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Follow-up Care Plan

The treatment for coeliac disease is a lifelong strict gluten-free diet. It is important that you adhere to this, as it will enable the villi in your small intestine to heal and your symptoms to resolve. Your GP, consultant or dietitian can help you to assess an improvement in symptoms and how you are managing with the diet after diagnosis.

What Can I Expect After Diagnosis? 

  • You should be referred to a dietitian for information about coeliac disease and the gluten-free diet. Following your initial appointment with the dietitian, if you would like to have another appointment, you can request this from your GP. 
  • Your weight should be recorded
  • You may have a bone density scan (DEXA scan) - Due to decreased absorption of calcium prior to diagnosis, adults with coeliac disease are at greater risk of low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis). This is a condition where the body’s bones become thin and more likely to break. Osteoporosis is diagnosed by a bone scan, known as a DEXA scan. Bone density may be measured after 1 year on the gluten-free diet in patients who have additional risk factors for osteoporosis or if over the age of 55 years, at the discretion of your doctor
  • You may be offered the pneumococcal vaccination - Coeliac UK recommends that everyone with coeliac disease is vaccinated against pneumococcal infection. This is generally a one-off vaccination
  • You should be able get some gluten-free food on prescription from your GP. Please contact your GP for more information. 
  • You may wish to join Coeliac UK (details included in this booklet)
  • It is recommended that your first-degree relatives are screened for coeliac disease
  • If routine blood tests have shown any deficiencies, your GP may recommend supplements

How Often will I Have Follow-up Care?

Your GP or Consultant may arrange for you to have an annual check where the following blood tests may be carried out:
 

  • Full blood count (FBC)
  • Ferritin
  • Folate
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin D
  • Coeliac disease antibody level - Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody (tTGA) or Endoymsial antibody (EMA) 
  • Liver function test
  • Glucose
  • Calcium
  • Thyroid function test
  • Alkaline Phosphatase

While a negative coeliac antibody blood test result is what people with coeliac disease want to see, a normal value can sometimes only be achieved after a year or more following a strict gluten-free diet, especially if the initial value was very elevated. What is important is to see a consistent downwards trend in the antibody level.

Please note: If you have any concerns about management of your coeliac disease do contact your healthcare team at     the time of those concerns rather than waiting for your annual review.

Please note: If you are considering pregnancy, we recommend that you discuss folic acid supplementation with your GP.

Useful Contacts and References

Coeliac UK
3rd Floor Apollo Centre
Desborough Road
High Wycombe
Bucks 
HP11 2QW

Helpline: 03333322033

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/

(Coeliac UK is the charity dedicated to the help and support of people with Coeliac disease).

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.

About this information

Service:
Dietetics

Reference:
DT/004

Approval date:
19 May 2026

Review date:
1 May 2029

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Important note 

This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.