welcome back gluten :^|

[angelias]

Hi everyone who kindly replied to my queries and anyone who may be interested in the following.

I saw a specialist yesterday and, as expected, he told me that it is highly probable that I have CD but that, however, to be 100% certain I will need to undergo an endoscopy for biopsy. So I'm back to my beloved, but probably for me harmful, Mediterranean-packed-with-gluten diet!

I also asked the specialist about the Genetic Testing for Gluten Sensitivity and CD. The specialist seemed puzzled and apparently had never heard about this test. He asked me to print out the webpage where it is advertised and bring it with me next time I see him. In this regard, I read somewhere on the Internet that this -quite expensive- test would only tell you if you "carry" the gene of Gluten Sensitivity and CD, which does not always mean that you have developed or will develop these pathologies. Hope that helps.

[John419]

That test would suggest that the two conditions are linked, something I've suspected for some time. My family history includes both. CD has many possible symptoms, and not every sufferer has all of them. What if the immune response that damages the lining of the lower intestine is just another symptom? If you have it, you have CD. If not you have non celiac gluten sensitivity.

[Poshpenny]

I'm in the middle of a gluten challenge now, endoscopy on 4 November. It's not as bad as I thought it would be if I'm honest. The bloating, balance problems and random numbness in my hand are annoying me more than digestive problems, which was what was worrying me most before I started, (I was worried I would need incontinence pads). I will be going back to gf diet once this is over I have decided that already regardless of the outcome. I guess after 2 years GF the original damage caused over who knows how many years has healed, and the vitamin deficiencies addressed, so it's not anything like as bad as before, I do wish my hair wasn't falling out though. Of course I know more now than I did 2 years ago, and am keeping up with the vits and mins supplements and also now take thyroid medication, so probably it's all right not feeling as bad as I did, as other issues I had have been addressed.