The first test is a blood test. A nurse will take a vial of your blood—like any routine checkup. They are looking for specific antibodies (the “cops” in your blood) that show up when you eat gluten and have celiac disease.
The most common test is called the tTG-IgA test. Fancy name, simple idea. It checks for the villain protein. The results usually come back in a few days to a week. That’s the hardest part—the waiting game.
Pro-tip: Bring a snack for after. You might feel a little woozy if you fasted for the test. A gluten-filled snack is perfect here, since you’re still on the “eat gluten” plan. Celebrate that small victory!
