I’ve been having stomach pains for several months and after some experimenting with avoiding certain foods I feel food containing gluten is causing me problems.
I would like to get tested for coeliac disease. I realise I have to include gluten in my diet in order for an accurate diagnosis. My questions is how long do I have to reintroduce gluten containing food into my diet before making an appointment with my doctor?
Hope someone can help, thank you.
Hi, According to Coeliac UK, you need to eat gluten more than once a day for 6 weeks. I recently had a negative blood test for coeliac, but was not prepared for it in advance. So I agreed with the GP yesterday that I will try to eat rye and spelt a couple of times a day for the next 6 weeks and get retested. I have wheat allergy, so stopped eating this years ago. Good luck.
Thank you for your advice. I guess, like you, I will have to start eating wheat products again and put up with stomach pains for a little longer. Good luck to you too.
Are there any other conditions where you need to make yourself unwell to get an accurate test? Good luck.
Hi BabsyWabsy.
Good luck with the gluten challenge. I’m currently in similar boat. Hopefully get correct diagnosis.
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Hi. I’ve been reading up on this again recently as I’m undergoing treatment/testing. If you’ve been gluten free then it’s recommended at least 6 weeks on a gluten containing diet (3g of gluten a day according to the research literature) to hopefully get an accurate diagnosis. It can take a while for the specific antibodies to show up on a blood test if you’re coeliac. I was advised to eat as much as can (at least a portion at more than one meal a day). One slice of bread equivalent is a portion. About 2g gluten. Or a portion of pasta. Two sweet biscuits, that kind of thing. I was also told if the symptoms too much to go back and maybe get tested sooner.
I had previously been tested normal and thought likely wheat allergy (igE sensitised), but been wheat gluten free and hadn’t eaten enough gluten. My symptoms seem to be attributed to wheat/gluten though. I recommend keeping a food diary too.
The things we have to do in the name of health. Though I did enjoy a cream cake recently (even though I suffered the consequences). Doctors orders 🙃 .
Hope that’s helpful. I try to stay positive and know that hopefully get the correct diagnosis so can feel better and heal in the long run.
Thanks Researchfan, this is exactly my situation too. I am trying my best to eat spelt and rye. Wheat makes me very unwell, so is totally impractical as I also have caring responsibilities and cannot spend my life in the bathroom!
I can sympathise, it’s very conflictual mentally too as we know we can’t eat wheat/gluten but are doing so in the present in the Hope of health in the long run.
Yes, I’m trying to eat healthier sources of gluten foods (spelt sourdough, pearl barley soup etc.), but my goodness it’s taking its toll on my digestive system among other symptoms! Not sure whether I can manage it much longer. Suppose that’s a good thing in a way because the experience gives the motivation to avoid the stuff in the future!
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Absolutely agree. I am supposed to be eating gluten twice a day, but what I am actually doing is skipping breakfast. I need to have a word with myself because this is silly. I normally eat twice a day.
Oh dear. Yes it’s tough. I don’t have much of an of appetite either at the moment, think it’s because gluten foods are filling which doesn’t help. As well as the after effects. Feel better not eating sometimes. Definitely a mental hurdle to eat enough.
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