Confused about gluten

Hi i have recently had a bunch of blood tests and found that my TSH levels are high so have been started on a low dose of levothyroxine, When i initially went to the docs i thought i might have a gluten sensitivity as my skin is poor, my hair falls out and eating food with gluten in gives me digestive symptoms. I have been told that i have had a negative result for coeliac disease but i'm not convinced that i'm not senstive to gluten. I haven't eaten any gluten for a couple of weeks and my skin is a lot clearer, i will carry on avoiding it as much as possible but don't feel like it will be the end of the world if i eat a cake... I have read online that there is a correlation between having an underactive thyroid and gluten sensitivity but all the different names and info is confusing. Could i have normal test results despite being sensitive?

[greygoose]

Did you have the serum test for Coeliac? They are notoriously unreliable. Plus, you don't have to have Coeliac to be sensitive to gluten. But, if you're going to be gluten free, you have to do it 100% or there's not much point.

There is a connection between gluten sensitivity and Hashi's. But people without Hashi's sometimes find they feel better without gluten.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

not sure what they looked at to to come to that conclusion. They took a load of blood, when I called for the results I presume it was the receptionist who told me the summary of the results said Normal and doesn't require follow up . I suppose regardless of the results if I feel better without gluten I should continue avoiding it. I just wish the results backed it up, I prefer situations to be a bit more black and white. Everything I read about underactive thyroids and gluten seems to be opinion.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Well, you're right there! But, you just have to find the opinion that suits you best, makes you well - even if it's just your own opinion! But I'm afraid there is nothing black and white with thyroid, because we are all so different, and what works for one, will not necessarily work for another. Getting well is a question of trial and error, and I'm afraid you just have to accept that!

So, if they took a lot of blood, and didn't do any other type of test, then it was a serum test for Coeliac. But, it's not good enough to just get a summary of the results from the receptionist! Heavens above! Ask for a print-out of the results - it's your legal right to have one - so that you can see exactly what was tested, and what the result was. It's a habit to cultivate. Never mind if you don't understand them, yet. You'll learn. There are plenty of people on here to teach you. Just post the results here, with the ranges, and someone will explain what it's all about.

[humanbean]

I had coeliac testing back in 2010 - an endoscopy, biopsies from the stomach/gut, and blood tests. I was told that I didn't have coeliac disease so I carried on eating gluten.

I also have non-autoimmune hypothyroidism so I never saw the need to try going gluten-free. (I associate going gluten-free with being good for reducing antibodies in people with autoimmune hypothyroidism aka Hashimoto's Thyroiditis).

But early last year I decided to try it for three months. I got some benefits within a week and longer-term some other issues I had reduced in severity as well. I have carried on with being gluten-free and, much as it annoys me that I have to do this, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

I just wish I'd gone gluten-free years earlier.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to humanbean]

I've found going gluten free has really lowered my thyroid antibodies. I can't imagine ever eating gluten again.

I was telling my rheumy last week - I've got inflammatory arthritis- that I had gone completely GF and he asked if I thought I was Coeliac, I said no I didn't think I was, it was just that I had heard that it might be helpful in reducing antibodies. Im afraid I didn't tell him I had already massively reduced my thyroid antibodies, I just couldn't be bothered explaining all about my BH fingerprick tests etc.

Bless him, he actually offered to do a blood test to see if I was Coeliac, I'm afraid I turned him down, I told him I'd have to start eating gluten again for the test to work and I didn't want to do that as I didn't need a definite diagnosis, I wasn't going to eat gluten anyway so we left it at that and he didn't seem to be too bothered.