Need Advice From Those "in The Know"

[Laynie]

I have had rheumatoid arthritus for several years now which is, of course, an autoimmune disease. A couple of months ago blood tests from my GP came back as Iron Deficiency Anemia. He send me to a gastroenterologist who told me that 90% of the people my age (63) that were iron deficient anemic had bleeding problems. I was scheduled for a colonoscopy and an EGD (I think I got this right, it's where they run that camera down into your stomach and the beginning of the small intestine. All results were negative. Then I had a barium swallow, results were fine. I was scheduled for a test where you swallow a pill with a camera in it that takes 2 pictures a second through your entire intestinal tract. I could not swallow that thing, it kept hanging up and my gag reflex would send it shooting out. It was scary because I couldn't breath. After the third attempt, the nurse told me not to try again. Now my question is this, so far everything has come back OK. Bioposy from the start of the intestine did not show any celiac disease. But he hasn't done any blood work at all. I understand from what I'm reading that is the test that tells the whole truth. They are saying they can put me out and put that pill in my stomach because that's the only way they can see the entire small intestine. I'm thinking "why don't they do the blood work first and if it comes back positive, well there you go." I'm also thinking of going on the glutin free diet and seeing if my anemia improves. I also understand that if you have one autoimmune disease, you are likely to develop another which I'm thinking celiac. He even said in the beginning it could be celiac, but it was rare. Doesn't sound very rare to me with what all I've been reading. I guess I'm just asking for some opinions from people who know waaay more than me about this.

[ravenwoodglass]

Your doctors work for you. Call them and tell them you want to pick up a lab slip for a celiac panel. Do be aware that both blood tests and biopsies do have a fairly high rate of false negatives. After all celiac related testing is done then do a trial of the gluten-free diet.