My Mom Is Getting Tested For Celiac Disease..help?

[taynichaf]

She is getting tested by the same doctor that I did..he did not test the full celiac panel, plus I have been eating low gluten unintentionally.

How can I ensure my mom gets the right results??

I am still convinced I have the disease because I have unexplained anemia and other deficiencies.. Now my grandma got tested for it because she has the rashes, but she tested negative..and my family has a history of autoimmune diseases and depression.

I'm just afraid my mom won't accept that gluten causes problems for me if she tests negative. So, what are reliable tests??

Thank you!!

[nvsmom]

The most commom full celiac panel is:

• Deaminated Gliadin Peptides (DGP IgA and DGP IgG) - very sensitive and specific
• Tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTG IgA and tTG IgG) - the usual first test, it is sensitive but not as specific
• Total serum Immunoglobulin A (IgA - this is a control test)
• Anti-endomysial antibody (EMA IgA)-  very specific and sensitive to celiac but you need a lot of villi damage for it to be positive
• Anti Gliadin antibodies (AGA IgA and AGA IgG) - older tests thought to (possibly) be positive in close to half of NCGIs (non-celiac gluten intolerance)

Anemia, rashes, and every other celiac symptom (except for damage to the villi) can also be attributed to NCGI, which is much more common - I've heard stats saying that 6 to 30% of the population has this.

 

Unfortunately most other AI diseases also cause these symptoms. For example, low B12 can cause anemia in hashi's lupus, MCTD and other problems besides celiac or NCGI.

 

If you feel better off of gluten, and can't get a positive celiac test result, you might have to embrace the NCGI label and go forward with the gluten-free diet even if you don't have family support - It's your health and your body, and you'll take better care of it than anybody.

 

Best wishes.

[taynichaf]

Hmm alright, thanks.

I have many other symptoms too btw, I've looked at other possible causes and gluten intolerance seems to be the best match. it just sucks that they can't really test for NCGI.

[nvsmom]

... it just sucks that they can't really test for NCGI.

 

It sure does! Hopefully they'll come up with something in the near future. NCGI has only been recognized for a couple of years so testing needs some catch up time.