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

This is a bit long and I tend to ramble.  Sorry in advance.

In late August my internist suggested I have "gluten-sensitive enteropathy"
and referred me to a dietitian who helped me start a GF diet.  Last week I
followed up with my gastroenterologist because I want to be sure I'm doing
everything I should.  I'd been seeing him since January and he had even done
an EGD trying to determine the cause of my stomach distress.  (I only went to
the internist because the gastro wasn't available and I'd had a particularly
nasty reaction after eating pizza and the wheat connection "clicked.")

The gastro's reaction surprised me--he seemed perturbed that I'd seen the
other doctor!  I got the distinct impression that he was saying I couldn't
have GSE because I hadn't complained of diarrhea (I'm overweight, too).  It
didn't seem to get through to him that my stomach problems had improved
significantly since I'd gone GF.

He spoke a couple of times about a possible gluten "allergy" and suggested a
blood test, to which I agreed.  He said that if nothing showed up, the next
step might be to have me "eat a piece of bread and see what happens," to which
I replied that I could tell him exactly what would happen--that I'd get sick
just like before.  Then he wanted to know how I knew so much about the subject,
wondering if I'd "read a book or something."  I told him that I had, indeed,
read books/articles/publications, etc., and I also told him about this list
and the information I'd gleaned from the WWW.

I hope I'm just imagining it, but the prospect of dealing with an informed
patient seemed to shake him up.  However, in his defense, he did say that if
I'd presented more classic symptoms he'd have tested me back when he did the
EGD.  He also acknowledged that there have been many changes in the way the
medical community thinks about gluten problems.  I agreed with him that we do
need to come up with a definite diagnosis.

I took the blood test and have a follow-up appointment on Dec. 1.  Hopefully I
just caught him off guard at my last visit (he was trying to wrap things up so
he could attend to an emergency at the hospital).

I'm feeling really depressed--especially with the Thanksgiving holiday
breathing down my neck.  Can anyone offer some information about the
differences between allergies, intolerances, and celiac disease?  Thanks.

Vickie P
in Indiana
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