all.

This is my first posting... long story, short: I have been taking Zantac (over the counter 75mg) and then Prevacid, then back to Zantac for about 7 years---nonstop!!! Why? Because I woudl get horrible heartburn. Finally, I decided to see a GI.

Possible Crohn's (yes, my bowels seem to hurt, but that may be due to the gluten issue) and/or possible Celiac. I went for a CT scan of abdomen today, and am going for blood tests specific to Celiac testing on Friday. In the meantime, since my doctor mentioned the possible Celiac disease, for the past seven days I have STOPPED eating anything with gluten in it (as best I can determine). No cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc. Guess what? No more heartburn. ZIppo. I didnt even have to taper off the Zantac. Believe me, even one day without the heartburn is a Godsend.

I tried to then trick my system, so I ate some plain roasted chicken and baked sweet potato late at night before going to sleep. Still no heartburn. Nada. I've been drinking more Kefir suddenly and it seems to have no impact on heartburn either---and I believe it is good for oneself. Yes?

So, in a couple days I have my Celiac bloodwork test... my question is, is it going to show nothing on the test since i stopped eating gluten products? It seems wrong to me to 'amp' myself up on gluten products.... but should I be doing that for the test?? I'm a bit confused and did not ask my GI.

Any thoughts?

Ezra

[tarnalberry]

The blood tests are looking for an immune response to gluten. If there is no gluten, there cannot be an immune response to it. If you want to know if you have an immune response to gluten, you have to be eating it for the tests to be of any value. Seven days may or may not make a difference - problem is, you can't know whether or not it does.

[Seal One]

Hi all.

This is my first posting... long story, short: I have been taking Zantac (over the counter 75mg) and then Prevacid, then back to Zantac for about 7 years---nonstop!!! Why? Because I woudl get horrible heartburn. Finally, I decided to see a GI.

Possible Crohn's (yes, my bowels seem to hurt, but that may be due to the gluten issue) and/or possible Celiac. I went for a CT scan of abdomen today, and am going for blood tests specific to Celiac testing on Friday. In the meantime, since my doctor mentioned the possible Celiac disease, for the past seven days I have STOPPED eating anything with gluten in it (as best I can determine). No cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc. Guess what? No more heartburn. ZIppo. I didnt even have to taper off the Zantac. Believe me, even one day without the heartburn is a Godsend.

I tried to then trick my system, so I ate some plain roasted chicken and baked sweet potato late at night before going to sleep. Still no heartburn. Nada. I've been drinking more Kefir suddenly and it seems to have no impact on heartburn either---and I believe it is good for oneself. Yes?

So, in a couple days I have my Celiac bloodwork test... my question is, is it going to show nothing on the test since i stopped eating gluten products? It seems wrong to me to 'amp' myself up on gluten products.... but should I be doing that for the test?? I'm a bit confused and did not ask my GI.

Any thoughts?

Ezra

Hi Ezra,

It best to remain on the gluten-free diet. My skin doctor thought my result would be positive and she told me I had to be gluten-free. One test was inconclusive it appears.

Linda