I am coeliac. Should I eat a biscuit to find out what my symptoms would be if I were glutened?

I went gluten free for a time when I suspected I was coeliac. When I ate gluten again, the symptoms I had originally came back with a vengeance.

No, all coeliacs have different symptoms - some only have one symptom, while others can have every symptom on the list. 

I guess my advice would be to (depending on where you're going) be conscious of whether the menu offers gluten free options - find out how to say it in their language, if it's a non-English speaking country. Tell them you can NOT have gluten - and check what items you can have that don't contain it. 

This is something you need to do everywhere, so there's no point worrying about something that will probably not even happen if you make it clear to the waitstaff. 

At the end of the day, it's your body, and your decision whether you want to test it. 

But whatever symptoms you had before you went GF, are the ones you'll experience if you have it again, just more intensely. I'm not sure whether this is because you haven't had those symptoms and are no longer "used to them" or if it's the body saying "omg what the heck were you thinking?!?! Take that!" But I argue it's the last one. 

Good luck and happy travelling. It's only fuel, focus on the sights  

I wouldn’t do it! The trouble is, all Coeliacs symptoms differ such a lot, including some people that don‘t even have symptoms at all.  Regardless of whether you get symptoms of any kind or not, you are still doing damage to your gut, as your immune response will go into over-drive.  You have to realise that if you continue eating gluten when you have Coeliac disease, it can cause other illnesses including other auto-immune illnesses like thyroid disease, as well as osteoporosis and.even cancer, so it is not worth the risk, so would you really want to put yourself through this and possible add another illness into the mix?

Before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease my symptoms were minimal, mainly a little bloating and anaemia.  About two years after going gluten-free I accidentally consumed some gluten, the result was quite dramatic and led me to making absolutely sure now that anything I do consume is most positively gluten-free.  There are cards available which can be used to show waiters the need to ensure that food is gluten-free, they are available in a variety of languages.  The Coeliac UK website has details of these and, if you are a member, information about restaurants offering gluten-free food.

I have been gluten free for over two years after being diagnosed gluten intolerant by a gastroenterologist.  The only reason I was finally diagnosed was because I had severe gut pain, bloating along with upper abdominal pain, nausea, and generalized very itchy rash all over my abdomen.  The gastroenterologist performed both an endoscopy and colonoscopy.  I woke up from the procedures finding him sitting by my side.  His first words were "I'm convinced you have Coeliac disease".  He had taken a biopsy and requested extensive blood work.  My liver profiles were very elevated including ferritin in the upper 700s so he ordered DNA testing for hoemochromatosis which came back positive with two bars, meaning I got it from both parents.  I had chosen to go gluten free on my own based on my symptoms.  For decades I had had this blistery rash on my back.  Dermatologists wrote it off as Herpes and gave me medication for that; it seemed to help but I still got this very painful breakout with I would feel coming on from the day before, nerve pain starting from the front of the rib cage running to the back and then the blistery rash would emerge.  Finally a dermatologist said that it wasn't Herpes related because it was often bilateral,  meaning on both sides of the spine.  It actually is herpetiformis and classic among many Coeliac disease sufferers.

This rash takes up to three weeks to heal.  I have gone on...my point, if positive for gluten intolerance or Coeliac,  don't go back at all to a diet including gluten!  As Coeliac positive,   we have a higher chance to get colon cancer; why would one take that chance?  Having gove gluten free has made a big difference.   The blistery rash does not recur...but,  my biggest problem is the lack of understanding among restaurant operators.  Most servers are totally clueless and it's happened many a time for me to be contaminated;  I know it due to the reapearance of the rash the next day and it infuriates me because I always mention my gluten intolerance.  I have come to have a very narrow venue of places I can go to and generally they are more upscale restaurants where everything is prepared fresh,  so the kitchen does not depend on prepared sauces etc... of any kind.  I have always been very healthy in my approach to life, no smoking, a little wine with meals, ideal weight and I look good for my age but you can't fight genetics;  just do your best, be your own advocate and stay gluten free!

So last time I ate gluten, about 1 year ago, nothing happened, other than I really did not enjoy the biscuit I ate because I felt guilty/worried about what would happen! My sister (also a coeliac) has started getting a bit of stomach ache if she eats gluten. Both of us were diagnosed 4-5 years ago and neither of us had any gastrointestinal signs. 

I completely understand your dilemma, its difficult to know how careful you need to be if you don't know what you are risking