Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Should I Be Gluten Free While Waiting For Biopsy?

JessF

Recommended Posts

JessF Rookie
JessF
Posted

Hi everyone,

I had the celiac panel bloodwork a couple weeks ago. One of the antibodies was positive but the rest were not so I already had an endoscopy scheduled so she is going to do the biopsy then (in two weeks from now).They did try to move up my endoscopy but I wasnt able to do the couple days they had free. I began going gluten-free to see how I felt. I have been feeling better on gluten-free. I recently read that you shouldnt be gluten-free before testing or it may show a false negative. Do I really need to go back to eating gluten when it makes me feel so bad?

Thanks for any advice:)

Jess

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

Youn need to be eating gluten. The test is being done to examine the damage caused by gluten.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Do not switch to the gluten-free diet until ALL testing has been completed. If you do go gluten-free, false negative test results are possible.

Julia Newbie
Julia
Posted

Do not switch to the gluten-free diet until ALL testing has been completed. If you do go gluten-free, false negative test results are possible.

Hello, I am new here, and am in a similar situation. I"m having to push for my testing, etc. I was biopsied years ago and it was negative. In the last 6 years, I had a baby, then had new symptoms, issues, etc. I was advised by a rheumatologist to just try the gluten free diet for my symptoms and within 3 weeks I am 80% better. It's SO dramatic that it is easy to avoid gluten now. However, since it IS so dramatic, and I have a young daughter, it seems unsafe not to find out for sure if I have celiac, versus just an intolerance. My question is: I know I should be on gluten while I await dx yet longer - but I don't know how long it will be and I am almost non-functional while on gluten. I will be grateful for ANY advice on how to stay on gluten and manage during that interval. How much gluten do I have to be on? Hints on coping?

Many thanks, I'm so glad this exists!

Julia

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Hello, I am new here, and am in a similar situation. I"m having to push for my testing, etc. I was biopsied years ago and it was negative. In the last 6 years, I had a baby, then had new symptoms, issues, etc. I was advised by a rheumatologist to just try the gluten free diet for my symptoms and within 3 weeks I am 80% better. It's SO dramatic that it is easy to avoid gluten now. However, since it IS so dramatic, and I have a young daughter, it seems unsafe not to find out for sure if I have celiac, versus just an intolerance. My question is: I know I should be on gluten while I await dx yet longer - but I don't know how long it will be and I am almost non-functional while on gluten. I will be grateful for ANY advice on how to stay on gluten and manage during that interval. How much gluten do I have to be on? Hints on coping?

Many thanks, I'm so glad this exists!

Julia

Unfortunately, Julia, Peter's statement means exactly what it says - "until all testing is completed", including the endoscopy. The routinely accepted amount of gluten is the equivalent of 2-4 slices of bread a day, so you don't have to pack gluten into every meal, but you do have to make sure you are not eating 'gluten lite' :) As for how long, the estimates are widely variable at the moment as to how long a gluten challenge should last. Since you have been gluten free three weeks, you will probably have to do a "full" challenge, which may be up to 6-8 weeks. I don't know how quickly or how long you drastically react to gluten; maybe you could make gluten your evening meal, "sleep it off" overnight, and function the next day? Or make it breakfast, be able to function during the day and collapse at night? Or maybe it will last all day and all night :wacko:

How to handle? Take digestive enzymes to help digest your food, take probiotics to improve your gut flora, drink lots of water, take Tums or Pepto Bismol as warranted (or Gas-X - gelcaps only, not chewable), something for GERD if that's what you get. It's going to be miserable no matter which way you cut it. I wish doctors would just run the damned tests first when they come up with these brainwaves :rolleyes:

cavernio Enthusiast
cavernio
Posted

'just' gluten intolerance is very real. Poorly understood, not medically diagnosed usually, but it still appears to be an auto-immune disorder. However, getting diagnosed for certain will ensure you get proper treatment later on in life. I don't know how young you can begin testing for celiac in kids, but there's a 10% chance you kid is/will be celiac. Probably higher if we include gluten intolerance for either her or you.

But to re-iterate, yes, you must eat gluten or else your tests are likely to show false negatives.

