Is A Biopsy Necessary?

[countrylinda]

Hi,

I recently had the Celiac Panel done. The doctor says it was positive and has referred me to a GI doctor. The GI doctor wants to do the endoscope and biopsy. I am on a very high deductible insurance plan, and have suffered from many financial emergencies this year and my budget is currently negative a gazillion dollars. I do not want to pay for this procedure. Is it really necessary? According to my first doctor, I should avoid gluten based on my Celiac Panel results, whether or not the biopsy confirms celiac disease. I have been gluten free for over 2 weeks now and I really dont want to eat gluten again, just for this biopsy.

I dont have the results of my Celiac Panel yet, they are mailing them to me, but I will post them when they arrive. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and some of the other celiac disease symptoms (pretty mild, usually). My mother has Graves/Diverticulitis/joint pain/difficulty swallowing, her sister has Graves and Diabetes, her other sister has MS, and their mother said that she was allergic to flour/oats. I've read that all of these things could be related to celiac disease and that it tends to run in families. I already am noticing great improvement in the general way I feel just from being gluten free for a couple weeks. I am having less anxiety and depression and am sleeping better. Plus I lost 7 lbs.

Anyway, I just dont see the point in having the biopsy done. Will it effect my treatment in any way? From what I've read so far the only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten free diet which I plan on doing anyway. Please tell me if I'm missing something here.

Thanks!

Linda

[ravenwoodglass]

It is up to you whether you want to have the biopsy done or not. You may even want to talk to the doctor that did the blood test and explain the insurance situation and tell him you are going to get on the diet. Some doctors will diagnose based on the combo of positive blood work and resolution of symptoms gluten free. The biopsy also has a chance of a false negative which is something else to consider.

[Dixiebell]

Welcome!

I would say the procedure is not necessary at this time since you have a positive celiac panel and you can't afford it. If you were to have some problems later, being gluten free will not interfere with other testing you might need done.

[tarnalberry]

If you've been gluten free for a few weeks, you'd have to go back on gluten for a while.

There isn't any sort of prescription or the like that you need in order to be gluten free, so a biopsy-proven diagnosis is not really that important. (Unless you want to take part in studies on celiacs. They tend to require biopsy proof.)

[Skylark]

You are not missing anything by skipping the biopsy. If you have other GI problems, they can be found later while you are gluten-free. Bloodwork and response to the diet is plenty of evidence that you're celiac.