Supplements Before Testing?

[ukdan]

I'm new here, largely suspect that I am coeliac but still being tested. My short history is mainly stomach issues for the past year with anxiety problems as well, these improved with being gluten/dairy free for 4 months but not enough to convinve me that I was definitely coeliac without proper testing (I realise this may not have been long enough but it also coincided with me finally getting an appointment with a gastroenterologist on the NHS).

I have now been back on gluten for over a month now and have my blood tests and endoscopy/colonoscopy coming up in the next two weeks. Whilst experimenting with diet (I am on fodmaps currently but with wheat/gluten in at the moment obviously) I also added calcium, iron and multi-vitamin supplements to make up for my restricted diet. I have also been benefiting from probiotics and digestive enzymes.

While I realise that the supplments might mask any problems come the time of the tests and am therefore stopping them today, do I need to stop taking the probiotics and enzymes. I have looked around but can't find any conclusive answer on this, if anyone has a better idea I would love to hear it!

[UKGail]

If you are celiac, then I don't think taking probiotics or digestive enzymes should mask the issue. My experience of the British medical system, is that they don't bother to test for vitamin levels, so I wouldn't neccessarily expect any help in that area. However it wouldn't hurt to stop your vitamins until after all your testing has been complete in case you have a better gastro doc than I did.

I didn't have a great diagnosis experience in the UK (I had private referrals, but that should make no difference, as the staff and medical protocols are the same). I don't have any celiac antibodies. My GP nevertheless referred me for gastroscopy/biopsy two and a half years ago because of a strong family history of celiac disease. The biopsy only found a hiatal hernia and scarring due to ulcers/excess acid. A pelvic ultrasound found cysts and "pelvic congestion" due to inflammation of blood vessels in the pelvic area, which is also cause of pelvic pain. The gastro advised me that I didn't have celiac, and should carry on eating gluten. Not knowing any better, I did. I had a brief respite from pelvic pain following some hormone treatment, but it returned, and other symptoms continued to worsen. Exponentially so last year, with each month being worse than the previous one, until I finally went gluten free following another set of negative blood tests.

Yes, my problem is definitely gluten, as I am much, much better in many ways than I have been for years. However some problems continue to bother me, problems which I did not have until last year. So if your biopsy comes back negative, and your gastro tells you not to worry about celiac, please ignore him and give the diet a strict and full trial anyway. That will be your best diagnosis, if you don't fit the narrow criteria for celiac disease.

[ukdan]

Thanks for the reply, based on how I've felt since I've been back on it I believe I'm gluten sensitive at the very least. However, having been previously diagnosed with IBS purely based on a blood test and stool sample (only to check for infection) I want to at least rule out anything more serious.

To be fair, although it took a while to get the appointment with the specialist he has at least been understanding enough to run the full range of tests short of vitamin testing (already had an ultrasound and having my thyroid checked with the blood test) so at least if nothing comes back from these I'll at least be happier knowing!

[evary]

I was told by my gp to not take any supplements for at least 2 weeks before testing. I suppose to ensure no skewing of results. He also did not thnk, however, it was necessary to test for any vitamin levels.