Q. Last year I had a test to see if I had Celiac Disease. The test came back negative. When I eat things like bread and chicken nuggets or cereal etc. I end up with nausea and headache and feel really bad. Could the test have been wrong or am I just sensitive to gluten? Eating has become a real problem!
A. Many of the commercial lab tests for celiac disease are only about 40% sensitive. Ask your doctor to order a Celia-Plus test from Prometheus labs. If those are negative (they include genetic testing) you could still be sensitive to gluten: celiac disease only accounts for about 50% of those sensitive to gluten. We know of at least 6 other genes that are involved in gluten sensitivity, but we don’t know how they are involved. The bottom line is: if gluten bothers you, see a dietician, and go on a gluten-free diet. It’s healthy and harmless, and is getting easier to follow every day.
Health and happiness,
Dr. Jeffrey Aron
Gastroenterologist, San Francisco
(Dr. Aron is no longer taking questions.)
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