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I have been wondering about the safety of gluten free bread made in
supermarket bakeries.  I have recently learnt that the GF bread at our local
supermarket is baked in the same oven at the same time as regular wheat-based
bread.

Is this safe?

Is it possible that steam containing gluten may circulate around the oven to
become part of the GF bread I buy from the store?

Another thing, what is the safety of food made from wheat which has had its
gluten removed?

Also, on the topic of diagnosis, I have not yet had a biopsy.  I am however
on a gluten free diet (to the best of my ability) and have been for about
four months.  All my immediate symptoms, and many of my long-term symptoms,
have gone, or been markedly reduced.

This is good, however whenever I have occasion to see a doctor about my
"dietary problem" it is suggested by them that I go to the hospital to have a
biopsy.

Is this really necessary?

I am already doing all I can to avoid gluten.  My health is improving every
day.  If I do go for the biopsy, it will cost me a day in hospital, some hard
cash, and probably a certain amount of pain.

In addition to all this, there is no certainty of a positive result even if I
do have Celiac disease.  Villi may flatten periodically, or the flattening
may only be patchy, so I could go through all that for nothing.

I have already resigned myself to being on a gluten free diet for the rest of
my life (the alternative is just too unpleasant), and all this insistence
from doctors is really irking me.  Perhaps they are on commission.  ;)

My reply to doctors so far has been the essence of the above discussion.  I
am hoping I can get some feedback from people on this list with similar
experiences.

Thanks

Galen Rutledge

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"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace
alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing
it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
                                                -- H. L. Mencken
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