Kathi, I'm sorry, I missed your post before. In the celiac world, we honestly do not believe there is any such thing as IBS. To be honest, I actually had a doctor tell me there is no such thing as IBS, he said to me, "IBS simply means, I BE STUMPED!" Before I found about about celiac disease, I was diagnosed with IBS and that certainly was not my problem. I also was diagnosed with spastic colon, nervous stomach, stress, and it's all in your head (my personal favorite).

They can do a blood test for celiac genes, which isn't always conclusive, they can do an endoscopy, which isn't always conclusive either. There are so many false negatives in a celiac/gluten intolerant world. Sometimes the best test for gluten intolerance is going gluten free and seeing how you feel. Not everyone is celiac, many, many people are gluten intolerant and need to be gluten free. Celiac disease is like being a type 2 diabetic, gluten intolerant is like being pre-diabetic, you don't have the disease yet and maybe you can stop yourself from getting it and causing more damage.

For Monica
 

yes, I do bake my own bread. I use a mix that I get from "Breads by Anna". It's the only one I've found that comes out not tasting like bland rice bread. It actually tastes a little like whole wheat but has NO wheat or gluten in it. I buy it on line from this site: http://www.glutenevolution.com/ The pumkin bread is delicious. You can buy a mix to do in your bread machine or bake in a loaf pan. You will have to read the descriptions to decide which one you want. I've tried them all and like them all.

I do NOT like the mixes or breads that are made of rice flour.

Billye

Being an idiopathic PNer, I am always thinking of possible causes. I am starting to think about gluten. I have never been tested, I don't think. I have IBS (almost always contipating type), depression, and PN. I have a doctor's appt. in a couple of weeks and will ask to be tested. I have not been eating much gluten in several months, however, because I ahve been on a weight loss diet and have eliminated bread and pasta,etc.
I assume that this may bias the test? anyone have any idea how much gluten I would have to eat to make the test valid? Is the testing pretty conclusive? Thanks for any input. There has been a lot of good info here!

I have been tested (blood antibodies) twice and was negative both times, and once I feasted on wheat germ for weeks ahead of time...just to really challenge my system (to no ill effect). I am negative, so, I don't go gluten free. Neither do I plow down wheat for the sake of chowing on whole wheat.
I have an EGD and mannometry coming up due to esophagel problems, so we will see what that yeilds. I do have substantial autonomic abnormality and symptomotlogy.

My GI guy refers to the GI system as the second brain. I always remind him of what the tail end of the GI system is called, LOL. (We do get a long quite well).

Some folks feel much better gluten free. I noticed no difference. If it makes a difference, I would certainly follow it. When they do my next colonoscopy, I will ask for villi sampling which is apparently the only fool proof way to determine celiac status.

You know constipation and slow transit, can be small fiber neuropathy-autonomic.

Oh, I did have a normal Vitamin D level!! I am awful, as I don't use sun screen...I use a hat and long sleeve shirt, to prevent burning....or if cycling then I use sunscreen, so I do get my sun in the summer....I am out all the time. I did start taking vit D but then got sloppy, but what I took must have been good enough. I also take B-12, sublingual...because my stomach has never been right.