Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

I'm New


Tigger

Recommended Posts

Tigger Newbie

Hi everyone, I'm very new here and if someone can help me through the ropes I'd appreciate it.

I've had chronic diarrhea for over a year and do NOT know what to do at this point. I've been tested for all the usual suspects. I've had the blood test for celiac and it came back fine.

Can someone bet gluten sensitive and still have a "normal" celiac test.

Help.

Tigger


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



tarnalberry Community Regular

Yep, you absolutely can have a problem with gluten and still have normal blood tests. Of course, the first question that comes to mind is: what blood tests did you have? (A lot of docs don't run the full panel, or require more positives than others might require for a diagnosis.)

The other thing to consider, besides the interpretation of the tests is whether or not your intestines had enough damage for the antibodies the blood tests look for to escape the intestinal tract. They may not have had that much damage - yet.

If you still want to investigate gluten intolerance AND your doc already ran the correct tests with truely negative results (not just inconclusive), then I would encourage you to try the gluten-free diet (strictly) for two months to see how you feel. Do not, however, try the diet until you are done with all diagnostic testing.

Carriefaith Enthusiast
I've had chronic diarrhea for over a year and do NOT know what to do at this point. I've been tested for all the usual suspects. I've had the blood test for celiac and it came back fine.
I would guess that you may have a food allergy or intolerance. If I were you I would ask for the full celiac panel, a wheat allergy test, casein and lactose intolerance test, and maybe allergy testing (like skin prick tests) to see if you are allergic to other foods like, soy, eggs, and nuts.
pixiegirl Enthusiast

I had the runs for 11 years so I've got you beat! :rolleyes: My Celiac blood work came back negative too. However I went on a gluten-free diet and my runs stopped in a very short time.

Since then I've had a DNA test and I do carry the main genes for Celiac and every time I'm accidently glutened I get the runs for weeks again. Some people "need" to have their doctor tell them a test was positive, I don't need that, the proof I get with my reactions to gluten is enough for me.

You might want to try a very simple diet for a few weeks, thats how I did it. I ate chicken, rice and some veggies for a week or so and bingo the runs stopped.

Susan

Canadian Karen Community Regular

Maybe you should ask your doctor about the possibility of collagenous colitis..... After a decade of permanent diarrhea, they finally found out that's what it was....

Good luck!

Karen

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,902
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Patty6133
    Newest Member
    Patty6133
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Xravith
      Yes, you are right. Indeed, I’ve been feeling anemic since the beginning of this week, and today I felt horrible during a lecture at the university, I was trembling a lot and felt all my body incredibly heavy, so I had to come back home. I’ll do a blood test tomorrow, but I’m just worried about the possibility of it coming back negative. I’ve been eating two cookies in the morning as my only source of gluten over the past two weeks—could that affect the final result?
    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.