Coeliac Diagnosis & Medical FAQ

Coeliac diagnosis raises a lot of questions — so we’ve turned the big ones into their own plain-English answers. Each is written by people who live this, grounded in the medical guidance below. Tap any question for the full answer — what the tests mean, what the numbers say, and what to actually do.

Warm, honest answers — not medical advice. For personal medical decisions, talk to your GP, your gastroenterologist, or your national coeliac society.

• What are the symptoms of coeliac disease?
  Classic gut symptoms appear in fewer than half of adults — it can look like anaemia, fatigue, a skin rash, or nothing at all. Read the full answer →
• How is coeliac disease diagnosed?
  A tTG IgA blood test first, then usually a biopsy — and you must keep eating gluten until testing is complete. Read the full answer →
• What does the tTG IgA blood test tell you?
  It’s a reliable first-line signal, not a diagnosis on its own — and a normal result doesn’t fully rule coeliac out. Read the full answer →
• What happens if you keep eating gluten after diagnosis?
  Untreated coeliac causes cumulative damage — much reversible, some not — and a strict gluten-free diet turns it around. Read the full answer →
• How long does it take to heal after going gluten-free?
  Months, not weeks — full gut healing can take one to two years, and lingering symptoms usually mean hidden gluten. Read the full answer →

Where to go next

New to all this? Start with Your First 90 Days with Coeliac Disease. Sorting fact from fiction? See 12 Coeliac Myths, Calmly Debunked.

Sources: Coeliac UK; NICE guideline NG20; Celiac Disease Foundation; Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free ≤20 ppm); AOECS. Last verified: 2026-07-20. This is general information, not medical advice — talk to your GP or a coeliac-aware dietitian about your own situation.