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Hi All,
I just love this group! I received 36 responses and will try to summarize,
but some of the quotes were so good, that I will repeat them here.

15 respondents said to stay GF and not try a gluten challenge.
2 said to try the challenge, but that it might take longer than 4 weeks to
turn positive.
7 told me to find another doctor, that this one was ill-informed and/or too
blase.
4 people reiterated that celiac disease is not rare and gave me a great web
site article (www.aafp.org/afp/980301ap/pruessn.htm/)  on CD with another
citation with recent research (Not T., Horvath, K, Hill ID, Fasano A, Hammad
A, Maguzzu G. Endomesium antibodies in blood donors predicts a high
prevalence of celiac disease in the USA. Gastroenterology 1996; 110(4
Suppl):A1-1591.)

1 person said that she just needed to know -needed a "label for the discomfort"
1 person said that diarrhea is a "symptom not a diagnosis".
1 person suggested having a genetic marker test done if the antibody is
negative.
1 person said that ferritin, iron and iron-binding capacity (TIBC) levels are
to rule out a disease called hemochromatosis (which I have now researched and
sounds so much like CD that everyone on this list should look into it, it is
in the archive.)
2 people had heard Dr. Kelly,( at Beth Isreal Hospital in Boston), speak, and
were very impressed.

Some great quotes:
"I think some doctors lack empathy. If they aren't sick, neither are you."

"Sometimes I think we just have to stop focusing on the concept of diagnosis,
no matter how badly we want one, and focus on doing whatever it takes to get
healthy."

"If there is ever a cure which requires strict diagnosis, then and only then
will I start fighting city hall. In the meantime, I am happy and gf. Let
those who were easily diagnosed walk a mile in my shoes- and pay my medical
bills in search of the perfect diagnosis."

"Plenty of people have lived long and rich lives without gluten over the
centuries. I figure we can join their ranks if it suits us." (neg tests, son
with cd).

"NIH's official standard for being a 'rare' disease is 1 person in 20,000."

"You do have a diagnosis regardless of what he says. A person who does not
have celiac disease, does not have the remission of symptoms." (Suggested the
www.celiaccenter.org site for blood testing at the U of Maryland).

"If you do a challenge, make sure you get pure wheat gluten and add it to
everything. Make sure you get enough to cause damage."

Well, that's the sense of the comments and here's what happened! My primary
care doctor called me yesterday to see if I'd seen the GI (amazing right?).
She asked what I thought, and when I mentioned Dr. Kelly in Boston, she said,
"You can go see him". I almost fell over (HMO and all). So I will wait for my
antibody, iron, Tibc and ferritin tests to come back and will see Dr. Kelly.
I called his office and I can get in in a couple of weeks! Absolutely
astounding. I thank everyone who responded from the bottom of my heart. Karen
D'Andrea in freezing cold Massachusetts, USA