New To Forum And Many Questions

[clinchfield33]

Hello forum and thanks for having me.

My history, I have had bad abdominal cramps and diarreah since I was very young (5yrs old0 and I am now 44 years old. I have had many test ran over the years and have always been told it was just IBS. In the recent years it has became much worse along with new symptoms such as brain fog, dizzy, muscle cramps.I have loose stool everyday cramps about three days a week, bad painful close to passing out diarreah about one or twice a week. Every once in a while I will have a near perfect feeling day...with no bathroom visit at all. I am self employed and I have ran out of money for Dr visits and test, so I am trying gluten free on my own. My latest Colonoscopy said I hade narrow Aveel loops? I think that is right. Thickining and intestinal walls. I have had no Dr mention celiac. I have all the symptoms other than a skin rash.

 

Do celiac symptoms effect you everyday?

Is there any over the counter test available?

 

[w8in4dave]

No over the counter test, Wish there was! How much easier would that be?!! Once you go Gluten free after you figure this whole Gluten Free diet thing out ,your symptoms should subside. Lesser and lesser, i still have some bloating and occasional bathroom runs but I have alot of intolerances . Narrow Aveel loops? I'm not sure about that, someone will chime in on that. Gluten Free is the way to Be! Good Luck! I hope you feel better soon! 

[nvsmom]

There is one home test that I know of - the Biocard test.  It tests adequate IgA and the tissue transglutaminase (tTG IgA), which most doctors use when looking for celiac disease.  It cost me $50 in Canada a couple of years ago.

 

It will have a sensitivity similar to the labs' test but possibly a bit lower to account for our error (not enough blood - warm your hand and swing it before poking).  It will miss approximately 5-25% of celiacs.

 

Like all celiac disease tests, you need to be eating gluten in the weeks prior to testing for accuracy.

 

Because the tests miss people, there are 5 good celiac tests, and a couple of older ones, that doctors run to catch celiac disease. Even the biopsy can miss up to 1 in 5 celiacs.  If you can, get a doctor to run a bunch of tests for you so you can be more certain it is celiac disease, or that the negatives have ruled it out.  Request tTG IgA, tTG IgG, DGP IgA, DGP IgG, EMA IgA, total serum IgA (control test), and the older AGA IgA and AGA IgG.

 

My celiac disease did not always affect me everyday. Some days, or weeks, or months, or years were worse than others.  Over the years though, my symptoms did become more frequent and severe. For example, as a teen I had migraines a few times a month where as as an adult it was at about half of the time.... still not all of the time though.  LOL

 

Best wishes.  Welcome to the board.