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Hello, all,

I was cursorily diagnosed with "irritable bowel syndrome" last year, and
prescribed meds (which didn't really help).  My symptoms included gas
and bloating, diarrhea, constipation, awful cramping, and oily/smelly
stools.  I am overweight, which weight I've gained partly due to
depression and partly due to prednisone, which I've been on since 1998
for vasculitis (possibly due to serum-negative rheumatoid arthritis...my
primary symptom of that is joint pain).  So, I don't fit the 'typical'
person with celiac.

After reading an article on celiac disease, I decided to ask my
rheumatoloigst about it.  He was very skeptical ("it's *very* rare," he
said), but suggested that I stop eating wheat and see what happened.  He
also said that the antibody tests probably wouldn't test positive even
if I had celiac disease, since prednisone suppresses the formation of
antibodies.

Well, I stopped eating wheat for three weeks, and my symptoms
disappeared, with the exception of two instances where I could think of
possible sources for gluten contamination (I've still been learning
about this process).  So, my GP, who was more sympathetic to the idea,
referred me to a gastroenterologist.  I resumed eating wheat (for three
weeks before the doctor's appointment, and still am, and my symptoms are
back).  The gastro did the blood tests, which came back negative.  Now
the nurse practitioner there tells me there's "no point in doing the
biopsy since the bloodwork was all negative".  Rrrrr!

Has anyone else had experiences like this?  Could I still have celiac
disease, especially given that I'm on prednisone?  (5 mg
every-other-day, but I've been on a LONG taper down from 80 mg per day
over the past 6 years)  Does anyone have any suggestions?  (should I see
another gastro?)

Thanks in advance (I'll summarize),
Suzanne

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