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Hi there all.  I just want to say how unbelievably helpful you have all
been and what a relief it is to receive you emails.. It is unfortunate
that i'm in the UK so many of the labs discussed are out of my reach.  I
will summarise all the feedback shortly, in the meantime the general
concensus seems to be - if GF helps then go GF regardless of what the
Doctors say.

One of the reasons i am so keen to be diagnosed correctly is so that I
can accept I will never be able to eat certain foods (eg Croissant)
again, whereas, if what I have is an intollerance, I may be able to eat
these again in due course.  Its being able to know 'that's it' and then
being able to deal with this.  I love my fresh bread and am struggling
to come to terms with it. The other reason for wanting a definitive
diagnosis is that, here in the UK the Government will pay for certain GF
foods if you have been diagnosed Celiac. Being as a loaf of bread cost
$8 here this would be useful but I can't get it without the diagnosis.

Two further questions if I may. Firstly, I am amazed that the tiniest
amount of flour can have such a severe reaction 1 day after eating,
making me so dizzy that I can't stand up.  Having given up Gluten its as
if my body has now become super sensitive to it now. Is this what others
have found ?

Second, I don't know if i'm being paranoid but I have a dull numb
feeling in the upper part of my back.  This could be something totally
seperate, especially as it started a day or 2 after a long bike ride.
However, having read about the effects that Celiac can have on nerves
(normally end of toes and fingers) i'm getting worried that there is a
connection.  Any thoughts (please don't scare me !).

thanks

Nick