Gi Biopsies

[lcarter]

I know we need to be eating gluten for quite a few weeks before being blood tested, but not necessary for gene tests. But, what about GI biopsies? I have been gluten free for 6+ yrs and my GI went ahead and did GI biopsies which were all negative. There's no doubt that wheat gives me GI problems.

[psawyer]

If you have been gluten-free for a long enough time, your villi will have healed and the biopsy will be negative. How long is subject to debate, and depends on how fast you heal, and how much healing there is to do. But a year would be more than enough.

[KikiB]

If you have been gluten-free for a long enough time, your villi will have healed and the biopsy will be negative. How long is subject to debate, and depends on how fast you heal, and how much healing there is to do. But a year would be more than enough.

Do you know how long it takes damage to show up from when Celiac is first triggered? I'm pretty sure the mono I had in April triggered it -- and wonder if there would be any damage yet?

[psawyer]

In my case, there was a five-year skid until the diagnosis showed severe damage to the villi. I do not know at what point along that slide the damage would have been detectable. In the early stages, the damage may be spotty, and not easily detectable. The intestine should look like a rolled-up short-nap carpet. Mine looked like a garden hose.

Younger people heal more quickly, and I have no idea on how quickly the damage happens.

[KikiB]

In my case, there was a five-year skid until the diagnosis showed severe damage to the villi. I do not know at what point along that slide the damage would have been detectable. In the early stages, the damage may be spotty, and not easily detectable. The intestine should look like a rolled-up short-nap carpet. Mine looked like a garden hose.

Younger people heal more quickly, and I have no idea on how quickly the damage happens.

Thank you.