Hi, my doctor won't test me for coeliac or thyroid antibodies even though I have the symptoms of coeliac .She said its ibs.i was looking online for tests but they are expensive.Has anyone used the cheap one from lloyds,boots? Are they reliable?
Thanks x
I don't know, but apparently the usual NHS coeliac blood test is not very reliable - need colonoscopy with biopsy. Really, I though the guidelines said that IBS was a (dustbin) diagnosis made when other avenues were exhausted (you could try asking for a referral to a gastro).
It is a dustbin diagnosis but as Abby77 can confirm they don't always exhaust other avenues before they bestow it on you. (And as far as I'm aware ibs hasn't even got an actual scientific medical profile but is basically all that's left when they can't find anything.)
My gut has various, er, sporadic unusual characteristics and behaviours - none painful or disruptive as such - which were diagnosed as ibs many years ago. Last year I was seen by a consultant for a gynae issue that might have been Crohn's but wasn't, and in hearing about the gut thing the dermatologist got v worked up about how 'at your age' (I'm 48 thnx) that needed to be looked at pronto and pls get gp to refer for a colonoscopy asap. (I was sort of surprised after all these years of being told it was ibs that anyone was taking any notice, esp a doc who was meant to be looking at something else but whatever, I'll take it where I can find it.)
Duly referred for colonoscopy, dx: ibs.
I know there is a link between hashimotos and coeliac so I wanted to try gluten free and see if it makes me feel any better.But as I don't know if I have either i thought I could try one out as they are not too expensive.I given up on doctors and I am not old enough for them to be worried! Lol sorry puncturedbiycyle X
Yes, both are autoimmune. You can get a finger prick test for Hashimoto's as well as coeliac, which you might want to try, but as AotN says the latter isn't especially foolproof and thyroid results can wax and wane for years. Deffo try gf though and see how you feel. That won't cost you anything! 
Just one more thing - if you go gf and feel better, you'll have to go back to eating gluten again to get a positive dx, so if gf makes you feel much better you may either decide to just self-diagnose and stay gf or get your gp to agree to test you and go back to feeling miserable for a while until you're tested.
Good luck!
Aw thanks for the advice.I will just order one and see. I never want to ask a doctor for anything ever gain after my last experience.
There is a new test in Australia that is much more reliable than what we have here in the US and you don't need to eat gluten for it to be accurate. I hope it comes here soon because I would like to be tested again and I don't want to start eating gluten again. I also suspect celiac may be a cause in everything going on with me currently which is type 1 diabetes, hashimotos and now some sort of hyperparathyroidism and osteoporosis. The last one I had done was about 3 years ago but I had stopped eating gluten before that one.
Have you read the book "wheat belly"? It explains the role of wheat and blood sugar in these conditions.
I heard one his lectures but I didn't agree with the some of the diet ideas I don't have metabolic syndrome etc. and have type1 and other autoimmune conditions so the issues are different. But I agree with cutting out or reducing some of the foods suggested particularly if you have a reaction to them. I don't believe the alkaline diet theory either- your blood ph is strictly controlled by the body & not affected by food.
Hashimoto and coeliac
Coeliac test
Membership of Coeliac UK, change of policy for membership
Coeliac results
