Question Title: A follow-up for "rf" - Celiac Diagnosis

I wanted to let you know I saw the Gastro Dr. at the VA. about the post-Nissen dumping you were kind enough to help me with. He is "convinced" I have Celiac disease. I think mostly due to the itch blistery rash I have developed. And, because I had diarrhea prior to the fundoplication he won't look into vagal nerve injury. Despite the many attempts I have made to make him understand how different this diarrhea is...for example; I had NO weight loss with the diarrhea I had prior to the surgery. Anyway, I will be seeing a Dermatologist (when I don't know), and he also took some blood, and has asked for a stool sample. I wish he would of done a small bowel biopsy. Is the biopsy necessary for a celiac diagnosis? Thanks again, Skorchee
__

---

Dear Skorchee,
One can be very suspicious of celiac disease on the basis of blood tests (anti gliadin antibody, antiendomysial antibody) but most physicians do a small intestine biopsy to confirm the histologic change and to exclude collagenous sprue, a condition that does not always respond to a gluten free diet.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: celiac disease, diarrhea, malabsorption
0.2

---