People with coeliac disease have specific genes, which means they may develop the condition when they eat gluten. However, coeliac disease can develop at any age and researchers are unsure why this is the case.
If you are experiencing symptoms and suspect you may have coeliac disease, the first step could be to take an online assessment- a short questionnaire asking about your symptoms and other risk factors. If the assessment indicates that you might have coeliac disease, the next step would be to make an appointment with your GP who can then undertake a blood test to check for coeliac antibodies.
If the result of your blood test is positive, your GP should refer you to the hospital for further tests in order to confirm a diagnosis of coeliac disease. It is important not to remove gluten from your diet during the diagnosis process.