Test In 2 Weeks, But I've Been gluten-free...

[Sparrowing]

I've cut out gluten for the last few months. A couple of times I reintroduced it as a test, and since there was definitely noticeable digestive reactions (diarrhea, cramps, bloating, etc.) I want to get actually tested for celiac disease. I just got an appointment to go into my student health clinic in two weeks - since I haven't been eating gluten, is that too soon? The test itself may not happen that day, so I could postpone it. If I eat wheat-y, gluten-tastic food between now and then, will that be enough for my body to be producing "high levels of antibodies" or whatever it is that the test detects?

Should I only eat a little bit of gluten in that time? Should I eat more?

[ravenwoodglass]

You really need to get back on a full gluten diet for at least 3 months before testing. The tests are for antibodies and if you haven't been eating gluten you are not producing enough antibodies for the test to have any chance of being positive. Even on a full gluten diet the tests may be a false negative. If your body rebels strongly to gluten that is pretty diagnostic in itself. One other option you have is Enterolab, they do not diagnose celiac but they can look for the antibodies in the stool, your body does not produce antibodies to something it wants in your body.

[happygirl]

You need to be eating a normal gluten containing diet for the tests to be accurate. If you have been gluten free (generally), the tests decrease in accuracy.

[tarnalberry]

You've been gluten free for a couple months, there is no reason to expect blood testing to be accurate.

As noted, you need to be eating plenty of gluten (~3 slices of bread a day, or the equivalent) for quite a while (3 months).

[elizabethkswann]

I'm currently in the same situation. I've been gluten-free for 7 years, and I'm having blood testing and an endoscopy done this Friday. I've been ordered by my doctor to eat gluten for the next three days. I had a bagel sandwich and chicken noodle soup. This resulted in severe bloating, constipation, vertigo, and severe fatigue. So I would say 2 weeks is enough if you eat a little bit of gluten everyday.

[ravenwoodglass]

I'm currently in the same situation. I've been gluten-free for 7 years, and I'm having blood testing and an endoscopy done this Friday. I've been ordered by my doctor to eat gluten for the next three days. I had a bagel sandwich and chicken noodle soup. This resulted in severe bloating, constipation, vertigo, and severe fatigue. So I would say 2 weeks is enough if you eat a little bit of gluten everyday.

Clearly your gluten challenge is positive however you can fully expect to have negative blood work and endoscopy. You were fully healed and you must redamage yourself enough to destroy your villi for an endoscopic exam. Three days is definately not enough of a challenge for either positive blood work or biopsy if you have been gluten free for 7 years. Your doctor is not well educated about celiac, sorry to say.

[elizabethkswann]

Clearly your gluten challenge is positive however you can fully expect to have negative blood work and endoscopy. You were fully healed and you must redamage yourself enough to destroy your villi for an endoscopic exam. Three days is definately not enough of a challenge for either positive blood work or biopsy if you have been gluten free for 7 years. Your doctor is not well educated about celiac, sorry to say.

I figured he wasn't very educated on Celiacs from when I met with him, but this is my only option in trying to prove I have it to live off-campus at my college.

[ravenwoodglass]

I figured he wasn't very educated on Celiacs from when I met with him, but this is my only option in trying to prove I have it to live off-campus at my college.

If that is what you need to do I would ask the doctor to schedule the test for August and get back on a full gluten diet until then. If you have been gluten-free for years did you already get diagnosed as a child? Or did you have problems as a child that lead the doctor to advise the diet? If so perhaps your ped already diagnosed you, I would give them a call to find out.