how long do you need to be eating gluten for a celiac blood test to be efective?

[topsyandturvy]

ds has been off bread, cakes and biscuits for about 3 weeks, and on a reduced intake for about 3 weeks before that. He definitely hasnt been gluten free or even entirely wheat free, but we certainly cut it back a lot.

Anyway, we now have a blood test forms through and I am wondering how long (if at all) under the circumstances, he should go back to scoffing toast before I get the blood taken.

I thought it was about 6 weeks

from coeliac website:

f 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 is essential to 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 6 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.

www.coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-disease/how-to-get-diagnosed/are-you-already-avoiding-gluten

what a pain. I forgot to discuss this aspect with the doctor and so I have a blood request form with about ten different things on it, one of which is the celiac test.

I dont really want to delay all the other tests by 6 weeks as I wouldnt be surprised i the hospital refused the blood draw with a delay like that.

On the other hand if I skip just the gluten test I can see the request being lost in the system and me not being able to take him in for it 6 weeks later as I wont have the necessary paperwork

I forgot to say, the gp said that 5 bowel movements a day was within the normal range if ds has always gone frequently - does that sound reasonable or not?

Also, he was wheat cereals free and bread product free for about 3 weeks with no apparent improvement in any symptoms (which are primarily extreme fatigue and frequency of bowel movements) - I have reintroduced all that in advance o the blood tests and still no change in poo frequency BUT now he is farting all the time whereas he never used to do this. Coincidence or relevant would you say?

Personally I'd say 5 bowel movements a day was pretty unusual but I'm not a doctor! Also, unless he was 100% gluten free, you wouldn't see any real improvement in symptoms in 3 weeks and even 100% gluten free it normally takes at least 6 weeks for symptoms to really improve. Yes, gas can be a symptom of coeliac but obviously can also be symptom of any number of gastric problems. Good luck with the tests, hope you get a diagnosis. If all come back 'clear', I would still push for referral to gastro specialist.