how accurate are blood tests?
Hi, I'm 18 years old and for around 6 years I've struggled with stomach problems and been diagnosed with anemia.
For the past few months, my stomach issues have flared up, so I've decided to visit a new doctor, who asked me to try a gluten free diet for a week. During that week and after that, I've noticed that I don't have any stomach issues except for when I eat gluten, and when I do, I get a fever, throw up for hours and have the worst stomach cramps.
I had a blood test done after my "gluten-free week", and my doctor told me I tested negative for coeliac disease. I asked my coeliac friend about this, and she said that blood tests rarely come back positive,and that it took her years to get a positive one.
Is that true? I've been trying to get a gastroenterology appointment for a while now, but it's practically impossible. I feel like I'm imagining things, but I really do have a strong reaction to things that even touch gluten food.