Wheat allergy vs. celiac disease?

[DashsMama]

We have just come to the realization that my husband's intestines become extremely irritated after eating wheat. Does anyone know of a non-invasive way to tell if this is a wheat allergy or Celiac disease? Thanks!

[AllyRae]

Celiac is an intolerance to wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats, and it is not an allergy. An intolerance with Celiac usually comes with diahhreah, sometimes a rash, poor nutrient absorption, extreme fatigue, etc.

Does he have the same reaction to barley or rye as well? If so, I'd try a gluten free diet for a month and see if he feels better after that month. If it's just wheat, I'd imagine you could just eliminate it and see if he starts feeling better...

[MommyMandi]

My DH has Celiac disease and there is a blood test now to check. My children have had it. You must be eating a normal diet (not gluten-free) or the test will not be accurate. I would just talk to your dr about it. Gooduck!

[DashsMama]

Thank you for your responses. The Celiac website I visited said that a diagnosis could only be made by taking an intestinal biopsy. We'd like to avoid that route, I think. I'm glad to hear that there is a blood test. That seems like a more reasonable place to start. We don't have a family doctor right now. Do you know if we need to find a gastro intestinal specialist, or would a visit to a regular GP be a reasonable place to start?

I honestly just put 2 and 2 together at Christmas time. I realized that the days my husband spent hours in the bathroom usually followed a meal heavy in wheat. We don't really eat rye or barley, and only eat oats from time to time, so it's hard to tell if it is just the wheat or if it is gluten that is the problem.

Thanks again!

[kjbrown92]

They usually do the celiac blood test first. And if you're numbers are high enough to warrant a biopsy, then they do that, because it's considered the "gold standard". Would you consider that invasive? Otherwise, the idea of checking barley and rye is good, but you could still have a gluten "intolerance" that's not celiac, so I think the blood test is actually the only way to determine. Though I guess the only thing that would tell you is that you have a chance of going back on it at some point vs. never being able to eat it again. Otherwise, the answer would be the same: avoid gluten.

[CuckooMamma]

You can do a blood test as others have mentioned. I've had it done by an md and a naturopath. FWIW, both my daughters and I are allergic/sensitive to wheat and all the other grains but it's not celiac as it isn't the gluten that we're reacting to.

The most non-invasive way to find out is an elimination diet. Pull it all and then add it in slowly.

[Ruthla]

Alternatively, you could skip the lab tests and test him with a gluten free diet, and once he's feeling better test the other gluten-containing grains one at a time and see how he reacts.

The downside to this approach is that it may make accurate lab tests impossible if you decide to go that route in the future, or if he feels the need to have "proof" of his need for a GF (or just wheat free) diet at some point in the future. Will somebody else (say, in a hospital) mess up his diet if they're not satisfied it's legitimate? Will he himself give up on it if he can't see proof in black and white that he needs to avoid certain foods?

[DashsMama]

My husband decided to try the elimination route first. So far so good. His symptoms have improved already. Thank you to everyone for the advice!

[NoMariposa]

Noninvasive tests are available through Enterolab, insurance does not cover them and medical docs don't view them as accurate. It is more of a self knowledge application. You must be eating gluten to have the best chance of the tests catching the signs.

Celiac Disease to be more clear is an autoimmune disorder with a genetic component. The body attacks itself in the presence of gluten proteins and gluten like proteins. The body's response flatten the intestinal villi over time, the biopsy looks for flattened villi. Those w CD are at risk for other autoimmune disorders like RA, Type I diabetes, etc. They are at an increase risk of cancer of the intestinal track as well, increase w the level of damage sustained by the intestines.

96% of CD is genetically linked, the person has either DQ2 or DQ8 or both. If dad has Celiac Disease, kids could too. Genetic testing is important for this reason.
There is a 29% accuracy rate in the blood test panel used to detect the anitbodies in absence of total villi atrophy.
There is a 33% accuracy rate in the biopsy in absence of total villi atrophy.

Bottom line, you need to have Total Villi Atrophy for these tests to work. And from what I can tell in my own kids, that would mean years of sickness.

Taking Gluten out and seeing how one feels is probably the best option and cheapest. No one needs to have Celiac Disease as a pre-existing condition on their insurance.

Wheat allergy, true IgE response is going to be non-gut related. The medical community does not recognize any other sorts of food distresses. But those on the other side -- Gluten Sensitivity or Gluten Intolerance are real conditions with real side affects.

Your Gut is your 2nd brain. Many with GS and CD suffer neurological problems as well, especially those who lived so long suffering looking for answers.

Leaky Gut is a good thing to read up on. Also the SCD (I think those are the intials - Specific Carbohydrate Diet) the original diet for Celiac disease before they knew it was "gluten".

FYI - DQ2 Celiacs are more likely to have a reaction to oats separate from the gluten reaction of cross contamination. It's a reaction to the oat protein itself. My kids and dh all have the oat reaction, but only 2 are Celiacs.

[DashsMama]

Wow, thanks for all the info NoMariposa! Sounds like you've had to become quite the expert. The genetic component makes total sense. My dh's father has been treated for ulcerative colitus for years. Since realizing that my husband has, at the very least, a wheat sensitivity, we suspect that that is his father's problem as well. So far my kids seem OK, but I'm definitely keeping a watchful eye on 'em.