Looks like it's me too!!

For those of you who have been following the blog, you may remember that I mentioned I was going to have some blood work done for the pregnancy and was going to ask about having the DNA test done to check if I have the gene common in most Celiac patients.

It is called the Human Leuokocyte Antigen test and they are looking for two possible haplotypes...DQ2 and DQ8. Those two are the most common genes found in all known Celiac cases. Ethan was tested and he has DQ5 and DQ8 and Joshua was tested and has DQ6 and DQ7. So, knowing that I can't have the scope and knowing that from the research I've done, if you have the gene then at some point you will develop the disease I figured I would at least check to see if I have the gene because my anitbody test had come back negative.

Well, folks consider me now gluten free! I was positive for DQ8. I have to meet with my primary care doctor at the end of the month to discuss the results, but my history with them tells me they will just say that without an endoscopy thay can't confirm or deny Celiac Disease. A couple of their nurses didn't even know what the disease was when I called about it, so I'm not going to put much faith in their knowledge. It's unfortunate when we can find all of this reasearch on line and even read about it in magazines, and hear about on the nightly news, yet the medical field still seems to be in the dark.

For me, I have been so sick with this preganancy so far, and am now on anit-nausea medication because of it. I wasn't really surprised to find that I have the gene, and I wouldn't be surprised if I have the antibody test redone to see it spiked now.

Some of you may wonder why I would want to just go gluten free without a "confirmed" diagnosis. But if you think about it, you can relate it to diabetes. If it runs in your family and you know your chances are pretty good once you hit 40 that you will be diagnosed, wouldn't you try to exercise and watch your diet to prevent this disease?? It's the same thing with Celiac Disease. If you know you run the risk of the damage beginning at some point in your intestines, why wait for the symptoms when going gluten free will not only prevent it from happening at all, but is just a healthier diet to begin with??

Besides, with my son and my husband both gluten free, it's just plain easier at meal time. We will be having this baby's DNA tested ASAP, to find out if it is predisposed to this as well.

I urge and encourage any of you who may have experienced any kind of irritable bowel, problems digesting certain foods, if your overweight and can't seem to lose the weight, underweight and can't seem to gain, or have a litany of other health problems already, get the blood test done. Other than the needle stick, it's pretty easy to do, and worth so much in the end as it is an easy solution in comparison to what the future may hold with meds. and hospital visits.

You can check out the link to the right for more info on the testing or you can leave a comment with contact info, and I'd be happy to send the info your way.