Coeliac questions

All the information requested above is available on the Coeliac Org UK website -

which also has a "Talk to Us" link where you can ask your questions - you will find them very helpful.

Perhaps it is also worth you checking out the following website too - the symptoms are quite similar again, but it will also help you understand why some people suggest other alternatives, which would depend in the end on your getting an accurate diagnosis from a Consultant Gastroenterologist.:

crohnsandcolitis org uk

(You will need to put full stops in the spaces between the crohnsandcolitis and org and uk)

Answers to your questions:

1. Unlikely - triggers remain unknown. May be as a result of an infection.

2, Not everyone has tummy upsets initially as the body adjust to gluten though it is still damaging your gut - but eating more that usual could cause an unexpected upset if you have been triggered....after a few years on the diet you will probably then experience a violent reaction to accidentally consumed gluten - I do within 4 hours of eating it! In my case I start to vomit and it goes on until my stomach is totally empty - never gets as far as my bowel, which is perhaps a good thing. My body seems to know now that it is bad for it!

Note down everything you are eating so you can assess later whether it contained more gluten than usual. Take it to your appointment. Also note down all supplements of any kind which your are taking.

This is important for the Consultant to know.

PS Prior to my diagnosis I used to feel as if there was a fermentation going on inside me sometimes....so would never touch fizzy drinks as this would make it worse. It was all due to the Coeliac disease in the end.

For info from Coeliac UK website:

"Keep eating gluten throughout the diagnosis process

If you think you may have coeliac disease, it’s essential to continue eating gluten until your doctor makes a diagnosis.

The diagnostic tests for coeliac disease look at how the body responds to gluten. Some people may start to reduce or eliminate gluten from their diet because they feel ill. Unfortunately this is very likely to cause an inaccurate result for both the blood test and the gut biopsy. Therefore, it’s very important to keep eating gluten throughout the diagnosis process.

If you've already reduced or eliminated gluten from your diet, you will need to reintroduce it to make sure you get the most accurate test results. While it may be difficult and uncomfortable, it’s essential for your long term health.

As a general guideline, the recommendation is to eat some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least six weeks before testing.

For children, you can mix wheat flour into foods such as yoghurt or baked beans to add more gluten into their diet.

If you are reintroducing gluten into your diet, you should discuss how best to manage your symptoms with your GP. Your GP will be able to arrange for you to be tested for coeliac disease as soon as it is appropriate.

We understand how hard it is to get diagnosed if you have started a gluten-free diet. Getting a medical diagnosis, however, is important to ensure you get the medical follow up and support that is recommended for people with coeliac disease. Unfortunately, there are no other tests that can diagnose coeliac disease other than the antibody blood test and the gut biopsy. These tests depend on people eating gluten."

"Irritable bowel syndrome:

Almost a quarter of people with coeliac disease had previously been told they had IBS or were treated for it before they were diagnosed with coeliac disease, according to recent research1. It is important that the NICE Guidelines are followed and that coeliac disease is screened for before a diagnosis of IBS is given".

See the website for lots more info.