Celiac Disease Treatment in Katy, TX
Accurate testing for celiac disease, and a gastroenterologist and dietitian team to help you live well on a gluten-free diet.
Understanding Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition. In people who have it, eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, causes the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine. Over time this damages the tiny, finger-like villi that absorb nutrients from food.
Celiac disease affects about 1 in 100 people, but most do not know they have it. It runs in families and can start at any age, from early childhood to late adulthood. It is not the same as a wheat allergy, and it is different from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which causes symptoms without the same immune damage to the intestine.
Symptoms of celiac disease
Symptoms vary widely, and some people have none at all. Common digestive symptoms include:
- Diarrhea, or sometimes constipation
- Bloating, gas and abdominal pain
- Weight loss you cannot explain
- Nausea
Many adults have symptoms outside the gut instead, such as:
- Iron-deficiency anemia that does not improve with iron pills
- Fatigue
- An itchy, blistering skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Thinning bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis) at a young age
- High liver enzymes on a blood test
- Mouth ulcers, joint pain, headaches, or numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
- Fertility problems
In children, celiac disease can also cause slow growth, delayed puberty and irritability.
Who is at higher risk?
- Parents, children, brothers and sisters of someone with celiac disease
- People with type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroid disease
- People with Down syndrome, Turner syndrome or IgA deficiency
When to see a gastroenterologist
Talk to a specialist if you have ongoing digestive symptoms, unexplained iron-deficiency anemia or bone loss, a close family member with celiac disease, or a positive celiac blood test. Keep eating gluten until you are tested. Going gluten-free first can make the tests falsely normal and delay a diagnosis.
Our approach to Celiac Disease
Getting the diagnosis right matters, because celiac disease means a lifelong diet change. Our gastroenterologists confirm the diagnosis properly and our registered dietitians help you make the change with confidence.
Testing for celiac disease
- Blood tests. The main screening test is tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA), checked together with total IgA levels. Other antibody tests are used if you have low IgA.
- An upper endoscopy with biopsies. In adults, taking small samples from the small intestine is the standard way to confirm the diagnosis. It is quick and done under sedation.
- Genetic testing (HLA-DQ2 and DQ8) in some cases. A negative result almost rules out celiac disease, which is useful if you are already gluten-free. A positive result does not mean you have celiac disease, because many people without it carry these genes.
Blood tests and biopsies only work if you are eating gluten. Genetic testing does not need gluten. If you have already stopped, we can talk about whether a supervised gluten challenge or genetic testing makes sense. Upper endoscopies are performed by our own physicians at Zazen Surgery Center, in the same building as our clinic.
Living well gluten-free
The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Even small amounts of gluten can keep the intestine from healing. That is a big change, and you should not have to figure it out alone.
- Dietitian support. Our registered dietitians teach you how to read labels, find hidden gluten, avoid cross-contact at home and when eating out, and build a balanced diet you enjoy.
- Correcting nutrient gaps, such as iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and zinc.
- Bone health checks, including a bone density scan when needed.
- Screening for family members, since parents, children, brothers and sisters have a higher chance of having celiac disease too.
Follow-up care
We recheck your celiac blood tests and symptoms over time to see how well the diet is working. Normal blood tests do not always mean the intestine has fully healed, so some people need a repeat endoscopy. If symptoms continue despite a gluten-free diet, the most common cause is hidden gluten. We also look for other causes, such as lactose intolerance, IBS, SIBO or microscopic colitis, and, rarely, celiac disease that does not respond to diet.
Please do not go gluten-free before you are tested. Many people feel better and then cannot get a clear answer. Test first, and if it is celiac disease, we will help you every step of the way.
Dr. Vivian Asamoah, MD
Board-Certified Gastroenterologist, Integrative Medicine
Key Facts
What you need to know
Everything you need to know before your appointment.
Who should consider this
Anyone with symptoms, anemia or a family history that could point to celiac disease, or a positive blood test.
Learn more
What to expect
A detailed first visit, the right tests while you are still eating gluten, and a clear plan.
