Blood Testing

[billy]

how accurate are blood tests? i just had my second negative test in two years even though i've tested myself through trial and error over the past four with textbook symptoms (i do go see my first gi doc in two weeks). has anyone else had negative bloodwork with a positive biopsy? thanks, billy

[tarnalberry]

I had mostly negative bloodwork (only a positive anti-reticulin IgG), and no biopsy - just a positive dietary challenge. Blood testing is appearing (according to some recent articles) to be less reliable than the statistics show - and this appears to be particularly true for people who don't have much damage to the villi. It's appearing (from anecdotal and other evidence) that there is a sort of "subclinical" celiac disease that is more correctly defined as gluten intolerance, without the severe intestinal damage.

[Jinxy'sMom]

Hi Billy. The only blood tests I had that came back as positive were the IgG and IgA. All the others were neg. I decided not to pursue a biopsy at that point because I didn't have any symptoms. Lately I have developed what I believe is DH and I'm seeing my GP Friday for a referral to the GI and I'd like to have the endoscopy done.

[Guest barbara3675]

Hi there----I had a negative blood test and after reading a lot about Enterolab on these message boards decided to do their most comprehensive test which included gene testing. They got back to me in less than two weeks after I sent the kit back that they had sent me and I am gluten and casein intolerant. I would not have known this if I had relied on my doctor for information. I highly recommend this kind of testing. The results come via email and are pretty comprehensive. I had already been eating gluten-free, but now am eating cf too. I have a six year old granddaughter that has celiac disease and we know it is hereditary.....and now we know where she got it from, darn. I am going to be 60 soon, I probably have had this for a long time, but just got diagnosed as I didn't have the bad gut symptoms until recently. However, I did have some of the other ones which are: migraine headaches, depression and just last winter diagnosed with fibromyalgia/which is pain all over your body in the mucles, tendons, ligaments. I feel this is all leading up to the diagnosis of gluten intolerance now/it is all linked. '

Barbara