Gluten Challenge

[Kazza40]

Hi I am new to this forum. My father is a Celiac and about 7 years ago I started getting bad symptoms that where very much like what my father went through. The worst for me was the big weight loss and nerve symptoms, along with gastro symptoms. So I went on a gluten free diet, that my father suggested and have been now, for 6 years. Now my GP wants me to do the Gluten Challenge due to bad gastro symptoms that have come up again in the last 4 months. This concerns me due to the long period I have been gluten free and will the 4 week challenge show up on the blood tests. The one thing that did come up on my blood tests 7 years ago when my GP did so some blood tests (at that time they did not test me for Celiacs), was an elivataed ANA at 1:320 since being gluten free I have had a negative ANA he wants to see if this goes up again. I just dont know what the need is to find out if it is Celiacs or not. I am scared of eating gluten again, there has been a big improvment in my over the last 6 years, except for the last 4 months. Any help would be great, Many Thanks

[Howlin-Radio]

Hi I am new to this forum. My father is a Celiac and about 7 years ago I started getting bad symptoms that where very much like what my father went through. The worst for me was the big weight loss and nerve symptoms, along with gastro symptoms. So I went on a gluten free diet, that my father suggested and have been now, for 6 years. Now my GP wants me to do the Gluten Challenge due to bad gastro symptoms that have come up again in the last 4 months. This concerns me due to the long period I have been gluten free and will the 4 week challenge show up on the blood tests. The one thing that did come up on my blood tests 7 years ago when my GP did so some blood tests (at that time they did not test me for Celiacs), was an elivataed ANA at 1:320 since being gluten free I have had a negative ANA he wants to see if this goes up again. I just dont know what the need is to find out if it is Celiacs or not. I am scared of eating gluten again, there has been a big improvment in my over the last 6 years, except for the last 4 months. Any help would be great, Many Thanks

My advice would be to cut out dairy on top of gluten and see if the digestive problems improve. The proteins can cross-react, sudden increase in dairy intake over a period of time could provoke this response.

[Takala]

So this doctor wants you to torture yourself for the next 4 weeks so they can run some tests that will likely show you to be "negative" anyway. Like magic your blood tests after 6 years off gluten are going to come back up suddenly positive after only four weeks.

Tell me, has the doctor scheduled his month of August vacation yet or .... ?

[ravenwoodglass]

If you were doing well on the diet until 4 months ago look back and see if you can figure out what may have changed. New med, supplement, change in formulation of a food you eat, new restaurant that you are going to, new significant other who eats gluten,new toiletry that contains gluten, new pet or hobby, home remodeling, new job working with gluten items etc.

You don't have to go back on gluten to be tested for other problems as being gluten free will not mask any other illness. We can have other problems crop up or other intolerances can rear their heads. The most common being soy and dairy.

[Cara in Boston]

I doubt 4 weeks would be long enough - although it is different for everyone. My doctor told me 4-6 MONTHS (I did not last that long.)

The only thing you would need to be eating gluten for is to be tested for Celiac. You already KNOW you have an issue with gluten so I'm not sure why, after 6 years, you need to be tested for it.

If there is a concern that there is another problem - something other than gluten causing your new symptoms - testing for it wouldn't require you to eat gluten (does that make sense?)

My guess (but I'm no doctor) is that you are getting contaminated with gluten from something you have added or changed in the last few months. It could even be a product you have used for years - maybe they suddenly changed the way it was processed or changed the ingredients.

If you think it is gluten - find the gluten.

If you think it is a new and different problem, you don't need to test for gluten intolerance or celiac and therefor do not need to resume eating gluten again.

Cara