Should I Keep Eating Gluten Until I See A Gastroenterologist?

[zebaldwin]

I'm kind of stuck right now. I am getting so excited relating to all of this, and this morning decided to start a gluten free diet...but should I try and make an appointment with a gastroenterologist and get tested before stopping? Please let me know what the right thing to do here is...Im just eager...maybe a little too much.

Also, if a test comes back negative, is celiacs still possible? thanks!

[GFinDC]

Yes, it is still possible to have celiac with negative tests. If you want to be tested you need to stay on your regular gluteney diet until the testing is done. Otherwise the antibodies will start declining and the testing won't work. There is around a 20% false negative test rate, so it is still good to do the gluten-free diet even if the tests are negative.

[zebaldwin]

thanks for the reply!

ya, I go back to school tomorrow, so next week I am going to get a referral for a gastroenterologist...

That brings me to another question, can my primary doctor do the testing or no? A lot of symptoms are non-digestive. Should I still go to a gastroenterologist?

Thanks so much for your help. I really hope this is my problem.

[mushroom]

Your primary care doctor can order the blood testing - you want to ask for a full celiac panel:

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

Aldo if possible the Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP).

Doctors often don't run the total serum IGA but this is important to validate the other results.

If the blood work is positive you will be referred to a GI for an endoscopy with biopsies to verify the diagnosis (checking for intestinal damage).

[zebaldwin]

Cool thank you mushroom!

Your primary care doctor can order the blood testing - you want to ask for a full celiac panel:

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

Aldo if possible the Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP).

Doctors often don't run the total serum IGA but this is important to validate the other results.

If the blood work is positive you will be referred to a GI for an endoscopy with biopsies to verify the diagnosis (checking for intestinal damage).