Series: Going Gluten-free Part 2-- Basics of Diagnosis

 

Find beauty in the little things. Diagnosis can be a bit stressful, so remember to find time to relax , breathe. and heal.

The post is the 2nd in my Going Gluten-free Series. See post 1 on Symptoms before reading this post for important prior information regarding recognition of Celiac/Gluten Intolerance symptoms.

Once you've determined if you should see a health practitioner regarding Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance, the next step is getting a clear diagnosis. This is easier said than done, but the medical community is slowly getting better about it. I had gone through 3 different doctors who were happy to just treat "symptoms" rather than search for the root cause of my health issues. One doctor insisted I had IBS, while two other ones just blamed "overworking myself during college" and anxiety/depression. None of these stood on their own, as I found out they all stemmed from my inability to process gluten.

The most important thing to remember when contemplating Celiac blood or biopsy testing is to continue eating gluten until after the testing is complete. If you remove gluten from the diet before testing, your result could be a false negative. It's been noted that removing gluten from the diet doesn't seem to affect the outcome of celiac gene testing, which helps to determine if you or your children are at risk of developing Celiac at any age. A person can carry Celiac genes, but there is a chance that they may never trigger the gene active. Read more about Celiac genes and testing here.

The following are different methods of testing for Celiac Disease, or Gluten Intolerance.

I personally underwent an elimination diet after discussing with my doctor the best course of action. After only one week, I was feeling like myself again and my symptoms did a complete turn around. They had all but disappeared after the 2 week mark, and I was able to fly across the country by myself.  Two weeks prior, I had been wondering if I'd ever be able to function normally in society ever again. Nutrition really is something.

Please note I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. Consult with your doctor or health practitioner to determine what is best for you. Better yet, listen to your body while talking with professionals.

Now that the hard part of finding a diagnosis is through, the best thing to remember is that healing takes time. You may feel better right away, but it can take as much as a year for others with extreme cases or those who have been misdiagnosed for many years. Nourish your body, detox the stress from your mind, and know that all is uphill from here.

Resources:

Celiac Disease Genetics

Ten Facts about Celiac Disease Genetic Testing

Interpretation of Celiac Disease Blood Test Results

Celiac Disease (from NDDIC).

 

Angry gluten makes your tummy angry. There's nothing to miss here.

What's your story? Have you undergone any of the classic Celiac or Gluten Intolerance testing?