JessF Rookie
JessF
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for your replies everyone! I started back on gluten. I feel yucky agian too:( I am trying to think positively and eat all of my favorite gluteny food that I may never be able to eat again-my favorite pizza, McDonalds fries, garlic bread, etc

Julia I am sorry you are going through this too. I started feeling crummy 11 years ago after my daughter was born and after many doctors, specialists, etc I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 6 years ago. Now I am wondering if I had celiac then, ugh! I hope not because that is alot of years of destroying my intestines with gluten! Good luck!

Jess

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      129,874
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kelly Bates
    Newest Member
    Kelly Bates
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • terrymouse
      Probably celiac but also confused

      By terrymouse · Posted

      I have an endoscopy booked for mid-September to test for Celiac. My gp seems convinced it is celiac and I should eliminate gluten right away, but the gastroenterologist I was referred to says if I'm totally gluten-free then they won't be able to detect celiac from the endoscopy, and I should load up on gluten 2 weeks before the test. So I guess I shouldn't eliminate gluten then? Or stop and start again closer to the appointment date. But I'm also on the wait list in case they can get me in sooner, because I'm losing weight. I don't want to have to go back and do it over again if I can help it. They also were unsure if there isn't something else wrong with my stomach, so that's a possibility. I don't have the details but from what I understood my blood tests results were positive but on the low end. So I'm getting mixed up here, do I go gluten-free or not? Would 2.5 months of being gluten-free make any noticable difference? 
    • knitty kitty
      Refractory Celiac disease - what to do

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Being low in B12, Folate B9, ferritin, zinc and copper sounds consistent with anemia which can often occur with Celiac.  What did your doctor recommend? What about your Vitamin D?  It helps regulate the immune system.  
    • ehb
      Refractory Celiac disease - what to do

      By ehb · Posted

      @knitty kitty thank you I am exploring these options, I really appreciate all the suggestions and info. I am only slightly below the normal range for folate, zinc and copper. And in the low end of the normal range for B12, ferritin, and vitamin A. I’m good for carotene magnesium and iron, but I’ve been taking 400 mg magnesium daily 
    • Alibu
      Waiting on biopsy after positive bloodwork, but also not really believing this is real

      By Alibu · Posted

      I just had my endoscopy the other day and the doctor took 12 samples because he said if we're going to find something we're going to find it today LOL. But when he got down there, he said everything looked good. So I have it in my head again that it's going to be negative because everyone I've heard of who had a positive biopsy had their endoscopies where the doctor was like yep, I can see the damage. My tissues all look great apparently. So if they come back negative, I'm not sure where to go from here. Could it still be a non-celiac gluten sensitivity even with my blood work? I thought NCGS didn't show up on blood tests. Is it possible that the biopsy still comes back positive even if everything looked healthy on endoscope? I had it done at a big hospital in the state, so I would think they'd have the kind of equipment where they'd be able to see it well. I even have pictures in my report and they don't seem to have the damage that others have seen.
    • trents
      Virus, celiac disease or both?

      By trents · Posted

      That's just it. When they are doing an EGD, even with biopsy, if they aren't thinking about celiac disease they may miss it. They should take several samples from both the duodenum and the duodenum bulb. Damage can be patchy and easily missed if sampling isn't through. And patch damage may explain lack of dramatic symptoms. Let me assure you that we frequently have posters on this forum who were silent celiacs for years and were diagnosed incidentally with celiac disease when their docs were checking for other things. They developed other medical problems such as anemia or vitamin and mineral deficiencies, neurological deficits, Hashimodo's thyroid, osteoporois, etc. - non GI symptoms - but their docs recognized those problems as often connected to celiac disease and had them checked for celiac disease, both blood antibody testing and biopsy, and found damage. A couple of years ago the Mayo Clinic did a large study involving over 300 people. They started with those officially diagnosed with celiac disease and also tested their first degree relatives. They found that almost 50% of  the first degree relatives tested positive for celiac disease and many or most were totally caught by surprise because they were largely asymptomatic. Their diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy. I really don't have anything more to say. You have some decisions to make.
×
×
  • Create New...