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

Testing Question After Gf


barbiannc

Recommended Posts

barbiannc Newbie

Hi! New to this site. Here is my story in a nutshell. I am 57 years old and have had "stomach problems" since my teens. In college I was told I had ulcers because of it, but not confirmed by any testing. Over the years I can't remember a day when at some point my stomach didn't hurt, my lower abdomen had excruciating pain etc. I have had all sorts of workups and nothing was ever found. I also have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) so I know I am more likely to have celiac disease. I took myself off ALL gluten about 5 months ago. Within days I felt 100% better. My question for you all is this: I am seeing two doctors at a very large hospital in Cleveland.....an endo and a family practice doctor. The endo ordered a celiac test even though I told her I had been gluten free for months. She said it didn't matter. Test came back negative. I asked the family doctor the same question and was told that even though I have been gluten free this long, the antibodies would still be in my body and I would therefore test positive. This goes against everything I've read. Am I crazy or are both of these doctors wrong???


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



NanaV Rookie

Hi! New to this site. Here is my story in a nutshell. I am 57 years old and have had "stomach problems" since my teens. In college I was told I had ulcers because of it, but not confirmed by any testing. Over the years I can't remember a day when at some point my stomach didn't hurt, my lower abdomen had excruciating pain etc. I have had all sorts of workups and nothing was ever found. I also have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) so I know I am more likely to have celiac disease. I took myself off ALL gluten about 5 months ago. Within days I felt 100% better. My question for you all is this: I am seeing two doctors at a very large hospital in Cleveland.....an endo and a family practice doctor. The endo ordered a celiac test even though I told her I had been gluten free for months. She said it didn't matter. Test came back negative. I asked the family doctor the same question and was told that even though I have been gluten free this long, the antibodies would still be in my body and I would therefore test positive. This goes against everything I've read. Am I crazy or are both of these doctors wrong???

I'm curious, too. I had an endo biopsy years ago, and the docs never told me that being gluten-free for a year would make any difference at all. Grrrr.

 

I think they're wrong. Uninformed. And it leaves us gluten-free but undiagnosed.

cyclinglady Grand Master

Your doctors are wrong!  You must be eating gluten to get an accurate result.  Check out this link to the University of Chicago's Celiac Center regarding this issue:

 

Open Original Shared Link

nvsmom Community Regular

The longer you are gluten-free, the higher the chances that any celiac test will yield a (false) negative result.  It IS possible to still have positive autoantibodies after 5 months gluten-free but I would say it's more likely that they will be negative. I personally still had a weak positive tTG IgA result after about 15 months gluten-free (it had fallen dramatically), but I know that my EMA IgA test became negative sometime before I was a year gluten-free.

 

After being gluten-free for 5 months you will need to complete a gluten challenge of about 2 slices of wheat bread per day for approximately 2 months before you will have accurate results.  :( It might be simpler to stay gluten-free.

 

And I agree, with a history of Hashi's, it's probably celiac disease.

 

Welcome to the board.  :)

WinterSong Community Regular

Flat out, your doctors are idiots. A friend of mine had a doctor who said the same thing, even after she had been gluten free for two years. Stupid doctors....

 

My blood tests were so positive they were off the charts, and it took me about a year and a half to get them down to normal, but even being gluten free for a few weeks can yield a false negative. 

 

Welcome to the board!

kareng Grand Master

While it sometimes takes a few months for antibodies to go down, That is usually people with sky-high antibody numbers.  Not everyone is that bad off.

 

Open Original Shared Link

barbiannc Newbie

Thanks, everyone! Exactly what I thought. It makes me absolutely crazy that so many doctors are so misinformed. It is such a HUGE problem and so prevalent that I should think they would know the basics of it. So now the question remains......do I go through with the gluten challenge for several months to be retested or just remain gluten-free?? I guess I would like to know for sure so that I don't have to be quite as diligent in my gluten avoidance. I still don't eat it, but I'm probably not as careful as I should be in regards to ingredients that are not obviously gluten. So another question....I am due soon to have a routine colonoscopy (it's been several years since my last one). Is it feasible to ask them to do a biopsy then and if so, would this be diagnostic or do I again need to be eating gluten for it to be positive? Thanks so much for everyone's help. This is all so overwhelming and confusing.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



NoGlutenCooties Contributor

Hi! New to this site. Here is my story in a nutshell. I am 57 years old and have had "stomach problems" since my teens. In college I was told I had ulcers because of it, but not confirmed by any testing. Over the years I can't remember a day when at some point my stomach didn't hurt, my lower abdomen had excruciating pain etc. I have had all sorts of workups and nothing was ever found. I also have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) so I know I am more likely to have celiac disease. I took myself off ALL gluten about 5 months ago. Within days I felt 100% better. My question for you all is this: I am seeing two doctors at a very large hospital in Cleveland.....an endo and a family practice doctor. The endo ordered a celiac test even though I told her I had been gluten free for months. She said it didn't matter. Test came back negative. I asked the family doctor the same question and was told that even though I have been gluten free this long, the antibodies would still be in my body and I would therefore test positive. This goes against everything I've read. Am I crazy or are both of these doctors wrong???

