<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Thank you everyone for your replies. I have gone back on gluten and will have the blood test in a couple of weeks. I decided to do this to know whether I am a cancer risk if I eat gluten accidently or otherwise. I do feel generally tired, nauseated and bloated on the gluten - and even hungrier! I have shortness of breath ... One of the aspects for me is taking the eucharist bread. If I am gluten intolerant it seems reasonable to eat the bread but if I am a celiac then I don't want to eat the smallest amount of wheat etc. I appreciate all your caring and advice. Sorry I was late in replying and hope this summary is OK. Regards Sandra Dr. Kenneth Fine ...can detect the antibodies in the stool even when a person has been gluten-free for several weeks. He can also do a DNA test to see if you are a prime candidate. The number for his lab is 972- 686-6869 (Dallas, Texas). He has two web sites: www.enterolab.com and www.finerhealth.com. ................. The blood test will not be accurate unless you have been eating gluten. .................. My advice: stay out of gluten and live happy, pain free life. ................. You will probably get false negatives. But the problem you have with gluten, plus the anemia (celiacs don't assimilate folic acid and so need supplements there), plus the lactose intolerance suggests celiac, since most new celiacs are lactose intolerant for the first year or two. ............... The "gold" test is the endoscopic biopsy. But the blood test does show some direction and probability for further testing if the readings are irregular. ............... If your blood test comes back negative, I would have myself tested for food allergies by Better Health U.S.A. www.betterhealthusa.com. ............... I would see a Dermatologist. You might have DH which is a skin reaction to gluten. The biopsy for that is easier than the biopsy for celiac. ............... While the test would work better if you ate wheat, small amounts may do. ............... You'll most likely get a fasle negative result. You have to be eating wheat for at least 2-3 weeks for testing to be accurate. .............. Many of your symptoms resemble those seen with mastocytosis - a rare disease. ............. My personal decision was to take the diagnosis of delayed allergic reactions, or gluten intolerance, as evidenced by IGg blood testing, as enough. The alternative was to eat enough of the stuff to make myself sick enough so that someone else could say "Hey, that stuff makes you sick." I just wasn't up to it.