<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Has anyone out there had the Rectal Biopsy done rather than the 3 week
challange small intestine biopsy?  I read about it on the net at:
<http://www.wwwebguides.com/nutrition/diets/glutenfree/hla.html>

I may need to have a biobsy done and would prefer to go through this 6
hour challange rather than the three week challange.  In the rectal
challenge a rectal dose of gluten is used instead of an oral dose.  The
rectal biopsy is taken six hours later and examined for an increase in the
number of lymphocytes in the the tissue according to this website.  An
increase of more than 10 percent is supposed to be typical of celiac
disease.

If you have had this done, please tell me about it.  Did it turn out positive
or negative.  Do you consider yourself to be celiac?  Does a gluten free
diet help you?  Thanks.  Because I was not consuming very much gluten
for the last year, my blood tests may come out negative.  I had only
recently started eating more gluten in my diet and had such a severe
reaction that I stopped eating gluten for 3 weeks prior to my blood test
because I didn't know any better at the time.  I just spoke to the
consulting nurse at my HMO and she said she didn't know how to read
the results, but she thought they appeared negative.  I am distraught
because my spouse is angry enough as it is--I don't have the heart to tell
him I need another test done.  I've got to find out quickly or it could cost
me my husband.  He is trying to be understanding, but he feels that I am
extremely obsessed with the whole thing.  Thanks for listening.