Is It Possible To Have False Pos Serology And Biopsy?

[Streetlegal]

Just wondered. Could my biopsy be wrong? My blood serology was high positive and my biopsy was positive, though I was given no details on extent of damage (led to believe fairly mild). I already have an auto-immune disease--Addison's disease--and wonder if this might have interfered with my blood antibodies.

The reason I ask is that if I flasback five months ago, I was eating wheat until it came out my ears, and I was fine. Occasional IBS-like systems, but basically eating what I wanted and fit and healthy, enjoying LIFE (though I did fart a lot after eating Subway).

Four months gluten free and I feel FAR worse. Yes worse now that I am not eating ANY gluten. I havent had a solid stool for THREE months or more. I have diarrhea three or four times around breakfast, sometimes in the evening. I still fart badly.

Apparently my health was meant to improve--the compensation for this tiresome diet and depressing change in lifestyle was I would be normal. Bull.

I am so sick of all this; I feel I have aged ten years in three months. I am at the point of going back to my old diet--at least i was having fun then.

[mommida]

I have heard of a case or two where a Celiac diagnoses was made but later found out to be a bad reaction to a medication. (I'm not a doctor and I have no proof of this other than a parents word.) Are you on any madications for the Addison's? Do any of these meds have any severe side effects?

Gluten withdrawal is real and I would say it lasted for me a little over 4 months. For some people gluten can have an opiate affect.

[nora-n]

there was someone here with at false positive biopsy, but negative blood tests, and it turned out he had SIBO.

Now the high positive antibodies together with the positive biopsy really suggest celiac.

There is also a definite increased risk of celiac when diagnosed addison, and vice versa.

I ahve been on the thyroid forums for many years and one of the persons I followed for many years there was diagnosed celiac last year. Shwe also had no symptoms beside pernicious anemia which she had years ago.

She also got worse on the gluten free diet.

But she is committed to the diet and does better now.

(she is on the delphi forum)

Sometimes people come here and ask the same question as you, had no symptoms and got worse on the gluten free diet.

The usual answers are, maybe you react to the different starches, maybe you have a corn allergy, maybe soy allergy or intolerance, maybe you have fructose intoleance?

Some found out the corn was the problem.

[tarnalberry]

What all have you changed in your diet?

If you got rid of gluten, you're probably eating more of something. Are you still eating oats (many celiacs cannot tolerate them)? Are you eating more corn or rice? Are you eating more dairy or soy? What else changed? (Something had to - you don't take out a major source of calories and add *nothing* back in. It might be something new, it might be more of something you've had before.)

[Streetlegal]

Thank you for your replies.

Yes my diet has changed significantly. I eat lots and lots of rice, more whole foods such as veggies and fruit. It is quite a high fiber diet--but then it was before. I DO eat oats for breakfast, but now the uncontaminated variety. I dont eat much dairy, but do have a lot of lactose-free milk.

Obviously I no longer can have sandwiches and that has been a major difference.

Thanks again for your replies.

Any one else get WORSE going gluten free?

[tarnalberry]

10% of celiacs react to oats (even the uncontaminated variety) because the proteins are so similar. If you're not seeing improvement, eliminating oats is definitely important.

If you have a casein sensitivity, any increase in milk you had (lactose quantity is irrelevant) could contribute to the problem.

And some people find that too much veggies and fruit (uncooked, in particular) is hard on their digestive system when they start. Others find too much rice to be the case (particularly if you are hypoglycemic or have a yeast overgrowth).

I would encourage you to experiment with your diet, and see if there are any changes that help (and which ones are worse). Just remember to look at the diet as a whole, since - as you described - going gluten free didn't just mean getting rid of gluten, it meant adding more rice and fruits/veggies.