Questions for Heidi and other gluten experts

[Guest guest]

Hi, Heidi. I've been reading the article Early Diagnosis of Gluten Sensitivity:

Before the Villi are Gone that you posted with interest. Have you or has anyone

you know had this new stool test? I went to the author Dr. Fine's lab website

(www.EnteroLab.com) from which you can purchase the gluten (among other)

tests and then return for analysis. I wonder if this option would be a good way

to

protect your " standing " with the insurance companies or if it's reasonable to

expect them to cover these tests and possible treatment or if it's even possible

to get a provider to give you the tests?

Heidi, I am also excited because as I reread the first article you mentioned to

me (Detecting Celiac Disease in Your Patients) more carefully, I saw the

mention of alopecia areata and a boy of 14 recovering his hair completely after

eliminating gluten. My niece, 15, has this disease and has lost all of her hair,

eyebrows, everything. I would love for her to find a way to recover. I am

calling

my brother-in-law tonight to talk to him about it.

Thanks again for all the great information.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

>Hi, Heidi. I've been reading the article Early Diagnosis of Gluten Sensitivity:

>Before the Villi are Gone that you posted with interest. Have you or has anyone

>you know had this new stool test? I went to the author Dr. Fine's lab website

>(www.EnteroLab.com) from which you can purchase the gluten (among other)

>tests and then return for analysis. I wonder if this option would be a good way

to

>protect your " standing " with the insurance companies or if it's reasonable to

>expect them to cover these tests and possible treatment or if it's even

possible

>to get a provider to give you the tests?

Yes, I did, and it's been a topic of discussion on the celiac list. Some people

have gotten

their docs to order the test and had it covered under insurance. I paid for it

myself ... partly

for reasons of insurance, partly because I just don't like arguing with doctors.

Most doctors

are just barely beginning to believe adult celiac *exists* much less are they

testing for it. When

they were in med school they were taught only babies got it and they " grew out "

of it (it usually

goes into latency from ages 8 to 20, then comes back, then goes into latency

again).

OTOH, his test will pick up any IgA antigliadin ... and about 29% of the

population has that.

In which case now I figure, if a person HAS symptoms that turn on and off

depending

on gluten exposure, isn't it a pretty good bet that they have the antibodies? We

are talking

almost a third of the population here. If I were to do it again, I'd test for

ALL the IgA allergens

though, because I'm not sure now about corn (too much popcorn makes my fingers

hurt,

though corn starch doesn't seem to cause that problem).

>Heidi, I am also excited because as I reread the first article you mentioned to

>me (Detecting Celiac Disease in Your Patients) more carefully, I saw the

>mention of alopecia areata and a boy of 14 recovering his hair completely after

>eliminating gluten. My niece, 15, has this disease and has lost all of her

hair,

>eyebrows, everything. I would love for her to find a way to recover. I am

calling

>my brother-in-law tonight to talk to him about it.

It's worth a try. Sometimes the damage becomes permanent, which is the real

tragedy.

Much of the T1 diabetes could be avoided if the allergen was avoided BEFORE the

pancreas

got destroyed.

>Thanks again for all the great information.

You are welcome!

-- Heidi Jean