Is the Gluten free test at the gps surgery sufficient? UK

[Flowers14]

Hello

Approx a year ago I stopped eating gluten. It helped me tremendously. I'm back on gluten again for the last 6 months and my bad constipation is back among other things. My question is.....Is the Gluten free blood test that's done at our gp surgery a good valid test? The reason I ask is that my gp says I'm not gluten intolerant yet I firmy believe I am.

I looked up a gluten test but it costs £299 that's a lot of money for me.

Thanking you

[Hidden]

Hello Flowers14 the IgA test are an indicator this is then followed up with a biopsy looking for collapsed villi.

Gluten especially from modern dwarf wheat is a very powerful protein and many people have issues with it who aren't coeliac or gluten intolerant, because it is a long chain molecule that takes time for our guts to break down anyway.

My opinion is if a gluten free diet works for you and one containing gluten doesn't then you have answered your own question.

I would try and whole food gluten free diet where you will be getting lots of nutrients and keep a food diary to see if other foods affect you.

Good luck and save your money for GF goodies thats my 2ps worth...😊

[Flowers14 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jerry, yes I agree to hold off on that test. Think I'll do the medicheck one that Cooper27 has mentioned if I can find it :). I say this because my sisiter was very ill and doctors didn't do much for her and her coliac test came back negative. However, when she went private it came back positive for a high wheat intolerance. She got Lichen planus and its changed her life dramatically and not for the good. She's gluten free now and lifes a bit better for her.

I know how fatigued I am and how hard it is to function so I know I must get a hold of this. I once was so ill with B12 deficiency that I truly nearly ended up in a wheelchair. I did my own research and saved myself a horrible long slow cruel death.

Anyway thanks for your info its very appreciated

Thanking you

[Cooper27]

£299?!? You can get a coeliac test via medichecks for £79. Saying that, I've seen the genetic test cost £299 before, but it's a complete waste of money. 39% of the population has the coeliac gene, while only 1% go on to develop the illness. You can also have the gene and still only have an intolerance, so it really just doesn't answer anything.

Your GP needs to run two tests: IGA and IGA deficiency. IGA on its own isn't reliable.

[Cooper27 in reply to Cooper27]

Also there are discount codes for medichecks that can get you 10-20% off if you do want to try that option.

[Flowers14 in reply to Cooper27]

Hi cooper, thanks I thought it was a lot as well. However I popped over to Medichecks and cant find a coeliac test and theres 10% off if I order by tomorrow. Could you post me a link please if you see something I didn't. Thanking you

[Cooper27 in reply to Flowers14]

I've sent you a message with some discount codes that don't have a use by date

I think the test we've used has been discontinued, and a different test has appeared in its place. I've emailed to ask if it's suitable because I'm not sure. I'll let you know the response

[Flowers14 in reply to Cooper27]

Sorry cooper27 but I can't find your message. Where did you send it to my yahoo address? Chat soon and thanks again . Night for now

Prettyflowers14

[Regalbirdy]

Hi,

I believe that the the most common blood test done by most of the UK GP’s, only checks for a diagnosis of Coeliac Disease because it looks for a specific type of antibody to gluten. Whilst the test cannot give perfect results every single time, it normally can detect an issue for most people.

However if you have any other type of gluten sensitivity then this test will come back as negative.

[Flowers14 in reply to Regalbirdy]

Thank you Regalbirdy. Its sounding like I should get tested by medichecks doesn't it. Thanking you

[Wonderful57]

Hi Flowers 14. I'm not sure why your GP won't give you a / another blood test and evaluate the results. The difficulty is if you have stopped gluten yourself this skews the result both for a blood test and biopsy. Maybe talk to your GP about staying on gluten for 6months then having a blood test and if the results indicate a possibility of coeliac a biopsy. After the biopsy you will be asked to give up gluten containing products for 6months followed by a repeat biopsy to see how your villi have responded.

A gluten free diet is not recommended for people as a diet choice but only for medical reasons.

I know 6months is a long time but best to follow the right path to have a sound diagnosis. Even if you had the blood test privately it would only indicate coeliac . The only proof would be via a biopsy as I understand. I have been diagnosed coeliac for 7 years now. Take care.

[Meldrewmoanef]

You may have ibs, which have similar sgmptkns

[Meldrewmoanef]

To be certain you have celiac , you need an endoscopy, so they can see the lining in the gut, they are looking at the 'villa' these are like little fingers that stand up in the lining of your gut, if they may flat that's how they know you have celiac, this is caused by gluten which attacks the villii.