Can you request to be tested for Celiacs disease on the day of your appointment?

Question

I have made my appointment over the telephone with the receptionist but was wondering if I will need to make another appointment to be actually tested?
Should I write down all my symptoms?

Answer 1

Hello! I hope I can help! First, thank God you are asking to be tested! I spend most of time on here telling ppl to get tested!

I am not sure where you are but this is how it goes in the US:

Make your appt. When u go in (are you seeing a GI or regular doc?) tell him your symptoms. Ask to be BLOOD TESTED for CD (I wll post the specific test below). If he blows you off, say goodbye and find another doc! SOme docs do not acknowledge CD is a serious disease and you need to find one who does.

It can help to write down your symptoms but remember the symptoms for CD are so varied and different that there really is no 'checklist' of sorts to test for CD. The only way to diagnose CD is to have the blood test done and possibly an endoscopy with biopsy (considered the Gold Standard in diagnosign CD.) Remember, you MUST be eating gluten for BOTH of these tests! Do NOT cut out gluten yourself or any tests will have inconclusive or negative results! Your body must be getting gluten in order to produce the antibodies the test is lookign for!!

Here is the info from www.csaceliacs.org

Best of luck, email me with any more questions
Amy
Chairperson Louisiana North Shore Celiac Sprue Association

How is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?

When working with a physician to diagnose and/or confirm celiac disease (CD), three major steps are taken. First, a thorough physical examination is conducted, including a series of blood tests, sometimes referred to as the Celiac Blood Panel. Second, a duodenal biopsy is performed with multiple samples from multiple locations in the small intestine. And third, the gluten-free diet is implemented. When the patient shows a positive response to the diet - symptoms subside and the small intestine returns to its normal, healthy state - the diagnosis of CD is confirmed.

(NOTE: To ensure the most accurate and timely diagnosis, the gluten-free diet should be implemented only after the first two steps have been completed.)


1: Examination

Patient History

When reviewing a patient's medical history and symptoms with a physician, the following areas should be considered in the discussion: (The first three are applicable to adults and children. The last is specific to children.)

* What are the symptoms? How long have they been present? How often do they occur?

* What is the patient's emotional state? Is it consistent throughout the day? When and for how long do the symptoms occur?

* What else is involved? Other diseases? Other organs?

* How is the child developing?

See What are the Symptoms of Celiac Disease? for a thorough list of possible symptoms.

Physical Examination

Depending on the presentation of symptoms, the physician will check for some of the following items:

* emaciation

* pallor (due to anemia)

* hypotension (low blood pressure)

* edema (due to low levels of protein, [albumin] in the blood)

* dermatitis herpetiformis (skin lesions)

* easy bruising (lack of vitamin K)

* bone or skin and mucosa membrane changes due to vitamin deficiencies

* protruding or distended abdomen (intestine dysmotility)

* loss of various sensations in extremities including vibration, position and light touch (vitamin deficiency)

* signs of severe vitamin/mineral deficiencies which may include:
* -diminished deep tendon reflexes

* muscle spasms (magnesium and/or calcium deficiency)

* bone tenderness and bone pain (due to osteomalacia)

Blood Tests

A number of tests, sometimes collectively referred to as the Celiac Blood Panel, will aid the physician in diagnosis. The tests may include, but are not limited to:

*
Serologic Tests

1. EMA (Immunoglobulin A anti-endomysium antibodies)
2. AGA (IgA anti-gliadin antibodies)
3. AGG (IgG anti-gliadin antibodies)
4. tTGA (IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase)

* Tolerance or Measure of Digestion/Absorption Tests

1. Lactose tolerance test.
2. D-Xylose test.

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2: Biopsy

In the event that clinical signs and laboratory tests indicate probable malabsorption, a biopsy of the small intestine [jejunal] is called for. In this test, a small flexible biopsy instrument is passed through a tube, down the throat, through the stomach and into the upper end of the small intestine where patchy, multiple snippets of tissue are gathered. The tube is removed and the tissue samples are examined under a microscope for signs of injury.

Answer 2

Celiac is a simple blood test first to look for the antibodies to gluten.

Answer 3

First you ahvent had an appt with a Doctor so you call back and tell them you need to see the Doctor go in and tell him whats going on ( write it all down ) , and ask to be tested ! You can ask to be tested for anything its your right .