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I believe Karen's point about the biopsy being a definitive diagnosis is
wrong.  In my reading and my visits with my GI, I again and again heard
that the conclusive diagnosis to CD is a remission of symptoms on a gf
diet.  My GI said this would be true even if blood work and a biopsy
were positive.

If symptoms conclusively go into remission on a gf diet, then a gf diet
is the cure.  And if symptoms are inherently linked to a non-gf diet,
then I would say the person has CD.

I am self diagnosed recently.  My GI could not find evidence of sprue in
blood work or a biopsy.  But eating a gf diet has put my symptoms in
remission.  If there are others of you who are self diagnosed, please
send me your stories, because, despite the above notice, I worry that
Karen is right, and without a solid diagnosis from an "educated doctor"
I shouldn't be wasting my time, effort, and money on eating gf.

Christopher Tyler