Not Sure If Celiac Or Not

[OhSnap]

I've suffered with dizziness, brain fog and tinnitus for about 8 years...my chiropractor suggested that I get tested for gluten intolerance and so I did. It came back and it said I was sensitive to gluten but I don't know if I'm celiac or not.

What test would I have to take to find out? At first it didn't bother me to not know for sure either way but after so long without a true diagnoses...I just kinda want to know.

I know that when I'm gluten free I feel better but I've been having a really rough time sticking to it. I made it for about 2 weeks or so but had gluten last night. My vertigo was worse than it's ever been. And I think it's because of the gluten. I just think maybe it would be easier to stick with it if I knew for sure but I'm also afraid that if I don't actually have it and I'm only sensitive to it that I'm not going to be able to stick with it and be gluten free.

[Mum in Norway]

What test(s) was it that you had done?

If you want to be tested propperly for celiac you have to be ingesting gluten.

[nvsmom]

The celiac tests are:

• tTG IgA and tTG IgG
• DGP IgA and DGP IgG
• EMA IgA
• total serum IgA
• AGA IgA and AGA IgG

The first three tests are positive when people start producing autoantibodies to the mucosal lining of the intestines in response to gluten ingestion. They mean that your body is attempting to damage your intestinal villi.  The total serum IgA is a control test to make sure you make enough Immunoglobulin A  for the other test results to be accurate, 5% of celiacs don't. The last test is for a gliadin Intolerance and is thought by some to work for both celiac disease (where intestinal damage occurs) as well as non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI - where you have the potential to express every single miserable symtom that a celiac can except for the villi damage, but that doesn't mean you won't have intestinal issues just as serious as a celiac).

 

What test did you have? The only test that could possibly indicate non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI) rather than celiac disease is the AGA tests. The others all indicate celiac disease, not NCGI.

 

Both celiac disease  and NCGI require a gluten-free diet. Both result in a LOT of inflammation that can damage your body and lead to other diseases. Both have a lot of uncomfortable symptoms and can lead to things like gluten ataxia (dizziness), neuropathies, migraines, stunted growth etc. Both can have vitamin deficiencies and make a mess of your nutrient levels.

 

About the only differences I've heard of is that half of all celiacs, at diagnosis, are lactose intolerant because lactase (to digest lactose) is made on the villi which can be damaged enough not to work. celiac disease might be more linked to autoimmune disorders but I have seen a lot of proof around here that says otherwise. Also, NCGI is more common than celiac disease; somewhere between 6-30% of the pospulation has it (most stats I see are close to 10%)..

 

My point is that NCGI is just as serious as celiac disease and needs to be treated as such. 100% gluten-free is the only way to get well. no crumbs or contamination can be allowed. So if you decide to do more testing and the results are negative, you should go gluten-free for a minimum of 3 months to see how your health improves. It must be gluten-free though as having a tiny amount of gluten each week could prevent you from feeling better.

 

Good luck with the diet or with more testing (eat gluten if you want more tests). hope you feel well soon.