<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Sorry guys this has been a long time coming, over a month actually. I am finally feeling well enough to catch up on all my correspondence, and there is a lot!! I have done the challenge and 'oh boy' I had forgotten what it felt like. And yes in response to those who suggested I was crazy, you were right. The results after one month and 3 days of eating gluten were all normal, including my blood tests. Very disappointing, however, I do know that I definitely have a reaction to wheat, oats, and barley, which I conclude to probably being gluten. My conclusions on the negative biopsy are a) I didn't eat gluten for long enough or the herbal tablets I was taking for my symptoms healed me, therefore, no damage to my villi; b) I'm pseudo celiac; or c) I have something else which shows up when eating gluten. My specialist is going to love this anyway, he wanted me to be on gluten for 3 months!!!! If I hadn't had the biopsy when I did I would have had to give up work. On the good side, 2 weeks after going GF again I have lost 2 inches around my waist, no more bloating!! Hooray!!!! I feel human again, and I have my brain back. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enough about me. Here are all the suggestions on tackling a gluten challenge, including my experiences. 1) Don't take herbal medicines of any kind. 2) if possible take time off work 3) One month should be more than enough, I don't recommend taking away any more of your life than is necessary. 4) Start off slowly, e.g.. one wheat cracker one day, introducing a little at a time, building up to at least 4 slices of wholegrain bread a day. And eating more of it in the last week, if you can handle it. 5) Try to avoid other food allergies/intolerance's, no need to even worst than necessary. 6) www.fastlane.net/homepages/thodge/CONF9610.txt is a good site for advice on taking the challenge. A must read. 7) Avoid garlic - surprised me too but guess what? I now recommend it 8) Ask your doctor to monitor you, just in case (mine wasn't interested) 9) Drink lots of water 10) Try forcing yourself to go for a little walk each day, it helps a bit. 11) Talk to everyone around you about how you might feel and if they can cope with that. My family and work were very understanding, and because you know what is going to happen you can control your feelings better. For those wondering about the biopsy. I opted for a sedative. Only remember retching once vaguely then I was waking up in the chair. Piece of cake. Though I felt awful before I went in I didn't feel any worse afterwards. I had a wonderful response, of which most people advised me not to do it. But wanting a definitely diagnosis overruled my sanity, and I did enjoy eating all the foods I shouldn't. Although, half the time I felt too sick to enjoy them! I hope this helps others out there stupid (or game) enough to tackle the challenge. Thanks everyone who responded. The studies I quoted from are: Reintroduction of gluten in adults and children with treated coeliac disease Paveen J. Kumar, D. P. O'Donoghue, Kathy Stenson, & A. M. Dawson (From the Dept of Gastroenterology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London) 18 of the 19 adults relapsed within 7 weeks, the other didn't have CD All 9 children patients relapse within 10 months, 5 took longer than 7 weeks. Note: Children appear to take longer to relapse. There is no correlation between the severity of the symptoms and the damage done to the intestine nor between the amount of time being GF and the relapse. The other study wasn't very relevant but here it is anyway: Chapter 6/ Mucosal pathology in gluten sensitivity Michael N. Marsh From: Coeliac Disease Blackwell Scientific 1992, edited by Marsh. ISBN 0-632-03097-6