Does anyone know if there is an blood test for Gluten Sensitivity, not specifically Celiac disease. I believe I was screened for Celiac in my blood and urine test (you know the big long name that I am too lazy to look up and type at the moment).

As I understand it, one can have gluten sensitivity without Celiac Disease.

I know I could "simply" give up Gluten products, but if there were a test, I'd rather have that done before I start buying $10 loaves of bread. Blood test is covered by insurance, bread isn't!

As far as I understand, the answer to your question is no. My Dr. said that you can have gluten sensitivity based on how you respond to eliminating gluten. I did it for a month and didn't notice any difference. Did you have a TTG IGA & IGG test done?

Some people will get a positive on the blood work, yet when an endoscopy is done, they will be told they do not have celiac. If you did get a positive on the blood work, I would definitely go gluten free. There are so many false results in the area of gluten. There is no test specific to gluten intolerance yet. Here is a very interesting article about both:
http://www.zimbio.com/Symptoms+of+Wh...r+May+Not+Tell

Gene testing is another option. There are genes they know to be specific to gluten issues. Most celiacs, not all, have DQ2 or 8 genes, or a mix of both...others with gluten intolerance like me may have a DQ1 gene, or as in my case, two DQ1 genes, which is a double dose of gluten intolerance. Along with that fact, one of my DQ1 genes is also specific to neuropathy issues. My sister and my father are both diagnosed celiacs, they have never been gene tested. Yet, for me to have double DQ1 genes, then my dad has to have at least one DQ1 gene, as does our mother.

To be honest, I think in time everyone with celiac/gluten intolerance will be considered celiac. They will one day realize we are all celiac with different levels of the disease.

My symptoms and my sisters were nearly identical...diarrhea, she lost weight, I gained...vitamin and mineral deficiencies...she with excessive iron deficiency among many others. A few years ago we found that I too am deficient in iron/ferritin. Our dad too, was very ill and lost an enormous amount of weight before being diagnosed.

If you are tested and told you are not celiac, then try gluten free any ways. Eating gluten free will not hurt you and you may be surprised to find you feel much better without gluten. I am totally grain free, all grains, not just the ones they know to be specific to gluten.

--for "gluten sensitivity" yet--I do tend to agree with darlindeb25 that one day the paradigm/interpretation will shift and people who have neurologic or other reaction to gluten without gastric evidence of it will be considered celiac, and then celiac will be recognized as a disease with many possible manifestations beyond villous atrophy--there is some evidence that those with extra-gastric symptoms may first show an abnormal anti-gliadin IgG test, in particular (this is considered the most sensitive, but least specific, of the gluten tests).

On the Gluten File, which can be easily googled (or bing-ed or whatever), one can see the work particularly of Dr. Hadjivassiliou discussing this:

http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/72/5/560.extract

I, myself, am waiting to see how the newest tests, the anti-deamidated tests, are going to work out in distinguishing this:

http://www.celiac.com/articles/22055...ase/Page1.html

http://www.bidmc.org/celiaccenter

I don't think a month on the diet is long enough. Just my opinion.

Immunofixation electrophoresis does not reveal any abnormal IGM, IGG, IGA, KAPPA OR LAMBDA BANDS that would indicate a Monoclonal Gammopathy in serum or urine.

Sorry......Not sure what TTG means?

TTG means Tissue Tranglutamase (sp?). It is a Celiac test. If you have TTG IgA and IgG elevated it can indicate Celiac.

I know what you mean about the sacrifice of giving up Gluten. It was so hard to live like that when I did it. I was actually getting depressed because I couldn't eat my normal foods. And forget about eating out, that is near impossible. You can't trust eating out because they might contaminate your food. I just couldn't deal with it all, while trying to get onto meds, and deal with the fact that I have this debilitating condition. I work full time too and have a family to take care of. It was alot of work trying to eat gluten free....and when I needed a break, I couldn't even go out to eat. I don't mean to discourage you, if you feel you need to try it then you should do it. Maybe it would really help you. I do think that you need to give it at least 6 months. I may do it again next spring, after I take my planned vacation to England. But it does take planning to do it.

Anyhow, just wanted to say I know how you feel.

Hi invisable,

I don't understand why you need to buy $10 loaves of bread to go gluten-free for a while. I don't have any sensitivity I'm aware of, but I went gluten-free for several months before I even realized it, and haven't really missed/craved a whole lot. I went on Forest Tennant's diet for intractible pain back in June or so, and after being on it for some time (and finally losing some weight after several years of failing on others) it was pointed out to me that the diet is also - coincidentally - essentially gluten-free, AFAIK. It's also been the easiest diet (for me) I've ever tried/followed.

I confess I cheated on Thanksgiving Day, but suffered no ill effects or setbacks.

http://pain-topics.org/pdf/IntractablePainSurvival.pdf - Page 34.

Doc

More than likely, if you cheated on Thanksgiving Day and had no ill effects, then you aren't truly gluten free. You may be eating many foods now that do not contain gluten, but are probably still eating gluten in some foods you do not even suspect. Gluten is in everything, medicines, processed foods, marinates for meats, spices, pan sprays, seasoned foods, chips, cereal, you name it, it can have gluten. Unless you go totally gluten free, then your body has not been gluten free and will not react to the gluten.

What do you eat Doc?

If gluten is in everything, then how can it be easy to go gluten free, I know I sound like a spoiled brat.....but I love anything with wheat and flour in it, doesn't have to be white flour, but wheat items are my life! I realize that is my problem to work out, but gosh what a sacrifice for something that can't be tested for........just a vent of frustration toward this situation, not meant toward any of you well meaning people.

And even if I gave up all the foods I love, if it is even in medicines, how can one go completely gluten free?