re-introducing wheat/gluten - any tips?

[hobnob57]

We have a GI appointment coming up next month and have been asked to try dd (21mths) with wheat beforehand. With dairy we were told to try increasing the diary very gradually (by 1tsp yoghurt a day). Do we do the same for wheat? Does anyone have any experience of this? What did you try - bread?

From what I discussed with the gastro at the time, the biopsy revealed wasted villi consistent with coeliac disease. I was also sent for a bone scan as the villi were so wasted that he felt there was bound to be some bone density issues due to lack of calcium absorption, but that came back fine. Iron level was in my boots though.

Interesting about the pregnancy thing.

I think I'll contact someone locally and get some one to one advice about it. I need to see a herbalist about my DDs eczema and nappy rash issues as well. Thanks for your help

It's all so fascinating, isn't it? It's times like this that I want to know EVERYTHING. But my small brain wouldn't cope with that so I'll settle for the very useful replies I've had so far.

LackaDAISYcal, if your symptoms have been mild, what made you get a diagnosis if you don't kind me asking?

I had a gastro bug when DS was about two, and the diahorrea didn't clear up. Tried everything; avoiding lactose, taking immodium, and nothing worked. After ten weeks of chronic diahorrea doc decided he should refer me on. I saw a private gastro as I had bupa through work (thankfully within two weeks as I would have had a six month wait on the NHS) and was booked in for a colonoscopy. He only did the gluten blood test as an aside as he thought it was a colon problem, but it came back positive so he did the gut biopsy at the same time as the colonoscopy (nice )....and that was positive for coeliac disease. I was really quite ill and severely anaemic by the time I got my diagnosis; I dread to think how poorly I would have been if I'd had to wait for the NHS

I'd had problems for as long as I can remember though; bloating, indigestion, problems with recurrent anaemia, bouts of loose, mucousy stools and lots of almost didn't make it to the loo moments. I was told IBS, but a food diary didn't seem to point to any one thing, and IBS meds didn't make any difference. I also had some problems with skin rashes, which was put down to either herpes virus or dermatitis depending on the severity of the outbreak (one outbreak on my face lasted two weeks and was so bad I wouldn't leave the house). We now think it was DH, but I never had a skin scrape as I was clear when I had the other testing, and it's never come back since I have been GF.

sorry ....you did ask

well since this is still going ...

You do have to be careful using enzymes because they can mask underlying damage to the intestine. However if coeliac tests are negative and avoiding the stuff still makes you feel better then it is definitely worth a try. They may also have benefit for people worried about contamination risks or for women who are not coeliac but whose children are reacting through breast milk. They are not a substitue for a gluten free diet for coeliacs.

Lackadaisycal - you might want to keep in touch with the research through one of the coeliac societies as there may be developments that will help you. Have a look at the sciencedaily report I posted (cut and paste into your browser). These enzymes are, as far as I know, not on sale yet.

another study for coeliacs interested in future possibilities

Gastroenterology 2007 Aug;133(2):472-80. Epub 2007 May 21.

Combination enzyme therapy for gastric digestion of dietary gluten in patients with celiac sprue.Gass J, Bethune MT, Siegel M, Spencer A, Khosla C.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.

www.gastrolab.net/ksgcolo2.htm

not for the squeamish the following link but has some great photography of the insides of your gut!!
many endoscopys on here with many different problems. when I finally found this in my library some time ago, my 4 year sat glued to it, facinated by what he saw