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

I am looking to you list mates for your valuable opinions since our GI doc has been less than informative.  My husband was diagnosed with celiac disease after a routine colonoscopy showed "villous flattening suggestive of celiac disease".  The doctor ordered a celiac panel that showed elevated antibody levels.  What we didn't yet know, at the time his blood was drawn, was that his colon had been perforated during that colonoscopy.  This led to a psoas abscess, six weeks of IV antibiotic therapy, a 50 pound weight loss over the next three months, and eventually sigmoid colon removal.  He is very lucky to be alive.  Here is my question.  Could these antibody levels have been elevated due to the colon perforation 8 days prior to the blood draw, instead of celiac disease?  We know that flattened villi can be caused by a number of other reasons, some of which apply to him.   His two follow up celiac panels have shown values return to normal.  He just had an upper GI series that was negative.  He never felt any symptoms of celiac disease and no known family members have ever had the disease that we know of.  Is it possible he doesn't need to be gluten-free?  The latest response from the GI doc is that "He probably has celiac disease".  I'm having a hard time accepting that response.  How would we know?  Should he start eating gluten and get tested again?  We would greatly appreciate any help anyone can give us.  

Thank you,

Jackie in St. Louis

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC