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I would like to thank all of you for responding to my inquiry regarding gene testing.  Your personal experiences and the guidance you've been given are very helpful to me and my family as we move toward a more definitive celiac diagnosis for my son and daughter.

To sum up what was shared, the gene test merely determines if you have the genetic marker which means that you could develop celiac disease at some time in your life.  You need to carry at least one of the genes, HLA DQ2 and/or HLA DQ8 in order to develop or to have celiac disease.  Several people commented that their bloodwork and endoscopies were inclusive but yet the gene testing were helpful in identifying the presence of at least one of the genes necessary for celiac disease and therefore went on the gf diet and thus feeling better.  It was shared by one of Dr. Fasano's patients that  gene testing is only useful in determining beyond a shadow of a doubt that you can not have or develop celiac disease if the one or two of the genes mentioned are not present.

Several labs were mentioned:

Prometheus Lab in California
Kimball Genetics (you can request a cheek cell swab kit from them without a doctor's order)
Enterolab (Dr. Fine comes highly recommended from some of you) www.enterolab.com
Quest Lab

This website was shared as very helpful  www.glutensensitivity.net

We all realize that diagnosing celiac disease is not always a black and white matter.  Our family has been living proof of that statement.  Gene testing appears to be talked about quite often these days but I have been cautioned that is still is not the final say on ultimate diagnosis because 40% of the people in 
America are carrying at least one of the genes mentioned earlier and do not have celiac disease.  This does, however, give us another tool to aid in the diagnosis process and for that I am grateful.

Thank you again for your comments and continued support.

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