Re: Re: responses to my question and comment on house

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My 21-year-old had stomachaches and high antibodies for years, and once even had a normal endoscopy. (Her 15-year-old sister is -- so far -- the only celiac in the family.) When she got sick again last summer, I insisted that our HMO (PacificCare) pay for the Prometheus gene test. Weren't we surprised when it came back negative for HLA-DQ-2 or HLA-DQ-8, which ruled out celiac disease (unless she's in the 1% who don't have the gene). So then (for the first time) she had blood allergy testing, which came back positive for wheat (and rye, I think), but not barley (regular beer is now okay for her). While this is anecdotal, my point is that her wheat allergy did give her GI symptoms. She knows now that if she eats wheat she'll make herself sick, but she won't be killing herself.DebbieP.S. She is studying this semester at Wits Univ. in Johannesburg, South Africa and found that it's a great place for GF food.  On May 9, 2006, at 2:32 PM, Cory Katt wrote:Thanks Connie, I'm almost thinking its not worth it to go back on gluten and get the test, my symptoms seem obvious and go away when I don't eat gluten, so why not just NOT EAT GLUTEN and not bother with all those tests.  I suppose I could just be allergic to wheat, but I would imagine I would have more allergy symptoms then, not GI symptoms. Well I got the blood test before going off gluten.  Then was off for about 6months and was told to go back on it to do more testing - so I had onedinner and one breakfast and got really, really sick so I cancelled thetest. Connie Thanks Lil, its really nice of you to offer to ask your doctor for a recommendation in my area!  Like I said above, I'm tempted to skip the test and just continue on a GF diet.  Good luck on your visit with your other doc! I don't have any good - well anything - to share with you.  I, too, haveKaiser, and the doc I saw last SUCKED!!!!   I went in specifically to ask for a biopsy of a skin rash I suspect is DH -she wouldn't do it.  (This is not my normal doc; BTW, I am seeing her nextweek & will send an update).  Anyway, this doc I went to not only refused todo the biopsy (or even refer me to someone who would) because she didn'tthink it looked like DH, she also told me I couldn't possibly have celiacdue to my symptoms.  (Because I was not "wasting away" and did not havediarrhea).  Then, after I told her I was GF, she still insisted on doingblood tests, which - surprise - came back negative.   There is nothing on God's Green Earth that would make me eat gluten again,not even for a DX.  As for how long you need to be eating gluten, I seem toremember reading somewhere that eating a piece of wheat bread a day for afew weeks should be enough, but I think that might have been for a biopsy,not a blood test.   Basically my experience with Kaiser is that if it will cost them any money,they won't do it.  I worked on a campaign a little over a decade ago thatgave whistle-blower protection to nurses ratting on the docs in HMO's thatrefuse needed services on the basis of not costing the company money.During that course of that campaign, no less than 10 people told me(unsolicited mind you) after hearing the words "HMO" come out of my mouth,various stories about Kaiser letter patients die or be disabled for liferather than refer them to a specialist or give them needed treatment becauseit was too expensive.   I am gong to go in there next week armed with printouts of info & ready tokick & scream until they give me the damn test.   I'll let you know how that goes.  (Also, if all goes well with my visit,I'll ask the doc to refer someone in the areas you are looking for - I'm inSF).   Good luck Cory,   LilThanks for the suggestion, , but unless this doctor is Kaiser, I don't think Kaiser will pay for him and I'm poor :-) Message 6     From: " Barella" lisabarella@...    Date: Mon May 8, 2006 10:12pm(PDT) Subject: Re: question?Get a new doctor.  Go see Dr. Gray at Stanford.  I use to live in Mountain View, CA and he is my doctor.  Just a great doctor and good person.   I fly back from NC to CA just to see him.  Good luck.   I LOVE House, I think it is the best program EVER!  Unfortunately I try to go to bed early so I can get up early and go to the gym before work, but maybe I will stay up a little later and watch it tonight, mostly just because I love it though! Thanks everybody who responded! Cory