TTG test when Gluten free

[WeeAggie]

I have been Gluten free for two and a half years.

I shall be having a blood test tomorrow, including TTG.

As you know I would have to be eating gluten for six weeks for the test to show results.

What have others done ? Are there other tests in this circumstance?

[Bazmack48]

Those suffering with CD have the TTG blood test every year to ensure they haven’t been exposed to gluten. Whatever you do don’t eat gluten before your test.

[Cooper27]

There would be no point in running the TTG test if you've been GF for 2.5 years, unless as bazmack mentions, you have been diagnosed Coeliac and are being tested to check antibodies are normal again.

I went to a research talk, where they mentioned they were developing a test that doesn't require us to be eating gluten before being tested. It was about 2 years ago now, but I think the test would still be a few years off. In the latest CUK newsletter, they mentioned the research had been diverted to develop Covid antibody tests, so I suspect that might delay things...

[missmolly in reply to Cooper27]

Hi there I have also been advised to eat gluten daily for 6 weeks before blood tests after being GF for 8 months. I am only 1 week in and the bloating and pains have started again but all in the name of getting answers, good luck.

[Cooper27 in reply to missmolly]

It's pretty rubbish I hope the symptoms remain tolerable for you.

I started a gluten challenge in February to be tested for coeliac, but just as I reached 6 weeks, Covid kicked off and GPs stopped seeing non-urgent patients. I'm going to have to go through that again at some point in the future...

[missmolly in reply to Cooper27]

That is awful, I hope there is a time again you can work towards this test. I will keep trying in hope of answers must admit it's nice to eat certain foods again just suffer after 😊

[Hil101]

It's horrible to be asked to reintroduce gluten. I refused to do that years ago because I would have been too ill. I recently had a gut biopsy which showed that, though my small intestine is in perfect nick now, it definitely has coeliac disease. But that is only available privately in Cambridge, I'm afraid. The NHS ought to be able to test without a gluten challenge - but it would need endoscopy