<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Hi everyone, I thought I would let you all know about a wonderful MD experience I had yesterday. I went to Beth Isreal Hospital in Boston and saw Dr.Ciaran Kelly. He has been mentioned on this site before, which is how I found him. I have been gluten-free for 7 months, and recently had negative blood tests from the University of Maryland Celiac Testing Center. I had seen another GI doctor, who kind of blew me off, diagnosing me with "diarrhea", and who wanted me to do a gluten challenge. I tried the challenge for 3 days, and became so ill that I had to stop. It took a month to feel better. So I was apprehensive about the appointment with Dr. Kelly. First of all, he was warm and kind and had a great sense of humor. He welcomed the presence of my husband (who I wanted there because my brain is still a little fuzzy and I wasn't sure I'd remember everything). Most importantly, he listened respectfully to everything I had to say, was obviously very up to date on Celiac Disease, asked good questions, and taught me things I hadn't learned about CD. Lastly, he explained why he would NOT necessarily have me do a biopsy and a gluten challenge. He said that I already know for sure that it is gluten which causes the symptoms. He said that he could do a biopsy before attempting a gluten challenge, because it is possible it would not be completely normal despite being gf for so long. He said I could do a gluten challenge and then a biopsy, but asked if it was so important to me to have a definite diagnosis that I would put myself through that misery for weeks or months. He left the decision up to me. I chose to stay gf and not do further testing. He said that he has people do a gluten challenge when it is unclear that it is gluten which causes the symptoms- in other words, they can tolerate the challenge without becoming ill. He also does the biopsy (and bloodwork) when someone comes for an initial diagnosis and is eating a regular diet. This seems so sensible to me! I know that whether to be tested is an ongoing question for many on this site and this seems like a really logical (and caring) solution. He is absolutely right, I would not resume gluten even if I didn't test positive, because it makes me so ill, so why go through the challenge? I have been gluten free for 7 months and not even tempted to eat the bread and pastry products which used to be the mainstay of my diet. Finally, anyway, (sorry this is so long), I would recommend Dr. Kelly to anyone seeking excellent care. I have been a Nurse Practitioner for 28 years, and I can honestly say that the care I received yesterday was as good as it gets. Karen in Massachusetts