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

My Blood Panel Results Are In...

steve-o

Recommended Posts

steve-o Apprentice
steve-o
Posted

Well, I finally saw my doctor today to get the results of my blood panel. I'm sure lots of other people have similar confusing results, so I wanted to share my experience and insight:

I had an IGA Anti-Gliadin antibody reading of 53 (over 25 is high), but my TTG was only 3, which is a low/negative number.

My biopsy was also negative, BUT....he only took one tissue sample, so I don't have a lot of faith in the scientific value of this result, given that damage to the villi can be patchy, and all the literature I've read says that you must take multiple tissue samples to avoid sampling error.

The doctor said this means I don't have celiac disease. He said although the Anti-Gliadin AB is high, this doesn't necessarily mean I have celiac. (I didn't think to ask him at the time...but I'm kind of curious, why do they bother doing this test if the results don't mean anything?)

I asked if this means I have a gluten intolerance, that hasn't gotten so bad that it's damaged the villi yet. His reponse was that you either have it, or you don't....there's no degrees of gluten intolerance.

But then he said my symptoms before going gluten free were classic celiac...and the improvements I've seen since being gluten free for the past month, are exactly what he would expect to see from somebody who was recovering/recently started the gluten-free diet. He said there are "subclinical" cases of celiac, and that I may be one of those cases. His recommendation was to stay gluten free for a few more weeks, and then slowly try reintroducing gluten into my diet. If I have reactions to it again, I can probably take this as "evidence" that I need to avoid gluten.

I guess the point (which most of you already know all too well) is that in the end, you need to just listen to your body. Blood tests and biopsies aren't perfect, and if your body is telling you that it doesn't play well with gluten...you should always listen to what your body tells you, regardless of what the tests/doctors say.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


LaurieAnn13 Newbie
LaurieAnn13
Posted

When my doctor diagnosed me, it was only with the blood tests. My levels came back indicating celiac, I never had a biopsy. I responded really well to the gluten-free diet and I just went with that, as you said...your body knows best!!

Good luck!

Laurie

rmmadden Contributor
rmmadden
Posted

My experience with celiac disease and going to the Doctor is that I have come to learn what an un-exact science medicine is. I always thought with all the technology etc. that medicine was more specific in its diagnosis and treatments....Wrong. This seems especially true when dealing with celiac disease!

Your best bet is to listen to what your body is telling you because nobody knows you like you do.

Best of Luck!

Cleveland Bob B)

celiac3270 Collaborator
celiac3270
Posted

I think your physician is about 1/2 right on this one.

An AGA IgA definitely is not enough for a diagnosis. The Anti-Gliadin tests are not very accurate at all. The tTG is the best serological test out there right now, followed by the EMA. A negative biopsy and a negative tTG would be grounds for saying no celiac. However, one sample is not going to work...the biopsy is worthless with only one sample.

What I would suggest is this: get a gene test. This will tell you if you can or cannot have celiac. If you have neither the HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8, you cannot have celiac, and you can rule out celiac altogether. If you have either of the genes, then you should probably have an EMA and another endoscopy, making sure that they take multiple samples.

The part that I think is 1/2 wrong is that you can't have celiac. There is inadequate testing to rule it out altogether, because the tTG, though important, isn't the only way to diagnose or...not diagnose.

Guest nini
Guest nini
Posted

I agree that listening to your body is very important...

I also believe that gluten is toxic for way more people than just those predisposed to celiac through genetics.

Listen to your body, if it's telling you gluten is bad for you then by all means stay away from gluten!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • 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. lil-oly
      - lil-oly replied to Jmartes71's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Gluten tester

      Hey there, have you been tested for allergies? You may not only have celiac disease but be allergic. I have celiac disease and am allergic to Barley, wheat and rye.
    2. JudyLou
      - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Thanks so much!
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      I have osteopenia and have cracked three vertebrae. Niacin is connected to osteoporosis! Do talk to your nutritionist and doctor about supplementing with B vitamins. Blood tests don't reveal the amount of vitamins stored inside cells. The blood is a transportation system and can reflect vitamins absorbed from food eaten in the previous twenty-four...
    4. JudyLou
      - JudyLou replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      Thank you so much for the clarification! Yes to these questions: Have you consulted dietician? Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies? Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia? Do you take any supplements, or vitamins? I’m within healthy range for nutritional tests, thyroid and am not anemic. I do have osteopenia. I don’t take any medications, and the...
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to JudyLou's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      11

      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      @JudyLou, I have dermatitis herpetiformis, too! And...big drum roll... Niacin improves dermatitis herpetiformis! Niacin is very important to skin health and intestinal health. You're correct. dermatitis herpetiformis usually occurs on extensor muscles, but dermatitis herpetiformis is also pressure sensitive, so blisters can form...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,155
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Beccad611
    Newest Member
    Beccad611
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

