Test For Iga Deficiency?

[cornbread]

It's been suggested that I may be IgA deficient. Does anybody know where I can get tested for this? Ideally an online test that I can do at home and send in, but alternatively what to ask a doctor for.

Thanks.

[KaitiUSA]

The Total Serum IgA rules out IgA deficiency...what tests for celiac did you have done already?

[cornbread]

I had enterolab's Gluten/Casein Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete. The gene test showed one celiac marker gene and one gluten sensitive gene. However, I had already gone gluten-free for 5 months prior to the test, and the antibody tests were negative. Enterolab thought this would have more to do with me maybe being IgA deficient than being gluten-free, as their stool test is supposed to be able to detect antibodies for quite a while after a gluten-free diet is introduced. Of course this varies from person to person. What's made me curious though is that that casein part also came back negative and I had been eating that all along. I have only recently (6-8 weeks ago) become casein intolerant and cut it out of my diet, and so I have just ordered a second casein test. If this is negative again I will be very suspicious that I have an IgA deficiency.

In retrospect of course I shouldn't have gone gluten-free before getting tested, but I didn't know about the implications and was just delighted to feel well again after 13 years - same story as a lot of people here I expect.

[NYCEthan]

Any doc can run an IgA test - but you might want to see an infectious disease specialist. You should be aware that if you are IgA deficient, you stand a much higher chance of having celiac, but the standard blood test for celiac will likely be a false negative.

I am IgA deficient and got a false neg celiac test. I started a gluten-free diet. It was almsot a complete cure, so my docs all agreed there was little sense doing many more tests.

In terms of the IgA deficiency, I try to be careful when I get a cold so that those viral things do not turn into bacterial upper respiratory infections since my body can't fight that kind of thing well. When a cold comes, i lay on the decongestants so I don't get too much gunk hanging out in my lungs - which in an IgA deficient person is an invitation for bacterial problems. Dayquil and Nyquil are a godsend. That and I always travel with antibiotics just in case. Add the gluten-free diet to the mix and I seem to be able to function at about 95%, not too bad given that IgA deficiency and celiac aren't a good set of cards to start out with!