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Hi all,

I just want to pass along what happened today as a heads up for
anyone who has an inconclusive or even normal biopsy but still thinks
they may be Celiac.  I had a biopsy done last December by one of my
city's most respected gastroenterologists, the slides were prepared
and read at the major pathology lab, and I was told they were normal,
no sign of celiac or any abnormal histological patterns.

I sent my slides to the Center for Celiac Research and Dr. Fasano a
few weeks ago for a second opinion and they just called to tell me
that the slides were prepared wrong, the tissue was oriented in such
a way that it was IMPOSSIBLE (their word) to see if there were signs
of celiac disease.  Luckily the tissue blocks still exist and the
slides can be recut.

It took me 9 months to realize that a second opinion might be yield
more information, after reading here and elsewhere that biopsies are
frequently misread, and I wanted to take this opportunity to say it
again.  If your biopsy was inconclusive or doesn't match up with your
other tests, send it somewhere where they know what they're looking
for!!

Thanks for listening as I vent.  I just wonder how many people are
walking around wondering why they feel so sick because they've been
misdiagnosed by a well meaning doc.

Phoebe