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

Thanks to everyone that wrote.

I went today (instead of last Friday) to my new GI doc.

I was surprised, but he was very supportive. He did suggest that I
probably do have IBS on top of Celiac, given some of my reactions to
foods (and the nasty colonoscopy preps--blech...but here we go again!)

I'm not sure if he would have been so supportive if my son hadn't been
biopsy diagnosed with Celiac last year, but that's beside the point.

I'm to have a repeat colonoscopy, sometime in the next couple of weeks.
He's running thyroid and other bloodwork prior to the procedure. (I've
not had any thyroid function problems -but there's a family history)

People wrote the following things: (substantially abridged summaries)

I have read that the gf diet helps with IBS.

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You should be tested for delayed food allergies.
(I have...I have them...dairy, egg, tomato, and numerous others)

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Get information from Dr. Fine

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Don't switch back over to a gluten containing diet. (from numerous
people)

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I might be lactose intolerant (rather than gluten intolerant).

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if I am doing well on the diet, then I already have a Celiac diagnosis
and going back onto gluten could be deadly (I agree!)

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another person mentioned that she had been diagnosed with similar
things...duodenitis, etc..and not with Celiac at the time, then 6 years
later, was diagnosed via blood and biopsy with Celiac Disease.

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a couple people asked if I was tested for H. pylori (yes, negative)

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another person said that her husband was diagnosed with gastritis,
duodenitis, and esophagitis and finally after 15+ years was diagnosed
with Celiac.

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It's obvious that not enough biopsy areas were taken (I had 4 samples
sent to the lab).

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Blood tests and biopsies habitually return false negatives-about 20-50%
of the time

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That's about it..

I also talked to my mother about all of this... she told me that I was
never diagnosed with IBS...but that my pediatrician growing up said I
had some type of bowel disorder (well gee, that's enlightening)... they
never tested or anything.

The main reason for me to go to the GI doc was to get the bleeding and
polyp situation checked out...I was very apprehensive about going,
because I didn't want to deal with him suggesting a gluten challenge.
After discussing my history with me, and talking about my son and his
diagnosis, he not only left me alone about it..but said that I probably
do have it..but my biopsy didn't show it..and that I probably ought to
stay on the gluten free diet...

*whew*
validation.

anyway...he wants me to have the colonoscopy done in the next couple
weeks...just to be sure there's nothing really going on...and that's
that..I'm still on the GF diet...FOR LIFE (and that means for the
duration and for survival).

Thanks again to all those that sent me email..

If anyone wants MORE specifics, please don't hesitate to ask...