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In message Wed, 3 May 1995 07:41:56 -0700,
  Kristine Renee Penner <[log in to unmask]>  writes:

> My sister went gluten free around 5th or 6th grade when I was diagnosed,
> and went from somewhat pale and sometimes sickly to a very healthy, tan
> complexioned (sp?) girl.  She had reactions when she got gluten, etc.
> After her freshman year of college, she did a gluten challenge where she
> ate gluten for a week or ten days or something and then had a biopsy. She
> came out clear, and thus went back to a normal diet.

It is my understanding that one can be on a "normal" gluten-containing diet
for up to two years after being gluten freee for many years without showing
intestinal damage.  My source for this info was a posting by Mike Jones of
an article in a celiac newsletter, sometime in late December or early
January.  For what it is worth, I recently went on a gluten challenge by
eating one bagel every 4-5 days (this was as sick as I was willing to make
myself, since I am pretty sensitive to dietary gluten) for about a month.
The blood tests all came out negative.  I had been on a strict gf diet for
about 2 1/2 years prior to this challenge, and a gluten-reduced diet before
that for many years.  I am not a confirmed celiac, but I did this challenge
in an effort to get a firm diagnosis.  My symptoms were classic celiac
symptoms, and they have gone away completely on a gluten-free diet, so I am
pretty sure that I really am a healed celiac (we really do need a term for
this!).

Laura
[log in to unmask]
Ithaca, NY, USA