What Tests?

[Bebee]

I have had diarrhea/loose stools for 3 months, tried to eleminate anything new I started that wasn't it. I saw my family doctor and he did blood work and stool tests, all normal. He the sent me to a gastroentronologist, more blood work and stool tests, all normal, but he still wanted to do a biopsy for celiac and after reading on this forum I cancelled the biopsy, because if figured that would come back normal too. Now the only symptom I have is occasional upset stomach w/diarrhea, some gurgling, that's it, diarrhea(loose) every day.

Now that I have cancelled the biopsy I am waiting for an other doctor to do allergy testing for food allergies/intollerances, but I am not sure if that is the best way to go. I've read that Enterolab does testing for gluten intollerance, is this the route I should go? Should I go back to the gastroentronologist and have a test for colitis? My husband is getting very upset that this is going on so long (he thinks it is something worse). I just don't have all the symptoms everyone talks about. I do have hashymoto thyroiditis, Raynaud's, hypothyroid, and MS, so I do have an number of autoimmune diseases. I do have a hard time keeping my vitamin D level up and I have osteopina.

For the past 3 days I am going gluten free (the best I can), but it's not better yet, so it makes me wonder what else I might be alergic to and it might be to early too.

I would just like some opinions on testing, the normal celiac testing sounds iffy.

Thank you

Antibody IGG <3

Antibody IGA <3

Endomysial antibody SCR negtive

doctor did not test for anti-gliadin IGA

[sb2178]

Well, they can do the endoscopy and a colonoscopy at the same time to look for both.

For the biopsy to come back positive, you MUST be eating gluten. I'm inclided toward going ahead and testing all the options at the beginning, so you don't have to go back onto gluten if it does turn out to be a problem for further medical testing.

You can also do a long and very strict diet trial (three days is really far too short) of at least three weeks but preferably longer. Follow that up with a challenge meal(s) containing pure wheat (bulgur, pasta made from flour and water, etc) if you're not sure. The only issue is that if you want medicial confirmation for insurance or whatever, you would have to go back on gluten for quite a while before an accuate biopsy could be done. If, however, you don't care about the results, you could just continue the dietary trial. The trials are more accurate, but often not accepted as diagnostic.

[Skylark]

I don't understand why you canceled the biopsy from reading here. All the tests have a chance of false negatives, so you want to get as many done as you can tolerate. Plus your Dr. can look with signs of other trouble with the scope. If I were you I would go back on gluten and reschedule endoscopy/colonoscopy and let your Dr. check everything out.

For me, 3 days gluten-free wasn't long enough for my stomach to settle. I think it took about a week for the worst of the D to stop.

[Bebee]

  On 8/14/2011 at 9:31 PM, Skylark said:

I don't understand why you canceled the biopsy from reading here. All the tests have a chance of false negatives, so you want to get as many done as you can tolerate. Plus your Dr. can look with signs of other trouble with the scope. If I were you I would go back on gluten and reschedule endoscopy/colonoscopy and let your Dr. check everything out.

For me, 3 days gluten-free wasn't long enough for my stomach to settle. I think it took about a week for the worst of the D to stop.

This article made me cancel my biospy, what do you think?

https://www.celiac.com/articles/759/1/Early-Diagnosis-of-Gluten-Sensitivity-Before-the-Villi-are-Gone-by-By-Kenneth-Fine-MD/Page1.html

[Skylark]

  On 8/14/2011 at 10:28 PM, Bebee said:

This article made me cancel my biospy, what do you think?

https://www.celiac.com/articles/759/1/Early-Diagnosis-of-Gluten-Sensitivity-Before-the-Villi-are-Gone-by-By-Kenneth-Fine-MD/Page1.html

Remember that Dr. Fine has something to sell you. You must take his lectures with a grain of salt.

You MUST exclude a medical diagnosis of celiac disease before you start looking at gluten sensitivity. Blood tests only detect celiac disease 70%-80% of the time. The other 20%-30% of the time, damage is found on biopsy with no indication from the blood tests. If you are insured for the biopsy I would strongly recommend that you have it done to be sure you're dealing with possible gluten intolerance and not celiac disease. Doublecheck with the GI that he intends to take 7-11 samples and not the usual 3 or 4, because that can miss patchy damage.

Also, once testing is done you will get a more reliable result than Entrolab by simply excluding gluten from your diet. Even better, it's free. Spend the $279 on a new toaster, cutting board, a rice cooker, and some gluten-free baking mixes.

[Bebee]

  On 8/14/2011 at 11:11 PM, Skylark said:

Remember that Dr. Fine has something to sell you. You must take his lectures with a grain of salt.

You MUST exclude a medical diagnosis of celiac disease before you start looking at gluten sensitivity. Blood tests only detect celiac disease 70%-80% of the time. The other 20%-30% of the time, damage is found on biopsy with no indication from the blood tests. If you are insured for the biopsy I would strongly recommend that you have it done to be sure you're dealing with possible gluten intolerance and not celiac disease. Doublecheck with the GI that he intends to take 7-11 samples and not the usual 3 or 4, because that can miss patchy damage.

Also, once testing is done you will get a more reliable result than Entrolab by simply excluding gluten from your diet. Even better, it's free. Spend the $279 on a new toaster, cutting board, a rice cooker, and some gluten-free baking mixes.

Thanks, your right, I will to back to gluten and see if dr. will do both test together.