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

Hi, I'm new to the list and to this condition.  I am awaiting test
results (Ab test) to determine if sprue is the reason for my complaints.

A couple of questions:

1) I had been trying a wheat free diet for a week before my test.  The
Dr. says this isn't long enough to invalidate the test.  Is this true?

2) A week before going off wheat I had a particularly bad weekend of
gastric pain following a meal at MacDonalds and a Chinese meal which
included tofu.  I wonder what was likely responsible?  McDonalds
has never agreed with me and I eat tofu once a decade or so!  Anyway, my
legs coincidentally broke out in a rash starting at the ankles.  I thought it
looked like poison ivy.  It took a couple of weeks for the outbreak to go
away and stop itching (the second week was wheat free).  Could this be
the dermatitis I have read about associated with celiac disease, or just a
coinincidental contact dermatitis?  My Dr. thought the latter.

3) Are Sprue and Celiac Disease different names for the same thing?

I don't know if I'm in your ranks but just know that my tummy isn't
rumbling and complaining anymore since laying off the wheat stuff.
Thank God and thank you for any helpful hints-

Mary R.