<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
My bowel biopsy was negative but GF diet largely cures my symptoms.  I've had
mild diarhea/gas for years + winter depression.  Starting January 10, 1996
diarhea and gas got suddenly much worse (+ tired all the time) after  meal of
meat substitute made from wheat gluten.  Symptoms continued severe for
months, improving only when  went on GF diet.
 
While sick had many kinds of stool test, colonoscope, blood test, etc.  All
negative.  I've had 2 courses of antibiotics (1 was Flagyl) & tried all kinds
of anti-diarhea drugs.  No improvement.  Doc said try metamucil & immodium.
 Result:  unbearable gas. Switch to citrucel. more agony. My mother has
similar chronic problems + skin rash + lactose intolerance; no CD/DH  tests.
 
 I had IGA & IGG blood tests March 29 (sent to Nichols Institute in CA).
Negative .  I may have already been on GF diet by then (can't recall) but not
for long if at all.  Blood tests for nutrients all normal.  Weight loss
definite but small.  Got dramatically better on GF diet started in Spring.
 Milk no problem.
 
I ate one slice of wheat bread per day for 1 week prior to biopsy in July.
 Doc took about 6 samples from lower duodenum, told lab suspect CD. All biop
'definitely normal.'  Doc has several celiac patients.
 
Got very sick after 4-5 days eating wheat bread
(diarhea/tired/depressed/ferocious mouth ulcers) in preparation for biopsy.
 Took 2 weeks back on GF diet to feel better. Now ok but not 100%.  Doc says
stay on GFD 4 months.  I asked about EmA  & ARA test.  He offered to do them
if I want.  Trouble is, I don't want to eat gluten and get sick again.
 Illness big stress on me and family.  Am
foggy/mumbly/sluggish/forgetful/indecisive when sick.
 
Will urge Mom to get CD & DH test.  Don't know what to do next for self: See
allergist?  Eat gluten (how much how long?) and get retested? Forget tests &
just stay GF?  What else could this be?  Some tropical grunge (I've had much
rural 3rd-world travel w/occasional GI illness during)? Any other test I
should get for CD-like illness?
 
 Yeast?  I've had chronic jock itch (no rash;  responds to lotromin cream,
then recurs) which went away on GF diet, but came back when I went off.
 Frequent user of antibiotics.
 
Want expert info and also experience of others if you see parallels.   Could
GI yeast cause all this?  Am I celiac?
 
Also:  I'm hugely allergic to eggs (since infancy), have sinus-type allergies
(now worse) and had autoimmune respiratory complications (not major) in
childhood.
 
Jim Luckett Boxboro, MA