GP wants to do repeat coeliac screen

[Ella78]

Hi, I saw the GP today and she wants to repeat the coeliac screen as she feels I didn't do it for long enough. I had one done at the start of this year but it was negative and then my previous GP said that eliminating gluten and wheat would help me regardless but when I did the gluten challenge I only did it for 3 weeks. How long is the usual time to do the gluten challenge for or should I just cut gluten and wheat out anyway as I have been up to now? Thanks.

[Clutter]

Ella,

"As a general guideline, the recommendation is to eat some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least six weeks before testing."

coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-dise...

[Ella78 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks. So, I didn't do the gluten challenge for long enough and maybe not eat enough gluten in all my meals. So what I've done today is do this:

Breakfast - 1 slice of toast.

Lunch - 1 slice of toast with chicken soup

I think bread contains more gluten than pasta, biscuits, cakes and chocolates. I think. I might be wrong.

[Jackie]

Hi You need to be on wheat an d gluten for at least 2 weeks before a test. Even then sometimes negative when you know it should not be. Diet the best way to find out., according to my Endo.

Jackie

[Ella78 in reply to Jackie]

Thanks Jackie! If the coeliac screen is negative again I think I'll do the elimination diet and take out dairy and gluten and see how it goes. But on hindsight I think it could be the thyroxine causing the gluten intolerance/coeliac symptoms as I am feeling worse since I've been on it.

[Jackie in reply to Ella78]

Hi Quite possible as also autoimmune.

Best wishes,

Jackie

[Ella78 in reply to Jackie]

Thanks, I think what I'll do in that case is perhaps continue the gluten challenge for now as well as take the thyroxine. At the next GP appointment in a month's time (when I'm due to give her a list of symptoms after eating certain foods) I'll tell her that it could be the thyroxine if it has appeared ever since I took that.

Might it be worth getting my antibodies retested or is once enough?

[Jackie in reply to Ella78]

If on treatment the antibodies may appear normal.

jackie

[Marz]

The one test they do can often produce a false negative. Cyrex labs in the US do more in depth testing to confirm. These tests are now available through Regenerus Labs in the UK.

Personally I would just go gluten free if you think you have a problem. I have enjoyed the benefits since giving up gluten.

[Ella78 in reply to Marz]

Thanks. I just don't think I did the gluten challenge for very long and the GP gave me no indication as to how long I needed to do it for. I will look at the Regenerus Labs online. Come to think of it the problems like the fatigue and constipation seem as if they have worsened since starting the thyroxine. But the blood test I'm having done in a few weeks will be interesting.

[Marz in reply to Ella78]

Good doses of VitC should help the constipation !

[Ella78 in reply to Marz]

Thanks for this, I'm already taking Vitamin C for the iron supplements and the Vitamin C in that is 1000mg so I'm afraid of taking too much. I have been drinking lemon tea which is high in Vitamin C. Might that work or is that a daft idea?

[Marz in reply to Ella78]

I take 1000mcg x 2 - you could try it and see Also Magnesium has been reported on here as helpful....

[Ella78 in reply to Marz]

Strangely enough I bought a magnesium spray a few months ago because I thought that since I was iron deficient I could be magnesium deficient. I used the spray and my arms and legs tingled. So I thought it was working. I had a blood test done to check for magnesium and my level was 0.89 (0.70-1.00). I figured my magnesium was optimal but I used the spray again anyway and again my arms and legs tingled. So I can't work out if the spray is telling me I'm deficient in magnesium or that the blood test is right if that makes sense.

I'll try the Vitamin C idea, thanks!