 

Just wanted to add that another option for you would be to get the gene testing.  If you're negative for the Celiac gene, then you cannot have Celiac - you most likely have gluten sensitivity.  No need to do the gluten challenge.  That said, I agree with the others that 1) your doctor is an idiot and/or ignorant and 2) you'd have to do a gluten challenge to get a reliable Celiac test at this point.

NanaV Rookie

I've read that one can be tested for celiac via a stool sample, EVEN if one has been gluten-free for a while. Can this really be true?

GF Lover Rising Star

Celiac Disease CANNOT be diagnosed by a stool sample.  I wish is was that easy. 

 

Colleen

frieze Community Regular

Just wanted to add that another option for you would be to get the gene testing.  If you're negative for the Celiac gene, then you cannot have Celiac - you most likely have gluten sensitivity.  No need to do the gluten challenge.  That said, I agree with the others that 1) your doctor is an idiot and/or ignorant and 2) you'd have to do a gluten challenge to get a reliable Celiac test at this point.

FYI, we have more than one biopsy proven celiac that does don't have those genes that post on this board.

Archived

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

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

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





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - tiffanygosci replied to tiffanygosci's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      12

      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

    2. - RMJ replied to Riley.'s topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      4

      Outgrow celiac?

    3. - knitty kitty replied to Riley.'s topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      4

      Outgrow celiac?

    4. - knitty kitty replied to tiffanygosci's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      12

      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

    5. - trents replied to Riley.'s topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      4

      Outgrow celiac?


