[Hermes]

I saw a GI doc today about the possibility of Gluten being the cause of my PN. I had an endoscopy a several years ago due to gastro reflux. Now I get to have another one to rule out celiac as well as to see how my stomach is doing. This will rule out gluten and both the doc and I thought it might be a good idea to determine the health of my stomach in case I end up on stronger meds for pain down the road.

[mrsD]

I don't believe a scope will totally rule it out.... many people have gluten issues without frank Celiac. The links I gave you explain why. Basically the gluten peptide can escape the GI tract without causing damage there. Once the peptide is in bloodstream that is when the problems start. No scope will show that process. The scope only shows damage to the villi and inflammation, but not whether the gluten (gliadin) is getting thru the Zonulin channels.

Celiac is not exactly the same as gluten intolerance. Celiac typically has dramatic GI involvement and symptoms and often from childhood. Gluten intolerance does not always have GI involvement, and may be acquired.

read more here:
http://www.foodintol.com/celiac.asp#difference
(p.s-- you can turn the automated person off that appears on that website)

This site is a collection of medical papers you can copy and take to your doctor and keep yourself.
http://sites.google.com/site/jccglutenfree/

[darlindeb25]

This will rule out gluten and both the doc and I thought it might be a good idea to determine the health of my stomach in case I end up on stronger meds for pain down the road.

Absolutely. so very true. Many times an endoscopy isn't done correctly any ways, and they miss the flattened villi. They also do not take enough samples when testing.

Mrs. D is correct about being gluten intolerant without celiac also. I don't know for sure if I am celiac or not, I'm betting I am even though I have double DQ1 genes, subtype 6, which is a gluten intolerant/neuropathy gene. It doesn't matter if I am celiac or not, I absolutely can not have gluten. Gluten also is what caused me to have neuropathy.

So, if the doctor tells you he/she didn't find flattened villi, go gluten free for a few months and see what happens. Gluten free will not hurt you.