gluten sensitivity

I was told by my accupuncture person they thought I had gluten sensitivity which is causes my symtoms (symptoms) of weird feelings in head crawly sensations and pressure and anxiety depression yellow stools and soft stools. Can an allergist check for gluten allergy? she told me the best way is a stool sample not a blood test unless your full blown celiac? Before I turn my life upside down with going gluten free, which is very hard since everything has wheat barley and rye in it and so many preservatives. I think I should get checked first. I want to feel better since I have been sickly for 2 years now.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Wheat or gluten contains thiamine (which is also found in Pork, beef, liver, legumes, nuts), riboflavin (also found in Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, meat, leafy green vegetables), niacin (also in Meat, peanuts, legumes),iron(in Red meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, legumes, dried fruits) and folic acid in fortified wheat(also in Liver, green and leafy vegetables, lentils, oranges) in addition to carbohydrates and proteins.

People who are allergic to gluten can show an allergic reaction to any of the constituents of gluten.But gluten allergy is different from gluten enteropathy.

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy or celiac disease, is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the small intestine that is precipitated by the ingestion of gluten, a component of wheat protein, in genetically susceptible persons.Serological tests and duodenal biopsy are helpful in diagnosing it.

Pls consult an allergy specialist and get allergy tests like skin ***** test or blood tests like RAST done to find out the specific allergen if you have gluten allergy. These tests will also rule out gluten sensitive enteropathy (celiac sprue) which is similar in symptoms to gluten allergy.If the allergy tests come out negative,then serological tests will help.Pls consult a gastroenterologist then.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

If you are found to be having gluten sensitivity then avoidance of gluten in foods containing it is the mainstay of treatment.Pls remember that gluten is found even as a hidden ingredient in many foods.It might also be possible that you are having sensitivity to any of the ingredients of gluten some of which I have already stated in my earlier mail.This phenomenon is called cross reactivity.Hence finding the ingredient in gluten to which you might be allergic is important.

Some of the foods which are gluten free are maize, potatoes, rice, tapioca amaranth, arrowroot, millet, montina,yam and sweet potato.You can get a complete list of the foods containing gluten and the foods which are not containing gluten from the following website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet

Hope it helped. Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing and if you have any additional queries.

[Merrilee]

don't stop eating gluten until you finish all the tests!!

consider the tests at www.enterolab.com as a place to start.

If you prefer blood tests, RAST tests are not sufficient to rule out celiac.   A complete celiac panel is often recommended:
         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)
Measure of Digestion/Absorption Tests
         1. Lactose tolerance test.
         2. D-Xylose test.


Based on the description of your symptoms, IMO, you should read up more on gluten sensitivity and consider testing.