Blood Panel

[steve-o]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here....been lurking for a couple weeks, but this is my first post.

I have several of the classic symptoms of celiac disease, and my mother was recently diagnosed (blood and biopsy positive)....so I made an appointment with a GI doctor to get tested.

He didn't want to do a blood panel (I'm assuming because he was fairly sure it was celiac that is making me ill), so we went straight to the biopsy. He also had me start the gluten-free diet right after the biopsy, which was 8 days ago.

Well, the results are in, and the biopsy shows "everything is normal". So now I've asked that they do a blood panel to see if the antibodies suggest I have a "gluten intolerance", even though my biopsy is normal. I had to ask several times, but finally they agreed to send me to get a blood panel next week.

So by the time I do the blood panel next week, I'll have been gluten free for almost two weeks. He says this won't be a problem because you would have to be gluten-free for a lot longer than a couple weeks, for the blood panel results to be unreliable.

Does this sound right to you all? It seems like most of the info I've read, says you need gluten in your diet at the time the blood tests are done, or the tests will be skewed.

So I'm trying to decide if I should eat gluten all weekend, so I'll be good and toxic for my test next week. But if I don't need to, I don't want to, because it makes me sick. Since I've been gluten-free for only a week, I feel somewhat better, although I still don't feel particularly great...but my nausea / loose stools / reflux, have almost disappeared.

Thanks!

[Carriefaith]

Welcome!

So I'm trying to decide if I should eat gluten all weekend, so I'll be good and toxic for my test next week.

It is possible that you may get a false negative blood test result if you have been gluten free for 2 weeks. If I were in your situation I would eat gluten until the test and then stop. It appears from your biopsy results that gluten isn't damaging you yet, unless the doctor missed damaged areas (villi damage can be patchy). However, if eating gluten is going to make you extremely ill then it probably isn't worth it. Another option: You could get an alllergy skin prick test that tests for food allergies to wheat, rye barely and oats... I don't think you need to be eating gluten for that. Or you could try enterolab Open Original Shared Link

Good luck

[tarnalberry]

It's a sliding slope. When does someone losing their hair become bald? Can you pinpoint a date? Same thing here. It might not be long enough, it might be. My results were inconclusive after two weeks gluten-free, and that might have been why, it might not have. Problem is, you can never be sure.

[plantime]

If he is only running the antibodies, being gluten-free could very easily mess up the results. If he is running the gene panel, then it doesn't matter how you are eating. If eating the gluten does not make you extremely ill, then I suggest you eat it. If it does make you ill, don't do that to yourself. You are an adult, you do not need a doctor's note or permission to eat glutenfree. Your health is your responsibility.

[Emme999]

If I were you, I would eat a high gluten diet until the tests. It's called the "gluten challenge" where you eat something with gluten in it at every meal - and also have grains for snacks (cookies, crackers, whatever). I think that since you've only been gluten-free for one week, this short time might be enough time to get things back to abnormal

I did the gluten challenge thing for a couple weeks, it's hellish, but at least now I know!

Also - be aware of the difference between wheat allergy and celiac disease. A skin test *might* pick up the allergy, but it wont pick up celiac. I'm kind of anti skin test myself - I had one and it didn't pick up *any* of my food allergies. They actually only pick up "immediate onset" allergies - and most food allergies are delayed onset. So.. kind of useless if you ask me! (Are you asking? )

If it were my body, I would probably try to set the test back a week and eat a lot of gluten during that time to set up the situation. But - that's me! And I don't know if you have an extra week!

It's also up to you to decide if you feel that you need a doctors confirmation or not. I'm the kind of person who does. If I didn't have an "official" diagnosis, I would probably end up doubting myself and be more likely to cheat. Now that I've had both my general and my gastroenterology doctors tell me that I have celiac disease - there's no way I'll put my health at risk by purposely eating anything that might have gluten in it.

Best wishes to you!!

- Michelle

[Guest nini]

I don't like anyone recommending a gluten challenge or staying on gluten just to take a test. I NEARLY DIED EATING GLUTEN... I don't want that to happen to anyone else. If the symptoms are there and eating gluten free gets rid of the symptoms then what is the big reason for continuing to consume gluten to get a test that may or may not be conclusive?

If there are other diseases that the Dr.s are concerned about, then there are OTHER tests that can be done to rule them out... right?

[steve-o]

Thanks to everybody for your insight and advice.

Personally, I'd prefer to a medical diagnosis, if possible...so I decided to go back on a gluten containing diet. I'm fortunate, in that I don't react as quickly or violently to gluten as many people on this board.

I've been eating lots of bread and whole wheat cereal for the past couple days. I didn't have an immediate reaction, but over the course of the first 48 hours back on gluten, my reflux and nausea are coming back. My bowel movements have also gone from normal to nasty.

The silver lining of going back on gluten, is that I now am sure that I have some degree of gluten intolerance....why else would all the symtoms come back? So regarldless of what the blood tests show....I'll be going gluten free.

I also plan on seeing an allergist, to be screening for any other possible food allergies.

Thanks again,

Steve

[Magdeliscious]

Job well done Steve.

You know your body better than anyone else.

all the best in finding a concrete diagnosis.

Magdalena

[baggotlane]

I think you made the better choice Steve, even if it's not an open and shut case. As long as the reactions are not violent, which they do not seem to have been, it is worth taking gluten for several days. From what I understand a short time gluten-free for blood tests does not much much difference but you will at least have helped remove a cause of a possible negative result.

Good luck with the tests.

Andrew