Follow-up after diagnosis

After diagnosis it is important that you are followed up on a regular basis, generally this will mean attending an annual review appointment.

You may feel that you are coping well and that your symptoms have resolved since starting a gluten-free diet and so don't feel you need to be followed up. However, it is recommended that people with coeliac disease are seen on an annual basis to ensure they are doing as well as they should be on the diet. It also ensures you are kept up-to-date with any new developments in managing coeliac disease.

An annual review can be conducted by your GP if they have a good understanding of coeliac disease, or it may be your gastroenterologist or dietitian who review you. Blood tests should be taken to ensure you are not suffering from nutritional deficiencies such as iron deficiency anaemia and to make sure you antibody levels are normal.  

If you have not previously had a bone scan you should discuss this with either your GP or your gastroenterologist, who will be able to refer you for a scan if it is deemed necessary. Follow-up of your bone health is dependant upon the results of an initial bone scan.

If you have not had a coeliac check-up for a long time we suggest you contact your healthcare team and discuss this with them. Different areas have different protocols for follow-up for patients, so check what is normally done in your area.