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Recent Celiac Diagnosis And Questions

mfalbo

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mfalbo Rookie
mfalbo
Posted

Hi All, I am new to this and I have some questions regarding my recent diagnosis of celiac disease.  I had to go to the doctor because I had been sick for 4-5 weeks with cold symptoms and my lymph nodes in my neck were huge and painful and after a long discussion and blood tests my doc asked if he could test me for celiacs. I said sure but I haven't had any stomach problems just some weight loss and my labs were off. And to my surprise it came back positive but I am just wondering what my results mean. These are my results

 

Endomysial Iga Ab screen -  positive titer 1:80 (standard range 0)

Gliadin AB Deamidated IGG - 53.5 (reference range for negative <20)

Gliadin AB Deamidated IGA - 130 (reference range for negative <20)

Reticulin IGA AB titer - Negative

 

It has been 2 weeks of trying to go gluten free and I have to say I do feel a bit better. 

Any info will be awesome! Thanks so much!

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Welcome!

Here is a link to our newbie thread:

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

My only symptom was anemia. I was shocked. But later found out that I had other issues like Osteoporosis. It seems like your doctor is willing to go with the blood test alone instead of doing a biopsy, but that is okay! Let us know if you have any questions!

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

Hi All, I am new to this and I have some questions regarding my recent diagnosis of celiac disease.  I had to go to the doctor because I had been sick for 4-5 weeks with cold symptoms and my lymph nodes in my neck were huge and painful and after a long discussion and blood tests my doc asked if he could test me for celiacs. I said sure but I haven't had any stomach problems just some weight loss and my labs were off. And to my surprise it came back positive but I am just wondering what my results mean. These are my results

 

Endomysial Iga Ab screen -  positive titer 1:80 (standard range 0)

Gliadin AB Deamidated IGG - 53.5 (reference range for negative <20)

Gliadin AB Deamidated IGA - 130 (reference range for negative <20)

Reticulin IGA AB titer - Negative

 

It has been 2 weeks of trying to go gluten free and I have to say I do feel a bit better. 

Any info will be awesome! Thanks so much!

 

That is a pretty for sure positive.  I've recently been diagnosed as well and this board is very helpful.  Biggest thing is getting your house gluten-free or getting a zone in your kitchen gluten-free at least.  It's surprising how gluten hides in food and getting into the habit of reading every label takes a bit of work.  I'm on week 2 of being totally gluten-free but have reduced my consumption over the past month.  I'm noticing some improvements already.

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Welcome!

Those tests are quite clear. The DGPs are extremely high and the endomysial titer indicates damage to the endomysial layer of the small intestine ... in simple terms - damage caused in Celiac Disease.

I am curious, did your doctor run:

Tissue Transglutaminase...also known as tTG (both IgA and IgG)?

Do read the Newbie Thread CyclingLady linked for you...it contains loads of fast forward info.

Let us know if you have any questions...the transition is not easy...but well worth the effort :)

mfalbo Rookie
mfalbo
Posted
  • Author

Welcome!

Here is a link to our newbie thread:

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

My only symptom was anemia. I was shocked. But later found out that I had other issues like Osteoporosis. It seems like your doctor is willing to go with the blood test alone instead of doing a biopsy, but that is okay! Let us know if you have any questions!

it's so weird I would not have even thought I was also but yes things are making sense now. I've had anemia for years and I am showing some bone loss on my bone density scans.

Did you notice any deference with anything when started going gluten-free?

mfalbo Rookie
mfalbo
Posted
  • Author

That is a pretty for sure positive.  I've recently been diagnosed as well and this board is very helpful.  Biggest thing is getting your house gluten-free or getting a zone in your kitchen gluten-free at least.  It's surprising how gluten hides in food and getting into the habit of reading every label takes a bit of work.  I'm on week 2 of being totally gluten-free but have reduced my consumption over the past month.  I'm noticing some improvements already.

That's great that you are noticing improvements. What kind of things are you noticing that are improving?

mfalbo Rookie
mfalbo
Posted
  • Author

Welcome!

Those tests are quite clear. The DGPs are extremely high and the endomysial titer indicates damage to the endomysial layer of the small intestine ... in simple terms - damage caused in Celiac Disease.

I am curious, did your doctor run:

Tissue Transglutaminase...also known as tTG (both IgA and IgG)?

Do read the Newbie Thread CyclingLady linked for you...it contains loads of fast forward info.

Let us know if you have any questions...the transition is not easy...but well worth the effort :)

Hi there! No my doc did not order the tTG, what does that test look for?
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nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Hi there! No my doc did not order the tTG, what does that test look for?

The tTG Iga is very similar to the EMA IgA in that it would indicate damage to the intestinal damage.  The EMA IgA tends to show more advanced damage than the tTG IgA. I have rarely seen a positive EMA IgA without a positive tTG IgA.  Gottaski was probably wondering because many doctors won't even run the EMA IgA until AFTER you have had a positive tTG IgA.

 

The deaminated gliadin peptide tests (DGP IgA and DGP IgG) show an extreme intolerance to gluten (gliadin). So you've got intestinal damage and a gluten intolerance.  That is definitely celiac disease.

 

The reticulin IgA titre is quite an old test and rarely used anymore because it is not as reliable as the newer tests, meaning it can miss celiacs - it looks like it missed you.

 

This report has some more info on the tests on pages 10-12: Open Original Shared Link

 

Welcome to the board and good luck with the gluten-free diet.  :)

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

yep, what Nicole said!

mfalbo Rookie
mfalbo
Posted
  • Author

The tTG Iga is very similar to the EMA IgA in that it would indicate damage to the intestinal damage.  The EMA IgA tends to show more advanced damage than the tTG IgA. I have rarely seen a positive EMA IgA without a positive tTG IgA.  Gottaski was probably wondering because many doctors won't even run the EMA IgA until AFTER you have had a positive tTG IgA.

 

The deaminated gliadin peptide tests (DGP IgA and DGP IgG) show an extreme intolerance to gluten (gliadin). So you've got intestinal damage and a gluten intolerance.  That is definitely celiac disease.

 

The reticulin IgA titre is quite an old test and rarely used anymore because it is not as reliable as the newer tests, meaning it can miss celiacs - it looks like it missed you.

 

This report has some more info on the tests on pages 10-12: Open Original Shared Link

 

Welcome to the board and good luck with the gluten-free diet.   :)

Thank you so much for the info! I am so glad I found this because I have no idea what to do.  It's just hard to find out how sensitive I am because I don't have much stomach problems with it. 

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

it's so weird I would not have even thought I was also but yes things are making sense now. I've had anemia for years and I am showing some bone loss on my bone density scans.

Did you notice any deference with anything when started going gluten-free?

The anemia resolved in six months. I will not get another bone scan until July 2015. I am on HRT, calcium, vit. D, Magnesium and exercise to build bone. My ribs and hips no longer ache when sleeping on my side, so I think I am building bone!

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

That's great that you are noticing improvements. What kind of things are you noticing that are improving?

 

I've mainly noticed more firm stools, still not totally firm, but not D either.  I also have way less gas production :D.  I'm not AS tired but I also have some heart thing going on so it might be more of the cause of that.  Brain fog is still there but I'm rolling my eyes at myself much less :D.  I really didn't have any symptoms that I noticed except the D--was being tested for other things and they put the Celiac test in the just because of the D.  Oh, and after 15 months, my period decided to come back....I could have done with not having that come back :D.

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