I went to the Dr. for my yearly exam. While there she feels my stomach and starts asking about stomach issues, my heritage, ect. She says she wants to test me for Celiac. I have a high ANA and various other autoimmune symtoms (mouth sores, rashes, joint pain) and they haven't pinned down what could be causing all this yet. Well, the test came back and she strongly advises I start a gluten free diet. If symtoms don't improve in a month or so, I am to make an appointment with a GI. Below are my lab results. I am just wondering if there might be something else, but this seems to connect the dots and makes sense. And Celiac has been added to my health record as of now.
Immunoglobulin A 113 (standard range 81-426)
Gliadin IGA 19 (>10 positive)
Gliadin IGG 33 (>10 positive)
Tissue Transglutaminase IGA 83 (>10 positive)
Tissue Transglutaminase IGG 1 (>10 positive)
Thank you all in advance. If it is Celiac, I can tell this place will be a great resourse.
Those numbers clearly need referral to a gasterenterologist - preferably one with celiac experience - sadly not all GIs and Rhuematologists are experienced &/or up to date with current celiac research.
Welcome to the forum - be sure to read the newbie 101 thread and ask any questions you may have.
Were your gliadin test results "anti-gliadin" or "deamidated gliadin"? Anti-gliadin does not differentiate between autoimmune and non-autoimmune forms of gluten intolerance. That means that both Celiac and non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance as well as some "healthy" population samples will show up positive on the result while the deamidated is pretty specific to the autoimmune form, aka Celiac.
Thank you all for the responses. I don't know whether the gliadin was "anti-glliandin" or "demitdated gliadin". I have already slowing started to eat gluten free and have cleaned out my pantry. My GP says I most likely have Celiac, she will refer me to GI should my symptoms continue, as of now she is treating me to have Celiac. I am fine with the diagnosis and have accepted it as it really does connect so many dots. My stomach always "hates life" as I put it. It's never been happy, but I've always thought it was normal. Now I know it's not. I am just trying to understand what each test means in regards to Celiac.
The Tissue Transglutaminase is the one test that the doctors mostly rely upon, which measures antibodies made in the small intestine. While not completely specific for celiac disease, celiac is the most likely cause and your result was quite high. If the Gliadin IgA was the Deamidated Gliadin Peptide(DGP) (which was also quite positive), then those two results in combination would put you pretty squarely celiac, because the DGP is very specific for celiac disease and you make sufficient quantities of IgA for the IgA testing to be valid for you (Immunoglobulin A). However, if it was the AGA IgA, this is an outdated test not used much any more because it's not very reliable.
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Neroli
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." - Albert Einstein
"Life is not weathering the storm; it is learning to dance in the rain"
"Whatever the question, the answer is always chocolate." Nigella Lawson
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Caffeine free 1973
Lactose free 1990
(Mis)diagnosed IBS, fibromyalgia '80's and '90's
Diagnosed psoriatic arthritis 2004
Self-diagnosed gluten intolerant, gluten-free Nov. 2007
Soy free March 2008
Nightshade free Feb 2009
Citric acid free June 2009
Potato starch free July 2009
(Totally) corn free Nov. 2009
Legume free March 2010
Now tolerant of lactose
Your bodies immune system makes a variety of different types of antibodie cells. IgA, IgG, IgE etc. You can have a positive result on one type of antibodie but not on another. But they all do damage to the gut if you have a celiac auto-immune response. Basically, the immune cells attack your own tissue, instead of an outside invader. That is what they mean by an auto-immune disease.
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Proverbs 25:16 "Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it." Job 30:27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. Thyroid cyst and nodules, Lactose / casein intolerant. Diet positive, gene test pos, symptoms confirmed by Dr-head. My current bad list is: gluten, dairy, sulfites, coffee (the devil's brew), tea, Bug's Bunnies carrots, garbanzo beans of pain, soy- no joy, terrible turnips, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and hard work. have a good day! :-) Paul
Thank you all. At this point, my doctor is considering my diagnosed. Right now it seems a bit intimidating but I am sure that will lessen over time. I am hopeful that a gluten free diet will solve many of my auto-immune issues that I have and that doctors haven't pinpointed what the cause was (until now). Thank you all.
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