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,979
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    volivier
    Newest Member
    volivier
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • tiffanygosci
      Thank you for sharing all of this, Knitty Kitty! I did just want someone to share some commonality with. I did not know This one Deficiency was a thing and that it's common for Celiac Disease. It makes sense since this is a disorder that causes malabsorption. I will have to keep this in mind for my next appointments. You also just spurred me on to make that Dietician appointment. There's a lot of information online but I do need to see a professional. There is too much to juggle on my own with this condition.<3
    • RMJ
      I think your initial idea, eat gluten and be tested, was excellent. Now you have fear of that testing, but isn’t there also a fear each time you eat gluten that you’re injuring your body? Possibly affecting future fertility, bone health and more? Wouldn’t it be better to know for sure one way or the other? If you test negative, then you celebrate and get tested occasionally to make sure the tests don’t turn positive again. If you test positive, of course the recommendation from me and others is to stop gluten entirely.  But if you’re unable to convince yourself to do that, could a positive test at least convince you to minimize your gluten consumption?  Immune reactions are generally what is called dose response, the bigger the dose, the bigger the response (in this case, damage to your intestines and body). So while I am NOT saying you should eat any gluten with a positive test, the less the better.  
    • knitty kitty
      @Riley., Welcome to the forum, but don't do it!  Don't continue to eat gluten!  The health problems that will come if you continue to eat gluten are not worth it.  Problems may not show up for years, but the constant inflammation and nutritional losses will manifest eventually.  There's many of us oldsters on the forum who wish they'd been diagnosed as early.    Fertility problems, gallbladder removal, diabetes, osteoporosis and mental health challenges are future health issues you are toying with.   To dispel fear, learn more about what you are afraid of.  Be proactive.  Start or join a Celiac group in your area.  Learn about vitamins and nutrition.   Has your mother been checked for Celiac?  It's inherited.  She may be influencing you to eat gluten as a denial of her own symptoms.  Don't let friends and family sway you away from the gluten-free diet.  You know your path.  Stick to it.  Be brave. 
    • knitty kitty
      @tiffanygosci, Hello.  I apologize for your thread being hijacked.   I recognize your symptoms as being similar to what I experienced, the migraines, food and chemical sensitivities, hives, nausea, the numbness and tingling, joint pain, tummy problems, sleep problems, emotional lability, and the mom brain.  My cycle returned early after I had my son, and I became pregnant again with all my symptoms worsening.  Unfortunately, I lost that baby.  In hindsight, I recognized that I was suffering so much from Thiamine deficiency and other nutritional deficiencies that I was not able to carry it.   Celiac Disease affects the absorption of nutrients from our food.  There's eight B vitamins that must be replenished every day.  Thiamine Vitamin B1 becomes depleted first because it cannot be stored very long, less than two weeks.  Other B vitamins can be stored for two months or so.  But Thiamine can get low enough to produce symptoms in as little as three days.  As the thiamine level gets lower, symptoms worsen.  Early symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are often attributed to life situations, and so frequently go unrecognized by medical professionals who "have a pill for that".   I used to get severe migraines and vomiting after gluten consumption.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins are needed to turn carbohydrates, fats and proteins into fuel for our bodies.  With a large influx of carbohydrates from gluten containing foods, the demand for Thiamine increases greatly.  Available thiamine can be depleted quickly, resulting in suddenly worsening symptoms.  Emotional stress or trauma, physical activity (athletes and laborers) and physiological stresses like pregnancy or injury (even surgery or infection) increase the need for Thiamine and can precipitate a thiamine insufficiency. Pregnancy requires more thiamine, not just for the mother, but for the child as well.  The mother's Thiamine stores are often depleted trying to meet the higher demand of a growing fetus.  Thiamine insufficiency can affect babies in utero and after birth (autism, ADHD).  Having babies close together doesn't allow time for the mother to replenish thiamine stores sufficiently.   Thiamine insufficiency can cause migraines, pins and needles (paresthesia), and gastrointestinal Beriberi (gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, back pain).   Thiamine deficiency can cause blurry vision, difficulty focusing, and affect the eyes in other ways.  Thiamine deficiency can damage the optic nerves.  I have permanent vision problems.  High histamine levels can make your brain feel like it's on fire or swelling inside your cranium.  High histamine levels can affect behavior and mood.  Histamine is released by Mast Cells as part of the immune system response to gluten.  Mast Cells need Thiamine to regulate histamine release.  Mast Cells without sufficient thiamine release histamine at the slightest provocation.  This shows up as sensitivities to foods, smelly chemicals, plants, and dust mites.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins are needed to lower histamine levels.  Vitamin D is needed to calm the immune system and to regulate our hormones.  Menstrual irregularities can be caused by low Vitamin D.   Celiac Disease is a disease if Malabsorption of Nutrients.  We must take great care to eat a nutritionally dense diet.  Our bodies cannot make vitamins.  We must get them from what we eat.  Supplementation with essential vitamins and minerals is warranted while we are healing and to ensure we don't become deficient over time.  Our bodies will not function properly without essential vitamins and minerals.  Doctors have swept their importance under the rug in favor of a pill that covers the symptoms but doesn't resolve the underlying issue of malnutrition. Do talk to your doctor and dietician about checking for nutritional deficiencies.  Most blood tests for the eight B vitamins do not reflect how much is available or stored inside cells.  Blood tests reflect how much is circulating in the blood stream, the transportation system.  Blood levels can be "normal" while a deficiency exists inside cells where the vitamins are actually used.  The best way to see if you're low in B vitamins is to take a B Complex, and additional Thiamine and look for improvement.   Most vitamin supplements contain Thiamine Mononitrate, which is not easily absorbed nor utilized by the body.  Only thirty percent of thiamine mononitrate listed on the label is absorbed, less is actually utilized.  This is because thiamine mononitrate is shelf stable, it won't breakdown sitting on a shelf in the grocery store.  It's so hard to breakdown, our bodies don't absorb it and can't turn it into a form the body can use.  Take Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine or TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which the body can utilize much better.  (Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test for Thiamine level.  Though not accurate, this test does better picking up on a thiamine deficiency than a blood test.) Are you keeping your babies on a gluten free diet?  This can prevent genetically susceptible children from developing Celiac Disease.   P. S. Interesting Reading  Thiamine deficiency in pregnancy and lactation: implications and present perspectives https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10158844/ Descriptive spectrum of thiamine deficiency in pregnancy: A potentially preventable condition https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37458305/ B vitamins and their combination could reduce migraine headaches: A randomized double-blind controlled trial https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9860208/
    • trents
      @Riley, on this forum we sometimes get reports from people with similar experiences as you. That is, their celiac disease seems to go into remission. Typically, that doesn't last. At age 18 you are at your physical-biological peek in life where your body is stronger than it will ever be and it is able to fight well against many threats and abuses. As Wheatwacked pointed out, absence of symptoms is not always a reliable indicator that no damage is being done to the body. I was one of those "silent" celiacs with no symptoms, or at least very minor symptoms, whose body was being slowly damaged for many years before the damage became pronounced enough to warrant investigation, leading to a diagnosis. By that time I had suffered significant bone demineralization and now I suffer with back and neck problems. Please, if you choose to continue consuming gluten, which I do not recommend, at least get tested regularly so that you won't get caught in the silent celiac trap down the road like I did. You really do not outgrow celiac disease. It is baked into the genes. Once the genes get triggered, as far as we know, they are turned on for good. Social rejection is something most celiacs struggle with. Being compliant with the gluten free diet places restrictions on what we can eat and where we can eat. Our friends usually try to work with us at first but then it gets to be a drag and we begin to get left out. We often lose some friends in the process but we also find out who really are our true friends. I think the hardest hits come at those times when friends spontaneously say, "Hey, let's go get some burgers and fries" and you know you can't safely do that. One way to cope in these situations is to have some ready made gluten-free meals packed in the fridge that you can take with you on the spot and still join them but eat safely. Most "real" friends will get used to this and so will you. Perhaps this little video will be helpful to you.  
×
×
  • 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.