Testing A Gluten-Free Diet

[katboy]

My doctor recently did some blood tests for Celiac Disease based on the symptoms I'm exhibiting. The blood tests came back negative. She's pleased because there's "nothing wrong with me", but my symptoms apparently haven't heard the good news. I was wondering if it would be wise to attempt a gluten-free diet even without an official diagnosis. I can't get in to see a specialist for another two months and I thought that one month of testing may help with a little self-diagnosis. Good idea or bad?

[kitgordon]

If you are seeing a specialist in one month who will run more tests, I would keep eating gluten until then; otherwise the tests will not be accurate. If everything is negative again, then I would give the diet a try, as many people have false negatives.

[Gfresh404]

I would say testing to see how you feel on a gluten-free diet is a great idea. BUT make sure you do your research, and ensure that you are still eating healthy and getting enough calories. So many people are non-celiac gluten sensitive these days that the tests for Celiac Disease have been useless.

The only true test is to try out a gluten-free diet. Just be aware that it could take anywhere from a couple of days to couple of months to start noticing improvements. Also, it would be wise to have the doctor (if they haven't already) rule out other, potentially more serious disorders.

[ravenwoodglass]

There are a couple downsides to trying the diet for a month and then going back on gluten for a month before seeing the specialist.

One of the biggest is that it may mess up your chances of getting a positive on the testing. Even if you keep eating gluten until testing you still have a chance of a false negative. It is not uncommon for some of us to have a false negative on testing which is why people are told to try the diet for a couple of months after testing is finished.

An even bigger problem is going to be the challenge itself. If you have a month gluten free and your body needs the diet it will likely react very violently to your adding gluten back in after that month gluten free. You could end up even sicker than you are now. And it could take longer to feel better after the tests are finished and you go back to being gluten free.

If you have a schedule that is flexible you could ask to be put on the cancellation list at the GI doctor's office. That might get you in sooner. You could also go back to your GP and ask him to call the specialist and plead you case. I had one do that once and the GI specialist got me in for a colonoscopy the next day before I had even met him. Unfortunately the GI was clueless and didn't do an endo at the same time.

You also have the option of doing Enterolab testing, they do not diagnose celiac but they look for the antibodies and can tell you if you are forming the antibodies to gluten.

You also have the option of just going gluten free. If you have long standing issues that your GP is aware of, especially if you have things like elevated liver enzymes and anemia, and your symptoms resolve on the diet some doctors will give you a diagnosis based on your response to the diet.

Lastly, you don't need a doctors permission to eat gluten free. In the end it is your bodies response to the diet that is the most important factor.