Struggling to Get Tested for Celiacs

i saw someone say you need a colonoscopy, but really an endoscopy can be done instead- they just put you under & stick a camera down ur throat to ur intestines to check for damage. If your doctor is refusing to order a blood test, that is a horrible doctor. You need to find someone who won't refuse you treatment. If you're able to find another pcp before February, i would recommend doing that. Also, if a doctor refuses you any form of treatment, it might be worth telling them to write it in your chart that they are refusing you treatment- a lot of them will turn around and actually get it done for you bc they don't want to get in trouble for denying healthcare. It shouldn't be an issue to order a blood test anyways, it's incredibly easy for doctors to do and they don't even need to be the ones administering it. I'm sorry you had to deal with a doctor like that, hopefully you're able to get tested soon!!

If there’s a reason you need a diagnosis like work accommodations or something it would be worth the wait to keep eating gluten and get it all officially documented. But if there’s no reason you need an official dx then if you just try going gf and things get better you’ve probably got your answer and even if it’s not celiac and you start feeling better then it’s still a win. You could also try going to a naturopath, I know a fair few people with celiac who didn’t get a dx until they saw one.

i say go gluten free until you speak to your doctor for now since you’re pretty sure you have it anyway. it won’t hurt anything!

@Elly i know!! It’s so frustrating! I accidentally went gf without knowing i needed a biopsy and it messed with my diagnosis because they couldn’t see much when they did it. to the og poster, for now, look for over the counter gluten pills to help with symptoms. it’s no cure but it may help relieve pain!

^all of that. I cannot get true diagnosis even though I match all criteria and have positive blood test because I went gf prior to the biopsy and I refuse to go back to eating gluten for 3 months. So as much as it sucks for now just keep waiting and being annoying as far as what you need for coping medications

Get a different doctor. See a GI specialist specifically. If they aren’t willing to get you tested, then they’re not a good doctor. Plus, in order to get diagnosed with celiac you have to do a colonoscopy. You can’t be diagnosed with a blood test alone. Those only tell you if you have the markers for it, but if it comes back positive, then you have to get a colonoscopy in order to confirm a diagnosis. (And it has to be done before you go gluten free.) (Also small thing but it’s celiac! just drop the s lol, it’s a common mistake)