Gluten Intolerance? How to approach GP

LadyMorticia

I'm not looking for medical advice. Just wondering how to approach my GP about the subject.

For the past few years, I've had alot of gastro problems. Severe abdominal bloating, constipation, excruciating stomach cramps.

I went gluten free for a while and discovered that my symptoms went after a few days but I was told that it wasn't a good idea to go gluten free without a medical opinion.
However, I read about biopsies and all sorts and scared myself half to death (I have a phobia of choking and things going down my throat, essentially.:o) so decided to leave it.
I went back to gluten and I've had problems ever since.

A couple of weeks ago, I went gluten free again for a week and my gastro symptoms went away.
Started eating gluten again and they returned.

My CPN says that I don't necessarily need a medical opinion to know that gluten is making me feel ill, but I also don't want to go gluten free without a medical opinion because I'm not sure if it's unhealthy to do so?

Anyway, I have a friend with gluten intolerance and she said that she didn't have to have a biopsy which reassured me, even the tiniest bit.

I now want to broach this subject with a GP (I have an appointment for Tuesday but it's not with my registered GP, but with a GP I feel comfortable with nevertheless).

I'm not sure how to approach my GP with the subject though. I know that quite a few GPs don't take kindly to patients coming in and declaring that they believe they have X,Y, and Z but I also want to tell my GP that I've tried gluten free and it made me feel better.

How would you approach your GP with something like this?
I'm quite shy and timid by nature so I'm really anxious as to how to let my GP know how I feel, without coming across as arrogant and her thinking that I feel I know better than her.:o

Thank you in advance.

j.e.j.

I would just detail the stomach problems you've been having and say that you've tried a gluten-free diet a couple of times and the symptoms have gone away both times. Then ask if it's ok to continue on a gluten-free diet or if she thinks a medical diagnosis is necessary first.

You might need to be prepared, though, for her possibly sending you for further investigations if she thinks it necessary.

Mrs_P_Pincher

The advantage of having a diagnosis is that you can get GF bread and pasta and some other food items on prescription.

I agree with the poster above. Just tell the doc what you've told us. You've had all the symptoms, you knocked out gluten and they stopped, you started eating it again and they came back.

He should send you for a blood test as a starter. That may well come back negative. Mine did and apparently it's quite common, but I was advised by my consultant to go GF anyway and see what happened and basically I feel much better. I miss the bread, but otherwise I don't find it a problem.


As to missing out on nutrients, there are vast parts of the world where they eat little or no wheat.

Good luck

Mrs P P

LadyMorticia

j.e.j. wrote: »

I would just detail the stomach problems you've been having and say that you've tried a gluten-free diet a couple of times and the symptoms have gone away both times. Then ask if it's ok to continue on a gluten-free diet or if she thinks a medical diagnosis is necessary first.

You might need to be prepared, though, for her possibly sending you for further investigations if she thinks it necessary.

Thank you.

I am trying to psych myself up for any tests she may send me for. Biopsies just freak me out a bit.

Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »

The advantage of having a diagnosis is that you can get GF bread and pasta and some other food items on prescription.

I agree with the poster above. Just tell the doc what you've told us. You've had all the symptoms, you knocked out gluten and they stopped, you started eating it again and they came back.

He should send you for a blood test as a starter. That may well come back negative. Mine did and apparently it's quite common, but I was advised by my consultant to go GF anyway and see what happened and basically I feel much better. I miss the bread, but otherwise I don't find it a problem.


As to missing out on nutrients, there are vast parts of the world where they eat little or no wheat.

Good luck

Mrs P P

Thank you.

I just hate all these gastro problems. The stomach aches are excruciating and leave me doubled up in pain and they do go away when I eliminate gluten.

I read somewhere that the blood test can only to diagnose coeliacs and that coeliacs isn't the only form of gluten intolerance, which is why sometimes blood tests can't detect it or something.

Torry_Quine

Like you I have ME and gluten definitely causes me problems. It could be an intolerance but obviously that's something only a medical professional can say. Other than a doctor a dietician may be able to help.

chilichocolate

I have coeliac disease and they cannot confirm it unless you are eating gluten. Start eating gluten again now, and enjoy it while it lasts! You'll miss it when you can't have it, despite the awful symptoms you get. You need to be eating gluten for about a month I think before they can confirm it.

I did my own test ordered off the internet for about £20, and took that to my GP when it was positive. If you go to your GP and ask them to test you for coeliac, don't let them fob you off, you should at the very least be given the blood test. If that comes back positive they will do the endoscopy to confirm it. The endoscopy is not as bad as it sounds, I've had two. They only last about 5 minutes and you are given a local anesthetic which is sprayed onto the back of your throat. It is not painful at all, the worst bit is feeling so bloated when they blow are into your stomach to see it better. It is over so quickly though, and definitely worth it for how much better you will feel on a gluten free diet. If you are really phobic they will put you to sleep for it, but it is over so quick it would be worth giving it a go without that anyway.

Let me know if you want to know anything else. It took me several years of being ignored by doctors who thought I was an anorexic teenager before the home test made them pay attention, so if you want to know anything else to avoid that I'll be happy to help.