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

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • lil-oly
      Gluten tester

      By lil-oly · Posted

      Hey there, have you been tested for allergies? You may not only have celiac disease but be allergic. I have celiac disease and am allergic to Barley, wheat and rye. 
    • JudyLou
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By JudyLou · Posted

      Thanks so much! 
    • knitty kitty
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      I have osteopenia and have cracked three vertebrae.  Niacin is connected to osteoporosis! Do talk to your nutritionist and doctor about supplementing with B vitamins.  Blood tests don't reveal the amount of vitamins stored inside cells.  The blood is a transportation system and can reflect vitamins absorbed from food eaten in the previous twenty-four to forty-eight hours.  Those "normal limits" are based on minimum amounts required to prevent disease, not levels for optimal health.   Keep us posted on your progress.   B Vitamins: Functions and Uses in Medicine https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9662251/ Association of dietary niacin intake with osteoporosis in the postmenopausal women in the US: NHANES 2007–2018 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11835798/ Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/   Nutritional Imbalances in Adult Celiac Patients Following a Gluten-Free Diet https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8398893/ Nutritional Consequences of Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7422/15/4/61 Simplifying the B Complex: How Vitamins B6 and B9 Modulate One Carbon Metabolism in Cancer and Beyond https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9609401/
    • JudyLou
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By JudyLou · Posted

      Thank you so much for the clarification! Yes to these questions: Have you consulted dietician?  Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia?  Do you take any supplements, or vitamins? I’m within healthy range for nutritional tests, thyroid and am not anemic. I do have osteopenia. I don’t take any medications, and the dietician was actually a nutritionist (not sure if that is the same thing) recommended by my physician at the time to better understand gluten free eating.    I almost wish the gluten exposure had triggered something, so at least I’d know what’s going on. So confusing!    Many thanks! 
    • knitty kitty
      Seeking advice on potential gluten challenge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @JudyLou,  I have dermatitis herpetiformis, too!  And...big drum roll... Niacin improves dermatitis herpetiformis!   Niacin is very important to skin health and intestinal health.   You're correct.  dermatitis herpetiformis usually occurs on extensor muscles, but dermatitis herpetiformis is also pressure sensitive, so blisters can form where clothing puts pressure on the skin. Elastic waist bands, bulky seams on clothing, watch bands, hats.  Rolled up sleeves or my purse hanging on my arm would make me break out on the insides of my elbows.  I have had a blister on my finger where my pen rested as I write.  Foods high in Iodine can cause an outbreak and exacerbate dermatitis herpetiformis. You've been on the gluten free diet for a long time.  Our gluten free diet can be low in vitamins and minerals, especially if processed gluten free foods are consumed.  Those aren't fortified with vitamins like gluten containing products are.  Have you consulted dietician?  Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?  Osteoporosis? Thyroid? Anemia?  Do you take any supplements, medicine, or vitamins? Niacin deficiency is connected to anemia.  Anemia can cause false negatives on tTg IgA tests.  A person can be on that borderline where symptoms wax and wane for years, surviving, but not thriving.  We have a higher metabolic need for more nutrients when we're sick or emotionally stressed which can deplete the small amount of vitamins we can store in our bodies and symptoms reappear.   Exposure to gluten (and casein in those sensitive to it) can cause an increased immune response and inflammation for months afterwards. The immune cells that make tTg IgA antibodies which are triggered today are going to live for about two years. During that time, inflammation is heightened.  Those immune cells only replicate when triggered.  If those immune cells don't get triggered again for about two years, they die without leaving any descendents programmed to trigger on gluten and casein.  The immune system forgets gluten and casein need to be attacked.  The Celiac genes turn off.  This is remission.    Some people in remission report being able to consume gluten again without consequence.   However, another triggering event can turn the Celiac genes on again.   Celiac genes are turned on by a triggering event (physical or emotional stress).  There's some evidence that thiamine insufficiency contributes to the turning on of autoimmune genes.  There is an increased biological need for thiamine when we are physically or emotionally stressed.  Thiamine cannot be stored for more than twenty-one days and may be depleted in as little as three during physical and emotional stresses. Mitochondria without sufficient thiamine become damaged and don't function properly.  This gets relayed to the genes and autoimmune disease genes turn on.  Thiamine and other B vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are needed to replace the dysfunctional mitochondria and repair the damage to the body.   I recommend getting checked for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  More than just Vitamin D and B12.  A gluten challenge would definitely be a stressor capable of precipitating further vitamin deficiencies and health consequences.   Best wishes!    
×
×
  • 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.