Finally, Got Myself Tested Today...

[kendon0015]

Back this past February, I had two pints of draught Blue Moon beer (wheat beer), and the next day spent over an hour in the bathroom. My first thought was that the beer was bad as I never has this problem before. Two weeks later I had the same bowel urgency (loose but formed stool) and spent another hour in the bathroom. Long story short as this repeated every two or three weeks, I decided to go gluten free in May. This decision was based on having Hashimotos, osteopenia, low D, and elevated homocysteine. I felt better immediately for the next three months and had the bonus of losing 8 pounds. The last month or so, I'm having the bathroom episodes all over again. Still gluten free, and strict about it. I haven't cheated once.

I went to the GI doctor last week and he has ordered blood work for Celiac and IBS. He didn't think it was IBS but is checking anyway. Also, stool samples for bacteria since I had recurring UTI's over last fall and winter...around 4-5 of them using Cipro each time. I went to the lab today and hopefully will have results by late next week. I LOVE this doctor. He is open minded, thorough, and current with gluten intolerant issues. I just hope that at least of these tests shows something.

Thanks for "listening".

[Newbee]

You did consume some gluten containing food before having the blood test, right? I ask because you need to be eating food with gluten in it for the tests to come out correctly. Otherwise you may come back with a false negative result. My doctor did not tell me this when I had my blood test. Luckily I was eating gluten anyway, but I was disturbed that no one told me about this before I had the test.

[mushroom]

Yes, unfortunately if you have been gluten free (or mostly so) for the last four months the likelihood of positive bloodwork is slim. You may have been getting some gluten cross-contamination from an unlikely source - lip gloss, meds, something unexpected. Did you start using any new products in the last month?

[Jenniferxgfx]

Do you take thyroid meds? Are they gluten free? (same with your other meds but I hear the most popular thyroid med isn't gluten-free.) just a thought-- maybe you're getting gluten from elsewhere.

I'd gone gluten-lite before being tested so my results were negative, although I'm sure gluten is bad for me and I'll never go back on for a test.

Good luck and welcome!

[kendon0015]

Just came home to a message from my doctor....one stool sample came back positive and he wants to treat me right away. Positive for what I don't know yet, but at least that may be all or part of my problem. i have to call him tomorrow.

[kendon0015]

I've got a C difficile infection and will be treated for 10 days with Flagyl and probiotics, which I have been taking for months anyway. If I wasn't taking the probiotics, I think I'd be a lot worse! Blood work for gluten intolerance not back yet, but I feel a heck of a lot better without gluten. Wouldn't it be nice if that is all that was wrong with me for the past year? sheesh...