Celiac biopsy

Thanks everyone for sharing your info on celiac on my other post (celiac vs IBS).

I have a biopsy done today via EGD. I am fully prepared to restrict, not eliminate, gluten even if my biopsies prove negative. I had the blood tests, and they were inconclusive. Evidently, I am IgA deficient, so the more specific antibody tests were not accurate. Interestingly enough, many people who are IgA deficient and lactose intolerant (like myself) are undiagosed celiacs. I can tell you that just by restricting my gluten, I tend to have much less pain and cramping.

I'm a bit nervous about the EGD. I've had them done before, so the test itself is not a big deal. The problem is the drugs they gave me. I had a colonoscopy about a year ago, and only went out for about 3 minutes. I woke up during the procedure, realized what was going on, but couldn't talk (I was feeling pretty loopy from the drugs) and I felt paralyzed--couldn't move. Nurse finally saw that my knuckles were white from gripping the bed frame so hard and realized I was awake. They stopped the procedure at that point and I was rescheduled for a colonoscopy under deeper sedation with an anethesiologist. I was told that because I take tramadol for pain (I have rheumatoid arthritis), my body had built up a tolerance to the drugs they use for conscious sedation--so I needed way more of the drug to get the same effect. Myy other doctors told me that was a bunch of bunk--the original GI doctor (or her nurse) screwed up when they gave me the drugs.

My GI doctor (different doctor than the one who did my colonoscopy) swears this will not happen. But at least this is an upper EGD and not a colonoscopy :)

In any case, thanks again for sharing your stories. They are helpful.

Elcamino

Good luck with your EGD. I'm having the Prometheus Blood Test for Celiac on Wednesday. I had to start eating stuff that I had cut out first! I'll be interested in hearing how your results go. Take care and all the best.