Learn more
Recovery and results
Many people feel better within weeks of going gluten-free, while the intestine heals over months or longer.
Learn more
Why our team
Gastroenterologists and registered dietitians who diagnose celiac disease correctly and help you live with it.
Learn moreWhat Our Patients Say
-
Dr. Asamoah is a wonderful doctor with an excellent bedside manner who cares about what you're going through and leaves no stone unturned I highly recommend.
-
From the moment of entering the Surgical Center, I felt like I was an individual and my needs were of concern. The actual procedure experience was great. Dr. Asamoah has a way of making you feel at ease. She's gathered a staff of people who do the same thing. Highly recommend.
-
I was very impressed with both doctors' expression of authentic interest in and concern with my health concerns. A rare experience.
-
Highly recommend. The office staff and Dr. Asamoah were helpful, friendly and very accommodating! We left feeling like we have answers and are hopeful.
-
First time visit. Impressed by the clean and nice environment. Friendly staff. Doctor takes her time to hear you and answer any questions you have. Great experience.
-
Wow!!! Absolutely amazed by the facility and doctor! Dr. Vivian Asamoah is extremely educational, professional, and so sweet! I went in feeling extremely anxious because of my health issues, and she put me at ease by explaining every detail! Xiomara, her MA, was so helpful and thorough. Honestly, she is by far one of the best doctors I've seen. God bless this office and everyone in it! I most definitely recommend her!
-
I went in to check on issues I was having with my colon. I was in a panic and was not feeling my best. Dr. Asamoah was kind and very understanding, with great patient-relationship skills. She is genuine and truly professional. Her staff is great and wonderful. I will recommend my family and friends.
-
Had a great experience. The doctors are very understanding and comforting. They listen to all of your needs. Loved their music. Very relaxing.
Individual results vary.
Ready to talk with a specialist about celiac disease?
Schedule a consultation with our team. We are here to help you find lasting relief.
Expert GI. Whole-person care. All under one roof.Common questions about Celiac Disease
Common early signs include diarrhea, bloating, gas, abdominal pain and weight loss. Many adults instead have iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, an itchy blistering rash or early bone loss. Some people have no symptoms at all.
Diagnosis usually starts with a blood test for tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA) and total IgA. In adults, it is usually confirmed with an upper endoscopy and small biopsies of the small intestine. You need to be eating gluten for these tests to be accurate.
No. Going gluten-free before testing can make blood tests and biopsies look normal even if you have celiac disease. Keep eating gluten until testing is complete, and talk to your doctor if you have already stopped.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that damages the small intestine and can be confirmed with blood tests and biopsies. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity causes symptoms after eating gluten or wheat, but without the same immune damage. Celiac disease should be ruled out first.
No. A wheat allergy is an allergic reaction that can cause hives, swelling or trouble breathing soon after eating wheat. Celiac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten in wheat, barley and rye that damages the small intestine over time.
There is no cure yet, and no medicine can replace the diet. A strict, lifelong gluten-free diet allows the intestine to heal and controls the disease for most people.
Most can eat oats that are labeled gluten-free, since regular oats are often contaminated with wheat. A small number of people react to oats themselves, so add them slowly and tell your care team if symptoms return.
Untreated celiac disease can lead to anemia, poor absorption of vitamins and minerals, bone loss, fertility problems and, rarely, some types of lymphoma. Following a strict gluten-free diet lowers these risks.
Yes. Parents, children, brothers and sisters of someone with celiac disease have a higher chance of having it, even without symptoms. A simple blood test is usually the first step.
The most common reason is small amounts of hidden gluten. Other causes include lactose intolerance, IBS, SIBO and microscopic colitis. Rarely, the celiac disease itself does not respond to the diet (refractory celiac disease), which needs specialist care. A gastroenterologist and dietitian can work out the cause together.
Houston Gastro Institute diagnoses and treats celiac disease at our clinic on Kingsland Boulevard in Katy, TX. Patients come to us from across west Houston, including Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Richmond, Brookshire, Sugar Land and Cypress. Upper endoscopies are performed at Zazen Surgery Center in the same building.