Ask the Doc: Are there different levels of celiac disease?
Posted Aug 05 2010 12:00am
Q. I was just recently diagnosed with celiac disease after a positive biopsy last week. I don’t get real sick, other than bloating and gassy. Those were my only symptoms. My question is, are there different levels of celiac disease? If I go to a restaurant and ask for gluten free foods, but they happen to get cross contaminated with something containing wheat, rye or barley, am I at that serious of a risk by dining there since I don’t get the diarrhea and vomiting, etc. It’s been real hard on my family and me trying to dine out at a restaurant who has a true understanding of celiac sprue.
A. Ask your doctor to obtain the Marsh classification of your biopsy. The higher the class, the longer it will take to heal on a gluten-free diet. Symptoms often do not correlate with the level of biopsy abnormality. Those who have been diagnosed with celiac and have their biopsies return to normal Marsh 0 will develop damage after being exposed to 7 grams of gluten, or about the amount in a slice of bread. I hope this helps.
A. Ask your doctor to obtain the Marsh classification of your biopsy. The higher the class, the longer it will take to heal on a gluten-free diet. Symptoms often do not correlate with the level of biopsy abnormality. Those who have been diagnosed with celiac and have their biopsies return to normal Marsh 0 will develop damage after being exposed to 7 grams of gluten, or about the amount in a slice of bread. I hope this helps.
Health and happiness,
Dr. Aron
Have a question for the doc ?