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Greetings, listmates!

Lo these many weeks have passed since my post re "What can and cannot these
tests show?"  I received 22 replies, none of which identified what "no
histological changes" meant but all of which confirmed that ONLY endoscopy
will reveal villi changes.  I did want to know if colonoscopy territory and
endoscopy territory "overlapped."  They don't.

As to the inclusion of a question about sigmoidoscopy:  I knew that
sigmoidoscopy, flexible or inflexible, could not do what a colonoscopy
could.  Considering that I had had a colonoscopy a couple years ago, I was
curious to know the value of doing the much less invasive procedure now.
The dr's rationale was to "start slow" and said that the non-anesthetic
requiring procedure could reveal bowel problems related to the pus
discovered in stool tests last month; also said that we (?) must "rule out"
other problems that might be co-incident w/celiac (I understand that but a
sigmoidoscopy doesn't go very far).

Well, the test was negative.  I'm "clean."  When I pursued the issue of
possible celiac he seemed quite reluctant to discuss the issue, even
debating the comfort and general increased well-being I feel w/the gf diet.
 He did order a stool/fat test, claiming that that is the "benchmark" of
cd.  It will show malabsorption which is "classic" cd.  When that test came
back negative he said not to consider cd but rather to consider that I just
have a functional problem.  (Of course it was negative... I've been gf for
nearly 3 months now!)

There were other problems w/this dr:  more than 1/2 hour late for 1st
appointment w/o explanation.  Didn't read the record of my prior
colonoscopy correctly... got the name of the doctor and the time frame
wrong.  Ct off my answers to his questions w/suppostitions which were
incorrect.  Then he left for 2 weeks of chemo, insisting that I come in the
very first day he was back for the procedure.  Didn't tell me to expect
bloody discharge after the procedure.  Didn't return my call when he'd
asked me to phone for results during a specific time slot (I had to call
his office 4 times over several days and got a response only when I told
the nurse I wanted to talk to the patient advocate at the clinic.

Basically, I've decided to discount this guy.  My gut feeling (no pun
intended) is that I'm basically alright (except for a persistent high blood
pressure problem, definitely exacerbated by this guy's lack of concern and
that w/ or w/o a "definitive" diagnosis gf is the way for me.

Thanks for all your responses!  This listserve is truly a gift!

Judith in Corvallis