Questions About Gastroenterologists

[codetalker]

Generally speaking, are gastroenterologists more celiac-aware and more celiac-friendly than GP

[CarolinaKip]

Generally speaking, are gastroenterologists more celiac-aware and more celiac-friendly than GP

[Roda]

My original pcp never even brought up celiac when I was having problems. After about a 1 1/2 years with a new endocrinologist I asked her if she knew anything about celiac (I had been doing research for a link between low ferritin/hashimotos and celiac kept coming up) and she said not much except that it was autoimmune and I was probably at greater risk because of the autoimmune thyroid disease. She wrote a lab slip for testing for the tTg only,(I did not know any better at the time) and it came up positive. I basically referred myself to a local GI affiliated with my employer. He did not run anymore tests and I was scheduled for the EGD and biopsy. He seems very aware of celiac and it's complications, but a little outdated on some of the newer testing. He originally told me that my antibodies would stay elevated and never go down. We know better than that since all my antibody levels are now normal except my AGA Igg. I read somewhere on here that the Igg levels can take much longer to come down than the rest, even up to a year. Somebody correct me if I am wrong. After all of this I decided to have a follow up with my PCP to update him on what had been going on. WHAT A COMPLETE JERK! By this point my endocrinologist ran most of my vitamin/mineral tests except vitamin K. I asked him if he would order it since it is common for celiacs to be deficient and that I bruise so much. NOPE! He said he had never ordered one and wasn't going to, that if there was a concern then ask one of my other doctors. We ended up in a very defensive conversation that left me firing is a$$. What it did do for me was to comfirm why I quit seeing him for three years. He was the type that did not like when his patient's went is somewhat educated. I'm still with my GI since I've been having other issues since Jan. He has been very supportive of alot of my suggestions and my want for more conservative measures. There is a new GI joining his practice this month so I may eventually see him too by default. I interviewd a new PCP and had a good first appointment, really nothing more than going over my history and me telling her I was looking for a new doc and I was there to see if she was a good fit for me. One of the first things she said to me that I was fortunate to be diagnosed by positive blood work and relatively quickly (2 1/2 years from onset of symptoms) since so many people get false negative blood work/biopsy. I knew she was a keeper. I've not had a need to see her since my initial consultation since all my trouble has be gi related. Both my gi and new pcp are in the same medical building and can access each others electronic records and tests I have done at the hospital. I usually make copies of my blood work I have done through the endocrinologists office since it is in another town.