Celiac Disease & Endoscopies: What You Should Know
If you’re wondering what an endoscopy is, what the process of getting an endoscopy is like, why endoscopies can be helpful with celiac disease and how often someone with celiac disease should get an endoscopy, this post is for you.
This post should not be considered a replacement for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor for personalized advice about any potential medical procedures. All research and sources are linked below.
What is An Endoscopy?
An endoscopy is a medical procedure in which doctors use a long thin tube known as an endoscope to examine inside the body. The scope often has a light and camera for taking pictures during the procedure, and other tools can be inserted inside the scope to remove tissue or perform surgery during an endoscopy.
There are various different types of endoscopies that examine different parts of the body. The most commonly performed endoscopies for those with celiac disease or suspected celiac disease include:
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EDG): an examination of your upper GI tract by inserting an endoscope down your throat and into your esophagus, stomach and duodenum.
Colonoscopy: an examination of your entire large intestine / colon through inserting a scope through your anus.
Endoscopy & Celiac Disease:
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where ingesting gluten causes damage to the intestines and 200+ other symptoms, including increased cancer risk, malnutrition and more.
Although blood tests for elevated celiac antibodies are typically the first step toward a celiac diagnosis. You can read about the specific tests to request here and you do have to be eating gluten for accurate results.
However, the blood test still can have false negatives and positives. So most doctors recommend an EDG endoscopy to confirm intestinal damage, during which 4-8 biopsies from your intestinal wall will be collected to examine for intestinal damage.
How to Prepare for an EDG Endoscopy
Always follow the specific directions from your doctor, but preparing for an endoscopy usually involves:
Fasting and not drinking any liquids for a specific amount of time before your procedure.
Stopping certain medications like blood thinners before your procedure.
If you are going through a colonoscopy and EDG endoscopy at the same time, there will be additional fasting and prep to empty your intestines & stomach.
What Happens During & After an Endoscopy?
Before the endoscopy begins, you will be sedated. The amount of sedation differs by person and situation, and you will discuss with your doctor your history with anesthesia, what will happen during the procedure, etc before it occurs.
Medical workers will monitor your oxygen levels, heart rate and other stats while the endoscopy occurs. An EDG endoscopy typically takes as little as 15 minutes, and patients are usually able to be released from the hospital as soon as the anesthesia wears off.
Your doctor will likely meet with you while you are in the recovery room to share any preliminary observations from the endoscopy, but you will have to wait for your biopsy results.
The most common side effects of an endoscopy are a sore throat & gas or bloating from air being pushed into your intestines during the procedure. You will also need a driver to bring and take you from the hospital and will need to avoid driving, drinking or operating machinery on the day you go under sedation.
How Often Do You Need an Endoscopy with Celiac Disease?
How often additional endoscopies are needed depends on the doctor and the patient.
Many doctors request newly diagnosed celiacs undergo a second endoscopy after they’ve been eating gluten free for a certain period of time (e.g. 6 months to 2-3 years later) to ensure their system is responding to a gluten free diet.
Doctors may also suggest an endoscopy intermittently over time or anytime someone with celiac has elevated blood work or continued symptoms despite being on a gluten free diet.
You can read more about my experience getting an endoscopy here, and follow my page on Instagram for a walk-through of my endoscopy and more helpful gluten free resources!