Designer

Thank you!

As I stated initially, when I was finally diagnosed, gluten free foods were not readily available.  I had to drive 50 miles round trip for a loaf of bread that couldn't even be sliced because of cross contamination.  Some of the food was as tasteless as eating the box.  Items like pretzels were more than 100% more costly, when I could find them.  Others had significantly more calories.  By the time Celiac became the disease of the month and gluten-free food came to local grocery outlets, I had discovered that I had no adverse reaction to eating gluten and blood tests confirmed it.  At my age, I am not a prolific eater and weeding out all the hidden gluten products and finding substitutes is not on my hit parade.  If it again becomes an issue, at least I am well acquainted of what to and not eat.  I was just curious as to whether there was such a thing as latent celiac, given my history.

At this point, it's been 14 years, with testing on an annual basis.  I'm pushing 83 so as long as that miserable rash doesn't recur (never did have any  obvious gut issues), I'm good.  Just thought it was really strange to go from one end of the spectrum to the other with the blood numbers.

It was coincidentally diagnosed during the colonoscopy because of the rash that covered my butt and the fact that I was severely anemic.  The GI ordered the appropriate blood test for the diagnosis and also did the endoscopy.  The question still remains, how can my IgA number have been so high and now are low normal with me resuming eating gluten. 

Took me 10 years of intense HD and mis-diagnosis of the rash before finally getting a diagnosis when I got a colonoscopy.  Went gluten free for 3 years but that was before gluten-free food was readily available and gradually eased back into food that had gluten, with no rash or adverse results for probably 15 years.  Have had any number of IgA tests during that time with normal results.  Is that possible?  Been having gut issues for the past 9 months or so...Celiac without rash?