Discussion Board

I'm currently eliminating gluten to see if it'll clear up some skin rashes. Some phone conversations with my doctor's nurse leads me to believe that the doctor doesn't know much about gluten sensitivity or celiac (this is through the VA system--I am fortunate to have the option to see a private doctor through our other insurance, but I wanted to try this route first).

So I'm going to do this on my own and see if things clear up, but I would eventually like to have a definite answer through a blood test (although I realize they're not 100% accurate if you get a negative). Do you know how long/how much gluten you need to eat in order for the tests to be most accurate?

I think it's variable.

Don't know how long you've been off... but I remember reading that it may take ingesting gluten regularly for several weeks for it to have a chance of shwoing up on a blood test, and even then, as you said, seems the tests are not that reliable.

Have you looked up your skin rashes to try and determine if they could in fact be gluten related? Is there any improvement?

I've read that DH, the blistering rash that comes with some people's celiac disease, can take a long time to clear up after getting off gluten... I have no personal experience with that, since, fortunately, I seem to not have that particular sypmtom to worry about. But I've read the skin is the last thing to heal.