This sounds insane to me!

[6_Time_Momma]

I had Garrett's pediatrician make him an appointment with his gastroenterologist (to follow up.....yearly check up) since our new insurance requires referrals from the patient's GP to specialists.


So, the peds office calls me to tell me the time of the appointment and then tells me that the gastro office said he needs to be off his celiac diet for a month prior to the appointment! Something about not being able to see things on the blood tests or biopsy if he stays on the diet!

Why on earth do they need to redo the blood tests and biopsy!??! They know he has Celiac disease. He ALREADY had the biopsy and blood test. Anyway, I am so upset. I can't call the gastro office until tomorrow since they closed before the peds called me.

If he goes off the diet, then that means a month of him being miserable with cramps, diarrhea, and no energy?!?! That is outrageous!

 

[floridaminnie]

I know whenever I switched insurance companies, I've never had to have DD retested from something that she was diagnosised under another insurance company. It cost the new one more moeny unless the diagnasis was so long ago that the insurance company thinks he's cured!

 

[Aimeedyan]

Thats ridiculous. I am very familiar with Celiac Disease, and this is not common for gastroenterologists to request... retesting. Whats the point? I would call for clarification on why they would feel the need to retest everything, esp if everything came back positive and he is responding to a gluten free diet. If they still demand it, I would be very very tempted to find a new gastro doc, or not go at all. If he's doing well now, what would the doc wnat to check on at his yearly visit anyways? Know what I mean?

THere are alot of celiacs that get fed up with gastro docs (esp since so many dont fully "get" Celiac), so they just take matters in their own hands and live gluten free anways.

I know that biopsies and bloodwork wont show it if he's eating gluten free, because he has no damage! Why would a doctor want a child to damage his internal organs and be sicker than a dog again? Doesnt make any sense.

Good luck to you.