Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Negative Fecal Fat But Underweight


ADevoto

Recommended Posts

ADevoto Explorer

My 12 year old son has the following results from Enterolab -

Antigliadin IgA of 128 units (normal is <10

Antitissue Transglutaminase of 70 (normal is <10

Fecal Fat score of <300 (normal is <300)

They recommend that he go on a gluten free diet which I agree. But I am confused. He is very underweight (5%) but it shows no malabsorb issues. Is that conflicting? I would think that he isn't absorbing nutrients if he is under weight and has those high value results. Any thoughts???


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



natalie Apprentice

When did he start losing weight? Maybe he has some of his intestines working properly, therefore absorbing the fat. Maybe severe damage hasn't occured yet. I would start the gluten-free diet because his numbers are high.

Natalie

debmidge Rising Star

For all the 27 years my husband went mis-diagnosed his fecal fat count was in normal range however, his weight plummeted from about 180 to 127 over the course of 2.5 years from first symptoms. Those specific blood tests were not invented or his doctors did not utilize them for the first 15 years or so of his illness. It got to the point where even new GI's viewed him as being "mentally ill" and "obsessed" over foods that gave him stomach trouble. Because using their testing methods THEY couldn't find anything wrong with him.

He lost all his body fat and became so malnourished that his body -- for lack of a better word -- ate his muscles - in the same way it would happen to an anexoric.

The doctors brushed this off and he is at point today where the muscles are not re-building; BUT as for a 12 year old he's still growing and as long as you get to the bottom of his problems (i.e., if he is celiac then go gluten-free) it shouldn't turn out this way.

My husband was 27 when he got first symptoms of celiac disease.

confused Community Regular

My step-son was negative on fecal fat also, but his numbers were kinda high on everything else. He is also underweight, but now when he does stick to the plan he is starting to grow and gain weight. He is 13, going on 14.

paula

dally099 Contributor

when you have D all the time you tend to not absorb nutrients and calories very well, im the same thing lost 10lbs in a month but my fecal fat score was normal. also if your sysem is working over time you can be burning more calories, i bet he gains weight when he goes on the diet. i did, good luck

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to mamaof7's topic in Parents, Friends and Loved Ones of Celiacs
      6

      Help understand results

    2. - knitty kitty replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      10

      Insomnia help

    3. - trents replied to pothosqueen's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Positive biopsy

    4. - pothosqueen posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Positive biopsy

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,993
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Tchudi
    Newest Member
    Tchudi
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      That test is saying that your daughter is not making normal amounts of any IGA antibodies.  She's not making normal amounts of antibodies against gliadin, not against bacteria, not against viruses.  She is deficient in total IGA, so the test for antigliadin antibodies is not valid.  The test was a failure.  The test only works if all different kinds of antibodies were being made.  Your daughter is not making all different kinds of antibodies, so the test results are moot.  Your daughter should have the DGP IgG and TTG IgG tests done.   The tests should be performed while she is still consuming gluten.  Stopping and restarting a gluten containing diet can make her more sick, just like you refuse to eat gluten for testing.  Call the doctor's office, request both the IGG tests. Request to be put on the cancellation list for an appointment sooner.  Ask for genetic testing.   Celiac disease is passed on from parents to children.  You and all seven children should be tested for genes for Celiac disease.  Your parents, your siblings and their children should be tested as well.  Eating gluten is not required for genetic testing because your genes don't change.  Genetic testing is not a diagnosis of Celiac disease.  Just having the genes means there is the potential of developing Celiac disease if the Celiac genes are activated.  Genetic testing helps us decide if the Celiac genes are activated when coupled with physical symptoms, antibody testing, and biopsy examination. It's frustrating when doctors get it wrong and we suffer for it.  Hang in there.  You're a good mom for pursuing this!  
    • knitty kitty
      @hjayne19, So glad you found the information helpful.  I know how difficult my struggle with anxiety has been.  I've been finding things that helped me and sharing that with others makes my journey worthwhile. I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  It contains the easily activated forms of B vitamins needed by people with the MTHFR genetic variation often found with Celiac disease.   Avoid B Complex vitamins if they contain Thiamine Mononitrate if possible.  (Read the ingredients listing.)  Thiamine Mononitrate is the "shelf-stable" form of B 1 that the body can't utilize.  B vitamins breakdown when exposed to heat and light, and over time.  So "shelf-stable" forms won't breakdown sitting on a shelf in a bright store waiting to be bought.  (It's also very cheap.)  Thiamine Mononitrate is so shelf-stable that the body only absorbs about thirty percent of it, and less than that is utilized.  It takes thiamine already in the body to turn Thiamine Mononitrate into an active form.   I take MegaBenfotiamine by Life Extension.  Benfotiamine has been shown to promote intestinal healing, neuropathy, brain function, glycemic control, and athletic performance.   I take TTFD-B1 Max by Maxlife Naturals, Ecological Formulas Allthiamine (TTFD), or Thiamax by EO Nutrition.  Thiamine Tetrahydrofurfuryl Disulfide (TTFD for short) gets into the brain and makes a huge difference with the anxiety and getting the brain off the hamster wheel.  Especially when taken with Magnesium Threonate.   Any form of Thiamine needs Magnesium to make life sustaining enzymes and energy.  I like NeuroMag by Life Extension.  It contains Magnesium Threonate, a form of magnesium that easily crosses the blood brain barrier.  My brain felt like it gave a huge sigh of relief and relaxed when I started taking this and still makes a difference daily.   Other brands of supplements i like are Now Foods, Amazing Formulas, Doctor's Best, Nature's Way, Best Naturals, Thorne, EO Nutrition. Naturewise.  But I do read the ingredients labels all the time just to be sure they are gluten and dairy free. Glad to help with further questions.  
    • trents
      Welcome to the celiac.com community @pothosqueen!   Can you be more specific about which IGA test was run that resulted in 114 score and said to be "normal" and could you please include the reference range for what would be normal? By the size of that number it looks like it may have been what we call "total IGA" but that test is not usually run without also running a TTG-IGA. Total IGA tests for IGA deficiency. If someone is IGA deficient, then the celiac-specific IGA tests like the TTG-IGA will be inaccurate. Was this the only IGA test that was run? To answer, your question, yes, a positive biopsy is normally definitive for celiac disease but there are some other medical conditions, some medications and even some food proteins in rare cases that can cause positive biopsies. But it is pretty unlikely that it is due to anything other than celiac disease.
    • pothosqueen
      Upper endoscopy last week resulted in positive biopsy for celiac disease. The IgA they ran was normal (114). Does positive biopsy automatically mean definitive diagnosis?
    • hjayne19
      This is great thank you very much @Scott Adams
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.